Summertime themed stories:
SUMMER DAYS AND NIGHTS by Wong Herbert Yee
THE WATERMELON SEED by Greg Pizzoli
MOUSE'S FIRST SUMMER by Lauren Thompson, Illustrated by Buket Erdogan
DUCK AND GOOSE GO TO THE BEACH by Tad Hills
HOW MANY STARS IN THE SKY by Lenny Holt, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
ICE CREAM SUMMER by Peter Sis
THINK COOL THOUGHTS by Elizabeth Perry, Illustrated by Linda Bronson
MONSOON AFTERNOON by Kashmira Sheth, Illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi
NIGHT OF THE MOONJELLIES by Mark Shasha

By Francine Puckly
 
While summertime can be filled with creative restoration, it can also be a time when many of us struggle to capture enough writing time. For those of us who work on larger projects, the summer holidays often disrupt our usual writing schedules. Visitors, vacations, and “bored” children requiring care and entertainment make focusing on larger projects practically impossible. But the summer months don’t necessarily mean we have to put our imaginations on hold. We just have to figure out how to create differently.
 
Carving out a few minutes each morning or evening to put pen to paper can keep the creative juices flowing throughout the summer. If you’d like to keep your writing going this summer but not sure your current project can handle the inevitable interruptions, here are 25 summer-y prompts to help you persevere! Pour a glass of lemonade (or sangria!), steal away to the back porch, and write as fast as you can. You might get a new idea, but at the very least you’ll keep the brain (and pen) moving!
 
25 Summer Writing Prompts

• The curtain billowed in the morning breeze. From my window, I could see...
• As the wave crashed on the shore, I noticed…
• The bell on the bike rang out in the still evening air...
• She grabbed my hand and yanked me toward the roller coaster…
• It took fifteen minutes, but finally Sue stood in front of the ice cream window. She stared at the 73 flavors and couldn’t make up her mind. The irritated customer behind her…
• Tracy stood at the entrance to her Aunt Mary’s backyard and surveyed the scene…
• It was the fourth time since noon she had had to sweep the sand from the kitchen floor…
• The bonfire crackled and...
• Joan picked up her sangria and dumped it in Jason’s lap…
• It wasn’t the first star she had seen that night but Nora decided to try her luck anyway…
• The bat swooped low and, to Kara’s amusement, entangled itself in Judith’s hideous beehive...
• Marcia grumbled. Whose idea was it to see the sunrise anyway?
• Dennis shouted hello as he walked into the kitchen. The house was dead quiet…
• Robert spotted the strawberry pie sitting on the counter and, seeing his wife asleep on the sofa,…
• Rebecca stood sixth in line at the convenience store. She was parched, covered in salt and sand, and overcome with the urge to throttle the whining child in front of her…
• Samantha ducked behind the stuffed animal display when her dad walked into the store wearing a garish Hawaiian shirt, plaid shorts and yellow flip-flops…
• The flowers dripped with morning dew as Peter carefully arranged them in the vase Mark had given him last September…
• Caroline sat back in her beach chair and gazed out over the choppy waves. She missed Andrea most when…
• Greg cupped the visor of his cap and stood motionless watching the bald eagle soar overhead. Unfortunately, he missed the crack of the bat and the fly ball heading straight for his head...
• Bridget was absolutely, positively the only girl from Rothschild Middle School going to the fireworks with her parents…
• Jeremy and Jacob tugged on the plastic bucket, each screaming he had it first.
• Little Jimmy Jenkins decided if Annie Culver could open her lemonade stand on his sidewalk, in front of his house, then he was going to set up an art gallery in front of hers…
• Arianna’s bikini strap had broken for the final time…
• Kyle sat down on the bench next to the fountain and uncapped his latte…
• By the time Nick had ducked into the hotel lobby, his bald spot was searing with pain and… 

 
Happy writing!
~ Francine

By Kelly Carey (foreword by Francine Puckly)

​If your life is anything like mine, the mid-year popped up out of nowhere and you’re staring at annual goals that you’re hitting, not hitting, or can’t remember setting. June is the perfect time to assess how we’re doing against our annual plans, and Kelly’s 2015 blog – Happy June Year’s Eve – is full of wise words and acts as the perfect reminder to take stock and adjust.

