STRANGE ENCOUNTERS with THE SEER
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lindajsingleton's LiveJournal:
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| Thursday, November 12th, 2009 | | 7:18 am |
Authors COLLECT the STRANGEST Things!
What do you collect for fun or obsession? I collect girl series books from AMBER BROWN to WOODCRAFT GIRLS; over 5,000 although I haven't counted in years. My hubby collects unusual salt & pepper shakers. And even my characters have collections: Sabine collects nightlights (to keep away ghosts) and Amber collects Hollywood magazines (ambition to be an agent). So I asked Young Adult and Middle-Grade authors what they collect. Your favorite authors may be on this list. The link is on the front page/bottom on my website. Or go directly here. | | Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 | | 8:13 pm |
Are aliens the next hot book trend?
When I was a kid, my dad belonged to a group of "UFO" enthusiasts who investigated local sightings. He interviewed people who claimed to see UFO's or aliens. Once there was a sighting at a campsite near Placerville, CA, which wasn't that far away so my parents packed up us kids (ages 10, 9, 6, 5) plus the family dog Sandy and we went camping. We had splash wars in a river, chased lizards and went hiking. But no sign of aliens. The only strange moment was when my youngest sister vanished for a while...but she returned. (That inspired my book OH, NO! UFO with Llewellyn, where the little sister is kidnapped by an alien, which could be considered wish fulfillment for some siblings <G>).
As a kid, I remember deciding that I believed UFO's were real because it just seemed logical that more things were possible than impossible, even those that seemed impossible. Disclaimer: believing does not mean I want to meet one. No, thank you.
Still the topic of aliens has continued to intrigue me, at least in fiction. So I wrote a YA about a clique of aliens in high school which landed me a top agent. I felt very hopeful that teen aliens were going to be the next popular topic. But so far other topics --zombies, vampires, werewolves, mermaids and steampunk -- are buzzing with popularity. I can't wait to read LEVIATHON and MAGIC UNDER GLASS.
So maybe I was wrong about aliens gaining fictional popularity. But lately aliens seem to be invading the movies and TV. Like ALIENS IN THE ATTIC, TV mini-series remake of "V" and an upcoming animated twist where we're the aliens on another planet, PLANET 51. As for YA novels, there are a few with aliens that are cool, like Stephanie Meyer's THE HOST, Annette Curtis Klause's ALIEN SECRETS and for a lighter creep-fest there's THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT: About 5-7 years ago, in the midst of research for my psychic series THE SEER , I never missed an episode of Montel Williams with famous psychic Sylvia Browne. On one show Sylvia announced to the audience that aliens were real, non-threatening and living among us. She hinted that some may actually be in the audience. And she predicted they would be proven to exist in 2010. At the time that date seemed far away....
Is it more than a coincidence that science fiction movies/TV are gaining popularity? Will aliens be the next hot trend in books, too? And what about real life? Is there some larger reasons, synergy or fate, going on here?
Of course, supernatural topics aren't the only popular trend in TV. Let's not forget GLEE...love that show!
If aliens do show up more fictionally or otherwise, I hope they can sing and dance. Now that would be cool.
| | Saturday, October 31st, 2009 | | 1:58 pm |
Hanging out at the Halloween Zoo
Just back from the Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi where author/friend Danna Smith signed her TWO FOR THE ZOO.  Kids loved Danna's storytelling and especially her book. My family had a great time, checking out monkeys, birds, spiders and a mountain lion. Fun way to celebrate Halloween! And it's always fun to come to a friend's booksigning. | | Thursday, October 29th, 2009 | | 9:18 am |
Boys do read -- here's proof!
http://beckylevine.com/2009/10/29/if-you-write-it-eoin-colfer-and-another-thing-more/Read about an Eoin Colfer event. I liked the part where Eoin says he admired Douglas Addams (HITCHHIKER GALAXY books) as a teen and now he's the author chosen to continue the popular series. I had something like that happen to me, too (minus the fame and fortune part). When I was a teen, I admired the author Margaret Sutton, who wrote 38 Judy Bolton mysteries between 1932-1967, and we became pen pals then eventually met. And when I was in my mid-20's, I co-wrote "one more" Judy Bolton mystery called THE TALKING SNOWMAN. This book was made available to fans shortly before Margaret's health failed. She lived to be 98 and published over 40 books for kids. And I get to share a small part of her legacy, and celebrate our friendship, through out shared book.  | | Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 | | 2:12 pm |
| | Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 | | 8:18 pm |
| | Friday, October 2nd, 2009 | | 7:44 am |
Haunting Halloween!
