tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8794717211479492412024-03-14T02:40:27.804+00:00Stories from The Edgecutting edge fiction for teens from eight award-winning UK YA authorsEdge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.comBlogger235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-75324426708709850982018-06-13T13:12:00.001+01:002018-06-13T13:12:49.069+01:00Stepping Away from the Edge<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Seven
years ago, eight young adult authors joined forces to create the Edge – a group
of UK-based authors writing sharp fiction for young adults and teens. Together
we hosted events, visited schools, shared our love for books and writing via
our blog, and even created an anthology together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When
we created the Edge most of us were newly published writers with only one book
with our name on the spine. Now we have more than 50 books published around the
world. We have decided it’s time to bid a fond farewell to the Edge. Thanks to
all of you who have supported us, invited us into your schools and libraries,
and engaged us in discussion. We won’t be updating our website or actively
seeking speaking engagements together, but the resources on the website will
remain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Buy the anthology<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">From
the perils of online chat rooms, doping in sport, racism and terrorism, to
gender and self-esteem issues, love, life and death – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stories from The Edge </i>isn’t afraid to ask some big questions. <a href="http://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Halahmy-Miriam/Stories-from-the-Edge--An-Anthology/9781910571606" target="_blank">Click here</a> to order your copy.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Engage in Discussion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We’ve
created discussion guides for each story in the anthology. <a href="http://edgeauthors.blogspot.com/p/discussion-guides.html" target="_blank">You can download them for free here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Browse our Blog Posts<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Use
the search box to the right to browse our nearly 250 blog posts, covering
issues important to us and at the heart of our stories, as well as insights
into writing and reading books for young adults. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Stay in Touch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Visit
our individual websites for more information about us, what we’re writing,
what we’re doing and how you can contact us:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Dave
Cousins --<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_199027074"> </a></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.davecousins.net/">www.davecousins.net</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kate
Dale –<a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_199027072"> </a></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.katiedaleuk.blogspot.com/">www.katiedaleuk.blogspot.com</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Karen
David – <a href="http://kerendavid.com/">kerendavid.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sara
Grant – </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/">www.sara-grant.com</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Miriam
Halahmy – </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.miriamhalahmy.com/">www.miriamhalahmy.com</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Savita
Kalhan – <a href="http://www.savitakalhan.com/">www.savitakalhan.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bryony
Pearce – </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://www.bryonypearce.co.uk/">www.bryonypearce.co.uk</a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Paula
Rawsthorne – <a href="http://www.paularawsthorne.wordpress.com/">www.paularawsthorne.wordpress.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
hope you keep supporting us and our work – and more importantly reading and
writing!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thank
you,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Edge (June 2018)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-34744124304319092222016-08-09T19:59:00.002+01:002016-08-09T19:59:35.419+01:00Stories from The Edge Blog Tour Round-up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSj4PtaOI8s/V3pih4eCnqI/AAAAAAAACRo/lNv3wMnNCxYVRE_Ku_zCc6qhEUxdGCO7gCPcB/s1600/stories-from-the-edge-blog-tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jSj4PtaOI8s/V3pih4eCnqI/AAAAAAAACRo/lNv3wMnNCxYVRE_Ku_zCc6qhEUxdGCO7gCPcB/s1600/stories-from-the-edge-blog-tour.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In case you missed it — here is a handy round-up of all of the stops on our recent <b><i>Stories from The Edge</i></b> <b>blog tour</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Find out why a visit to a local school scared <b>Bryony Pearce</b> 'half to death' and inspired her to write <i>Face2Face </i>at </span><a href="http://www.yayeahyeah.com/2016/07/a-parents-terror-by-bryony-pearce.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>YA YEAH YEAH</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Paula Rawsthorne</b>'s interview with</span><br />
<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/tales-yesterday-13188617/tales-qanda-with-paula-rawsthorne-5011020997"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>TALES OF YESTERDAY</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dave Cousins</b> reveals the inspiration for <i>Magpie Soup</i> at</span><br />
<a href="http://www.serendipityreviews.co.uk/2016/07/inspire-me-inspiration-for-magpie-soup.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>SERENDIPITY REVIEWS</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sara Grant</b> takes the power of the short story to</span><br />
<a href="https://lunaslittlelibrary.wordpress.com/2016/07/25/stories-from-the-edge-blogtour-with-sara-grant/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>LUNA'S LITTLE LIBRARY</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Savita Kalhan</b> talks genies with</span><br />
<a href="http://www.sisterspooky.co.uk/2016/07/blog-tour-authors-on-the-edge-savita-kalhan.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>SISTER SPOOKY</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Miriam Halahmy</b> discusses peace with</span><br />
<a href="https://ninjasreadtoo.wordpress.com/2016/07/29/guest-post-next-stop-the-eiffel-tower-by-miriam-halahmy/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>NINJAS READ TOO</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Keren David</b> explains how a character from one of her novels demanded his own story to the </span><a href="https://thebibliomaniacbookblog.com/2016/08/01/stories-from-the-edge-blog-tour-guest-post-from-keren-david/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>BIBLIOMANIAC</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Katie Dale</b> delves into the darker side of social media with</span><br />
<a href="http://www.teenbookhoots.co.uk/2016/08/stories-from-edge-blog-tour.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>TEEN BOOK HOOTS</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Huge thanks to all the bloggers for hosting a spot on the tour. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Click <a href="http://edgeauthors.blogspot.co.uk/p/buy-anthology.html"><b>here</b></a> to read more about <b><i>Stories from The Edge</i></b>, or <b><a href="https://fiction.alburybooks.com/book/not-set/stories-from-the-edge">here to buy a copy</a></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thanks and happy reading, The Edge.</span>Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-81641385876673822432016-07-18T13:04:00.000+01:002016-07-18T13:05:42.854+01:00Publication day: Stories from the Edge<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">The Edge is proud to announce that our anthology of eight
short stories, Stories from the Edge, written by eight award-winning UK YA
authors with the aim of entertaining, enticing and educating, is now available
to buy </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">from Amazon, Albury books, or Browns Books for Students.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Edge-Bryony-Pearce-ebook/dp/B01IE3FZ1S"><span style="font-size: large;">Buy the book from Amazon</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://fiction.alburybooks.com/book/not-set/stories-from-the-edge"><span style="font-size: large;">Buy the book from Albury Books</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">We wanted our anthology to be both something that teens can
dip in and out of for fun, as well as something that could be used as an
educational tool in the classroom. Therefore, alongside our stories, which
cover issues such as internet safety, bereavement, terrorism, racism and drug
taking, we have produced teaching notes (including discussion points and
facts), which are available to download for free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Stories from The Edge isn't afraid to ask some big
questions. Sometimes frightening, often funny, always brutally honest, these
stories will take you to where the shadows are darkest and the ground drops
away. The question is, are you prepared to look over the edge? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">For more information on each story, do follow our blog tour.
In our first one, on July 19</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">, Bryony Pearce tells YA Yeah Yeah
exactly why she chose to write about Internet safety. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">We hope you enjoy reading our stories as much as we enjoyed
writing them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">Do contact us if you would like more information.</span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>The Edge.</i></span></span><b></b><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-55112059778473415372016-07-15T09:00:00.000+01:002016-07-18T13:34:30.310+01:00A brand new collection of gripping, thought-provoking short stories from The Edge . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QApxAR7CogE/V4EnEq43sdI/AAAAAAAACTA/sJWbhxirifQ5xmbTgQ3nlAZcSsLCBvVSACLcB/s1600/stories-from-the-edge-buy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QApxAR7CogE/V4EnEq43sdI/AAAAAAAACTA/sJWbhxirifQ5xmbTgQ3nlAZcSsLCBvVSACLcB/s400/stories-from-the-edge-buy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From the perils of <b>online chat rooms</b>, <b>doping in sport</b>, <b>racism</b> and <b>terrorism</b>, to <b>gender</b> and <b>self-esteem</b> issues, <b>love</b>, <b>life</b> and <b>death</b>—<b><i>Stories from The Edge</i></b> isn't afraid to ask some big questions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes frightening, often funny, always brutally honest, these stories will take you to where the shadows are darkest and the ground drops away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The question is . . . are you prepared to look over the edge?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Out now in <a href="http://fiction.alburybooks.com/">paperback</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stories-Edge-Bryony-Pearce-ebook/dp/B01IE3FZ1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468526142&sr=8-1&keywords=stories+from+the+edge+dave+cousins">eBook</a>.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://bit.ly/SFTEBrowns">For educational & library sales, please click here to buy a copy.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>“The short story is a very powerful weapon in the hands of a librarian or teacher . . . I guarantee that these stories will leave readers gasping for more. But most importantly they will get teen readers thinking and talking.” — <b>Joy Court, Chair: CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Medals; Reviews Editor: The School Librarian</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Discussion Guides for exploring each of the stories with students are available as a FREE PDF downloads.</b> <br />Click the links below to download the guides.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/BryonyFace">FACE2FACE by <b>Bryony Pearce</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/PaulaLevel">A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD by <b>Paula Rawsthorne</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/DaveMagpie">MAGPIE SOUP by <b>Dave Cousins</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/SaraNightlight">NIGHTLIGHT by <b>Sara Grant</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/KatieTrick">TRICK OR TWEET? by <b>Katie Dale</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/SavitaAladdins">ALADDIN'S LAMP by <b>Savita Kalhan</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/MiriamEiffel">NEXT STOP, THE EIFFEL TOWER by <b>Miriam Halahmy</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://bit.ly/KerenTruth">THE DAY I TOLD THE TRUTH by <b>Keren David</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you have any problems downloading the files, please email: edgewriters(AT)yahoo.co.uk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We hope you enjoy our Stories from The Edge!</span></div>
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-21812676965900289352016-07-04T14:29:00.000+01:002016-07-07T12:24:16.568+01:00STORIES FROM THE EDGE - COVER REVEAL!<h3>
Here it is!</h3>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rHXr0mb9C0/V3pidrnge6I/AAAAAAAACRg/q8J6KLB4AAIrQWafMQd-txP8eDlwB9WWgCLcB/s1600/StoriesfromTheEdge.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rHXr0mb9C0/V3pidrnge6I/AAAAAAAACRg/q8J6KLB4AAIrQWafMQd-txP8eDlwB9WWgCLcB/s1600/StoriesfromTheEdge.png" /></a></div>
<h3>
With a special introduction from Joy Court, Chair of CILIP Carnegie Children's Book Award - "I guarantee that these stories will leave readers gasping for more..."</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><b>Stories from The Edge</b></i> is available in paperback and eBook from 15th July 2016.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
We're going on a blog tour too!</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSj4PtaOI8s/V3pih4eCnqI/AAAAAAAACRk/-eF49ycD93QBREJlkti9RNUfmjcEgRGrACLcB/s1600/stories-from-the-edge-blog-tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jSj4PtaOI8s/V3pih4eCnqI/AAAAAAAACRk/-eF49ycD93QBREJlkti9RNUfmjcEgRGrACLcB/s1600/stories-from-the-edge-blog-tour.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
More details soon...<br />
