FORTHCOMING SPARK TOUR - THE IRISH BANANA REVIEWS

This Thanksgiving, I have much to be grateful for--family and friends, a fulfilling creative life--and, more than ever, readers and bloggers.

I'm delighted to announce Hannah at Irish Banana Reviews is organizing a blog tour for my forthcoming YA, SPARK!

I've loved the blog tours for my previous traditional releases, and can't wait to find out where this tour will take me as well...

In thanks for all the support my readers have given me over the years, I'm also planning a special December release. Find out all about it via my newsletter.

INSPIRING BLOGGER AWARD - LEARNING HOW BLOGGERS READ

I was recently nominated for the Inspiring Blogger Award by the always-lovely Susan over at TheArtofNotGettingPublished.

I'm inspired myself--by all the bloggers who take the time to write thoughtful reviews.

Just as my books are my work, I view a blogger's review as his or her work, as well. I take them seriously, I respect them, and I listen. I've been reading blog reviews long enough now that I've begun to learn how readers--well--read.

I was writing at my own mini-rolltop desk when I was little more than six years old. I think I've always read as a writer. Always tried to dig into the nuts and bolts of a piece, figure out how, exactly, a writer pulled a book together. I remember mining books in elementary school for techniques I could put in my own short stories (totally serious).

Bloggers (especially bloggers who read as readers only, not as writer / readers) have taught me, over the past few years, that it's not about literary bells and whistles--it's the story, stupid. It's a compelling plotline. It's (maybe more importantly) about connection: connection between the characters on the page and between the characters and the reader. It's about providing something fresh--not obtuse, fresh. A fresh take on a standard trope. A never-before-seen quirky protagonist.

Over the past few months, I've been taking those lessons into revisions. Both the rewrites for my next YA and the edits for my first indie book (an NA rom-com to release in the next few weeks) have been a completely different process because of the insights I've gained reading blog reviews.

So thank you, bloggers, for your hard work. Thanks for your honesty, for your thoughtfulness. Thanks for pushing me, every step of the way, to be better. You are, as I said earlier, as inspiring as it gets...

WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS: CYBILS 2014 + WRITER'S DIGEST

Sure, it's Halloween, but there's nothing scary about this: Both THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY and FERAL have been nominated for the Cybils!  Totally made my week. 

Also, my latest post for Writer's Digest went live yesterday; leave a comment at WD for a chance to win one of my Cybils-nominated books.

HAPPY RELEASE DAY, FERAL!

Jake and I are thrilled to wish FERAL (one of this week's PW Book Picks) a happy book birthday!

We also want to take the time to thank everyone celebrating with us: the blurbers and reviewers, the blog tour hosts, librarians, and booksellers who have shared their excitement and helped spread word of the book leading up to the release. 

Thank you!

To show my appreciation, I'm giving away a signed copy of FERAL.  The giveaway runs until September 2.  Good luck!



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BLOG REVIEW OF THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY

I love to read Susan's thoughtful, intelligent reviews at Bloggin' 'bout Books.  An added bonus of reading Susan's reviews of my own releases is that she's read all of my published books--she's got the complete picture of the scope of my work so far, and writes reviews with an understanding of who I am as an author (rather than just writing a review of one specific novel).

I had to share her lovely review of THE JUNCTION in full:

Living with a trash hauler may not sound very glamorous, but Auggie Jones loves it.  Her Grandpa Gus finds all kinds of treasures and plenty of adventures in his line of work.  Auggie adores her grandpa and can't imagine him having a cooler job.  She doesn't care that Gus makes little money or that they live in a rundown section of town of Willow Grove, Missouri—she's happy.

When a brand new elementary school opens, Auggie and her friends are forced to attend.  Mingling with kids they don't know, many of whom make fun of them for having no money, Auggie realizes for the first time just how poor she and Gus really are.  For the first time, she feels ashamed of her shabby clothes, ramshackle neighborhood and, especially, Gus' less-than-elegant trash hauling job.  Apparently, Auggie's former best friend feels the same way because ever since they started fifth grade, Lexie has been ignoring her.

