It's Thursday on the Buzz Blog, and Dona Sarkar and I are off to do a workshop panel for Pacific Northwest Writers Association. http://pnwa.org/
We're speaking on a multi-author panel about writing in general, and how to change and evolve to survive in the industry. Dona and I are the only YA authors on the panel, so that brings me to the question for you:
What questions do you really want answered about YA books?
I have a few for a couple of our Buzz girls:
1) Tina: How much of your YA writing comes from your own life, and how much comes from having an awesome teen daughter? Where is your prom dress from high school, btw?
2) Tera: Were you a runner in high school? I can't imagine how else you would know so much about cross-country for Oh. My. Gods...?
3) Steph: Do you covet the fashionable stuff like Aspen in your novels? How many purses do you really own?
5) Marley: I know you have been on ghosthunts, but have you had real-life spontaneous encounters with the other side?
I would love to know the answers to these questions - -and I hope all you Buzz Blog readers post more of your own in the comments section. What are you dying to know about the Buzz Girls and their books?
Oh, just for fun, here's a picture from last summer's Buzz Girl panel at the RWA National Conference. The other bees snuck off, but here are Marley, Tera, and Dona! Look how cute you guys are!
Hugs,
Heather
http://www.heatherdavisbooks.com/
Never Cry Werewolf, HarperTeen Sept '09
The Clearing, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt April '10
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6 comments:
Hey, Heather! Have a wonderful time on your panel! Here are my Q & A:
How much of your YA writing comes from your own life, and how much comes from having an awesome teen daughter?
First of all, yes, my daughter IS awesome. But mostly my writing comes from my observations on life. She definitely helps keep me current, explaining things like when a guy would text message and when he'd wait for a face-to-face, and the difference between "hanging out" and "going out." But for the most part, teen drama and themes are timeless, so I just go with what I feel.
Where is your prom dress from high school, btw?
I didn't go. Which at the time was because my crowd thought we were "too cool" for school dances, but I now consider it a good strategic career move! Haha. Because by not going, it kept its mystery and allure...
Here are some questions:
--what's your favorite book that you have written?
--what county would you most like to have your book sold in?
--what was the weirdest/most unusual method of inspiration you've gotten for a story, or for a plot idea/character/setting?
Um ... haha hahaha. No. I was not, am not, and will never be a runner. I was an athlete (tennis, basketball, and swimming) and I drew on those experiences to give my girl's running some realism.
Have fun on your panel! (I love answering live Q&As!)
Hey guys, the panel was fun! I'm always so impressed with how polished Dona is doing her public speaking! I always feel like a total dork..!
Thanks for dishing, TLC and Tina. Rhonda, you had some good questions -- and I think you should answer them as well!
1) My favorite book is whatever I'm working on! If I don't love it, I can't write it.
2) I would love to have my books published in Germany. I have some dear friends there that I'd love to have read my books.
3) I can get inspiration anywhere, though I couldn't quite tell you where that is. Usually, I think of "blobs" like a character, or a situation, or some social issue that I'm interested in (loss of parent, overcoming abusive relationships, supporting elderly people) and that factors into my stories too.
Sorry I'm so late on this! I actually do covet the fashionable things like Aspen. The keyword being COVET, not OWN! With two small children I would never spend hundreds of dollars on purses or clothes. My ensemble is usually by Target! ;)
Hey Heather...
My encounters with the "other side" in my life include...
1. An angel visiting me and my mother when I was in the hospital with cancer with I was 15.
2. An angel changing my flat tire on a dark highway and then disappearing.
3. Visitation by my dog Candy after she died.
And now...with my investigations, too many things to list!
= )
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