Skip a Starbucks Day Adoption Fundraiser

I am happy to participate in Skip a Starbucks Day to help my friend, C.J. Redwine, bring her adopted daughter home from China. The idea is to skip an indulgence and donate the money to help bring Isabella from the orphanage to her forever home.

Everyone who donates goes into an amazing prize giveaway drawing. To learn more about Isabella and the Redwine’s adoption story, see a list of the fabulous prizes, and donate, go here. 

Southern Festival of Books 2013

It was great fun attending the Southern Festival of Books again this year and a real treat to participate as an author. Here are a few pics from the festival. For a full report by Paige Crutcher of Publishers Weekly, click here.

I volunteered in the SCBWI Midsouth booth with these ladies: Susan Eaddy, Shellie Braeuner, & Genetta Adair

Reading from The Devil's Backbone (photo by John A. Parker)

With Beck McDowell (YA author of This is Not A Drill) 

after our presentation on YA Protagonists Who Take A Stand. I think I'm still talking in the photo.

(photo by John A. Parker)

Making an Indie Book Cover – the Parker way

Making the book cover for my self-published middle grade novel, The Devil’s Backbone, was a family project. I asked my photographer husband if he would shoot an original photo for the cover. He said yes; he takes lots of photos. Then I asked if he would also design the cover. After a slight hesitation, he said yes, on the condition if I wasn’t pleased, I could hire someone else to turn the photo into a cover.

Stage 1:

Look at ALL the book covers in the children’s section of the bookstore. Yes, all of them. I knew I wanted the cover to be a photo of a scene from the book. I shared comparison covers with my cover artist.

Stage 2:

Convince my son (who portrays the ghost, Kit) and his friend (who portrays the main character, David) to be on my book cover. They both said yes right away, even before I told them there would be pizza after.

Select costumes and props (the ghost’s hat and mailbag). This took WAY longer than expected.

Choose a location for the photo shoot.

Stage 3:

White board drawings by the cover artist

-Wait for weather to cooperate.-

Stage 4:

The Photo Shoot at Gordon House on the Natchez Trace, an important place in the book. What a fun day! And my daughter (also a photographer) documented the day with more photos. Here are a few shots from the day. (photos by John A. Parker)

Acting out the scene to get into character. The boy on the right is an actor.

Here I'm saying something like: you see the ghost is desperate for David to take this mailbag.

And somewhere in the middle of all the photos, the Money Shot! This is the photo that turned into the book cover.

After the photo shoot, I went through the over 500 photos taken that day. Right away, I knew one was my favorite. Hubby looked through the photos and chose his favorite photo. We compared and we had picked the SAME ONE! No joke. (you see, that’s why we’re married).

Stage 5:

More discussion about fonts and other stuff. Finally the photo turns into a book cover. Here it is:

 I think Mr. Parker did a great job on his first book cover design. I love it! And not just because my name is on the cover. 

Rhymes Memorial Library Booksigning

A booksigning for The Devil’s Backbone was hosted in my hometown, Rayville, Louisiana, by the Rhymes Memorial Library board. The parish library is in a newer, larger building and the Rhymes Memorial Library is now used for special events. The library was Louisiana’s first parish library. Here are a few photos from the event on June 4th. (photos by Audrey N. Parker)

The library is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Signing books & giving away David's road trip snacks from the book.

Talking and catching up.

The Devil’s Backbone Launch Party

The launch party for my debut middle grade novel, The Devil’s Backbone, was last Friday evening at Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee. The event was part of the store’s Children’s Book Week celebration. What a great evening! Here are a few photos from the event. (photos by John A. Parker)

beautiful front window display

talking about The Devil's Backbone

signing books

with my critique group - me, Courtney Stevens, Hannah Dills & Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Launch Party for The Devil's Backbone

The book launch for The Devil's Backbone will be part of the Children's Book Week Celebration at Parnassus Books. If you are in the area, I hope you can join me. I am asking everyone to RSVP so there will be enough books and snacks for the event. 