It seems as if things can't get any worse for Auggie—until they do.  The father of one of her wealthy classmates launches an aggressive town beautification project targeting homes like the one Auggie shares with Gus.  If the homeowners do not comply with improvement "suggestions," they will be slapped with an enormous fine.  Auggie knows people in her part of town can't afford to fix up their houses, let alone pay exorbitant fees to the city.  Desperate to save her neighborhood, Auggie starts her own project.  But what begins as an effort to beautify her part of towns becomes a crusade to answer some important questions:  What is beauty?  What is art?  And why should one person's opinion on the matters outweigh another's?  As Auggie finds the answers for herself, she realizes an undeniable truth—beauty exists all around her, even if she's the only one who can see it.

The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky, the first middle grade novel from YA author Holly Schindler, offers a quirky, upbeat story about one girl's determination to be heard.  It's a sweet tale, one that resounds with both spunk and heart.  Kids of all ages will relate to Auggie's feelings of otherness and celebrate as she discovers not just herself, but her own voice.  Triumphant and compelling, this is one of those books that will make you cheer.  And look a little bit closer for the unique beauty in all of us.

FERAL BLOG REVIEW

This review for FERAL recently went live on Goodreads, and I had to repost.  I'm incredibly grateful I get to be an author during an era when I get to be a fly on the wall, listening to discussions of my work.  (And nothing is more satisfying, to an author, than reading intelligent, thoughtful reviews.)  One of the most important things I'm learning from blog reviews is who my readers are. (For my YA work, it's older teens and adults who enjoy the YA genre, as well as readers who tend to enjoy or gravitate toward character-driven books.)  Understanding both what works and who is at the other end of the "conversation" I'm having with each novel (that's what a book is, I think: a conversation between author and reader) continues to make me a better writer.  

From Jenuine Cupcakes:

This book is creepy.

You should read it.

With the lights on.

Holly Schindler warned me before I started reading FERAL that it wasn't like any of her other books and she was right. It's fast-paced, mind-twisty with engaging story-telling, compelling characters, and descriptions that draw you in and make you feel as if they are happening to you. *shudders*

Like any good mystery, each time I assumed I knew what was going to happen next, something else would happen to throw me off. And there were quite a few moments where I was on the edge of my seat wondering, "WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!"

Okay, so maybe hiding under the covers is more like it, but whatever. Don't judge.

The ending left me satisfied and the mystery itself was something that could have easily been pulled from today's headlines.

I generally shy away from books with a high creep factor, they tend to give me nightmares, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance! You should too.

EARLY STOPS - THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY TOUR

You never saw a girl more anxious to spread the word of her latest book...THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY doesn't release until February, but I'm already beginning to organize an online tour! 

Click on the page I recently created to learn more about the tour, and to view the stops already I've already planned. 

How many more days until February????

THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY ONLINE TOUR!

We're still a good five months away from the release of my debut MG, THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY.  But I'm already thinking about a tour!

Right now, I'm gathering the names of those who are interested in participating and what their ideas or interests are.  I haven't been on a blog tour since the release of my last YA, PLAYING HURT, in '11...and I've never been on an online tour for a middle grade novel before.  In many ways, this is all brand new to me.

So I need your help: fill out the form at the end of this post to let me know if and how you'd like to participate.  If you know you want to take part, but aren't quite sure how yet, tell me that, too!  By signing up, you'll be put on my mailing list; I'll be corresponding with everyone on my list to bounce ideas as we get closer to the book's actual release. 

I had a blast on my last online tour, and think this tour could be even more fun.  I can't wait to get some ideas rolling.

To learn more about THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY, visit my author site or the site I created just for young readers.
 
Thanks in advance for your interest and your hard work...I can't tell you how much I adore my incredible bloggers!

If you have trouble viewing the form below, click here.  You can also feel free to leave a comment or email writehollyschindler (at) yahoo (dot) com.

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

I can't help it...I'm already in the holiday spirit.  It's infecting me earlier and earlier each year.  Which means I've already decorated the outside of the house, and I spent most of the day on Sunday driving across town to grab a present for my brother.

Another thing that's making my holiday spirit explode is discovering lovely posts online about my already-released books.  They're honestly like little pre-Christmas gifts.

 

 

For example, I keep bumping into a quote from A BLUE SO DARK...It's the most-lifted quote from the entire book.  Just yesterday, I discovered it yet again in a post on Facebook:

"Sanity is a sonnet with a strict meter and rhyme scheme—and my mind is free verse."

I also found a lovely new review of PLAYING HURT, courtesy of Forever 17 Books. 