So grab an iced tea and pull out your plan. Make a new commitment to realistic goals for the last half of the year!
~ Francine
​
Happy June Year's Eve - Time to Revise Your Writing Goals
by Kelly Carey

In January, bubbly with champagne excitement and intoxicated by the shimmering crystal ball in Time’s Square, we all set down our writing goals for 2015. Since writers are ambitious dreamers, we probably set very lofty goals. To that I say, good for us!  That drive and stamina to succeed will get our manuscripts published.

But did you over promise? Did some unforeseen event steal time and attention from your writing? Did your January va-va-voom  sput-sput-sputter somewhere in March? Then I would like to be the first to wish you a Happy June Year’s Eve!

June marks the mid-year point and is an excellent time to track our progress and make sure we are well positioned for writing success. On June 1, 2015 writing goals and resolutions everywhere can be given a solid scrubbing and be reset, recharged and REVISED for success.  You set New Year’s resolutions, now is the time for June Year’s resolutions.

As writers, we are not only intimately aware of the power of revision, but we are also experts at revising.  It is time to apply that skill not to our manuscripts, but to our writing goals. Read through your goals, keep what is working and toss those goals that just don’t fit or make sense anymore. Maybe that middle grade novel whispered to you on a cold day in March (which frankly could have been any day in March since they were all cold) and you put aside your picture book plans.  Perhaps you had a light bulb moment while attending a conference, reading a blog, or while brushing your teeth (true story, just ask Amanda!). Great! Time to make your 2015 writing goals match that reality.

Just reminding yourself of the promises you made and the plans you had will refocus your energy for the next six months. This is not a bash session. Do not beat yourself up over missed goals. You are not giving up, you are revising.  What writer would forsake revision?

I’d like to clink a glass with you on New Year’s 2016 in celebration of hitting our 2015 writing goals.  The best way to make this happen is with a serious mid-year goal revision.

Happy June Year’s Eve and happy goal revising!   

By Kelly J. Carey


I took a bold step this year and decided not to attend the NE-SCBWI conference. I love this conference, and making the choice to miss out on inspiring lectures, helpful lessons, and the fun of communing with my fellow writer’s was not easy. But here is where I was mentally.

I was not lacking in inspiration. I had writing projects in various stages from tidy third and fourth drafts, to word files with a few phrases of an idea, to a synopsis lacking middle grade novel that were all waiting my time and attention.


I was not lacking in motivation. For months I had been drifting off to sleep thinking about those projects and waking up wondering if today would finally be the day I would find time to dig into them. Driving in the car, I’m thinking of one of those word files. Waiting for my son’s lacrosse practice to let out, I’m wondering about the third draft of a picture book. I have not lathered my hair in the shower in weeks without ruminating on a plot path of a new story.

My desk is piled with notebooks from prior conferences stuffed with craft improving handouts, epiphany inducing notes highlighted with stars, writing prompts that actually make my fingers itch, and sticky-note worthy quotes from authors and editors.

I had inspiration, motivation, and tips and tricks galore. What I lacked was activation.

I had fallen into the trap of talking and learning about my craft without actually practicing it. At a certain point, you need to take a break from learning and apply what you have learned. You need to write. So that is what I did this spring. I poured over those great notes and applied suggestions on voice, editing, and character to three picture book manuscripts. I employed those fantastic writing prompts to flush out characters and plot in two developing picture book ideas. I still need to write the synopsis for my middle grade novel, but now those motivational quotes feel more like congratulatory toasts.

Don’t be afraid to take a pause from learning.

I recommend that you shut your door, quiet your brain, and let yourself write. Relax and know that you have skills, that you have worked on your craft, that your mind is open and ready to be creative. Use all your time, energy, and focus to create.

The conferences, the lessons, the writing community will be there – but take a moment to just be you and your writing.  A productive pause, to apply all the knowledge that you have collected, can be the most rewarding conference you have ever attended.

You, your knowledge, and your desire to write – a private conference for three.

Have a great conference.

