Which sometimes makes for the best kind of dress!
Seriously, though. This is not at all period or fashionably appropriate for Prophecy’s era, but how gorgeous is that blueeee? Sheesh. THIS is a dress, right?
You can see more in Bizarre Boudoir’s Etsy store!
Sigh.
On another note, I have something TOTALLY different for you Thursday in lieu of Open Mic (and yes, it IS interactive AND writing-related like Open Mic! *teases*), and next week, we’re going to have fun casting the Prophecy movie! So stay tuned…
<3
Hi, everybody! I have another wonderful, insightful teen for you this week. I love doing these interviews, because it totally gives me faith in the next generation and makes me absolutely positive we are in very good hands.
Current country of residence; us of aaaaa.
Male or female? female.
Age; 15
Z
ABOUT THE BOOKS
How many books, on average, do you read a month? hmm, maybe four?
Favorite kind of book and why; poetry, teenage angst stuff. like ellen hopkins. (I <3 Ellen AND her work!)
How important is a friend’s recommendation in your decision to purchase a book? eh, sometimes it’s good. i like to find books on my own though. i usually hit up bookstores for hours and then just find new books on my own that no one has ever read or heard of; and they end up being amaaaaazing.
Thing you’d like to see more or less of in the YA genre; more books FROM the point of view of the experiencee…like, i would love to read a book written by a teenager about drugs or abuse…i’m kind of doing the same thing right now, and hope to be published.
What’s your biggest pet peeve in a book? when it’s repetitive or they’re trying to tell you something that isn’t obviously symbolized…like in the Catcher in the Rye.
Paperback or hardcover? doesn’t matter, as long as the quality’s good.
Series or stand-alone? eh, i’m not really one for series. stand alone.
Z
ALL ABOUT YOU
What music do you most often listen to? punk/alternative/metal.
Name your favorite band; Paramore
Best movie of all time? hmm.. Rent, the screen version of the play.
Without naming names, tell us a little about your group of friends; I don’t belong to one. I hang out with whoever comes along, and I have friends everywhere. In my opinion, its the best way to live. You don’t owe too much loyalty to anyone, and you can be yourself.
What’s your biggest concern about the world right now and/or the people in it? The judgementality of the people around us. I think we should just all live our lives the way we want to and not be judged for it, regardless of anything.
Someone gives you a million dollars, no strings attached. What do you do with it? shop my butt off, and then donate the rest to To Write Love On Her Arms.
You can live for one year in any place in the world. Where do you go and why? Greece, it’s beautiful.
Have you ever “Hidden” someone on your Facebook feed? If so, why? no I haven’t.
Do you get along with your family? Either way,tell us why. My mom, sometimes. I do whatever for the most part. But my biological dad, NO. I hate him.
What is one thing most people don’t know about you? That as much of a goody two shoes as I am sometimes, I can’t wait to get out and be free when I’m eighteen.
Name your biggest secret fear. Oceans.
Name something you like about yourself. That I love myself, no matter who puts me down. I’m confident in myself and the way I look and the way I act. I don’t let anything get in my way.
That’s for me, not you!
I’ve had a CRAZY weekend! Kenneth’s band, Innocent Posture, participated in a Charity Rock Show Friday night, my teen book club met at Borders Saturday night, after which I took my posse to see Book of Eli (one word; amazing), and today I’m hosting my annual Anti-Super Bowl Party in which teenagers who DON’T like the Superbowl come to my house to eat food, watch movies and play games instead.
It’s been busy! But that’s no excuse. I totally flaked on Not So Old Fashioned Advice AND Saturday Night Live. So to make it up to you, I’m going to try and catch up on the Open Mic posts over the next couple of days AND I’m sending FREE HUGS, from me to you.
<3
It’s time for another installment of Open Mic!
It took me until this morning, but I finally got to comment all of your entries for last week. I have to say that I continue to be unbelievably impressed! Plus, it’s just really awesome to see such diverse work from so many different spots on the globe.
No special Guest Commentator this week, though I have more lined up in the weeks to come. This time, it’s just me, myself, and I. And most importantly, YOU! 
Fine print; 300 words or less, comment at least one other post if you post your work, I’ll comment every piece posted through Sunday night.
Oh, and HAVE FUN! Mwah!