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-27927188185664729822016-05-30T18:00:00.000+01:002016-05-30T18:00:15.767+01:00Something's Coming From the Edge...<span style="font-size: large;">Over the last year the Edge authors have been working on a very exciting idea! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It was an idea that grabbed us all. It made us think about writing in a different form, a form that might be interesting and exciting for us as well as teen readers, young adult readers, schools, libraries, and pretty much anyone who loves to read teen or young adult fiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We've almost reached the final stages of taking the original idea and developing it into something new and different.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Things we can tell you now:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There will be books!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There will be events!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There will be EIGHT stories!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But keep it under your hat for now.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Much more will be revealed later, so stay tuned...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-69684293005108646412016-04-15T09:55:00.001+01:002016-04-15T09:55:44.841+01:00Chasing an idea<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>EDGE Author Sara Grant shares the
evolution of her new series <em>Chasing
Danger<o:p></o:p></em></strong></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
When
I visit schools, I’m often asked, “How long does it take to write a book?” My
answer: A lifetime. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
And
that is literally true of my new action-adventure series for teens – <em>Chasing Danger</em>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
I
wrote my first story when I was eight years old. It wasn’t an assignment. A
story popped into my brain and begged to be written. The story was titled “A
Dream I Wish Was True” and was about how eight-year-old me got to meet my
favourite movie star. I dedicated it to that actress – the late, great Farrah
Fawett Majors. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5Pidjb7WRg/Vw5sPqgtkrI/AAAAAAAACJU/zK_6ziVaqQslr5PV1o12A26l_cAE44nRQCLcB/s1600/charlie%2527s%2Bangels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z5Pidjb7WRg/Vw5sPqgtkrI/AAAAAAAACJU/zK_6ziVaqQslr5PV1o12A26l_cAE44nRQCLcB/s200/charlie%2527s%2Bangels.jpg" width="133" /></a>As
you might have guessed I was a super fan of the TV show <em>Charlie’s Angels</em>. It had smart, strong, feisty – and yeah, gorgeous
– women at the heart of the action. I’ve always wanted to write a story that would
give middle grade readers the same experience I had when I watched Jill, Kris,
Kelly and Sabrina in the 1970s – and I think I’ve accomplished it with <em>Chasing Danger</em>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
This
new series combines smart, strong, feisty girl heroes with exotic locations and lots of action
and adventure.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FZk8SPunLnw/Vw5sDu0TXqI/AAAAAAAACJQ/OJXdYC536Rk7VlHryZZCxk2YLIh2kbQ6gCLcB/s1600/chasing%2Bdanger%2Bcover_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FZk8SPunLnw/Vw5sDu0TXqI/AAAAAAAACJQ/OJXdYC536Rk7VlHryZZCxk2YLIh2kbQ6gCLcB/s1600/chasing%2Bdanger%2Bcover_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FZk8SPunLnw/Vw5sDu0TXqI/AAAAAAAACJQ/OJXdYC536Rk7VlHryZZCxk2YLIh2kbQ6gCLcB/s200/chasing%2Bdanger%2Bcover_final.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><u>About <em>Chasing Danger<o:p></o:p></em></u></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<em>“I couldn’t shake the feeling that this vacation might actually
kill me.”<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When fourteen-year-old Chase Armstrong is sent to visit her
grandmother at a remote tropical resort, she’s looking forward to sunbathing,
swimming and snorkelling. The last thing she expects is danger. But she’s in for some surprises. She discovers another girl hiding
out on the island and uncovers a devastating secret about the mum she’s never
known. When modern-day pirates attack the island, it’s up to Chase to outrun, out-think and outfight the pirates . . . before it’s
too late! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
For
me, writing a book is like piecing together a puzzle. I know how I want the
final project to ‘look’, but finding the right characters, plot and setting
takes patience, persistence and imagination. Over the years, I’ve experimented
with many mysteries, thrillers and action plots. It never really fell into
place until now. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When
I speak to wannabe writers – whether they ten or sixty years old – I always
encourage them to make their writing personal. Why are you writing this story
and why are you the only person who can write it? When searching for an idea, I
ask writers:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->O
<!--[endif]-->What
are two or three of your favourite books, movies or TV programmes?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->O
<!--[endif]-->What
genre of story do you prefer?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->O
<!--[endif]-->What
are your hobbies or talents (or what do you wish they were)?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->O
<!--[endif]-->Where
is your favourite place or the place you’d most like to visit?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->O
<!--[endif]-->What
issues or topics are you passionate about?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
I
ask them to mine their answers to these questions for a story idea. For
example, if the response to the first question is <em>Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</em>, <em>Harry Potter</em> and <em>Game of Thrones</em>. How can you combine
what you love about these stories to spark an idea? If you are writing for
children/teens, you might want to respond to these questions as if you were the
age of your reader.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
If you are testing an idea or wondering what to write next, I always recall this quote from Oscar-winner Akiva Goldsman from <em>The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters</em>: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">“The trick is to be connected to the material of your imagination,
thematically and concretely, write what interests you because if you’re not
fascinated and excited by the writing of the script, the reader won’t be
fascinated and excited by the reading of it. Try to find something in the idea
that speaks to your own life, something you think is authentic, true,
compelling in your story.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
I’m having a blast writing <em>Chasing Danger</em>. I hope that my passion and enjoyment is somehow infused into each page. And if you're a writer, I wish you the same experience</div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDb4vh24VZg/Vw5rL4IB54I/AAAAAAAACJE/_ed6pFWSvpcckCk7k5QoeBGwhr5V4qmRgCLcB/s1600/Sara%2BGrant_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDb4vh24VZg/Vw5rL4IB54I/AAAAAAAACJE/_ed6pFWSvpcckCk7k5QoeBGwhr5V4qmRgCLcB/s1600/Sara%2BGrant_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDb4vh24VZg/Vw5rL4IB54I/AAAAAAAACJE/_ed6pFWSvpcckCk7k5QoeBGwhr5V4qmRgCLcB/s200/Sara%2BGrant_2016.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong><u>About Sara</u></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
Sara Grant has worked on both sides of the
editorial desk. She has inspired and edited nearly 100 books for children. Last
week <em>Chasing Danger</em> – her new action-adventure
series for tweens – was published by
Scholastic. Her two YA novels – <em>Dark Parties</em> (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
winner, Europe) and <em>Half Lives</em> – are futuristic thrillers. She also
writes a funny magical series for young readers – <em>Magic Trix</em>. She leads
writing workshops in the US, UK and Europe as part of <a href="https://bookboundretreat.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Bound</a> and lectures
at Goldsmiths. Website: <a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/">www.sara-grant.com</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/authorsaragrant">@authorsaragrant</a><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-57003109630075546182016-02-06T12:34:00.002+00:002016-02-06T12:34:31.905+00:00Recapturing the Joy – Windrunner’s Daughter
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLU5dHix03I/TZ8tq0likBI/AAAAAAAAAAo/P-iGrYvUFig/s1600/Bryony-Pearce-edge-author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLU5dHix03I/TZ8tq0likBI/AAAAAAAAAAo/P-iGrYvUFig/s200/Bryony-Pearce-edge-author.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">by Bryony Pearce <u><o:p></o:p></u></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every book provides its author with unique moments of
satisfaction, but the first time an aspiring writer sees their name in print is
extraordinarily special. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me that moment was eight years ago when I received my
copy of the SCBWI book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Undiscovered
Voices 2008</i>. In that book was the opening of the very first novel I ever
completed, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windrunner’s Daughter. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That feeling of having a dream fulfilled is one that I’ve
never quite recaptured and has left me feeling wistful every time I see a new
debut author. I’m jealous, not of their success, but of the fact that they are
living that moment, enjoying that unrepeatable high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Undiscovered
Voices</i> I have written five more books. Each novel has given me joy and
taught me something new, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windrunner’s
Daughter</i> was the special one. My first. My first idea, the first time I
realised that I could sit and write a whole novel, the first time I received
praise for my writing from professionals. This was the novel that taught me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttHkuu0QiBk/VrXoEWORizI/AAAAAAAACIo/KVsIDEQ0M4E/s1600/windrunners%2Bdaughter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttHkuu0QiBk/VrXoEWORizI/AAAAAAAACIo/KVsIDEQ0M4E/s320/windrunners%2Bdaughter.png" width="210" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I didn’t do courses, I never joined a critique group, or
writing group, I didn’t go to conferences or events, I didn’t even buy a book
on ‘how to write’. Instead I learned to write by writing. More specifically by
writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windrunner’s Daughter</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It wasn’t very good. I see that now. My basic idea was
great, but my writing wasn’t. I hadn’t plotted properly, I overwrote terribly,
I was trying to do too many things in one novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The message I really wanted to convey was a feminist one –
that girls could do anything they set their mind to (I’m sick of hearing
otherwise) – and that was getting lost in all the other stuff I was trying to
say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When my daughter started growing up, that the core message
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windrunner’s Daughter</i> became more
important to me than ever, and so I pulled it out and took another look.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then I threw it away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I literally rewrote the entire novel from scratch. I kept my
basic idea, but pretty much everything else went. I used what I had learned in
writing my other five novels, I plotted carefully, I kept focus on my main
message and I wrote a book that felt right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now, exactly eight years to the day after I first saw my
name over the title <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Windrunner’s Daughter</i>,
the novel is in print. It is a science fiction story, set on a semi-terraformed
Mars, about a girl who has to save her family, and perhaps her whole society,
by defying the patriarchy that wants to keep her in her place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What am I saying with this final blog post of mine? Whatever
you aspire to do, keep trying, never give up – you can do whatever you set your
mind to. Remember your moments of joy and keep working to recapture them. And
hell, read my newest / oldest book:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Windrunners-Daughter-Bryony-Pearce-ebook/dp/B01ANW3AOW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1454611061&sr=8-1&keywords=windrunner%27s+daughter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-75024988492113514342016-01-29T00:00:00.000+00:002016-01-29T00:00:15.277+00:00And the Costa Book of the Year is - a Children's Book! Savita Kalhan<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiBljGbyBPo/VqpcFwexh_I/AAAAAAAACII/9mp-xqKjRd0/s1600/The%2BLie%2BTree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiBljGbyBPo/VqpcFwexh_I/AAAAAAAACII/9mp-xqKjRd0/s200/The%2BLie%2BTree.jpg" width="131" /></a>Hooray! Frances Hardinge has not only won the Costa
Children's Book award but also the Costa Book of the Year award for her novel <i>The Lie Tree</i>!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The last time a children's book won the Costa Book of the
Year was fifteen years ago in 2001 when Philip Pullman won with his novel, <i>The Amber Spyglass, </i>which is part of<i> His Dark Materials </i>series.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NM_gpCjchNs/VqpcB0vXNzI/AAAAAAAACIA/o-T_unKm8TI/s1600/The%2BAmber%2BSpyglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NM_gpCjchNs/VqpcB0vXNzI/AAAAAAAACIA/o-T_unKm8TI/s200/The%2BAmber%2BSpyglass.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
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Hardinge describes her novel as a "Victorian Gothic
mystery with added palaeontology, blasting powder, post-mortem photography and
feminism". At its heart, <i>The Lie Tree</i> is a children's book, and
as Frances Hardinge says - most of her books are written for herself as a 12
year old.</div>
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Her win is important for so many reasons, not least because
when she was interviewed on Radio 4, she was asked by the interviewer what
winning the 'proper' prize meant to her. I'm not sure whether the interviewer
meant that the Children's Prize was improper in some way, or just not as important
or meaningful...</div>
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So why is it an important win, apart from the fact that the
book explores issues that a scientifically-minded, very intelligent 14 year old
girl in a Victorian age faces at a time when girls had little or no say in the
world, much less in the scientific community?</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JRZaOn6zdTY/Vqpcb-YTeTI/AAAAAAAACIY/pq72QoaR1RU/s1600/frances%2Bhardinge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JRZaOn6zdTY/Vqpcb-YTeTI/AAAAAAAACIY/pq72QoaR1RU/s1600/frances%2Bhardinge.jpg" /></a>Over the years, teen and young adult fiction has been seen
as unliterary and lightweight, and because it caters for children, it therefore
cannot be deemed worthy of winning a 'proper' prize. Writers of teen fiction
are often asked whether they think they might be the next JK Rowling, or