Here are the details:

Book Launch Party for The Devil’s Backbone

Parnassus Books 3900 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN

Friday, May 17^th @ 6:30 p.m.

Please RSVP here

Cover Reveal for The Devil’s Backbone

I am thrilled to reveal the cover for my debut novel, The Devil’s Backbone.

The cover is an original photo taken by my cover artist, John A. Parker. The photo was shot on the Natchez Trace Parkway, where the book takes place. The boy on the left portrays Kit, the 200-year-old postal rider ghost and the boy in the blue hoodie portrays David, the main character.

Blurb for The Devil’s Backbone (for readers ages 9 & up):

David Baxter takes the blame for the graffiti on the school gym doors to keep his friend out of trouble and earns a three-day suspension. His dad, the juvenile judge, forces him to go on a roadtrip to redemption on the Natchez Trace Parkway. What his dad doesn’t know is that David meets a ghost carrying the last letter of Meriwether Lewis - the piece of evidence that may solve the 200-year-old mystery of Lewis’s death. Thanks to the ghost, David just might figure out how to relate to his dad and forgive his wayward mom.

I love the cover and I hope you do, too. The book will be available next month. Stay tuned for more info.

The Devil’s Backbone – My Debut Novel Coming Soon!

My debut novel, The Devil’s Backbone, will be available next month. It’s a middle grade mystery-roadtrip-ghost story for readers ages 9 & up.

Here’s the blurb:

David Baxter takes the blame for the graffiti on the school gym doors to keep his friend out of trouble and earns a three-day suspension. His dad, the juvenile judge, forces him to go on a roadtrip to redemption on the Natchez Trace Parkway. What his dad doesn’t know is that David meets a ghost carrying the last letter of Meriwether Lewis - the piece of evidence that may solve the 200-year-old mystery of Lewis’s death. Thanks to the ghost, David just might figure out how to relate to his dad and forgive his wayward mom.

I’m very excited for the book (paperback & ebook) to be in the hands of readers.

Stay tuned for the cover reveal.

The 13th Sign by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

It’s finally here! Today is the day The 13^th Sign by my fabulous critique partner, Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, is out in the world. Kristin is an award-winning author of historical Middle Grade novels, but today her first Middle Grade fantasy is released. And if you like Middle Grade fantasy, stories set in New Orleans, or just really good books, I hope you’ll give The 13^th Sign a try.

Here’s the blurb for The 13^th Sign published by Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan):

ONE SMALL SHIFT CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING - AND EVERYONE

What if there was a thirteenth zodiac sign?

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus the healer, the thirteenth sign.

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s.

What about the rest of the world?

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the thirteenth sign, causing this world-altering change - and infuriating the other twelve signs?

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend on it.

                                      Kristin with The 13th Sign

Live Blogging at SCBWI MidSouth

The SCBWI MidSouth conference starts today. I will be live-blogging the conference again with Amanda K. Morgan and Bethany Griffin. Follow along here.

Killer Nashville 2012

What is your favorite season of the year? Spring? Fall? Mine is conference season. And it's here now.

This year's Killer Nashville mystery writers' conference in Nashville, Tennessee closed yesterday. It was another great conference. 

My conference highlights:

* Dr. Bill Bass (founder of the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm") presenting the opening session.

* Agent/Editor Round tables - 2 page (kind) critiques with feedback from publishing professionals & a chance to submit a manuscript.

*The Killer Nashville Crime Scene - a mock crime scene attendees try to solve. The winner gets a free registration to next year's conference.

*Presenting the workshop "Using Archetypes to Create YA Characters: Heroes, Villains, and Sidekicks" with my friend, Cate Hart. Nervewracking, but fun!

*Seeing writer friends.

I look forward to next year. Until then, the Killer Nashville community meets year-round on the conference blog.

My Highlights of the 2012 SCBWI LA Conference

1. Sitting at the SCBWI MidSouth table just a few feet away from the podium as Ruta Sepetys accepted the Golden Kite award for Fiction for her amazing novel Between Shades of Gray.