ETA: I’m behind getting started on these, but I’ll catch up over the weekend, I promise! <3
Yesterday, I sent the third and final book in the Prophecy series to my editor.
It was a bittersweet moment. I’m still sitting with my feelings on bringing to close something that has meant so much to me and that changed my life in every good way, so I’m not going to speak to it just yet…
Instead, I’m offering up the next clue for Guardian of the Gate, releasing this summer. This one’s a little more cryptic than your previous clues and also happens to be one of my favorite new songs by Brand New (whom I totally idolize, as you all know).
And don’t ask for more, cuz you know I’m going to have to say, “No.” Just listen to the song! The answers you need are there.
<3
P.S. This whole CD, titled Daisy, is incredible.
Welcome to this week’s anonymous teen interview! I was fortunate enough to meet “Ember” in person and found her to be a truly warm, amazing, bright, thoughtful teen.
Read on. I know you’ll agree!
Remember to contact me if you’d like to be featured in a future anonymous teen interview. You can reach me via Facebook or Myspace email, Twitter DM, or by leaving an anonymous comment with your real email address here (I’ll see the email, but no one else can). As soon as I have a way to contact you, I’ll send you the interview questions and assign you a date!
JUST THE FACTS
Interview Code Name (you choose!);
Ember
Your age;
17
Current country of residence;
USA
Male or female?
Female
ABOUT THE BOOKS
How many books, on average, do you read a month?
It varies a LOT. The average would probably be around seven though. I read very quickly, but sometimes other things get in the way of reading time.
Favorite kind of book and why;
Paranormal Romance, because the world is just more interesting (and fun!) with magic involved. And who wouldn’t want to date a gorgeous vampire/werewolf/fallen angel/etcetera?! 
Name the single most important factor in your decision to purchase a book;
For me, there isn’t a single most important factor. It’s a combination of cover, synopsis, and reviews from Goodreads and bloggers.
What makes you feel like you’re reading or have read a truly amazing book?
When I think about it all the time, even after I’ve finished reading, and when there are no words to describe how excellent the book was.
What’s your biggest pet peeve in a book?
When it’s too predictable or unoriginal.
Paperback or hardcover?
Hardcover! They’re prettier and more durable. The only downside is cost…
Series or stand-alone?
I prefer series, because you get to hear more about the characters and places you love. There’s more room for more to happen in the story!
ALL ABOUT YOU
Name some of your hobbies or interests.
Well, there’s reading, for one . Otherwise, listening to music, going to concerts, watching/quoting movies, playing video games, and spending time with my family and friends.
What music do you most often listen to?
Mainly alternative, with some rock and pop.
Name your favorite band;
Panic! at the Disco (I’ve seen them in concert twice). Their two albums so far were total opposites, but they were both amazing.
Best movie of all time?
So hard to choose! I have a soft spot for Titanic, though.
Without naming names, tell us a little about your group of friends;
All of my friends are very different, but they’re all funny and fun to be around. Sometimes I feel like I have stronger relationships with some my online friends, though. And they are very fun, funny, and interesting!
What’s your biggest concern about the world right now and/or the people in it?
A lot of people are too concerned with their own happiness/well-being and advancements in technology and industrialization to care about the environment. Without a healthy environment, none of us can live. Someone needs to be a strong voice for the environment and the animals and plants in it, since they can’t speak for themselves.
Someone gives you a million dollars, no strings attached. What do you do with it?
Buy a nicer house, as well as a house in England. Get all the books I can’t afford now and make my own library like the one in Beauty and the Beast. And hold on to some of the money for anything else I think of later!
You can live for one year in any place in the world. Where do you go and why?
London. I have a fascination with the UK, and I got to visit London once and LOVED it. It’s a really interesting place; quirky but more formal than the US. I also like the weather; there’s not enough rain where I live!
Do you get along with your family? Either way,tell us why.
For the most part. I think that I’m very different from my three siblings, and I’m the oldest, so sometimes I feel a little set apart from everyone. I’m the quietest of the bunch, and my interests are the most different from theirs, as well. Sometimes we don’t exactly understand each other, but, for the most part, we get along quite well.
What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
One interesting thing is that I’ve been to six foreign countries (Mexico, Canada, Belgium, France, Italy, and England), and I plan to visit many more. Something a bit more negative, though, is that I can get very moody and insecure.