whether they might eventually write a 'proper grown up' book, so for a book
like <i>The Lie Tree</i> to become part of
mainstream literary fiction will open hearts and minds to the fact that
children's fiction is eminently readable, as enjoyable, and as good as other
'grown up' books is great.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4QoMkJv0pg/VqpcH737nhI/AAAAAAAACIQ/X08iV-_ttKM/s1600/woolford_20140429_r08_03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A4QoMkJv0pg/VqpcH737nhI/AAAAAAAACIQ/X08iV-_ttKM/s200/woolford_20140429_r08_03.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Follow Savita on <a href="https://twitter.com/savitakalhan" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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Savita's <a href="http://www.savitakalhan.com/" target="_blank">website</a></div>
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Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-17577242690844469452016-01-22T17:00:00.001+00:002016-01-22T17:00:23.529+00:00Celebrating SCBWI British Isles 20th Anniversary
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">EDGE
Author Sara Grant owes a debt of gratitude to SCBWI and its Members<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
wouldn’t be published if it wasn’t for the Society of Children’s Book Writers
and Illustrators (SCBWI). This year the <a href="http://www.britishscbwi.org/" target="_blank">British chapter of SCBWI turns 20</a>. I
thought I’d take this opportunity to express my gratitude to this organization
and its amazing members and volunteers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FT7PxzZJD4I/VqJYEBuU8mI/AAAAAAAACHM/w7hzY6ba5f8/s1600/scbwi_logo_300px%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FT7PxzZJD4I/VqJYEBuU8mI/AAAAAAAACHM/w7hzY6ba5f8/s200/scbwi_logo_300px%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The
SCBWI is a network for the exchange of knowledge among writers, illustrators,
editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others
involved with literature for young people. SCBWI boasts more than 22,000
members worldwide in more than seventy regions, making it the largest
children’s writing organization in the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
1994 I attended my first workshop on writing children’s fiction, lead by the incredible
Elaine Marie Alphin. I left inspired with a notebook full of ideas. She said
that if I was serious about writing for children I should join SCBWI -- which I
immediately did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">From
then on, I have regularly attended events and volunteered for this organization
on both sides of the Atlantic. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Here
are 20 reasons I’m grateful for SCBWI. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 20pt;">Thanks to…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Natascha
Biebow</em></strong>. She’s served the British SCBWI as its regional advisor (RA) for more
than</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4axslAkuf04/VqJYnFshogI/AAAAAAAACHU/2bG_OmfynaE/s1600/Natascha%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4axslAkuf04/VqJYnFshogI/AAAAAAAACHU/2bG_OmfynaE/s200/Natascha%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
18 years. The British Chapter started with twenty members and under her
leadership has grown to nearly 1,000 members. She is the longest-tenured
international RA with the fourth largest chapter worldwide. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Natascha
again</em></strong> because she handed a copy of the British SCBWI’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Undiscovered Voices </i>2008 anthology to literary agent Jenny Savill at
the Bologna Book Fair in 2008. Jenny read the extract from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Parties, </i>which was included in the anthology, and gave me a
call. I signed with her a few months later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>My
US Writers Group</em></strong>. At an SCBWI event around about 1995, I met three Indiana
writers who would become my critique and support group until I moved to London
in 2003. They survived my early kids stories, which I hope they have long-since
forgotten. A regular critique group was key to establishing a habit of writing
and an ability to take feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>My
UK Writers Group</em></strong>. One of the first things I did when I moved to the UK was
connect to the local SCBWI and join a writers group. The group members changed
and the monthly meetings have dwindled to periodic one-to-ones, but those
writers introduced me to the British SCBWI and were my first friends in the UK.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> <strong><em>
</em></strong></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Lin
Oliver and Stephen Mooser</em></strong>. They are the visionaries who <a href="http://www.scbwi.org/" target="_blank">started SCBWI in the US</a>
in 1971 and continue to guide its progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 20pt;">Thanks for…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Lifelong
friends</em></strong>. I have many cherished friendships with the writers and
illustrators I met through SCBWI. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> <strong><em>
</em></strong></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Encouragement</em></strong>.
Whether its face-to-face at an event, email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. SCBWI
members understand the highs and lows of publishing and never fail to offer
encouragement. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Knowledge</em></strong>.
I never leave an SCBWI event without a notebook full of ideas, facts and
to-dos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Inspiration</em></strong>.
I’ve met almost all of my literary heroes at SCBWI events. I have shelves full
of signed books and a head full of inspirational quotes to keep me going.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Community</em></strong>.
What could be better than gathering with people who love what you love?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"><strong><em>
</em></strong></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Industry
News</em></strong>. Through regular emails, newsletters and a yahoo group, I keep up on
what’s happening in the publishing world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2tWYXraI0KI/VqJaabxBpZI/AAAAAAAACHw/NFRPrQ4PMRk/s1600/mass%2Bbook%2Blaunch%2Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2tWYXraI0KI/VqJaabxBpZI/AAAAAAAACHw/NFRPrQ4PMRk/s320/mass%2Bbook%2Blaunch%2Bphoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mass Book Launch Celebration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> <strong><em>
</em></strong></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>The
Annual Conference</em></strong>. It’s one glorious weekend in November that’s action-packed
with speakers, celebrations, networking and fellowship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Networking</em></strong>.
Whether at the agent’s party or the mass book launch, you have an opportunity
to meet folks from every aspect of the publishing world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Networks</em></strong>.
No matter where you live in the UK, an SCBWI group is never far away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">15.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Worldwide
Connections</em></strong>. And no matter where you go in the world, you can find SCBWI
chapters. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">16.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>PULSE</em></strong>
(SCBWI’s resources for its published members). SCBWI grows with its members,
offering nuts and bolts sessions for those just starting out to PULSE events
for writers and illustrators who have new challenges and opportunities once
they are published.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1SVFk8_JCrU/VqJaafyU_ZI/AAAAAAAACH0/NoRZKOqgErc/s1600/uv%2B2014%2Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1SVFk8_JCrU/VqJaafyU_ZI/AAAAAAAACH0/NoRZKOqgErc/s320/uv%2B2014%2Bphoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 2014 Undiscovered Voices writers, illustrators & planning team.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Undiscovered
Voices</em></strong>. It was my stepping stone to finding an agent, a publisher and
ultimately readers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lY7lkGcZr6M/VqJZ8M81YkI/AAAAAAAACHk/QZ0jmt-TYrk/s1600/UV2016%2Blogo%2Bbox%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lY7lkGcZr6M/VqJZ8M81YkI/AAAAAAAACHk/QZ0jmt-TYrk/s1600/UV2016%2Blogo%2Bbox%2B1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">18.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Undiscovered
Voices</em></strong>. It’s a huge part of my life. It’s how I give back and help other
writers and illustrators achieve their publishing dreams. <a href="http://www.undiscoveredvoices.com/" target="_blank">Last week we announced the writers and illustrators who are featured in the fifth anthology</a>.
From the previous four anthologies, 32 writers and illustrators have received
contracts for more than one 120 books in more than 70 countries. I couldn’t be
more proud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 20pt;">And finally…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">19.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Volunteer!</em></strong>
Volunteer for SCBWI because it’s what makes the organization so amazing. The
British chapter hosts so many events a year. It has a web site, Facebook group,
newsletter and much more. Everything is run by volunteers. Volunteer because
it’s a way to give back to an organization that will give you so much. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">20.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Volunteer!!</em></strong>
If not for a philanthropic reason, volunteer because it’s a great away to
network. You can host an event with an author you admire or set up critiques
with your dream agent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks SCBWI -- for all of the above and so much more.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKbpWQKmwtg/TZ8ttqOUwkI/AAAAAAAAAA8/_Vkvl5X2ewA/s1600/sara-grant-edge-author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKbpWQKmwtg/TZ8ttqOUwkI/AAAAAAAAAA8/_Vkvl5X2ewA/s200/sara-grant-edge-author.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"> About Sara…<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sara Grant has worked on both sides of the editorial
desk. She has inspired and edited nearly 100 books for children. Her two YA
novels – <i>Dark Parties</i> (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner, Europe) and <i>Half
Lives</i> – are futuristic thrillers. She also writes a funny magical series
for young readers – <i>Magic Trix</i>. Sara is currently developing a new
action-adventure series for tweens with Scholastic. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chasing Danger </i>will be published in April. She leads writing
workshops in the US, UK and Europe as part of </span><a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">BookBound</span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and
lectures at the University of Winchester and Goldsmiths. </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Website: </span><a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">www.sara-grant.com</span></span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twitter:
</span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/authorsaragrant"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">@authorsaragrant</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times",serif;"> Book
Bound</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times",serif;"> is
now accepting applications for its 2016 retreat for adults who are interested
in writing novels for children and teens. It’s an intensive weekend of
workshops, one-to-ones, and camaraderie. Visit the Book Bound web site for more
details: </span><a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/"><span style="font-family: "Times",serif;"><span style="color: blue;">www.bookboundretreat.com</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-18569696461874850482015-12-25T03:00:00.000+00:002015-12-25T03:00:02.482+00:00Season's Greetings from the Authors at The EDGE!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On behalf of everyone here at the EDGE, I'd like to say a huge thank you for your continued support this year. We've enjoyed your company and hope to see you again in 2016, when we will be announcing some exciting news! Watch this space . . .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, have a fantastic festive break, and all the best for a happy and healthy 2016.</span><br />
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-77314110146686594672015-12-18T10:46:00.000+00:002015-12-18T10:50:23.887+00:00In defence of YA literature, by Bryony Pearce<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It appears to have become
fashionable recently to write blogs and articles, to make comments on Twitter
and Facebook and to journalists which make fun of Young Adult literature.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
These detractors, some of whom are
writers themselves, tend to focus their derision by stereotyping the genre as
nothing but Twilight clones, Hunger Games wannabes and sparkly pink books about love at
first sight.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Demanding more protagonists who
don’t solve their problems by kicking ass, learning karate or becoming more
attractive suggests to your audience that most of them do. Demanding fewer
books about sparkly vampires or handsome werewolves implies that this is the
dominating feature of YA literature (Twilight was written ten years ago, get
over it). Saying that your own book stands out because it is complex implies
that other YA is not. Asking for the elimination of ‘instalove’ allows your
reader to infer that no YA literature contains relationships with slow build or
real depth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
How are writers of YA literature
meant to bring in more readers (even to convert reluctant readers) when there
are people, other writers no less, telling them not to bother reading within
the genre aimed at them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
At the moment YA is the nerdy kid
in the playground; the one it’s easy, even fashionable to pick on. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps this is something to do
with its success. YA literature is one of the few genres that has shown market
growth throughout this depressed economy, and, as we know, bullies don’t like a
successful underdog. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps it is because the books
that have been massively successful have not all had great literary merit (but
have been cracking good stories nevertheless – and given a choice between
reading literary fiction with no story and a book with an amazing story, but
which won’t have passages read out in poetry appreciation I know which I’d pick).