2. Brian Collier’s inspirational speech on the seeds of our art that are planted throughout our lives.

3. Chris Rylander’s workshop on writing humor.

4. Seeing old friends again and meeting new ones.

It's Conference Week!

Tomorrow I fly to Los Angeles to attend my first SCBWI LA national conference. I'm excited to get a manuscript critique, attend workshops, and reconnect with old friends. AND my entire critique group is going!

I finished my last (for now) revision on my latest Work In Progress yesterday. Soon I'll be querying agents.

More later.

A Post on Research

Today I'm talking about "Research for the Non-Researcher". Visit Hen and Inkblots here for some tips on what to do when a ghost shows up in your manuscript and won't go away.

Thank You Social Media

Did you miss the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York this weekend (like me)? Get the highlights at the conference blog here & on twitter by following the hashtag #NY12SCBWI.

Happy Halloween

I’m blowing the dust off of this blog to wish you all a Happy Halloween. Please excuse the coughing. I know it’s a thick layer of dust. As a kid, Halloween was my favorite holiday. 2 reasons. #1: CANDY! #2: it’s the day before my birthday. So Halloween was always like my own personal version of Christmas Eve.

There is a photo on my desk of my brother and me wearing Halloween costumes. Judging by the hair sticking out of my mask, I think I was in the 1^st grade and he was in preschool. I’m a tall-for-my-age pink rabbit with big ears and he’s Caspar the friendly ghost. The masks have big smiles on them and I bet ours matched underneath. After all, we were about to be unleashed on unlimited candy for the evening.

Tonight my costume will consist of a “Happy Halloween” shirt, a skirt, and my orange & black striped tights. I will grab a few mini chocolate bars from the candy bowl when the giant hot dog in charge of candy distribution isn’t looking. But it’s okay, because I bought extra.

Enjoy your evening.

2011 SCBWI Midsouth Conference Blog

The 2011 SCBWI-Midsouth conference is this weekend in Nashville, TN. I am live blogging the conference with the fabulous SCBWI-Midsouth blog team. Follow our blog for conference news and workshop recaps.

Killer Nashville 2011

I attended the Killer Nashville mystery writers’ conference this weekend. I did not solve the murder in the parking garage, but I did pick up some tips on sleuthing and storytelling.

Selling Hope & the Wednesday Writers

Three years ago, something wonderful happened. I got stuck in line. Actually I was stuck in line for the ladies’ restroom at a writers’ conference (a common occurrence). I spoke to the woman in front of me and told her I was new to the Nashville area. Her name was Jennifer Lambe. I asked if she might be interested in getting together for coffee and maybe a little manuscript critiquing. She said yes! When we returned to the auditorium, she introduced me to another writer, Kristin O’Donnell Tubb. Kristin said she would be interested in the coffee and the manuscript critiques, too. I met another writer, Hannah Dills, at an RWA chapter meeting and she wasn’t interested in coffee, but she was definitely interested in manuscript critiques. So the Wednesday Writers started meeting for coffee (and tea) and we started critiquing manuscripts.

One of the first manuscripts we critiqued is in bookstores today! It’s Selling Hope by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb. Here’s the blurb:

It’s May 1910, and Halley’s Comet is due to pass thru the Earth’s atmosphere. And thirteen-year-old Hope McDaniels and her father are due to pass through their hometown of Chicago with their ragtag vaudeville troupe. Hope wants out of vaudeville, and longs for a “normal” life—or as normal as life can be without her mother, who died five years before. Hope sees an opportunity: She invents “anti-comet” pills to sell to the working-class customers desperate for protection. Soon, she’s joined by a fellow troupe member, young Buster Keaton, and the two of them start to make good money. And just when Hope thinks she has all the answers, she has to decide: What is family? Where is home?

Congratulations Kristin!

SCBWI Midsouth Conference Blog

I'm blogging with the SCBWI-Midsouth Conference blog team this weekend. Check it out here.