This is MY month. Always has and I still get an excited thrill when I write down October for the month. My best friend and I share birthdays near Halloween. We always celebrated together and continue a very close friendship. One year we were part of a Halloween birthday toilet-paper wrapping kidnapping for a friend and a group us ended up at an ice cream parlour. Often we'd secretly plan gifts for each other only to find out we were giving almost the same gifts to each other. October has also been my best month for good publishing news. Several of my contracts were offered in October. So I'm getting that excited, hopeful feeling...is a book sale coming soon? Fingers crossed. For Halloween fun I'll share a very, very short story that my daughter Melissa wrote when she was 7 years old. I was so proud when I read it because it's a complete story with beginning, middle, end plus a hint of characterization and it's less than 40 words. (Age 7) Melissa Lynn Singleton's Halloween story: Once upon a time there was a haunted tree.
It scared people away. And it ate people.
One day it was mad because it had no one
to scare. So it ate itself.
The end. | | Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 | | 9:17 am |
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GHOST contest
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GHOST? THE GHOST STORY WRITING CONTEST for young authors!
Have you ever seen a ghost? Write a story about your real or imaginary ghost encounter in 400 words or less. Make it exciting, scary, strange – and have fun!
Submit your entry to: ghoststorycontest@gmail.com, stating that this is your original writing and that you have permission from your parents/guardian to enter and share your work on these authors’ blogs/web sites. Contest ends on October 31. First place & honorable mention winners will be announced mid-November on http://lindajoysingleton.blogspot.com.
Include your age, full name, and contact information (email/address). Entrants must be between ages 9 to 16. One entry per person.
Prize: autographed books! The winner will receive autographed copies of DEAD GIRL WALKING, DEAD GIRL DANCING and DEAD GIRL IN LOVE, by Linda Joy Singleton; HAUNTED: THE GHOST ON THE STAIRS and THE RIVERBOAT PHANTOM, by Chris Eboch; and GHOST HUNTRESS: THE AWAKENING and THE GUIDANCE, by Marley Gibson.
The winning entry and honorable mentions will also be posted on Linda Joy Singleton’s blog(s) and Chris Eboch’s web site.
The winners will be selected by Chris Eboch, author of the HAUNTED series; Linda Joy Singleton, author of the DEAD GIRL series; and Marley Gibson, author of the GHOST HUNTRESS series.
Please share this announcement with librarians, teachers, parents and any young writers you know. If you have questions, email ghoststorycontest@gmail.com.
| | Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 | | 10:15 am |
Writing Goes On....
Writing I've been doing..... SEER #6, MAGICIAN"S MUSE, has been edited and sent back to my editor. YAY! (Hope he likes...loves!...it) I added a 3rd part to my short story, SABINE MEETS DEAD GIRL here. Back to working on the SEER spinoff starring Goth Girl Thorn, daughter of a minister with five siblings and a new move to a small conservative remote Nevada town. Thorn is a Finder, skilled in Psychometry, and in this book she'll solve a mystery of two missing girls plus meet a mysterious school vigilante who sparks new emotions in her. I've only written 20 pages...a lot of work ahead. But I'm happiest when I'm working. | | Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 | | 9:47 am |
Is Cursive Writing Becoming Extinct?
I heard recently that teachers won't be teaching cursive writing anymore. I don't know if this is true or maybe it's in just some schools, but it's led to some interesting conversations in my family. With cyber-everythings, communication is a finger-touch away and writing letters is going the way of dinosaurs.
When was the last time you actually wrote a letter? Even a post card? And sent it through snail-mail? I sent some thank-you's recently but otherwise it's rare that I write a letter. My fan mail is typed now, too.
When I was in school, my best friend had PERFECT cursive handwriting. Her elegant loops and shapes flowed like art. I was so envious. Being a competitive person, I started working on my own handwriting. I studied how she made her letters and tried to do it, too. The result? I got better at cursive writing. I've even had compliments on my handwriting. But I STILL can't write as beautifully as my best friend. Still I'm very grateful to her because when I sign autographs my name flows nicely. So thanks, Lori!!!