Perhaps it is because the books that Hollywood chooses to make into film are
the best known, if not the best examples of the genre, enabling those who don’t
read YA widely to pigeonhole all YA literature (although by this argument I
could go on to judge all adult literature by Fifty Shades of Grey).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps it is because the YA
community is well known to be ‘nice’. As writers, readers and bloggers were are
generally accepted to be mutually supportive and friendly, does this make our
genre an ‘easy target’?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps it is because our readers
themselves are, or appear to be easy targets. It has always been the role of
those past a certain age to criticise the choices of the young – their music,
their clothes and, now that they have it, their literature.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Readers of YA literature are not
easy targets, as some attackers of YA literature have recently discovered but …
and here’s the big but, some of them are.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Many readers of YA are young. Not
all of them of course, YA welcomes readers of all ages, but by definition,
Young Adult literature is aimed at <i>young</i> people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When someone attacks YA as a
genre, minimalises its importance, says that it has no literary merit, no
complexity, no depth, no understanding of the world, especially if they have
their own platform, I wonder if they realise that they are also saying to its loyal,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>young<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>readers: there’s something wrong with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>. Your choices show that you aren’t clever enough to be reading
books that deal with real issues, or that have true complexity, you aren’t
serious enough to enjoy real literature. All you’re good enough for is fiddling
around in the shallow end of the pool, if you had any real chops, you’d join us
in the deep end – the adult section.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The YA literature that I have
experienced most commonly deals with subjects that concern young people. It
helps them to work through and understand issues such as poverty, bullying,
relationships, sexuality, climate change, death of loved ones, war, politics,
violence, hatred, bigotry, racism, working out who you are, where you fit into
the world, who you are going to be in the future and yes, love. It teachers its
readership that it can be brave, that it can bring about change in the world –
and who more important to send this message out to than the young?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Yes, some YA could perhaps be
described ‘fast food literature’ (and why not – who’d want to read Tolstoy,
Shakespeare and Melville all the time) but not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> of it not, in fact, the majority. I’m not going to provide a
reading list here (although I could); instead I suggest that we start a hashtag
of the things that YA does well:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Engaging teenagers in debate</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Enabling conversations between teenagers and their
guardians</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Letting teenagers know that they are not the only
ones in the world with those concerns, those problems, those feelings</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Exploring the ideas of and the ethics behind
scientific discoveries</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Engaging reluctant readers by providing books that
are totally gripping</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Creating believable, memorable characters</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Creating whole worlds for readers to get lost in</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Using science fiction, fantasy and magical realism
to deal with serious issues</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Widening teen vocabulary, emotional intelligence
and articulation</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-align: justify;">Preparing readers for adult literature …</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-25735924576201793182015-12-11T12:35:00.006+00:002015-12-11T12:36:33.586+00:00Diverse December <div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#diversedecember was launched on Twitter on the 1st of
December to celebrate BAME, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, authors, and to
highlight the continuing lack of diversity in publishing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have blogged about the lack of diversity in children's
literature here many times over the past few years. I've also blogged about
Malorie Blackman and Bali Rai's call for more diversity in children's
literature, and about how the lack of diversity in children's literature affected
me when I was growing up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, Nikesh Shukla has joined Jon McGregor in an attack
slamming the elitism of an industry which “work[s] to perpetuate an environment
in which their own sort feel at home."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The article was published in the Guardian: 'Where are the Brown
People?: Authors slam lack of diversity in UK publishing'.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Twitter people have been sharing what they want to read
this month and recommending books. It's easier to do this with contemporary
fiction because there seem to be far fewer published books by BAME teen
writers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'll be reading these two great new books published this
year by BAME teen/YA authors:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VK08xC3FP3o/VmrB__KMl0I/AAAAAAAACG0/YtRhs9Zxydk/s1600/516tZVguXhL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VK08xC3FP3o/VmrB__KMl0I/AAAAAAAACG0/YtRhs9Zxydk/s200/516tZVguXhL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="130" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YzpUquLOlVo/VmrCzKjoRxI/AAAAAAAACG8/x5dF6CcZCbQ/s1600/41Baf6rEjkL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YzpUquLOlVo/VmrCzKjoRxI/AAAAAAAACG8/x5dF6CcZCbQ/s200/41Baf6rEjkL._SX324_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="130" /></a>The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo by Catherine Johnson<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
13 Hours by Narinder Dhami<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'll also be reading these adult fiction books:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Private Life of Mrs Sharma by Ratika Kapur<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A Restless Wind by Sharukh Husain<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nosy Crow has announced that they would like to support
#diversedecember. So if there are any BAME authors out there, now is your
chance to submit. Check out the submission guidelines first here - Nosy Crow<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tom from Nosy Crow said, "Today we’re announcing an
open call for children’s fiction submissions from debut BAME writers. I think
that it’s incredibly important that our industry represents a wide range of
voices, not only so that children from every background can recognise their own
lives and experiences in the books that they read, but also simply to enrich
the body of children’s literature that we publish, by moving out of a
monoculture and embracing a wider world of ideas."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nikesh Shukla is also compiling an anthology of essays by
BAME authors, The Good Immigrant, fifteen writers who will be exploring what it
means to be Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic in the UK today. He is looking for
funding - here's the link if you'd like to pledge - UNBOUND<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
J K Rowling has just pledged £5K.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can follow #diversedecember on Twitter for more book
recommendations and news.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please leave your book recommendations in the comments.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-39528620309497795802015-12-04T11:17:00.000+00:002015-12-04T11:17:31.016+00:00No Such Thing as Normal
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>by EDGE
Author Sara Grant</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>
</strong></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">During
the Q&A of a creative writing workshop for thirteen year olds, I was asked,
"If given the chance, would you go back to being thirteen again?" I blurted my
response, “Oh, good God, no.” I shouldn’t have said it, but my instinctual
response flashed from my brain and out my mouth before I could stop it. I
recovered by saying something like “I love my life and believe in looking
forward, not back.” Which is true and should have been my first response really.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
young writer asked a follow up question, “What would you tell your thirteen
year old self?” My answer was basically <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it
gets better</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My
young teen years were probably the most difficult of my life. Here’s a picture
of what I looked </span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6dBpRMHZX1s/VmFvfzOKdHI/AAAAAAAACGY/PeOQsuTavYs/s1600/13%2Byr%2Bold%2BSara%2BG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6dBpRMHZX1s/VmFvfzOKdHI/AAAAAAAACGY/PeOQsuTavYs/s200/13%2Byr%2Bold%2BSara%2BG.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">like. I was pink-cheeked and chubby, and the mock Farrah Fawcett
hair style didn't do me any favours either. I know looks shouldn’t matter,
but when I was a teen, it seemed to me that it was the only thing that did. I
remember telling myself over and over that some people have their glory days
when they are teens, but my day was coming. And I was right. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There’s
a wonderful project that I support called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It
Gets Better. </i>Its mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and
inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. They have some amazing
and inspiring testimonials.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tjHCpH8PjI8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tjHCpH8PjI8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I
wish more teens could hear and believe these messages of hope and perseverance
– and not just LGBT kids, but anyone who believes they are ugly, fat, stupid,
or different from that illusive thing called normal. Now I know there’s no
such thing.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">About Sara Grant<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sara Grant has worked on both sides of the
editorial desk. She has inspired and edited nearly 100 books for children. Her
two YA novels – <i>Dark Parties</i> (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner, Europe)
and <i>Half Lives</i> – are futuristic thrillers. She also writes a funny
magical series for young readers – <i>Magic Trix</i>. Sara is currently
developing a new action-adventure series for tweens with Scholastic. She leads
writing workshops in the US, UK and Europe as part of </span></span><a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">BookBound</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> and lectures at the University of Winchester and
Goldsmiths. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Website: </span></span><a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.sara-grant.com</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/" target="_blank">www.sara-grant.com</a> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Twitter: </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/authorsaragrant"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">@authorsaragrant</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="www.bookboundretreat.com" border="0" height="83" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o8D9WhXpsGs/VmFw36ce26I/AAAAAAAACGk/LkwEA_olPFM/s320/Book-Bound-Header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Book
Bound</strong> is now accepting applications for its 2016 retreat for adults who are
interested in writing novels for children and teens. It’s an
intensive weekend of workshops, one-to-ones, and camaraderie. Visit the Book
Bound web site for more details: <a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/">www.bookboundretreat.com<o:p></o:p></a></span></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-42701040275629412652015-11-27T14:20:00.001+00:002015-11-27T14:20:09.692+00:00WHEN THE UKYA AND UKMG EXTRAVAGANZAS CAME TO NOTTINGHAM
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paula
Rawsthorne applauds the organisers of the brilliant UKYA and UKMG
Extravaganzas for bringing authors, en masse, to the cities of the U.K.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So
many of the big literary events only happen in London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, stating the bleedin’ obvious, there’s a
fantastically rich cultural landscape outside the capital too and YA authors</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.emmapass.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emma Pass</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (Acid)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://kerrydrewery.tumblr.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kerry Drewery</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (A Dream of Lights) know that regional
cities deserve to be at the centre of exciting events just as much as
London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why they organised the wonderful
UKYA and UKMG Extravaganzas.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
inaugural UKYAX was held in February this year at </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/YABirmingham"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Birmingham H.S. Waterstones</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. It sold out within hours and showed
that there was an eager audience who wanted to meet YA authors and learn more
about their work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UKYAX came to Nottingham
Waterstones in October and the first ever UKMGX also rolled into town and