...I'm firmly convinced that having incredible readers is the best Christmas present a gal could ever ask for.  Thanks for making my pre-Christmas the best, guys!

UPDATED MAILING LIST

Here she is: the updated form to join my mailing list!

My previous form listed a blog as a required field; I realize not all fans have blogs, though, and I didn't want anyone to miss out on all the exciting announcements that will surely be forthcoming, with two books in development!  You'll see here that the only required fields are your name and email; if you have a blog and / or participate in social media, please do let me know, but it is absolutely not a prerequisite.  Any and all readers are more than welcome to sign up:


If you have trouble filling out the form above, click here.

ATTENTION YA FANS: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FORTHCOMING!

I've got big news, guys.  Big.  Huge.  Enormous.  It's especially great news for all of my YA fans.  It's such great news, in fact, that I'm going to need your help spreading the word.

So...before I get into the nitty-gritty of what this news is, specifically, I need you to get on my mailing list.  Seriously.  You need to click here and sign up, so you'll be sure to get the 4-1-1 on this incredible, incredible turn of events.  So you'll be able to be part of this fantastic announcement.  And believe me, you do not want to miss out.  Click that link.  Sign up.

Big news is coming.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY + INSPIRATION

My hometown of Springfield was recently named one of Amazon's most romantic cities! In honor of both this distinction and the upcoming holiday, a vlog post:



Instead of giving out chocolate hearts to my followers, I'm offering another treat: I'm rerunning a guest post, which recently appeared on Adventures in YA & Children's Publishing. The post, which details my long road to publication (and how, in the course of two hours in one day, I suddenly had both an agent and book deal), got quite a bit of attention online. I'm running it here in the hopes that it will continue to offer sweet bursts of inspiration, to those still chasing their first publication:


When I got my master’s in ’01, my mom invited me to stay home and devote full-time effort to getting a writing career off the ground (my lifelong dream). I figured it’d take a year or so to write a novel, then it’d sell (I was lucky enough to have placed poetry, short fiction, and literary critique in journals when I was in college, and was under the grand delusion that selling a manuscript would be a breeze for me), and in oh, two years or so, I’d have money in the bank, and I’d be off and running.

Okay, seriously. You can stop laughing now.

The truth is that I spent the next seven and a half years writing and submitting manuscript after manuscript…after manuscript. In that time, my friends from college finished up PhDs, started teaching, doing research, became professionals. I often felt like all I had was a deep gash in the drywall where I’d spent months upon months banging my head against it. And rejection slips. Hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of them—more than a thousand in all.

Enter the holiday season of ’08. That’s when my YA, A BLUE SO DARK, was under submission at Flux. I spoke to Brian (Farrey, acquisitions editor at Flux) for the first time just before Thanksgiving, and though I tried to play it cool, I spent Christmas on pins and needles, tied up in knots, hoping that finally the acceptance I’d been working toward for so long would appear.

Appear it did, just a few days after the new year. And literally two hours—I swear it’s true—two hours after I accepted the offer from Flux, the phone rang. On the other end of the line was an agent who was raving about a middle grade book I’d sent earlier that fall. With an offer of representation.

I accepted (Deborah Warren later sold my debut MG, THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY, to Dial, and is still my agent). After that initial phone call, though, in the winter of ’09, I just stood in my kitchen, dazed, wondering how it could have happened. Seven and a half years I’d been seeking a book deal, seeking representation. And in the course of two hours in one day, I had both.

The thing is, though, I can’t attribute that incredible day to luck or holiday magic. That day is the result of hard work. Period. That day happened because I really did read every single one of those thousand-plus rejection letters (more than eighty of them were rejections for A BLUE SO DARK). Painful as it sometimes was, I didn’t just toss those rejections in the trash, insist I was right, and continue to submit the same book over and over. I digested the critique and I dove back in, revising before submitting again.

For the most part, though, I really think that’s what luck is really made of: the ability to recognize your own shortcomings, the willingness to listen to advice, and the sweat of some insanely hard work.

YA TO A

My own second YA, PLAYING HURT, features slightly older characters, for the genre: Chelsea's already graduated from high school and Clint has finished his first year of college when the two meet and embark on their love story. One of the reasons I chose protagonists of that age is because I love stories that focus on characters who are in the midst of one of life's times of transition—a rocky, scary, thrilling new beginning. The kind of beginning that finds us at the end of our school days, or as we set out to establish ourselves in "the real world," etc.