~By Amanda Smith

When I spend a day in a classroom as a substitute teacher, I always feel as if I’m the one learning something new. A couple of weeks ago, when I was elementary art teacher for the day, I was reminded of some very important writing truths.

The art teacher had left instructions for the Kindergarten class to add a few finishing touches to their art projects. When they were done, I dismissed them to “free draw.” All of them huddled around the big, round open studio table, grabbing scissors, glue, string, construction paper and markers. All except one boy. He clenched the Sharpie he had used for his art project tightly in his fist and asked if he could write a story instead.

“Go for it.” I said.

“The Troll Sbardee,” he wrote.

“The Troll Story,” I read.

“Oh, I got that right? I wasn’t sure,” he said.

“Well, actually, that’s not quite how you spell it, but when we write for fun, that doesn’t matter so much,” I said.

He beamed. Ah, a kindred spirit.

He went to work writing his sbardee, and I roamed the room, admiring art work, untangling balls of yarn,  and reminding kids not to run with scissors. Towards the end of the period my little writer came up to me, proudly waving a paper. Happy clusters of black Sharpie letters danced on both sides of the page.

“I finished!” he said. “I finished my story.”

“That’s wonderful. Will you read it to me?”

He held the paper in both his little hands and in a ceremonial voice, read his story of the princess troll. It was funny. It was action packed. And someone got eaten. It was perfect.

“That is a great story,” I said. “You have some interesting characters. I would love to see what they look like. Do you think you can draw a picture of them?”

He scrutinized me, with a most serious little face. And then he said, “This is a word story. This is not a story for pictures. I don’t have time for that.”
 
Lessons learned, dear fellow writers:
 1. Write for fun! Get the story on the page in happy word clusters. You’ll have plenty of time during the revision stage to worry about spelling, sentence structure, arc, pacing, and all those other academic things. But first, just enjoy the act of creating.

2. Know what you’re writing. You might not know what you are creating when you start, but sometime during the process, ask the important questions.

• What genre am I writing?
• Who is my audience?
• What is the heart of my story?

3. Stick to your guns. Critique partners are gifts from heaven. Great feedback can place you squarely on the right track. But ultimately, you know what you want to accomplish, and where you want your story to go. Suggestions are just that. Make sure to stay true to your vision.

4. Manage your time wisely.
​
But mostly. Have fun writing those sbardees!

By Annie Cronin Romano

Two weekends ago, I went on a writing retreat with three of the four members of my writing group. It had been 20 months since our last one, and planning this one had been a challenge. From nailing down a weekend when all four of us could go (obviously we didn’t succeed there) to finding an affordable, comfortable place to work distraction-free, there were several obstacles to overcome. But it was important to us, as a group, to do this. Why do this? You ask. Good question. 

1. There are no “home life” distractions. No one feels compelled to do the laundry, or clean the bathrooms, or rake the yard. Your kids can’t suddenly ask for a ride to the movies. It’s just you and your writing.

2. There are no (or far fewer) time constraints. You don’t have to stop writing in fifteen minutes to prepare dinner for the family or do the grocery shopping. This unrestricted time can free up your creativity and get the ideas flowing.

3. You’re not alone. There’s a group mentality to help maintain focus. You’re all there together for one purpose. I’m a fairly disciplined person, but even I admit that I would be tempted to lounge around, sleep late, read a book, or surf the web if it was just me on a writing weekend. Sure, I’d write. Just maybe not as intensely as I do with others around me who are focused on their work. Having fellow writers with you creates an accountability you might not have if you’re alone.

4. Even the breaks are productive. When we get up to make tea, grab a snack, or just stretch for a few minutes, we often use that time to bounce ideas off each other. We ask each other questions about plot, word choice, and characterization. When writing alone, that’s not possible. But when you’re with fellow writers, you can tap into each other’s writing strengths and knowledge.

All the members of my writing group write fairly consistently at home. But we recognize that doing this intense write-in retreat really helps us get a significant amount of writing accomplished. A group writing retreat can rejuvenate your writing, whether you use it to brainstorm story ideas, plot a novel, revise a story, or free write to move your creativity into high gear. So round up some writing colleagues and organize a retreat of your own. And let 24 Carrot Writing know how it goes! 