was held at Nottingham Central Library.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Each of these events involved over 30 authors from
all over the UK and brought together
writers with readers and bloggers. The events helped to showcase the wealth of
YA and MG books by UK authors and also <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>enthused readers, young and old.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before the
Birmingham and Nottingham events, Emma and Kerry organised blog tours featuring
all the participating writers. It was a great way to hook up writers with our
supportive UK bloggers and each post provided a unique insight into
their books and writing world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QZVOI4AtxY/VlhhYdttoJI/AAAAAAAACFY/IZp1xMkZVZM/s1600/UKYABirmingham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2QZVOI4AtxY/VlhhYdttoJI/AAAAAAAACFY/IZp1xMkZVZM/s320/UKYABirmingham.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_YqaJfuEkM/VlhhiCMJkzI/AAAAAAAACFg/ezJ_YXTVKYY/s1600/UKYANotts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t_YqaJfuEkM/VlhhiCMJkzI/AAAAAAAACFg/ezJ_YXTVKYY/s320/UKYANotts.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
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o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was asked By
Emma and Kerry to chair both the UKYAX and UKMGX held in Nottingham on
consecutive Saturdays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an
absolute pleasure to be in a room so full of enthusiasm for reading and
stories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Readers of all ages got to chat
with authors as well as discover new books and it was clear that the events
help to break down barriers between the two. Since the Nottingham events I’ve been told by
several parents that their children haven’t stopped reading! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The format
of the event worked very well with panels of authors having two minutes each to
speak, followed by five minutes of questions from the audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This kept the event flowing nicely and
democratically and made authors hone their anti-waffling skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An essential aspect to the event was the regular
breaks which allowed the audience to eat cake, mingle with the authors and get
books signed<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjSPMUC1sL4/VlhjOa7Pi2I/AAAAAAAACF0/hbU3pRZQbvI/s1600/UKYAAuthors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jjSPMUC1sL4/VlhjOa7Pi2I/AAAAAAAACF0/hbU3pRZQbvI/s320/UKYAAuthors.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">UKYA Authors
at Nottingham Waterstones <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The UKYA
Extravaganza at Nottingham Waterstones was well attended with a mixture of
teens, adults, bloggers, librarians, teachers etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kerry and Emma made Waterstones’ impressive
‘Sillitoe’ events room look festive and welcoming with UKYA bunting, balloons
and name badges as well as a table full of swag for the audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KsC8huA8y_4/Vlhh68qrTDI/AAAAAAAACFo/wECg7umA6iw/s1600/UKMGAuthors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KsC8huA8y_4/Vlhh68qrTDI/AAAAAAAACFo/wECg7umA6iw/s320/UKMGAuthors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">UKMG Authors at Nottingham Central Library</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first
ever UKMG Extravaganza was held at Nottingham Central Library and the
librarians did a wonderful job of preparing the room and the
refreshments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event was absolutely
packed, with many people having to sit on the floor. The format was the same as
for UKYAX only the MG authors used more props during their two minutes (always
a good thing) and John Dougherty even whipped out his guitar which went down
well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just some of the audience for UKMG at Nottingham Central Library<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Emma Pass told Sheena
Wilkinson<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We wanted to bring together
authors from all sorts of publishers, big and small; to have a big author event
which wasn't in London and which put everyone on an equal footing -- and where
the readers aren't cut off from the authors. The mingling in between panels,
and the informal party afterwards, was very much part of this approach.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The after
party at Nottingham Writers’ Studio was a chance for some writers to get to
know each other in the real world as opposed to on Facebook and Twitter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really was a great end to a wonderful
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After its great success I know that
Kerry and Emma are all fired up and are busy organising the next Extravaganza
which will bring writers from all over the UK to the mighty city of Newcastle. So watch this space for more details!</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fabulous Bowen presented Nick Frost with a UKYAX cake at
Waterstones Nottingham (doesn’t Nick look ecstatic?) <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Paula Rawsthorne is the author of the award winning YA novels
‘The Truth About Celia Frost’ and ‘Blood Tracks’. She is part of ‘The Big City
Read Anthology’ and a writer in residence for ‘First Story’. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-41483611317048913502015-11-13T20:13:00.001+00:002015-11-13T20:13:15.199+00:00REVIEW! RECOMMEND! RAVE! by Katie Dale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a recent episode of <b><span style="color: white;">The Apprentice</span></b>, the task was to <b>write, produce, and sell a children’s book. In two days.</b><br />
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Not – as anyone in the children’s book publishing world will tell you – an easy feat!<br />
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It was fascinating watching the teams brainstorm, create their books to a deadline, then try to sell them to retailers (one of which had a lovely shelf of books by <b><span style="color: white;"><a href="http://www.undiscoveredvoices.com/">Undiscovered Voices</a></span></b> winners – including Edge author Sara Grant and myself!).<br />
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But in the end <b>the emphasis was less on the creation of a good book</b> (indeed, one team were accused of “over-intellectualising” and taking too long – 3 hours! – to come up with their story) <b>than of meeting deadlines and the subsequent successful pitching and selling to retailers</b>. The bottom line was all that mattered. After all, Alan Sugar is looking for a business partner, not an author.<br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><b>But this emphasis on marketing got me thinking – <i>is it really a million miles away from the real children’s book world?</i></b><i> </i></span><br />
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Of course, usually books take months – years, even – from concept to publication, going through a rigorous process of writing, re-drafting, and editing before hitting the bookshop shelves. Authors, editors, and readers, would undoubtedly agree that <b><span style="font-size: large;">content is key</span></b> – we want a great story that readers will enjoy, and hopefully that will be reflected in the sales figures.<br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">But is content really enough?</span><br />
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After all, even the best book in the world won’t become a bestseller unless people know about it, whilst <b>a book that is well-publicised, tied to a film, written by a celebrity or popular vlogger, or featured on TV will likely sell millions of copies even before a single review comes out</b> (<i>and here I feel the Apprentices missed their best sales pitch of all: these books are limited edition and will have been seen by millions on TV! I predict that the canny booksellers who bought them will have sold out by Christmas – and made a hefty profit!)</i><br />
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That's not to say that books that do get the big marketing budgets have poor content, necessarily, but marketing budgets are finite, and not distributed evenly, leading to a domination of big titles and little, if any, marketing for most other books.<br />
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As an author and a reader, I believe that <span style="color: white;">content is, and should be, the most important factor in a book</span>. I would far rather read a book that I’ve never heard of that a friend has recommended than the current bestseller by a "celebrity" whose poster is plastered all over the underground.<br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">So how can we help to promote good stories that don't get big-budget marketing? </span></b><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: x-large;"><b>REVIEW! RECOMMEND! RAVE!</b></span><br />
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<b>Word of mouth</b> is a powerful thing. Tell people about the books you love. Introduce your friends to authors you’ve enjoyed, and hopefully they’ll do the same. <b>If you’ve enjoyed a book, leave a good review – or even just a star rating</b> – on Amazon (or other websites.) <b>It only takes a moment, and by doing so you’ll be helping the authors you’ve enjoyed sell enough books to be able to write more books you’ll enjoy. </b><i><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">Win-win!</span></i><br />
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With this in mind, here are five books I’d never heard of by authors I’d never heard of before that I really enjoyed. I encourage you to check them out, and <b><span style="font-size: large;">please leave your own recommendations in the comments below</span></b> – I can’t wait to discover new hidden gems!<br />
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<b>THROUGH TO YOU – Emily Hainsworth</b><br />
Cam has been grief-stricken since his girlfriend, Viv, died. He'd give anything for one more glimpse of her. But when Cam makes a visit to the site of Viv's deadly car accident, he sees some kind of apparition. And it isn't Viv. The apparition's name is Nina, and she's not a ghost. She's a girl from a parallel world, and in this world, Viv is still alive. Intriguing and emotive.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O18bo-lQ8MQ/VkY7XXj5RsI/AAAAAAAACEw/YgHt4Kyzk9c/s1600/forbidden%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O18bo-lQ8MQ/VkY7XXj5RsI/AAAAAAAACEw/YgHt4Kyzk9c/s200/forbidden%2Bcover.jpg" width="130" /></a><b>FORBIDDEN – Tabitha Suzuma </b><br />
She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed.<br />
He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future.<br />
And now they have fallen in love.<br />
But . . . They are brother and sister.<br />
Thought-provoking and emotive, this book broke my heart.<br />
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<b>THE GIRL ON THE RUN – Gregg Olsen</b><br />
This is “Dexter” with a teen girl protagonist! 15 year old Rylee comes home from school one day to find her father dead, with a knife through his heart, and a key clutched in his hand. A message in blood is written on the floor...RUN. With her little brother in tow, Rylee begins a dark journey, one that will uncover horrific crimes and lead her to an unexpected and gruesome discovery about herself. A fast-paced thriller that had me gripped from page 1.<br />
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<b>MY NAME IS MEMORY – Ann Brashares </b><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7SlS-g32jm8/VkY7up6LGyI/AAAAAAAACFI/t6nb0XsjxUA/s1600/My%2Bname%2Bis%2Bmemory%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7SlS-g32jm8/VkY7up6LGyI/AAAAAAAACFI/t6nb0XsjxUA/s200/My%2Bname%2Bis%2Bmemory%2Bcover.jpg" width="130" /></a>I started reading this in a bookshop and couldn’t put it down. It is the story of Daniel, who remembers the many lives he’s been reincarnated into throughout history – and the girl he’s in love with through them all. Fascinating, romantic, and thought-provoking.<br />
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<b>COUNTING BY 7S – Holly Goldberg Sloan</b><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbgC6zYsz2A/VkY7n1-7ZKI/AAAAAAAACFA/KTDIkFGs8Fk/s1600/Counting%2Bby%2B7s%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbgC6zYsz2A/VkY7n1-7ZKI/AAAAAAAACFA/KTDIkFGs8Fk/s200/Counting%2Bby%2B7s%2Bcover.jpg" width="130" /></a>Willow Chance is a genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but then they’re killed in a tragic car crash. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.<br />