Are kids in school learning cursive along with regular printing? Does it even matter? If kids don't learn cursive, how will they sign checks? Of course, writing checks is also becoming a prehistoric memory. My kids pay their bills online. I use ATM for all my shopping. So is cursive writing necessary?
Maybe not.
Still all those future authors out there will need some kind of signature for autographing books.
Unless paper books become obsolete, too.
Sigh.
Your thoughts on this?
(I challenge you to write a letter...on paper...with a pen...and sign your name with a cursive flourish!) | | Monday, September 21st, 2009 | | 4:45 pm |
Dino Snack
My hubby David and I had a fun trip to the beach and stopped to visit some dinosaurs on the way.  | | Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 | | 7:07 am |
Some advice I gave a young writer who is conflicted with finding time for writing while going to college:
You can't write if you don't also live your life and gain new experiences; meeting new people, learning about your emotions and others, and making some mistakes on the way. Through mistakes comes the deepest knowledge. And then through forgiveness, sometimes of yourself, comes a connection to humanity -- and inspiration for writing.
Go forth and live in words. | | Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 | | 8:31 am |
Book to Movie Surprise
Last weekend I read a YA book called DERBY GIRL by Shauna Cross. My BFF and I went to see roller derby when we were kids and she longed to put on skates and smack down as a roller derby girl. So I was curious about this book and felt the action, characters, setting were done well. I like the heroine's name Bliss and the plot of her over-bearing mother who pushed her to enter pageants. Bliss was kind of a bad-girl heroine, breaking rules and sneaking out to party. She was likeable, too, especially when she became a roller derby girl. Overall it was kind of a quiet book, though, without a lot of drama with the skating, more of a casual tone -- which is probably because the author claims to have been a derby girl herself so perhaps what would seem exotic to others is "every day" to her. So I liked DERBY GIRL and give it 4*'s out of 5*s. Jump to Monday... I went to a movie with my hubby and the first movie trailer shown was about a girl whose mother wanted her to beauty pageant queen but she joined the roller derby. I was like -- "I just read that book!" I don't even remember if the title was DERBY GIRL or not. What I remember is the Drew Barrymore plays one of the roller derby girls -- and I adore Drew Barrymore. I will definitely watch this movie when it comes out. | | Monday, September 7th, 2009 | | 9:54 am |
What I was doing during WOODSTOCK...
I'm going to see the WOODSTOCK movie today. I don't know if I'll like it or not but I'm curious and I went online to scoop out some info so I know a little background. I was just a little kid August 15-18, 1969 when Woodstock rocked the country. I had no idea history was taking place in New York. Instead, here is the "history" I was making in my own life word-for-word from green flowered diary: August 15, 1969:
Cindy came over. Went to park. Played on swings most of the time at park.
August 16, 1969:
Played with Cindy. Watched TV all morning. It was a good Hercules show. Later watched Son of Arabian Thief.
August 17, 1969:
Got in trouble for words. Grounded a week so worked on singing with Cindy and played.
August 18, 1969
Today grounded. Cindy came over. Worked on singing show. Talked to Lori for a little. Watched TV.
I don't remember much since I was very young. Cindy was my neighbor. Lori is still my best friend. I remember loving Arabian romantic-adventures movie s. I also remember singing with my neighbor Cindy. I think we sang "Where have all the flowers gone." I loved folk music and tye-dyed clothes. So to recap, during Woodstock this California girl was a singer, swinger and got grounded for using bad words. I wonder what those words were...(g) | | Sunday, September 6th, 2009 | | 8:13 pm |
Talk vs Type
Thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) newport2newportfor sharing this article on social networking and how some view it as destructive towards friendships. Very interesting points. I've been blogging for about four years and have watched this cyber-social world evolve. At first I remember just writing like my words were falling into a black hole. Now I'm more aware that you're reading and I try to offer something fun, helpful or interesting. The cyber world is great but it can't replace sharing moments together with family. Like today I spent several hours just talking to friends and family; sitting outside under a shady tree, sipping vitamin water (my new drink of choice), laughing at dogs frollicking and hearing about some friends out of work, others starting new jobs and sharing stories of kids and grandkids. There was food, too. The chocolate chip cookies were worth mentioning (g). Yum. Of course when I finished talking and returned home, I hurried back to my computer. I admit it, I'm hooked on connecting with my cyber friends, too. Hope you all are having a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. | | Thursday, September 3rd, 2009 | | 8:20 am |
LOVE TO JULIE-JULIA
Yesterday I really wanted to go see the movie Julie-Julia. I emailed two friends and one was busy and the other didn't check email till later. Called my mom but she was busy. Mentioned it to my daughter, and said she'd go with me. YAY! So we went and I fell in love with this wonderful movie about Julia Childs (Meryl Streep, the acting chameleon) and Julie (Amy Adams, loved her since she played a princess). Supporting cast was amazing, too. All such skilled actors and they totally created a magical movie. I cried at the publishing parts...rewriting, blogging, rejections, acceptances...pieces of the writing world I love. I left this movie with red eyes and a huge smile. LOVE, LOVE, LOVED Julia/Julia!!!(PS - I hate cooking but somehow this movie made it seem fascinating) | | Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 | | 8:36 am |
A different Kind of Interview...