That's a big part of why I love this video; I can't help it—I smile every single time I watch it. I really appreciate the transition Ms. Swift is making here; this is the first time I've ever viewed her in an adult capacity...Plus, as PLAYING HURT also illustrates, I'm just a sucker for a sweet love story:




Speaking of PLAYING HURT, I absolutely loved bumping into Best-of-'11 lists throughout the blogophere late in December that featured the book. I wanted to highlight a few here, from Reading Angel, Book Goonie, and Magnet 4 Books.

I'd also like to know: how do you prefer your characters in YA? Older? Younger? Weigh in below!

...And with that, I officially kick of '12 here at the blog! I can't help it—I just have this fabulous feeling about '12. Life is good...

#FF FUN

I'm back for the Follow Friday fun, courtesy of Parajunkee...I just couldn't resist this week's question:

Keeping with the Spirit of Giving this season, what book do you think EVERYONE should read and if you could, you would buy it for all of your family and friends?

Well...



New followers, please leave a comment so I can check out your own blogs!

LOVE-CRINGE TO LOVE-LOVE (ON ARCS)

Confession: I've had a bit of a love-cringe relationship with ARCs (advance reader copies) ever since my second book, PLAYING HURT, was in development.

My first book, A BLUE SO DARK, only saw significant changes to two scenes in-between the book’s acquisition and publication. That’s it. So the ARC was also very close to the final copy, with the exception of just a few phrases or typos. PLAYING HURT, though, was revised globally after acquisition (most of the changes were focused on Clint’s chapters), and even after the ARCs were printed, I continued to tweak passages—primarily, I was working on the steamier chapters, trying to find the perfect balance between staying true to the feelings of young love and remaining tasteful.

While PLAYING HURT was in development, I’d stumble across reviews every once in a while of others’ books (like a lot of readers, I also learn about new authors via the blogosphere) in which the reviewer would say something along the lines of, “Great premise. Really awkward writing style.” And the author in me would think, “But you had an ARC,” because I was truly learning just how much can actually change between ARC and final copy.

Also, at the time, I kept running into ARCs in a local used bookstore. I actually bought Laura Lippman and Mary E. Pearson ARCs, mostly to get them off the shelves. (Do local readers truly know what they're getting with an ARC? I wondered.) ARCs are more like ads, I thought. Something to encourage people to buy the final copy. It’s not something that should be read as though it is the final copy.

Ever since, I’ve always wondered how bloggers approach reviewing ARCs. I realize that a blogger’s at a bit of a disadvantage. The publisher (or author) has given out an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The blogger can’t suddenly become a mind reader and know exactly what’s changed. They have to review what’s in front of them.

Curious, I went straight to the source. And I have to say, yet again, bloggers showed what a smart bunch they are.

In a nutshell, here’s how bloggers told me they handle ARCs:

• Indicate in the review that their copy is an ARC.
• Recognize an ARC is in a “semi-raw” state (I love that phrase).
• Make allowances for typos, grammar, misspellings.
• Realize that larger changes can often take place—to scenes, etc.
• Write a review based on plot, characters, and overall writing style (rather than picking apart smaller details).
• Make sure that they post a review in a timely manner. (One blogger even stated that they purchase a final copy if they don’t get the review done before the book releases. Gold star for that one…)
• Make sure not to put out too many spoilers.
• Still stay true to themselves by giving an honest reaction to a book—its premise, its characters, its general writing style—no matter where the book originated. (ARCs from authors or publishers are reviewed every bit as honestly as books from bookstores.)
• In addition, many bloggers pointed out that they're not out to slam the books they didn't personally enjoy. Instead, their goal is to make sure the books they love get the most attention possible.

Seriously. How truly cool is that? I do believe I can now say I’ve gone from a love-cringe relationship to love-love. Thank you, bloggers…

LIL' MISS METAPHOR + ARC QUESTION

I just can't quit coming up with them—metaphors to describe the way I sound when I cough, that is. But thanks to the absolute coolness of social networking, mention that you have a chest cold, and helpful suggestions pour in. Elderberry syrup and tea with ginger have been my biggest saving graces...