Name your biggest secret fear.
Being alone and misunderstood/rejected.
Name something you like about yourself.
I’m a very loyal friend, and I can be very witty (at least, I’d like to think so!).
Oh, my, Gosh! I have the best video for you guys…
Enjoyyyy!
And give it up for Shy Ronnie!
Following is this week’s question for Not So Old Fashioned Advice. Please pitch in by leaving your advice for this teen in the comments section.
My magic pants and I can’t do everything, ya know.
PS. Remember to leave your questions for future Not So Old Fashioned Advice columns in the Comments section of this post.
I just started a new school, and I have been having an ANNOYING problem! See, I am tomboy and have short hair… (long hair annoys me)
Well, EVERYBODY thinks I am a boy!!! (except some new friends)
On top of that there is this girl who is an absolute b… Female dog!!!
Everybody hates her because she thinks she is the boss of the school and throws out horrible comments about the others. I have been called ugly, fat, and that I look like a boy to her! I don’t take it personally… But I am worried that others will! I am kind of the shy girl so I don’t have the courage to tell a teacher…
I need advice on how to look more feminine while still not going 100% girly girl and how I can defend others (and myself) from that one girl!
- ShortHairedNewGirl
First of all, let me just say that I totally admire girls who can rock short hair. It takes a certain brand of self-confidence to pull it off, and the very fact that some girl in your new school is giving you grief over it tells me that you must pull it off with flair.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be on her rader.
That’s because people who pick on other people are usually painfully insecure. They spend their time pointing out other people’s perceived flaws in a desperate attempt to keep people from seeing their own. It doesn’t work, of course, because then everybody just sees THEIR flaws AND thinks they’re @#$holes.
But I digress.
There are really two issues here. The first is the fact that this girl will NOT leave you alone and is basically a bully. The fact that her intimidation has been verbal instead of physical is beside the point. She’s picking on you (and it sounds like a lot of others) and that’s just plain unacceptable. You don’t say how old you are, which can make a difference. If you’re in middle school, you should go tell a trusted adult about this girl’s behavior. I know it’s hard to stand up in a situation like this, ESPECIALLY if you’re shy (my oldest son is extremely shy as well), but it’s IMPORTANT. Someone has to make it known or she’s just going to keep doing it. In this case, speaking out takes real courage, but I can already tell from your question that you have the guts to do it. Since there are other kids being picked on as well, you might try to convince one ore two of them to come with you. Your complaint will carry more weight if there’s more than one of you and it will make it easier, too. Ask the adult in whom you confide to keep your name out of it, and they should be more than happy to honor your request for anonymity. Since this girl picks on lots of different people, a simple, “We’ve been getting complaints about bullying,” is all the principal should have to say.Schools take bullying a to more seriously than they used to, and I’d be willing to bet someone will step in and speak to her. If you’re in high school, I recognize that it can be tough to “tell.” In this case, I’d suggest allying yourself with some of her other victims (or anyone else, really). Bullies tend to pick on people who are alone, and if you band together, she might think twice before picking on ANY of you.
The other issue is one of CHOICE. If you LIKE your look, screw everybody else (sorry if that offends)! Seriously, you’re not living your life or dressing yourself for anybody but you. All that matters is that YOU like your look.
But it’s also perfectly normal to re-evaluate it from time to time, especially as a teenager. I have a tomboy, rocker-girl myself. She hasn’t shown much interest in fashion until recently, but lately, she’s been trying to soften her rocker-girl image with one slightly-more feminine piece each day. She might wear black leggings and tough, black boots, but she’ll throw a black-and-gray skirt over the top of the leggings to add a bit more “girl” to the “rocker”. But never pink! Don’t even say the word!
She might wear black skinny jeans with a Star Wars t-shirt (I kid you not!), but she’ll throw on a cuter, black sweater and save the olive-green army coat for a time when she’s wearing something a bit more feminine to go with it.
By adding one, even slightly feminine thing to your usual tomboy-cool look, you can soften things up a bit.
But the key is; ONLY IF YOU WANT TO! Because you should never let someone else’s small-minded view of how you should be, look, talk, act, etc., make you do something you don’t want to do. I’ve been there, Sweets, and there’s no happiness down that road.