I've given many interviews as an author. But never one like this... The phrases "bat's blood" and "favorite ice cream" are included in this interview. | | Monday, August 31st, 2009 | | 7:55 am |
Where I've Been
Did you notice I was gone? THREE WHOLE DAYS without Internet. Guess I have to admit that I am addicted to online blogging, Tweeting, email, etc. While I was enjoying a beautiful lake and towering evergreen pines, I kept longing to go online, to check out what all of you are saying. But I resisted going into the nearby town and using the Internet Cafe -- not wanting to let the addiciton win. I'm back now though and going through email. There's some kind of glitch with my Facebook -- I can't post anything so if I haven't replied to you there, that's why. Not sure if it's a problem with my computer, FB or my browser. Will try again soon. This is where I camped!  | | Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 | | 7:30 am |
AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pearce
Celebrating another book birthday today!
 Today, AS YOU WISH, a novel for teens written by Jackson Pearce and published by Harper Collins makes it way into the world. Here's what it's about, courtesy of Jackson, who is also the founder of the 2009 Debutantes, a group of debut writers for kids and young adults.
Seven months ago, Viola's boyfriend shared a secret that ended their relationship. Heartbroken, Viola has resigned herself to near invisibility, until she inadvertently summons a young jinn out of his world, Caliban, and into her own. Here he will remain until she makes three wishes.
Jinn is anxious to get back to Caliban, but Viola is terrified of wishing, afraid her wishes will be manipulated into curses. Jinn knows that should she wait too long, the Ifrit, guardians of earthbound jinn, will press her to wish by hurting those around her.As they spend time together, Jinn can't deny that he's slowly falling in love with Viola, blurring the lines between master and servant. It's only after Viola makes her first wish—for a popular boy to love her—that she realizes the feelings are mutual.
With every wish Jinn's time with her diminishes, but the longer she waits to wish the greater danger she's in from the Ifrit. Together, Viola, Jinn, and Viola's ex-boyfriend try to outwit the Ifrit while dealing with their own romantic complexities and the alcohol-laced high school social scene.
For more on AS YOU WISH and Jackson Pearce, visit her website/blog where she shares stories of publishing and some mighty funny videos. This woman is dangerous with a FlipCam. Really. You can buy AS YOU WISH from an Indie bookstore through the ever-awesome IndieBound . | | Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 | | 6:52 pm |
MAGIC UNDER GLASS
 Coming 12/22/09 from Bloomsbury...
Nimira is a music-hall girl used to dancing for pennies. So when wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to sing accompaniment to a mysterious piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it will be the start of a better life. In Parry's world, long-buried secrets are about to stir. Unsettling rumors begin to swirl about ghosts, a madwoman roaming the halls, and Parry’s involvement in a group of corrupt sorcerers for whom the rules of the living and dead are meant to be broken for greater power. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing fairy gentleman is trapped within the automaton, she is determined to break the curse. But even as the two fall into a love that seems hopeless, breaking the curse becomes a perilous race against time. Because it's not just the future of these star-crossed lovers that's at stake, but the fate of the entire magical world. Want to win an ARC with original sketches from the author inside? See <A HREF="http://fabulousfrock.livejournal.com">http://fabulousfrock.livejournal.com</A> for details!
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