While I recoup, I've been thinking quite a bit about a blog post I've wanted to write for a while now...and in order to do it, I need some feedback from bloggers. Basically, what I'd like to know is if you review an ARC any differently than you review a finished copy.

To make responding easier, I've created a handy dandy little form (below). Fill 'er out, and I'll put up the post as soon as the responses stop coming in...and as soon as I take another spoonful of elderberry syrup!

A TYPICAL ATYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE

Aislynn at Knit-Purl-Stitch... asked me to share what a typical day in my life looks like. In all honesty, though, a typical day in my life looks just about as exciting as watching your toenails grow: eight to twelve hours of writing. Period.

So I filmed a short vid about that one day a week that's a bit different from the others...that day I'm out and about, catching up on life beyond the computer screen.

THE RELATIONSHIP I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing, and I can’t think of a moment growing up when I didn’t dream of being a full-time author. I just always imagined myself making money doing the one thing I loved more than any…

But I never imagined, in all those years of dreaming, that I’d ever have a relationship with my readers. I mean, come on, writers aren’t rock stars—they don’t fill auditoriums with throngs of screaming fans who pass out at the mere thought of breathing the same air.

Sure, I figured I might sign a few books here and there. Shake a hand once or twice. But never did I ever think I’d ever know any of my readers by name.

Imagine my utter thrill, then, to find the book blogosphere. (I honestly didn’t know it existed before I sold my debut, A BLUE SO DARK, to Flux in early ’09.) Not only do I know many of my readers, but my readers are also some of my very best publicists! (Whoulda thunk?)

Throughout the PLAYING HURT Blog Tour, my readers posted reviews and book recommendations, passed copies of PLAYING HURT on to their friends, and hosted giveaways.

So I might not be a rock star, but my readers rock…

To find out just how much my readers rock, check out my video below (during which I run the “credits” for my PLAYING HURT Blog Tour)…

TOTAL. OBSCENITY.

Catherine Ryan Hyde recently put up a post about Jake and his favorite toy of all time, 'Roo. Not that he's (ahem, cough) spoiled or anything, but I felt compelled to show you guys the full picture of Jake's toy collection...Here's Jake (toys in background)...

Here's a close-up of the ever-expanding pile...

...But has there ever been a better toy than a TP tube???

...Of course, Catherine's Ella's got her fair share of toys, too! Looks like Catherine and I are both guilty of picking up a new plaything every time we go to the store:

And the great toy-off is on! Who do you think has the biggest collection: Jake or Ella?

The week in review at the PLAYING HURT Blog Tour:


Reviews at Bringing The Epic, Preturnatural Primer, Fragments of Life (where you can also enter to win a copy of PLAYING HURT), and Dreaming in Books; interviews at Melody's Reading Corner, Snowdrop Dreams of Books, Things Liz Loves, Books by Their Cover, The Bookshelf Detective, My Overstuffed Bookshelf, and Cafe Saturday.

Also, be sure to check out the full 4-1-1 of Fiction Folio's PLAYING HURT Tour!

CHATS 'N HATS...

I had the absolute best time last night...at my very first live author chat! Thanks to Read. Chat. Love, I got a chance to connect with my readers in real time...The thirty-minute scheduled talk about PLAYING HURT was incredible...then became an informal chat during which we dished on everything...Including our collective love of hats, in honor of the Royal Wedding!


(Yep, I've been up since three watching the wedding festivities. What can I say? I'm a girl...Love the dresses. Love the hats. Wish I had my own "fascinator.")


Thanks much to the readers who attended the chat...and hung out for more than an hour and a half, from start to finish!


...In addition to the chat, I've been all over the place online this week. I'm really not joking. Check it all out:


Interview at MarjoleinBookBlog; Emilie's Book World interview and PLAYING HURT review; guest post on "safe" college degrees at Lucid Conspiracy; a guest post on revision at Tina's Book Reviews; and PLAYING HURT reviews went live at Midnight Bloom Reads and Fragments of Life. You can also check out the full info on Fiction Folio's PLAYING HURT Tour, and review the entire Read. Chat. Love Event, with an author interview, letters to and from Clint, a guest post on how Project Runway can make us all better authors, and a convo with Clint himself!


My favorite post this week, though, is at Catherine Ryan Hyde's blog...she's got my buddy Jake and his 'Roo...


And while you're at it, don't forget to check out my very first post at my MG Author Blog, Smack Dab in the Middle!