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<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-51610595493531729922015-11-06T12:20:00.000+00:002015-11-06T12:20:06.300+00:00Reading and Writing—Two Essentials for a Happy Writer!<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>This week Edge Author Dave Cousins asks how much does the ability to write, depend on your dedication as a reader.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Finding time to write alongside the demands of a family and a job—even if that job is being a writer—can be a balancing act. Before I was fortunate enough to be published and had to squeeze writing time into early starts, late nights, train journeys and lunch breaks, I sometimes found that I didn't have time to read. Free time was so scare, it seemed more important to spend it creating my own stories rather than reading somebody else's. I eventually found that logic to be somewhat flawed – in my case at least. Now I firmly agree with <b>Stephen King</b>, who said, “If you don’t have time to read, then you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">It may look like I'm taking it easy with a book. <br />In reality this is an intensive training workout!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Over the years I’ve noticed that when I’m not reading every day, my writing flows less freely. An obvious analogy would be the sporting one: that reading is an important part of maintaining a level of writing fitness, like an athlete training every day. When I’m reading a lot, my writing feels natural, instinctive – fitter, if you like. Or as The King puts it: “Constant reading will pull you into a place where you can write eagerly and without self-consciousness.” For me, it’s about filling my subconscious with words and stories – the rhythm of sentences and paragraphs, the pace of a well spun yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>“Every successful writer I know is also a great reader.” – Robert Cormier</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When I started to write, I worried that my own stories, or rather my voice, would start to sound like whatever I was reading, but that didn’t happen. Instead, I find that reading somebody else's words helps to clear my head, and stops me thinking about my own for a while, so I'm fresher when I return.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>But what about you?</b> Here at the Edge we are always interested to hear other people’s experience. How does reading sit alongside your writing? Does it help? Does it interfere? Does it matter what you read? <b>Leave a comment in the box below and let us know.</b> Thanks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile, here are a couple of posts you might enjoy by fellow Edge authors on a similar theme:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://edgeauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/reading-for-my-writingby-miriam-halahmy.html">Reading For My Writing by Miriam Halahmy</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://edgeauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/writing-tips-6-from-edge-author-sara.html">Writing Tips Part 6 by Sara Grant</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b>Dave Cousins</b> is the author (and sometimes illustrator!) of a number of award-winning books for young people. Visit <a href="http://www.davecousins.net/">www.davecousins.net</a> for more info.</i></span></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-58972665468970096042015-10-16T08:00:00.000+01:002015-10-16T08:00:09.128+01:00EDGE Author Sara Grant’s Top 10 Books for Writers<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m
sure there’s a name for this. Some sort of syndrome. I’ve been battling it for more than twenty years. It’s the
overwhelming desire to read about writing. This affliction could be called
something like scribo-bibliophilia?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">As
writers we know books hold all the answers. At first we think that there must a
book somewhere that will tell us the secret to writing a genre-busting,
award-winning, best-selling novel. And, gosh, if it could provide maybe ten simple steps, that would be uber helpful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But writing a novel is personal with no one-size-fits-all strategy to success. (I've found that my writing process changes from book to book.) The good -- and, well, bad -- news: There's not a 'right' way to write. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And though none of these books offers the 'golden ticket' to publication, they do offer some great tips, exercises and advice. </span></div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6AJ3-5XCfOk/Vh0SWpzFSZI/AAAAAAAACDM/yaOWDmf5TKE/s1600/plot%2Band%2Bstructure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6AJ3-5XCfOk/Vh0SWpzFSZI/AAAAAAAACDM/yaOWDmf5TKE/s200/plot%2Band%2Bstructure.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Listed
below – in no particular order – are my top ten books for writers:</span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Plot & Structure: Techniques and exercises
for crafting a plot that grips readers from start to finish </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by James Scott
Bell</strong> – Let me start by saying, I *heart* James Scott Bell. Not in a way that
might ruin my marriage, but he’s fantastic at peeling back the layers of novel writing
and giving practical tips – and some groovy acronyms too. He analysed hundreds
of plots and developed what he terms the LOCK system, which stands for Lead,
Objective, Confrontation and Knockout. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tzKCIVL20Rg/Vh0SXFeJLrI/AAAAAAAACDg/-BHEOwCgac4/s1600/revising%2Bfor%2Bself%2Bpub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tzKCIVL20Rg/Vh0SXFeJLrI/AAAAAAAACDg/-BHEOwCgac4/s200/revising%2Bfor%2Bself%2Bpub.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Revision and Self-Editing for Publication </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by James Scott
Bell</strong> – This was a recent find. It was recommended by a fellow writer when I was
struggling with revising a new novel. This is a great checklist. I reviewed the key points
and was able to spot what wasn’t working in my story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EMxxmuaQU3M/Vh0SVMEMyYI/AAAAAAAACDo/9DXVMEhWUcQ/s1600/Middle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EMxxmuaQU3M/Vh0SVMEMyYI/AAAAAAAACDo/9DXVMEhWUcQ/s200/Middle.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Write Your Novel From the Middle </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by</strong> – you guessed
it – <strong>James Scott Bell</strong> – I think this is his newest. The middle is where novels
get muddled. Bell offers a unique prospective on the middle. He says, “What I
found was that this midpoint was not a scene at all. It was a moment within a
scene…that tells us what the novel or movie is really all about.” Fascinating
stuff. There’s even a diagram and everything. And thus end my lovefest with Mr
J S Bell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pRrZLDtY0Wk/Vh0SXIAcnfI/AAAAAAAACDY/Tsonv1bDHnY/s1600/vein%2Bof%2Bgold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pRrZLDtY0Wk/Vh0SXIAcnfI/AAAAAAAACDY/Tsonv1bDHnY/s200/vein%2Bof%2Bgold.jpg" width="157" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Vein of Gold </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Julie Cameron</strong> –
This one is more touchy feely. She shares Director Martin Ritt’s philosophy:
“All actors have a certain territory, a certain range, they are born to play. I
call that range their ‘vein of gold.’ If you cast an actor within that vein, he
will always give you a brilliant performance.” She suggests that writers also
have a vein of gold. The book includes a number of techniques to find and then
mine your vein of gold. I also loved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Artist Way </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Right To Write </i>by
Cameron. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1BqS-hPuNVA/Vh0SVG_kBtI/AAAAAAAACDw/7o0EB26hpmg/s1600/NovelMetamorphosisMedRes150dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1BqS-hPuNVA/Vh0SVG_kBtI/AAAAAAAACDw/7o0EB26hpmg/s200/NovelMetamorphosisMedRes150dpi.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Novel Metamorphosis </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Darcy Pattison</strong>
– This book completely revolutionized how I revise my books. It’s a thin
workbook, but it has a number of simple exercises that will help you dissect
and diagnose what’s not working in your novel. The book was like a million
light-bulb moments in a mere 108 pages. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhv614NXigI/Vh0SWgDONpI/AAAAAAAACDU/VSPaKA2gKTA/s1600/Story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhv614NXigI/Vh0SWgDONpI/AAAAAAAACDU/VSPaKA2gKTA/s200/Story.jpg" width="124" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Story </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Robert McKee</strong> – This is not one I
sat down and read cover to cover. I dip in and out of it as necessary. McKee is
a genius at breaking down story into logical digestible parts. His focus is
screenwriting, but the substance, style and principles he outlines apply to
books too. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYXtK-X-pPI/Vh0SWWsvJZI/AAAAAAAACDc/kpjH2RkSMPI/s1600/Self%2Bediting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bYXtK-X-pPI/Vh0SWWsvJZI/AAAAAAAACDc/kpjH2RkSMPI/s200/Self%2Bediting.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to
edit yourself into print </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Renni Browne and Dave King</strong> – The title says it all.
It’s difficult for writers to edit their own work. We read what we think we’ve
put on the page. (That’s why we all need editors!) Each chapter has checklists
and exercises. My favourite line from the book explains why writers should show and not tell: “You don’t want to give your readers information. You want
to give them experiences.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ovvqDVk89U/Vh0SV3NIudI/AAAAAAAACD0/SLRQGFMIZZ8/s1600/On%2Bwriting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1ovvqDVk89U/Vh0SV3NIudI/AAAAAAAACD0/SLRQGFMIZZ8/s200/On%2Bwriting.jpg" width="130" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>On Writing </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Stephen King</strong> –
I’ve never read a Stephen King novel nor even watched a movie based on his
books. I’m a wimp. But the guy knows about writing. Thanks to King I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">rarely</i> use an adverb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYkE2YUZ0kY/Vh0SVHZR2cI/AAAAAAAACDk/SmrROiuJ1x8/s1600/Emotional%2BImpact.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nYkE2YUZ0kY/Vh0SVHZR2cI/AAAAAAAACDk/SmrROiuJ1x8/s200/Emotional%2BImpact.jpg" width="185" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Writing for Emotional Impact </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Karl Iglesias</strong> –
I haven’t finished this one yet, but I’ve already read so many gems – lines or
quotes that have made me figuratively slap my forehead and say, ‘Yes, of
course. That’s it. That’s it exactly.’ Every
page of my copy is a rainbow of highlighting. He boils down what makes an idea
appealing, “A great idea should be uniquely familiar, and it should promise
conflict.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gmbAjWAgpD8/Vh0SV-NMWcI/AAAAAAAACDE/Iz0yfYG88bU/s1600/Plot%2Bthickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gmbAjWAgpD8/Vh0SV-NMWcI/AAAAAAAACDE/Iz0yfYG88bU/s200/Plot%2Bthickens.jpg" width="185" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>The Plot Thickens </strong></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong>by Noah Lukeman</strong> –
Funnily enough this book on plot gave me great insight into characterization. I
always think of Lukeman when I’m developing characters and apply his technique
of giving each a surface and profound journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
list could go on and on…I loved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bird by
Bird </i>by Anne Lamott. For writing exercises, Bonni Goldberg’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room to Write</i>. I’m sure my list will
continue to grow and change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">But
there must come a time in every writer’s life when we put down the book and
pick up a pen or more likely switch on the laptop – and start applying what we’ve
learned. I will confess that these books are always within reach when I’m
writing. When I get stuck, I return to these books and look for a diagnosis to
my plot problems, troublesome characters or unruly sentences. And I almost
always find the answers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not
to encourage more scribo-bibliophilia, but what’s your favourite book on
writing? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OE5wCSaI1Tw/UQkwtVVxyuI/AAAAAAAAA4M/T72BPyzQQO8/s1600/Magic%2BTrix2_Flying%2BHigh_Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OE5wCSaI1Tw/UQkwtVVxyuI/AAAAAAAAA4M/T72BPyzQQO8/s200/Magic%2BTrix2_Flying%2BHigh_Final.jpg" width="130" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WX1HXLOhCho/UVR5dl5XTuI/AAAAAAAAA9E/Fsm0xtzcEVM/s1600/HALF%2BLIVES%2BUK%2Bcover_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WX1HXLOhCho/UVR5dl5XTuI/AAAAAAAAA9E/Fsm0xtzcEVM/s200/HALF%2BLIVES%2BUK%2Bcover_final.jpg" width="125" /></a><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sara Grant has worked on both sides of the editorial desk. She has inspired and edited nearly 100 books for children. Her two YA novels – <i>Dark Parties</i> (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner, Europe) and <i>Half Lives</i> – are futuristic thrillers. She also writes a funny magical series for young readers – <i>Magic Trix</i>. Sara is currently developing a new action-adventure series for tweens with Scholastic. She leads writing workshops in the US, UK and Europe as part of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.bookboundretreat.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Book Bound</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and guest lectures at the University of Winchester. For more information on Sara, visit her website at <a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/">www.sara-grant.com</a> or follow her on Twitter @AuthorSaraGrant</span>Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-22767255251532279202015-09-25T20:22:00.000+01:002015-09-25T20:24:52.726+01:00The "Classical" Way to Promote Literacy?<span style="font-size: large;">Edge author Katie Dale questions whether cheap classic novels are really the best way to promote literacy.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRe-P6HEMkk/VgWcxjsIbBI/AAAAAAAACCA/gI7JP2vjYgo/s1600/IMG_3527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRe-P6HEMkk/VgWcxjsIbBI/AAAAAAAACCA/gI7JP2vjYgo/s200/IMG_3527.JPG" width="200" /></a>This week I was thrilled and delighted to be invited to open the new library at a local primary school. At a time when many public libraries are closing, and school budgets are tightening, this was particular cause for celebration. The love of reading at the school was evident, with murals of pupils’ favourite book covers adorning the school walls, and nearly every child raised their hand enthusiastically when asked who enjoyed reading, scrambling to tell me what their favourite book was – titles that ranged from The Hobbit to The Gruffalo.<br />
<br />
School libraries have also been in the news this week, with Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State for Education, declaring her determination to improve pupils’ literacy. This is an important issue, especially as “evidence shows that children who develop strong reading skills early on are more likely to succeed at school, achieve good qualifications and go on to succeed in their adult lives and the world of work.” <br />
<br />