So promise me that whatever else you decide, you’ll be YOU first. No matter what.
And come back and let me know how you’re doing, okay?
<3
MZ
Welcome back to Open Mic!
First, I owe you guys an apology. I got through some of your pieces last week, but not all. I’m working on three different writing projects right now, all with uncomfortably close deadlines, and it’s made it tough for me to juggle all the non-writing stuff that I enjoy so much.
But I continue to be AMAZED at the quality of the writing I see here each week. You guys are so talented, and I just know we’re going to see more than one of you published at some point.
As usual, please limit your piece to one 300-word excerpt and be sure to comment at least one other piece if you post one of your own.
I had so much fun hosting author Jennifer Brown last week, that I’ve lined up another Guest Commentator for you this week! Author Lauren Bjorkman has graciously offered to participate and will be commenting each entry through Sunday night.Enjoy it, cause next week it’s back to just you and me, bay-beee!
Lauren’s book, My Invented Life, has garnered praise from SLJ, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, among many others. Check it out!
Roz and Eva are sisters, friends, and rivals. Roz fantasizes about snagging the lead in the school play and landing sexy skate god Bryan as her boyfriend.
Sadly, a few obstacles stand between her and her dream. For one, Eva is the more talented actress. And Bryan happens to be Eva’s boyfriend. But does Eva have a secret life with her cheerleading partner? Inquiring minds need to know.
Roz, who prides herself on random acts of insanity, hatches a scheme to get Eva to open up. The plan backfires, and Eva is furious. Roz finds herself neck deep in her invented life.
When Roz meets a mercurial boy with a big problem, she begins to understand the complex feelings beneath the labels. And she gets a second chance to earn Eva’s trust.
My Invented Life is a YA novel set in a small California town during the rehearsal of “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare.
If you’ve ever heard me speak to a group of teens, you probably know that my primary message isn’t about writing.
It’s about having the courage to be true to yourself. To stand for what you believe in, even when it’s hard.
No, ESPECIALLY when it’s hard.
I talk endlessly with teens about resisting the sometimes incredible pressure from others to be something other than who THEY believe they are, because if you’ve ever talked to a teen, you know there’s usually tremendous pressure from parents, friends, guidance counselors, etc., to pursue a path counter to the one about which the teen feels passionately. I tell them about my journey from Sales and Marketing Director (where I was miserable) to starving writer (where I was more fulfilled than I ever thought I’d be). I tell them about the sacrifices I had to make along the way (like no vacation for seven years) and the ones I’m still making (like no medical plan) because, while I want to encourage them to be who they are, I also want them to be realistic about the choices they’re making and what they’ll get – and give up – in exchange for living that life.
Anyway, you would think finally becoming published would mean that I’ve figured out who I am. That I gave everything up only to have the opportunity to actually live my dream and therefore, don’t have to look inward anymore.
But that really couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m constantly looking inward, and it surprises me how often, even now, I come back to that massage of being true to yourself.
Most recently, I found myself reflecting on this past year and all of the magic and fear and anxiety and wonder and joy it’s brought me. I’ve relived so many of the moments, both high and low, and I’ve been looking FORWARD, too. I’ve been thinking about the tremendous amount of time, energy and angst that went into marketing my book (and I don’t know if any is as anxiety-producing as that first one). And marketing myself, too, because as the line blurs between our everyday lives and the virtual one we live online, between our in-real-life friends and the ones we make in the blogosphere and on Facebook and on Twitter, it is as much about that as it is about the book, whether we like it or not.
Here’s the thing I think I’ve finally figured out; even here, it takes courage to be who you are. I spent months trying to emulate other successful authors in their online approach. Blog about writing. Hold contests. Host other authors on your blog to drive traffic.
Blah-blah-blah.
But the truth is, none of that is me, really (well, except the contests where I get to spend money putting together swaggg!). I spend so much time thinking and talking about writing, I don’t always want to do that online. Plus, it’s still surreal for me to think anyone thinks *I* have something of import to say on the subject. The truth is, I still feel a novice most days. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants writer, ruled almost exclusively by instinct and the euphoria-filled vision that accompanies the writing of my drafts. I still have so much to learn, and there are other authors blogging writing-related subjects better and more prolifically than I ever could, anyway. I do host other authors, but not often, mostly because I’m too distracted to coordinate with them ahead of time. If you see someone else on my blog, it means that the planets have all aligned just so and I’ve actually managed to ORGANIZE something in advance. *gasp*
You want the honest-to-God truth? I like chatting with you guys. It’s not a marketing device. I like talking about work and school and kids and reading (as a READER, not a writer) and life. I remember pretty much every single one of you, even after a brief encounter on Twitter. Without trying, I remember when you have a big test, a fight with your parents, kids, or best friend, a problem at work. I remember when you’re sick and when you buy a new car and when you go on vacation. And it’s a lot more fun for me to just… connect with you, you know? To ask how your test went or if you’re feeling better or how you enjoyed your vacation. These conversations are more meaningful to me than passing on information about finding an agent or researching publishers (especially since this information is so widely available).
Really, I’d just rather pass on my recipe for homemade granola than pelt you with Prophecy marketing 24/7.
For a long time, I just felt like a big #marketingfail. My only strength, really, was getting to know you, and I didn’t see how that could possibly fit into any kind of concerted marketing effort for Prophecy. But then, a couple of months ago, I started feeling like the universe was sending me a message. I know that sounds all New-Agey and everything, but listen, every now and then, a message seems to be repeated over and over through various sources, and I start to feel that I’m meant to hear it. Then I pay attention.
In this case, I came back to my Be Who Are message. I spoke about it, as I always do, to teens, and I started hearing its echo not just in my writing (because I’ve been being who I am there for at least five years), but in my marketing and in my presentation of myself to the world. How can I tell teens to be who they are if I’m still trying to live up to someone else’s expectations of what marketing looks like? Of how it’s “always” been done?
Right about the end of last year, I resolved to work less at doing what other people expected me to do to market my books and to focus more on what I LIKED to do. On what was natural and enjoyable for me.
Then, within a two weeks, I read two articles on important people in the publishing world. They were two seemingly different writers who had made their mark by doing things completely counter to what was accepted and expected at the time. And they weren’t doing it because they felt they HAD to. On the contrary, they did it with sometimes tremendous opposition and criticism.
The first was James Patterson in an interview with the New York Times. As a former advertising executive, Patterson approached his book campaigns like he would approach any product – by thinking about the target market and where and how to best reach them. Then, he focused on producing enough work to ensure an ever-growing backlist of titles, almost guaranteeing him year-round the kind of placement most authors only see when they launch (if they’re lucky). His methods were sometimes questioned and often downright criticized, but he BELIEVED in what he was doing, and when others pushed, he pushed back. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of Patterson’s or whether or not you would choose to do things the same way. He did the things HE thought were best, and he fought for the right to do it that way.
Neil Gaiman made his mark on the reading and writing public both through his incredibly inventive work and a “seemingly transparent window into his process”. At a time when blogging was considered bleeding edge, Gaiman was one of the first to connect directly with his readers online, tossing on its ass the notion that writing should be a process reserved for an elite, literary few. He established contact directly with his readers, ensuring (in my favorite quote of the interview) that, “I’m nobody’s bitch.”
I think that will be my new motto. Plus, I have to credit Gaiman for, finally, putting to rest my deep insecurity over the fact that I wear almost exclusively black.
And while it might seem that these two writers are polar opposites in their approach, they actually have one, very important thing in common; they are 100% themselves. They have made their names both by creating work that speaks to their audiences AND by being authentic. By being true to themselves even when it has meant being overlooked, pushing back on their publishers, and defying the “expected” modes of behavior and strategy for someone in our profession.
THAT is inspiring. A validation of everything I’ve believed to be true and somehow still question from time to time when riddled with fear, insecurity, and anxiety over my work and my place, now and in the future, in the world of publishing.
So I’ve just decided to keep doing what I’m doing. I’ll pass on some writing and/or publishing advice if the mood strikes and it seems important. I’ll keep you posted from time to time about stuff having to do with the Prophecy trilogy and my future work.
But most of all, I’m just going to keep talking to you, okay? I don’t know if it’s going to sell more books, but I’m going to keep laughing and posting crazy videos and pretty dresses and interviews with cool teens and Open Mic (because I LOVE reading your work) and everything else that embodies who I really am. I hope that’s okay, and I hope you enjoy getting to know me as much as I enjoy getting to know you.