~Annie

​by Francine Puckly

​I am pleased to host an interview with author and writing colleague, Nancy Tupper Ling. Nancy’s books for adults include the poetry collections, Coming Unfrozen and Character, and, for those of you at a loss for the right words on special occasions, Toasts: The Perfect Words to Celebrate Every Occasion. Her picture books include Double Happiness, The Story I’ll Tell, and My Sister, Alicia May. Nancy is the founder of Fine Line Poets (www.finelinepoets.com) and winner of the prestigious Writer’s Digest Grand Prize and the Pat Parnell Poetry Award. Nancy and I had the chance to catch up this past winter, and in honor of Mother’s Day I wanted to talk a little bit more about her most recent picture book, The Story I’ll Tell.
 
Thank you, Nancy, for joining me for this interview!
 
The Story I’ll Tell is a tale of a mother and how she will share her child’s arrival with her family. You said in a recent conversation that this book is much more than a story about adoption. What is the heart of The Story I’ll Tell? What readers, beyond adoptive families, will enjoy this story?
 
The idea for this story came to me in a daydream as I was driving along the highway. I had an image of a child arriving on a family’s doorstep in a basket, and I began to wonder what kinds of stories a parent would tell that child about how he came into their lives. Gradually it grew into an adoption story, but I hope it reaches all families. When I sign a book for a child, I often write “for all the stories you’ll tell.” Everyone has a family story or two, and sharing these stories draws us closer.
 
Did you interact with the illustrator for this book, and, if so, what was your working relationship?
 
Typically publishers like to keep the author and illustrator apart during the creation of the book. This way the author doesn’t try to influence the illustrator’s work. That said, I love connecting with my illustrators along the way. Shortly before our book was about to launch, Jessica Lanan and I found each other on social media. Now I bring some of her storyboard sketches with me when I visit schools to show a bit of her process as well as my own.
 
Tell us a little bit about the process of working with your editor. How long did The Story I’ll Tell take, from start to finish, once it was acquired by Lee & Low Books?
 
I like to think of The Story I’ll Tell as one of those “gift” stories. Surprisingly, it didn’t require much revision, and I believe Lee & Low was the first publisher to see it. With my book Double Happiness, I revised and submitted many, many times. The whole thing took about ten years! So my experience with The Story I’ll Tell was very different. My agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, told me she’d found a new editor at Lee & Low in July 2013. Shortly after that, I was in the middle of a California conference called Build a Better Book when I got the good news. It had been accepted. I worked with my editor, Jessica Echeverria, but the edits were minimal. It was a little over two years after signing with Lee & Low that it was published (November 2015)—right in time for National Adoption Day.

By Kelly Carey

I love to celebrate the successes of my fellow writers and here is why.

I could stand in an empty field in a thunderstorm and wait for lightening to strike. But that sounds lonely and scary.  Instead, I’d rather connect with a vibrant group of writers and let the collective friction of our creative energy fire off a spark.

When that happens, I want to be connected – to the writer, to their creative process, and hopefully to their manuscript. After all, I don’t want that spark to have to jump very far.

 Think of a circle of writers holding hands, or a football team huddled with their arms slung over each other’s backs – think how easily that electric spark will flow from one writer to the next when we are that connected.

So how do we connect?

We connect at conferences when we chat about craft. We build deeper connections when we form a critique group or take a workshop together.  These moments offer opportunities not only to nurture our own writing journey, but to nurture the process of another writer.  And to really and truly connect, you have to really and truly nurture.  That means that when you hear a writer doubting their work after a harsh critique, you offer encouragement.  When you read about a new agent looking for a project that describes a manuscript a writing partner shared, you shoot them an email. When you have taken a workshop that was helpful, you spread the word. When your critique partner asks you to read a manuscript, you offer your best and most complete feedback.
 
Your job is to propel every manuscript you touch forward on the road to publication. Yes, I said every manuscript.  If you read it – you own it. Give your best feedback, your best advice, and then encourage the revisions and the submissions. Keep that writer on the path. If you bump into them and they have stalled in the process, fire them up again. Challenge them to set writing goals, and help them stick to them.  Tell them to join the 24 Carrot Writing Facebook group (shameless self-promotion).

When you have done this, then you get to celebrate the success of fellow writers.  If you have encouraged them in a moment of doubt, given them a pep talk after a harsh rejection, offered constructive feedback on a manuscript, then you have been a part of their success and you will look forward to the day that they are a part of yours.

So, when we hear that a writing friend sold a manuscript – we jump for collective joy!

 ~ By Amanda Smith
 
Upon returning my novel, my one critique partner pointed out I had a couple of high-frequency words. She suggested I word search them, just to see how often they come up.

At first I thought it would be a quick exercise of replacing a couple of “saunters” with something better, but her simple suggestion sent me on a two-week mission to find and eliminate high frequency and weak words from my novel.

This exercise helped me realize something about my drafting process. When I first drafted the novel, I sometimes put in commonplace reactions, such as “she smiled” or “he frowned”, because my instinct tells me the character will have some kind of reaction. The thing is, when I am in the midst of drafting, my characters’ emotional arc, as well as their personalities, are not yet fully developed.

It was only in the revision stages that I really knew exactly who each character was, and where a particular scene or reaction fell in their emotional arc. Going back to all those “smiles” and “shrugs” and “frowns” via a word search, I now had the bigger view to fill out the descriptors with more personal, meaningful reactions. Sometimes that meant adding a paragraph, and in some places a scene, that was missing to complete the emotional arc of the character.

Doing word searches also allowed me to designate certain words or traits to specific characters. We all have words we love to use – our personal vocabulary. I made sure that certain words (especially slang or teen expressions) were used sparingly and only by certain characters.

How do you do a word search?
If you write in Scrivener, the search box is in the top right hand corner of your screen.

• Make sure “Manuscript” is selected in your binder to ensure Scrivener will search your whole manuscript and not just a selected scene. Type the word you want to search in there, e.g. smile
• By clicking on the drop-down menu (arrow next to magnifying glass), you can select if you want to search for whole words, phrases etc.
• A list of the scenes containing that word will appear in your binder on the left-hand side. When you click on a scene, your search word will be highlighted. You can edit the scene right there, and Scrivener will save your edits.
• When you are done with that word, click on the x in the search box to clear your search. You are now set to type in the next word in your search.

If you write in Word, “Find” is in a box on the top right of your screen.

• When you click on "Find", a Navigation box will open on your left-hand side, with a list of all the places you used that word.
• The search word will be highlighted in your text.
• You can navigate your search with the arrows, and you can edit in the document as you go. 
• Clear the search by clicking on the x.

 
Where do you start?
There are some words that are high frequency for most writers. Start with that list. Here are a few I searched:
Walk                                                                        Nod                                                     Turn
Smile                                                                       Laugh                                                   Just
Go                                                                            Little                                                    Tiny
Really                                                                      Very                                                     Look

Then there are some words more specific to your own writing. These are some of the ones I searched:
Saunter                                                                   Snort                                                      Dorky
Stroll                                                                       Gaze                                                        Like
Feel                                                                          Seems

Word searches are also handy to make sure you consistently spell character names the same way. Minor characters in particular, like the teacher that appears maybe twice in a novel, or a tricky last name, can trip you up

by Francine Puckly

​I am pleased to host an interview with friend and writing colleague, Janet Fox, author of student self-help book Get Organized without Losing It, three young adult novels Faithful, Forgiven, and Sirens, and most recently the middle grade novel The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle.
 
In addition to Janet’s writing career, she has worked as an oceanographer and taught English at both the middle and high school levels. She serves as assistant regional advisor for the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in Montana. I recently had the chance to catch up with Janet at the SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City in February. Here are just a few of the many questions that bubbled to the surface after visiting with her!
 
Thank you for joining us, Janet!
 
Thanks so much for having me here, Francine!
 
In NYC, we discussed landing a literary agent, a process that for many is a long (and often discouraging!) process. What was your process to finding the best representative for your books? What is the key piece of advice you’d offer writers on that quest?
 