However, part of her strategy is that <span style="color: white;">“every secondary school </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mm0nVPq54Fs/VgWdiR2GAyI/AAAAAAAACCI/UyyeanI145c/s1600/wuthering-heights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mm0nVPq54Fs/VgWdiR2GAyI/AAAAAAAACCI/UyyeanI145c/s320/wuthering-heights.jpg" width="202" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: white;">should have sets of a wide range of classics so that whole classes can enjoy them together – books I loved as a teenager by authors like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens or Emily Bronte”</span> and she’s calling on publishers to give collections of classics to schools at a reduced cost.<br />
Whilst cheap books for schools – whose budgets are ever-tightening – is always a great idea, I have to wonder whether this focus on the classics is really the most effective way to promote literacy? Or whether it might actually backfire?<br />
<br />
Classic novels, whilst wonderful, aren’t the easiest or most accessible texts for reluctant or struggling readers, and even the way that they’re deemed “good for you” – and the fact that they’re on the national curriculum – can be an instant turn-off to teenagers. I’ve always loved reading, but remember long hours struggling to plough through dense, dry, set-text classics as a teenager – and the relief of diving into a fast-paced contemporary book at the weekends, which I devoured by the shelf-full. But many of my friends were put off reading for pleasure, and now, in the age of social media, video games, the internet, and smart phones, reading as a pastime is struggling to compete more than ever before.<br />
<br />
Consequently, does it really matter what books kids are reading, as long as they are enjoying reading? Nicky Morgan cites the classics as the books she loved when she was young, but I’m not sure how many modern teens would really put them at the top of their list of books to read for pleasure, and surely this is the true key to improving literacy? If a book is accessible, enjoyable, funny, exciting, fast-paced and relatable, won’t teens be more likely to read all the way to the end and, more importantly, pick up another book afterwards? In which case, might a mixture of popular contemporary titles - including graphic novels - be more successful, at least in the first instance?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hEqquXBXDN0/VgWd3l3wiNI/AAAAAAAACCY/h_d8_xTWFxc/s1600/SEL%2Bcovers%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hEqquXBXDN0/VgWd3l3wiNI/AAAAAAAACCY/h_d8_xTWFxc/s200/SEL%2Bcovers%2Bsmall.jpg" width="200" /></a>After all, as most teens these days have smart phones, the classics are already available free of charge – as ebooks.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Katie Dale is the award-winning author of YA titles </i></b><b><i>SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE and LITTLE WHITE LIES </i></b><br />
<b><i>Simon & Schuster UK</i></b><br />
<b><i>Delacorte Press USA & Canada</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>www.katiedaleuk.blogspot.com</i></b><br />
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4AMGd6kcTMs/VgWdzqAFd9I/AAAAAAAACCQ/czi1gVzMK5g/s1600/LWL%2Bcovers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4AMGd6kcTMs/VgWdzqAFd9I/AAAAAAAACCQ/czi1gVzMK5g/s200/LWL%2Bcovers.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-56042700088947900832015-09-18T03:00:00.000+01:002015-09-18T03:00:02.543+01:00Love Football, Loathe Reading? Premier League Reading Stars Can Help.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mTldvItlHdc/VfMFazBCUgI/AAAAAAAACBk/X17oW5pcK5o/s1600/Dave-Cousins-Football-Card-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mTldvItlHdc/VfMFazBCUgI/AAAAAAAACBk/X17oW5pcK5o/s200/Dave-Cousins-Football-Card-web.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Edge author Dave Cousins explains how a love of ‘the beautiful game’ can inspire an interest in reading for reluctant readers.</b></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Premier League Reading Stars</b> is an innovative programme run by the <b><a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/premier_league_reading_stars" target="_blank">National Literacy Trust</a></b> in partnership with the Premier League. The scheme is designed for schools to use with target groups of children aged 9-13 years who “love football but lack motivation to engage with and achieve in literacy.” Building on evidence that footballers can influence the way young people view reading, PLRS offers a range of resources for schools that tap into children’s passion for football. Results show that participation in the project can have a significant impact on attainment and attitudes to reading and writing, particularly among boys and those on free school meals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://vimeo.com/65735730" target="_blank"><b>Here's a short video about the scheme.</b></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since kicking off its inaugural season three years ago, thousands of children have enjoyed taking part in Premier League Reading Stars. A 2014 evaluation reported that three out of four children taking part made at least six months’ reading progress during the ten week scheme, with one child in three making a year’s worth of progress! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>“On average, the reading progress of participating pupils was 50% higher than peers not taking part in the programme.”</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A third of participants go on to join their local library, and the number of children who develop a daily reading habit as a result of the course is more than double. Nearly two thirds of the children involved say that seeing Premier League footballers read, made them want to read more. One of the participating school’s Ofsted report stated: “Both their reading and writing scores rose considerably as a result of their involvement in this initiative.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/premier_league_reading_stars/take_part" target="_blank">The closing date for enrolling your school is Wednesday 30th September 2015.</a></b> </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The new enhanced programme for 2015-16 includes a wealth of resources and benefits, including:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—1 year membership to the National Literacy Trust Network.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—Author events with a range of venues, dates and authors.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—New season resource pack (for 20 children) including teacher’s manual, children’s activity books, certificates, stickers and posters.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—recommended reading list for 2015-16, including the best of football-related reading online.</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—staff training sessions, held regularly across England and Wales, (September to November).</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—NEW mixed box of 20 books specially chosen to appeal to reluctant readers</span> .</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">—NEW access to our updated website, with interactive challenges, competitions and quizzes, plus entry to the National PLRS Competition with the chance for pupils to win tickets to Premier League matches.</span></blockquote>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/premier_league_reading_stars/about_plrs" target="_blank">Visit the National Literacy Trust Premier League Reading Stars website for more information.</a></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QS7PmKq35MA/VfMJ_qBNeTI/AAAAAAAACBw/u9q5VJIovJI/s1600/charlie-merricks-misfits-promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QS7PmKq35MA/VfMJ_qBNeTI/AAAAAAAACBw/u9q5VJIovJI/s320/charlie-merricks-misfits-promo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Charlie Merrick’s Misfits in Fouls, Friends and Football</i></b>, written and illustrated by <a href="http://www.davecousins.net/" target="_blank">Dave Cousins</a> is out now, published by Oxford University Press.</span></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-42058534660670111572015-09-11T17:22:00.002+01:002015-09-11T17:22:23.314+01:00All Change by Bryony Pearce<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been going through a lot of changes in my personal life
– in the last year my mother has died, my family has moved house and the
children have moved school accordingly. The first book in the Phoenix series (Phoenix Rising) was published
and the sequel will be going to print in December. I wrote a book that is
coming out (in America)
in November and sold another to Telos. I performed at the Edinburgh festival and have a number of
events planned for the next couple of months. A lot of changes. I am not the
same person I was a year ago. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This specific date, September 11<sup>th</sup>, has its own
associations with great change. On this day, the world itself changed course. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems strange to me, as someone who remembers exactly
where they were and what they were doing when the news came in, that when I go
into schools to speak to students they see this date as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">history, </i>something that happened when they were babies or in some
cases before they were even born. They don’t remember the world as it was
before ‘the war on terror’, they know nothing else. To my generation the World
Trade Centre attack isn’t history, so much as current events, the repercussions
are still ongoing, changes are still being made.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As writers our central focus is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">change</i>; we launch our protagonists into unfamiliar situations, we
put bombs in the centres of their lives and make drastic changes to their worlds.
Even as we struggle with the changes in our own lives, we forge our characters
in the crucible of change with every stroke of the pen and force them to come
out of the other side as different people. We think of the thing our characters
most fear and put them through it, we give them challenges with every step; we
make them grow as people by forcing them to face change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Literature is all about change: how we deal with it and what
it makes of us. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Change is scary, but change makes us into the people we are.
Without change there can be no growth. As teenagers who going into new classes,
new schools or even new cities this month, I hope you can embrace the changes
you face, knowing there’s a whole new you waiting to emerge at the end of it.</div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-26574084715040825602015-08-28T10:00:00.000+01:002015-08-27T14:32:00.385+01:00Precious Presence<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">EDGE
Author Sara Grant Unplugged<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Precious
presence – </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s
something my husband says. I think it’s from some self-help-ish book. I’m
not sure which one, and it doesn’t really matter. It’s a pithy reminder to be
in the moment, which is good advice for me and for the stories that I write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Precious
presence – </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sounds
simple, but I’m finding it more difficult in real life than ever before. First
there’s the blessing and curse of being a writer. I can do my job anywhere.
Waiting in the checkout line in the grocery story, I can ponder a sticky plot
problem. While falling off to sleep, I can write the best opening to a novel in
the history of the world – if only I could remember what it was when I wake up the
next morning. I’m never bored. But the flip side of that is that I’m sometimes
in my head and not in the world. I’m so busy telling myself stories that I
forget to appreciate the wonders around me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Secondly
there’s the never-satisfied hunger of technology. I go to the theatre so
excited to watch a play but I have to fight the urge to check my email and then
Facebook and Twitter. I’ll check it one last time before I switch off my phone
and then just a quick check at intermission. Oh, and have I taken a photo I can
post later? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qZdfoyXX6z4/Vd8LX_-FWZI/AAAAAAAACBA/GSi4HdQrHxs/s1600/2013-02-24%2B16.50.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qZdfoyXX6z4/Vd8LX_-FWZI/AAAAAAAACBA/GSi4HdQrHxs/s200/2013-02-24%2B16.50.33.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
went to a concert recently where the person in front of me watched the entire
concert on the screen of his phone. He was so busy capturing the moment
that he wasn’t immersed in it. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
then there’s the urge to plug in. I’ve always found a synergy in writing and
walking. Walking gives me distance from a project and time to think. But I
often I take my iPhone and listen to music or an audiobook. I realize that I
may be stretching my legs but I’m still stuck in my head, letting something
entertainment me. Similarly I used to plug into music while travelling. You
always see lots of headphoned people on the Tube. But I’ve stopped doing this
because it made me feel disconnected. (Also I’ve found some of my best story
ideas by eavesdropping and people watching.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">And
finally I’m a list maker. I like being busy and I like the satisfying feeling
of checking things off </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nutuRYxmfss/Vd8LLhSPCBI/AAAAAAAACA8/PHoSEvlA4kA/s1600/to%2Bdo%2Blists.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nutuRYxmfss/Vd8LLhSPCBI/AAAAAAAACA8/PHoSEvlA4kA/s200/to%2Bdo%2Blists.png" width="200" /></a></div>
my list. I could check off ‘lunch with friend’ but had I
really enjoyed it? Was I mentally cataloguing what I needed to do next instead
of really listening and enjoying the meal and my friend? I’m also notorious among
my family and friends for talking on the phone while multi-tasking: checking email,
emptying the dishwasher or making dinner. I don't do this much anymore because
I’ve begun to think <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">multi-task</i> means
doing more than one thing but nothing to the best of my ability. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Okay,
and here’s where I sound like an old fuddy duddy. I worry about the creativity
of future generations. Growing up I spent hundreds of hours playing
make-believe. I imagined epic stories for my Barbies that would continue like a
soap opera for weeks. I made up games with my sister when we were stuck for
eight hours a day in the back of the station wagon on family driving vacations.
