Brooks Benjamin's Blog
January 11, 2015
The Debut Club: An interview with Gail Nall, author of BREAKING THE ICE
Sweet Sixteener Brooks Benjamin recently spoke to Fearless Fifteener Gail Nall about her MG contemporary debut novel BREAKING THE ICE (January 13, 2015 from Aladdin/Simon & Schuster). About the Author: Gail Nall lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her…
November 6, 2014
Guest blog post: Victoria J. Coe’s #8TerribleTitles
November 5, 2014
Let’s Play #8TerribleTitles
October 7, 2014
Happy book birthday, Operation Tree Roper!
October 5, 2014
Sneak peek: Tales of a Teenage Scream Queen
September 19, 2014
Dingoes, edits, and babies
This new manuscript I’m working on (Tales of a Teenage Scream Queen) is sort of pouring out of me. It’s almost scary at times. But scary’s not a bad thing when it comes to writing. Scary can be good. Scary can be your friend.
However, when I’m nostril-deep in a session of story pouring, a ton of excess stuff usually leaks out in the process. What stuff am I talking about exactly? Well, the stuff I tend to creatively vomit during those moments can be lumped into the following four categories:
1) Dialogue
2) Thoughts
3) Characters
4) More dialogue
I love dialogue. It’s one of my strengths. And I love plugging it into my story because it’s so easy for me to write. The good news is that it’s also easy to edit. I can hack and chop and drain dialogue like it’s nobody’s business. Thoughts are sort of the same way. It’s inner dialogue. Head speak. Noggin talk. Brain chatter. Mind mumbling. I’ll quit now.
Characters, though?
*sigh* …characters…
Characters are the best. And worst. They’re the best because they inject the life into your story. Without them you’ve got…well, I’m not sure what you’ve got. A landscape painting maybe. I love my characters. And that’s exactly why they’re the worst.
The worst to kill, that is.
I offed one of my characters today. I’ve been toying with the idea for a few weeks and the more I wrote, the more I resisted. Because that character was amazing. He was so much fun. He was a little piece of me on the page. But he wasn’t needed. And in the end, I had to let the editing dingos eat my baby.
But there’s a silver lining to all of this. I found out rather quickly that killing off my character didn’t mean he was gone for good. Because he was actually just another half of a character that was already there. And after I wiped the blood from my samurai sword of slashery, I quickly discovered that merging both characters solved two problems with one stab.
The character who wasn’t helping to push the story forward or push back with conflict was gone. And the character who was doing both of those things just got another layer added to him.
He’d been onionized.
The sting is still there. When I come across another page with a trace of the former character, I get a little misty-eyed. But he died for a good cause. He died for the betterment of the story. And that’s how you have to approach things like this. You have to do what’s best for the story. If keeping your cast untouched is what tells your story the best, then good. But if you find a character like mine who you love, but he or she just isn’t needed…
Maybe it’s time to unleash the dingoes.
You might be glad you did.
September 16, 2014
MOLLY PEPPER AND THE NIGHT TRAIN Cover Reveal
I’m thrilled to help reveal the cover for MOLLY PEPPER AND THE NIGHT TRAIN
Check out the cover below, and be sure to let everyone know what you think in the comments.
MOLLY PEPPER AND THE NIGHT TRAIN
by Courtney King Walker | Lands Atlantic Publishing
Release Date: March 13, 2015
Hidden somewhere in the fog of the San Francisco bay lies Blue Rock Island, home to
the bay area’s two best-kept secrets: Bell’s Bluff, the old, abandoned prison on one
side of the island, and the Night Train, a mysterious train ride on the other. When
twelve-year-old Molly Pepper receives a secret invitation promising a night of magic
and adventure aboard the Night Train, she is skeptical. In her experience, most
promises prove too good to be true. The fact that she lost her mom is proof enough.
Still, Molly gives hope another chance. Together with her loyal friend, Noah
Wonderly, they sneak out of the house and follow a string of clues leading to the
Night Train. But when the train stops at Bell’s Bluff, Molly discovers the real reason
she was invited. There, she starts to wonder if hope and magic not only fix broken
promises; but make you believe in them again.
What do you think of the cover?