I'm actually working with my second agent. My first agent and I parted company amicably when she no longer loved the direction my work was taking (she likes YA romance; I wanted to write MG fantasy). But I met her through a critique at an SCBWI conference. It was not my first critique, and I had been writing for several years trying to polish what became my first novel, so that's my first piece of advice: polish and revise, polish and revise, until your manuscript glows, before you submit. And my second piece of advice: take chances with critiques, especially those offered through SCBWI. Even if you don't land an agent you'll gain valuable experience in being critiqued. And my third piece of advice: don't be discouraged! If you learn and apply the craft, and you keep writing and submitting, one day you'll find a match with an agent.
 
Last note - the author/agent relationship is like a marriage. Your agent needs to be your biggest cheerleader and should love your work without reservation. Don't sign with someone because you're desperate. Sign with an agent who believes in you and will be your advocate.
 
“Pre-published” writers have the flexibility on deadlines. They may or may not be drafting a new novel while submitting revisions for the manuscript under contract. How do you organize your work, as drafting a new story and revising a completed story use very different parts of the creative process?
 
Great question. There's a lot of down time in publishing, and I don't want to rest on my laurels. Besides, I love to write, so I write every day regardless of where I am in the process.
 
For example, in early January my agent sold my next novel (a MG fantasy titled THE LAST TRUE KNIGHT) to my editor. My editor asked me to work on it based on a phone conversation. I did, and completed that draft in early March, and sent it off to her. While she wrote her edit letter I had almost a month to wait, so I began working on notes and early pages for what I hope will be my next-next novel.
 
As for the different parts of the process, they really aren't so different for me. Each time I sit down to write I feel like I'm learning a new craft element, and each creative moment I'm in feeds all the others that wait. Early drafts are hard for me, and I love revision, but it's still all a generative process.
 
When working with your editor, how long does she give you to complete revisions for each stage of the process? For example, do earlier revisions require bigger changes to the manuscript and need more time? Or are you marching to a tight timeline always?
 
That depends on the project and on the editor. For THE CHARMED CHILDREN, I had about 4 weeks after the first edit letter because my editor was taking a sabbatical and needed to push the process. For THE LAST TRUE KNIGHT, my editor said there's no timeline right now because she wants to see a really deep next revision and doesn't want me to feel pressured to do less than my best. (Needless to say I'll be working under my own self-imposed deadline, because I work better that way.)
 
But generally, yes, the first edit letter addresses the big, global changes that need to be made, so that round takes longer, and each successive round is shorter and shorter.
 
At this point in time in your career, do you write full-time or part-time?
 
Full time, lucky me! I have a very supportive husband, my son is in college, and we're pretty settled.
 
What does a typical workweek look like for you?
 
I write every day, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday. Sometimes that doesn't amount to much - maybe some notes, maybe a few hundred words; but I usually try for at least 500 new words a day, or a certain number of pages of revision a day.
 
Of course, I do spend a bit of time marketing - writing blog posts, posting to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, generating marketing and publicity materials. And I spend time reading craft books, attending conferences and webinars, and giving lectures or doing school visits, and all of those things take lots of time, too.
 
But the main thing I try to do is write. Every day. And read, every day.
 
Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?
 
I don't have a special time that is really cast in stone. I just scan my day and try to fit the writing in first, but if it takes me until 3 in the afternoon to get to being creative, that's all right. I used to be only a first-thing-in-the-morning writer but life gets in the way so I give myself flexibility.
 
But I won't let myself off the hook if I can help it!
 
Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer to just see where an idea takes you?
 
I'm an avowed pantser (seat-of-the-pants writer). I've tried often to write to an outline, from the most rigid to the most vague, but that approach kills my creativity. I just can't outline. I love to see where my subconscious will take me. My worst writing comes when I've planned, so I've learned to honor my personal and very organic process.
 
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
 
My first draft takes from two to four months. Every draft after that takes from one to two months, and the process gets shorter with each revision, so for me to write a full novel with a draft I feel is ready to send to my agent takes in total almost a year.
 
But I hit the reset button when I get my first edit letter because that edit always takes me to new places which takes a bit more time.
 
I should add here that my agent is an editorial agent, meaning she wants to see the full draft of whatever I write before she'll submit, and she makes extensive editorial comments on my work, to which I must respond before she'll submit. And she's excellent at it, so I completely trust her. The proof of her ability is that many of her clients are not only multiply published but receive starred reviews and more. My editor told me that when Erin (Erin Murphy) sends her a manuscript, she puts it at the top of her queue, because even if it's not something she can sign, it's always a polished piece.
 
Which writers have inspired you and your creative work?
 
Oh, wow, that's always such a hard question because I love so many and it changes so quickly with what I've read most recently. But here are a few. Kathi Appelt is my primary mentor - I wouldn't be published without her friendship and example. Laurie Halse Anderson, Julie Berry, Linda Sue Park, Jandy Nelson...I love Adam Gidwitz's INQUISITOR'S TALE, and Kelly Barnhill's THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON, and anything by Grace Lin, Laura Ruby, MT Anderson, Rita Williams-Garcia, E. Lockhart.
 
But my first and earliest inspiration was C.S. Lewis, followed by all the old fairy tales, and then by Agatha Christie.
 
Which social network has worked best for promoting your work and/or creating a supportive writing community? Why?
 
I think I have to say Facebook. I have a lot of author friends there, and this is such a supportive community. I learn something new almost every day from people on Facebook. And I have an author page (www.facebook.com/AuthorJanetFox/) although I don't update it as often as I should - perhaps once every couple of weeks. After that I'd say my blog (janetsfox.com/), which I update every week, and then Twitter (@janetsfox). I'm trying to be better about Instagram (www.instagram.com/janetsfox/) because I know that's a terrific way to interact with especially younger fans.
 
But I also have a way for readers to follow my blog and/or my occasional newsletter here: bitly.com/janetfox
 
What has been your most difficult promotional challenge?
 
Hmm. Well, I'm not very good at self-promoting in person. Just the other day I was traveling through a city on a trip, and saw that a well-respected indie was right around the corner from where we were having dinner. I had to steel myself to go in and ask if they had my book, to sign stock. Not only did they have it, it was on a special display (hence why I didn't see it on the regular shelf) with a terrific review tag, and they were thrilled to meet me. While I felt sheepish and embarrassed, they were more than excited. So I obviously need to get over my embarrassment.
 
What is the hardest thing about writing novels from start to finish?
 
Definitely it's not getting discouraged when you think your work stinks. It's so easy to hate what you're writing, to feel like you haven't said what you want to say, and to feel like giving up.
 
For me, the creative spark - before I've set pen to paper for the first time - is brilliant. The idea shines like a supernova. Translating that brilliance to mere words, well, it's never perfect. As a writer I can only approach perfection, I can never achieve it. So I have to write through my mortal failure because to do anything else would mean giving up altogether.
 
What’s up next?
 
Next is THE LAST TRUE KNIGHT, from Viking. My own one-sentence blurb: "A novel about gender identity and alternative facts in a magical Elizabethan England." We're aiming for a fall 2018 release. Stay tuned! You can follow along on any of my social sites.
 
What would you like to say to writers who are reading this interview and wondering if they can keep creating, if they are good enough, if their voices and visions matter enough to share?
 
This is what I say to kids every time I'm in the classroom:
 
Everyone has a unique vision. Everyone has a unique story to tell. You, and you, and you have your own story, one that belongs to nobody else. Tell in your own voice, in your own time, with your own full heart, and don't be afraid to give it away, for you'll be giving the world the greatest of human experiences.
 
Your unique story is a bright light that has the power to change the world.
 
For more information about Janet and her books, visit www.janetsfox.com.
 
 
Tidbits about Janet:
Currently reading: Linda Sue Park, FOREST OF WONDERS

Favorite books (short list!): The Narnia books; THE UNDERNEATH; BONE GAP; THE PASSION OF DOLSSA; BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE; LORD OF THE RINGS; HARRY POTTER...I could go on!

​Favorite quote: "Art is a lie that makes us realize truth." Pablo Picasso
 
Favorite film: Casablanca
 
Manuscripts composed/edited in: Scrivener and Word
 
Remedy for writer’s block: BIC! (Butt in chair. Works every time. I promise.)