The neighbor kids and I would play our own version of our favorite TV shows,
including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Valley </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie’s Angels. </i>But today I’m as
guilty as the next guy of an iPad and iPhone addiction. Will my and future
generations' imaginations suffer because we don’t have to entertain ourselves
anymore?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1lEffla6qo/Vd8MGMHCo_I/AAAAAAAACBQ/k_zry2HKwuk/s1600/school%2Bvisti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f1lEffla6qo/Vd8MGMHCo_I/AAAAAAAACBQ/k_zry2HKwuk/s200/school%2Bvisti.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">When
I visit schools, I continue to meet incredibly talented storytellers so I
suppose I shouldn’t be concerned. The next great writers are out there. I know
it. They may create interactive ebooks or new version of entertainment
that my 47-year-old brain can’t even imagine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Precious
presence</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">
is important in real life, but it’s also fundamental in fiction. To create a
scene writers must evoke all five senses. They must select a few vivid details
to bring the scene to life. To do this to the best of my ability, I must get
out of my head, off technology and experience the real world. If I’m not
absorbed in the moment and endeavouring to experience new things – if I’m not
feeding my imagination – how can I ever hope to captivate a reader?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OE5wCSaI1Tw/UQkwtVVxyuI/AAAAAAAAA4M/T72BPyzQQO8/s1600/Magic%2BTrix2_Flying%2BHigh_Final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OE5wCSaI1Tw/UQkwtVVxyuI/AAAAAAAAA4M/T72BPyzQQO8/s200/Magic%2BTrix2_Flying%2BHigh_Final.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WX1HXLOhCho/UVR5dl5XTuI/AAAAAAAAA9E/Fsm0xtzcEVM/s1600/HALF%2BLIVES%2BUK%2Bcover_final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WX1HXLOhCho/UVR5dl5XTuI/AAAAAAAAA9E/Fsm0xtzcEVM/s200/HALF%2BLIVES%2BUK%2Bcover_final.jpg" width="125" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sara Grant has worked on both sides of the editorial
desk. She has inspired and edited nearly 100 books for children. Her two YA
novels – <i>Dark Parties</i> (SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner, Europe) and <i>Half
Lives</i> – are futuristic thrillers. She also writes a funny magical series
for young readers – <i>Magic Trix</i>. Sara is currently developing a new
action-adventure series for tweens with Scholastic. She leads writing workshops
in the US, UK and Europe as part of </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://bookboundretreat.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Book Bound</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> and guest lectures at the University of Winchester. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Website: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.sara-grant.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">www.sara-grant.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Twitter: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://twitter.com/authorsaragrant"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">@authorsaragrant</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-58067765538072932302015-08-21T11:39:00.001+01:002015-08-21T11:58:40.443+01:00BOOKS AND SANGRIA<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Paula Rawsthorne shares her summer reads.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Taking my cue from Miriam’s post last week I’m also going to
share the books that I read during my holiday because they are worth knowing
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Over the course of a '</span>scorchio' two weeks on a
fantastic campsite in Spain I was able to indulge in a feast of reading, washed
down with jugs of sangria. It was such a luxury to spend hours engrossed in
books in between swimming and trying to beat my kids at table tennis.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The only downside of not owning a Kindle is that packing books
for a family of five takes up so much of your baggage allowance. However, our suitcases
were significantly lighter on the return journey as we left many of our novels
for others on the campsite to enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Call me weird, but when I’m on a beach I like to see how many
people are reading from books and how many are using Kindles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can report that on the beaches of Costa
Brava the vast majority of sun worshippers (of numerous nationalities) were
reading physical books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw very few
Kindles which, though surprising, is reassuring to see that people are so loyal
to books in their traditional form.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTJhuyXTlC0/Vdb9ZvlTw4I/AAAAAAAACAE/kIb_RQgGiCA/s1600/smart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZTJhuyXTlC0/Vdb9ZvlTw4I/AAAAAAAACAE/kIb_RQgGiCA/s1600/smart.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">My first holiday book was ‘SMART’ by Kim Slater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been on my ‘to read’ list for months,
especially because it’s set in an area of Nottingham I lived in for several
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had high expectations for this
story and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a tough tale told in an accessible way
that will appeal to readers as young as ten and eleven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along with the grit it also manages to be moving
and ultimately heart-warming and it’s a story that sits well alongside ‘The
Curious Incident Of the Dog in the Night time’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kieran, the main character and narrator, is a
gem of a creation; unique, resilient, open minded, idiosyncratic and adorable.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Whilst the author never labels Kieran, his behaviour and quirks
make it clear that he has some form of autism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His talent for drawing and fascination with Lowry is well used
throughout the narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s also an
expert on all CSI type programmes and puts his knowledge to good use when he
decides to investigate the death of a homeless man found in the River Trent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story deals with tough issues and could
have been overwhelmingly depressing- e.g. Kieran’s home life is abusive with a
violent stepfather figure and a mother who is the victim of domestic violence
and unable to protect him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the
story is peppered with humour as Kieran is so optimistic and resilient and
never views his situation as bleak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
laughed out loud several times whilst reading ‘Smart’ and at other times my
heart bled for Kieran as I willed him to have a happy ending. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I highly recommended ‘Smart’ for all ages and
look forward to Kim Slater’s next book.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">‘Wonder’ by R.J. Palacio is a novel that everyone seems to
have read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the multi-award winning
and much loved story of ten year old Auggie, a boy with a facial disfigurement who
is having to face school for the first time. I was looking forward to reading
it at last. The story is certainly effective in showing how we must all look
beyond the surface and be accepting and kind to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked the fact that we got the point of
views of different characters. I particularly found Auggie’s sister’s
perspective to be insightful and loved the way the parents were portrayed (it’s
a refreshing change to see great parents in YA fiction).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was surprised that we didn’t get the
perspective of the ‘bully’ boy, Julian as I was interested to know his inner
thoughts but on my return home I discovered that the author subsequently wrote
a novella devoted to the bully’s point of view.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s a heart-warming story that will be particularly effective with many
younger readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I enjoyed it, I
couldn’t shake the feeling that the story was designed solely to teach a moral
lesson, but it seems to have had a positive impact on people’s attitudes and
that’s a wonderful achievement.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">A book that certainly teaches a great deal without ever
being preachy is Matt Haig’s ‘Reasons To Stay Alive’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matt’s non-fiction book about his depression
and anxiety is brutally honest, generous and without vanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He relives his most dreadful experiences to
help fellow suffers know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that
this cruel and dangerous illness isn’t something to be ashamed of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book is full of humour, humanity and brilliant
advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a must read for anyone suffering
from depression and also anyone who knows someone in this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a book that reaches out to people in
their darkest hour and persuades them that they are not alone, that they
mustn’t give up, because things can and will get better.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Karen Joy Fowler’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>‘We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves’ was a holiday read that left me
pondering for days after I finished it .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A number of years ago I read, and thoroughly enjoyed, ‘The Jane Austen
Book Club’ but her latest novel feels like it is written by an entirely
different author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately someone
had already told me the twist, so I read it knowingly from the very beginning,
but this didn’t spoil the enjoyment of this remarkable story about Rosemary and
her unconventional family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so
engrossed in this thought provoking and challenging tale that I could hardly
bear to put the book down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the
writing style and the way the narrator speaks directly to the reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was absolutely invested in the story and the
debates it throws up and was desperate to discuss it with a fellow reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has got to be one of my books of the
year!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I found that I raced through Kate Atkinson’s Costa Award
winning, ‘Life After Life’, despite it being a weighty tome and having a complicated
structure that demands the reader stays alert. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a beautifully crafted story of Ursula
Todd a girl born in 1910 who keeps dying at different stages only to be reborn
to live her life again and again. I found the most absorbing parts of the story
were set in Germany and in England during the Blitz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m in awe of the amount of research Kate
Atkinson had to undertake for this book but it certainly paid off. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I hope that people have found time to read this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone has ‘must-read’ recommendations
please let me know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-63473911303495468362015-08-14T05:00:00.000+01:002015-08-14T05:00:00.209+01:00Stuff lists...read books!! by Miriam Halahmy<br />
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It is the summer holidays - HOORAY!!<br />
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I've spent two glorious weeks by the sea on Hayling Island. Here I am at seven o'clock in the morning at one of my favourite places, The Kench. There are a few house boats here which have been converted from WW2 landing craft. One of them features in my book, ILLEGAL.<br />
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Then I went to Cornwall to stay with a friend. That was also by the sea and a whole different terrain from flat gentle Hayling. This photo was taken on the South West path at Lamorna. We had just watched an amazing helicopter rescue. A man had had a heart attack in the car park and they were literally pumping his heart as they lifted him up into the machine. We couldn't find any news as to whether or not he survived.<br />
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So what should I read on all these wonderful holidays and for the rest of the summer? After all, it's only August and I'm in no hurry to bring on the winter and those long dark nights - although of course, they're great excuses for reading loads too.<br />
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Of course, I needn't worry because everyone is falling over themselves to bring out the latest list of what they think everyone should read - the top 100, the final fifty, the only books children should ever read, blah, blah blah.<br />
Then another load of people are arguing over the choice of books on whatever list and putting forward their own lists.<br />
Then people comment on those lists and it goes on and on into wearydom.<br />
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Can't we just choose books and read them? I quite enjoy reading the odd review especially of books I probably wouldn't know about otherwise. Quite a lot of my reading comes from recommendations and then I'm the sort of person who wanders into bookshops and reads along the entire fiction section from A-Z just for fun anyway. Then I move onto the biography - but now I'm boring you...<br />
But lists? Nah - not for me, anyhow.<br />
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I have read all sorts of books this summer - some more memorable than others. Go Set a Watchman was a revelation and now I have my own theory about the two books but will only discuss it with those who have read the book. I loved it. I've carried on with the Poldark novels because of my new love affair with Cornwall and read Jeremy on the way back. Really captures the poverty and what an ass the law is/was. I'm re-reading War and Peace because I'm starting a lit course one evening a week in September. Can't wait! It's my third time round on this massive tome and it's still as wonderful as ever. I've read After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross which flips the migrant problem through the Channel Tunnel on its head and is a very good dystopian novel. I've read the latest biography of Edward Thomas by Jean Moorcroft Wilson and gone back to reading Thomas' poetry all over again.<br />
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But this is not a list - its not even my list. It's just books I've read and there is a nice pile sitting on my desk waiting for me, as well as a few more I've downloaded onto my Kindle.<br />
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I hope you are having a wonderful summer wherever you are and that you are blessed with books you are enjoying and being sensible enough to ditch those which you aren't. Life's too short and there are too many wonderful books out there.<br />
Happy Summer Reading folks!!<br />
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www.miriamhalahmy.com<br />
<br />Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-879471721147949241.post-5464940858991789272015-07-17T09:55:00.000+01:002015-07-17T10:07:59.817+01:00Harper Lee by Savita Kalhan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Tuesday 14th July I was fortunate enough to be invited to
a party to celebrate the publication of <i>Go
Set a Watchman</i> - the second book by Harper Lee, her first book being of
course the iconic Pulitzer prize winning <i>To
Kill a Mockingbird</i>, published in 1960.<br />
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I'm represented by Andrew Nurnberg
Agency, who are Harper Lee's UK agents, and fellow Edge author, Sara Grant, and
I were very lucky to be shown copies of the original correspondence between
Harper Lee and her eventual publishers before <i>To Kill a Mockingbird </i>reached publication.<br />
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I will be reading <i>Go
Set a Watchman</i>. The reviews have been mixed, but I know that it has been
published in its original form, much as it was written in the mid-1950s. The
manuscript was assumed lost and only discovered in 2014. The world has moved on
since the days of black segregation in the south. Nelle Harper Lee, her given name, is now 89 years old. The book features characters from <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i> twenty years on.</div>
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I read <i>To Kill a
Mockingbird</i> when I was a teenager. It was my first introduction to the
segregated American south. The book deals with racism in the small town of
Monroeville where Harper Lee grew up. I have watched the film many times too
and both book and film have had a profound effect on me. I wanted to be Scout
when I was growing up. Atticus Finch gave his daughter lessons to live by,
lessons in fairness and justice and tolerance, lessons to live by in any age.<br />
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has been part of the curriculum in many schools over the years, and what <i>Go Set a Watchman</i> might do is to
introduce a whole new generation to the book.</div>
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Edge Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17472330166263235360noreply@blogger.com0