Be sure to add
MOLLY PEPPER AND THE NIGHT TRAIN to your TBR on Goodreads!
About the Author
Courtney King Walker grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area building rocket ships and rafts out of cardboard, hoping to make it the moon or at least Niagara Falls. But a trip across the border to Tijuana was as exciting as it ever got, so she decided writing about adventure was the next best thing.
She now lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and four children, and still dreams of flying to the moon. Her YA debut, ON THE FRINGE, was published in 2011 by Lands Atlantic Publishing.
Giveaway
September 7, 2014
The Author’s Voice: interview with OneFour author Jen Malone
Not only does Jen have an amazing book, she’s an amazing person!
And this is an amazing interview.
Just a whole bunch of amazing happening here. :)
Originally posted on OneFour KidLit:
NYC! Fancy hotels! Cupcake parties! And a junior hotel concierge with one precious, missing, hotel guest.
Jen Malone speaks with us about her MG debut, AT YOUR SERVICE.
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Jen Malone has visited 50 countries, met her husband on the highway (literally) and went into labor with her identical twins while on Stevie Nick’s tour bus. These days she prefers to keep the drama inside the pages of her books. Her debut middle grade, AT YOUR SERVICE, releases in August from Simon & Schuster/Aladdin. Please visit Jen on Twitter @jenmalonewrites.*
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Kate Boorman is an independent artist and writer from the Canadian prairies. She was born in Nepal (where she was carried up the Himalayas in a basket) and she grew up in a small Albertan town (where she rode her bike to Girl Guides). She is fond of creepy things. Speaking of! Her YA fantasy View original 10 more words
July 23, 2014
Pitch Wars First 250 Critique GIVEAWAYS!
It’s no secret–I love Pitch Wars.
This contest connected me with so many amazing people. I’ve made friends, critique partners, writer buddies, and eventually signed with an incredible agent because of it.
And since it’s helped me so much, I’m going to pay it forward (and totally copy the amazing Naomi Hughes‘s giveaway format while I do it).
I’m giving away three free critiques for your first page (250 words-ish). All you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter below. There are several ways to enter and none of them are mandatory. But, of course, the more you enter, the better chances you have of winning one of the critiques!
Here are the rules:
I’ll gladly critique any category (MG, YA, NA, A) and genre. However, do realize that winning one of the critiques doesn’t up your chances of being picked as my MG mentee. That just wouldn’t be fair.
The first 250 can extend to the end of the closest sentence. That way you don’t have to send me something that ends in the middle of
The contest will continue until midnight on Saturday (7/26). Three winners will be picked at random and I’ll contact them on Sunday (7/27).
The critiques will be a one-time critique. I wish there was time to look at revisions. But there isn’t. Plus, you’ll be wanting to use these last few days to stalk your potential mentors.
Since WordPress apparently can’t handle the awesomeness that is Rafflecopter, you’ll have to click the link below to get to the actual clickable entries.
Good luck and be sure to spread the word!
July 11, 2014
Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above by Robert Polk cover reveal!
Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above
by Robert Polk
Adventures, Anaiah Press
Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Declan Parker was born with only one eye, but all he seems to have trouble seeing in proper perspective is himself. All he wants is for kids to see him as normal before he starts a new school in the fall. To that end, he sets out to make money helping with his dad’s tree care business.
Unfortunately, when his dad lands in the hospital after a climbing accident, Declan’s surgery hopes are wrecked. His only hope remains in a neighbor girl and her uncle, a wounded army veteran. Can they help him save his dad’s business, or will Declan’s once-courageous drive turn into total despair?
Operation Tree Roper: An Eye Above is a well crafted story about a strong, dauntless young man who redefines the value of self-reflection. Declan is a character you won’t be able to forget.
Welcome to your new favorite book…
Release Date:
October 7, 2014
Book Links:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22388584-tree-roper
Anaiah Press: www.anaiahpress.com
Author Bio:
Robert Polk lives in Nebraska where he shares his love of books and the great outdoors with his wife and seven children. He is a former school counselor, business owner, and tree climbing arborist. Robert participates in his church and local community, currently serving on several non-profit boards.
Author Links:
