Valerie Hobbs Writing For Life

MORE SHEEP

2011-12-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

Just got the word from Frances Foster, my editor at FSG, that the sequel to SHEEP will be published in the Spring of 2013. It's tentatively titled Counting Sheep, but I could use some suggestions for sure!

2011-09-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

Debby Dahl Edwardson, author of the award-winning Blessings Bead, is as concerned about marketing these days as I am, and you may be as well. Borrowing an idea and some questions from our pal, Darcy Pattison, I asked Debby about marketing her new novel, My Name Is Not Easy. You might want to ask yourself these questions. I am.

Val: What’s your elevator pitch (quick, catchy description of your book & why it should matter to me)?

Deb: Forced to leave their home villages, a group of Alaska Native kids from diverse tribal backgrounds travel hundreds of miles to attend Sacred Heart, a parochial boarding school in the heart of Alaska’s wilderness. Once their separate stories come together, things at Sacred Heart School –and the wider world--- will never be the same.

Val: Who would be your ideal media interviewer and why?

Deb: Scott Simon or Daniel Pinkwater because NPR sells books! (And because I met Scott Simon a 25 years ago when I was a young radio reporter)

Val: If I were that person, what 3 things could you say to me to make me want to get you on my show or featured in my publication or site?

Deb: This is a story that has not been told. Period. It’s a side of the Native American/Alaska Native boarding school experience that you have not heard. It will tear at your heart strings and, ultimately, reaffirm your faith in the human spirit.

Val: Is there an interesting back story to your book and/or your writing career that might be of particular interest to the press?

Deb: My Name is Not Easy is based on the real story of three real brothers—three Inupiaq Eskimo boys who were sent to a parochial boarding school nearly 1000 miles from their home community of Barrow, Alaska. I know the story of these brothers, well, because I married the oldest brother. Barrow is the northernmost community on the North American continent and although I was not born into the Inupiaq culture, I have lived in Barrow (nicknamed “the Top of the World”) for over 30 years.

Val: How good is your online and social media presence, and what could you do to make it better?

Deb: I try to do all the right things: I host a website, a blog, am on Facebook and Twitter. I have email lists of reviewers, book people, writers and friends. I need to be more regular and purposeful about blogging.

BOOKPAGE Interview

2010-06-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm in an indie bookstore I pick up a copy of Bookpage. It's filled with reviews of books in just about every genre. Well, guess what? I'm in the latest issue! And it's a great, really well written review of The Last Best Days Of Summer. Check it out.

http://www.bookpage.com/books-10013269-The+Last+Best+Days+of+Summer

WINNER!

2010-05-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Susan Ruch Roush has won a free copy of The Last Best Days Of Summer for submitting the best question to daybydaywriter on my blog tour.

Thanks, Susan. Hope you enjoy the book!

School Visits in Bakersfield

2010-05-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Kern Reading Association, I just spent a week in five different Bakersfield middle schools. My expectations (hot weather, out-of-control hormone-driven teens) were nicely dashed. True, the week was exhausting--three assemblies a day to a sea of faces, but those faces were dear and, for the most part, paying attention. Having a good powerpoint really makes a difference. That and learning to be a ham, if you are not already one. I was surprised at the number of teens who are still reading picture books--the school libraries had lots of them. So at least they're reading, right? Maybe we writers need to provide more high-interest, informative picture books for this age group. They also like graphic novels, of course, but how many of them would you call informative?

Starred Review from Publishers Weekly

2010-05-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

My first starred review in AGES from PW. I'm stoked!

The Last Best Days of Summer
Valerie Hobbs, FSG/Foster, $16.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-374-34670-6
Like the final stretch of freedom before school begins, there's something quietly magical--and bittersweet--about Hobbs's (Anything but Ordinary) latest novel. Hidden beneath the ordinary anxieties of a 12-year-old starting middle school (Will she be popular? Will her clothes be the right style?), lies a tearjerker that is both insightful and penetrating. When Lucy embarks on her annual trip to her grandmother's lake cabin, she couldn't be more excited to escape her overprotective parents and do all her favorite things (bake cookies, go on canoe adventures). But nothing goes as planned. Eddie, a neighborhood kid, shows up unexpectedly and ruins Lucy's precious alone time with her grandmother, who isn't acting like herself. The portrayals of serious illnesses (Alzheimer's, Down syndrome) are handled with a delicate touch, and Lucy's inner conflicts will readily hit home with readers. Despite her condition, Grams's advice to Lucy is priceless: "Centering? It's that place you go to when you want to know what to do, the best and right thing. It will always be there inside you when you need it." Ages 10–14. (May)

2010-04-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Blog Tour-The Last Best Days of Summer – Val Hobbs

May 3^rd – 7th

Join me each day for a chance to win a t-shirt or one of my autographed books!

Tuesday, May 4th

BOOK TRAILER DEBUT

Tina Nichols Coury

Tales from the Rushmore Kid

http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com

Wednesday, May 5^th

INTERVIEW ON WRITING WITH VAL

Meredith Resnick

The Writer’s Journey

http://writersinnerjourney.com/

Thursday May 6^th

BOOK REVIEW

Michele Corriel

Playing with Words

http://mcorriel.livejournal.com

Friday May 7^th

INTERVIEW WITH VAL ABOUT THE

CHARACTER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Elizabeth Lipp

http://asharmony.blogspot.com

Saturday May 8^th

INTERVIEW WITH BOOK EDITOR

FRANCES FOSTER

Samantha Clark

Day by Day Writers

http://www.Daybydaywriter.wordpress.com

2010-04-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

Blog Tour-The Last Best Days of Summer – Val Hobbs

May 4^rd – 8th

Tuesday, May 4th

BOOK TRAILER DEBUT

Tina Nichols Coury

Tales from the Rushmore Kid

http:www.tinanicholscouryblog.com

Wednesday, May 5^th

INTERVIEW ON WRITING WITH VAL

Meredith Resnick

The Writer’s Journey

http://writersinnerjourney.com/

Thursday May 6^th

BOOK REVIEW

Michele Corriel

Playing with Words

http://mcorriel.livejournal.com

Friday May 7^th

INTERVIEW WITH VAL ABOUT THE

CHARACTER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Elizabeth Lipp

http://asharmony.blogspot.com

Saturday May 8^th

INTERVIEW WITH BOOK EDITOR

FRANCES FOSTER

Samantha Clark

Day by Day Writers

http://www.Daybydaywriter.wordpress.com

I'm a pro at procrastination!

2010-04-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm just so proud of my fat self. Or I'm just so fat with my proud self--that's more like it. I just edited my website, adding a link to this blog and to my upcoming BLOG TOUR. Ta da!

All this, because I can't commit to writing anything. Everything I'm trying to write seems (here's a good middle-school bad kid word) "stupid". There's coffee at my elbow, it's cold and foggy outside, butt's in chair, and it's a great time to dig in and write. So here I go. . .

I think I'll check my email.

The Last Best Days Of Summer blog tour schedule

2010-04-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

Blog Tour-The Last Best Days of Summer – Val Hobbs

May 3^rd – 7th

Monday, May 3^rd

BOOK TRAILER DEBUT

Tina Nichols Coury

Tales from the Rushmore Kid

http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com

Tuesday, May 4^th

INTERVIEW ON WRITING WITH VAL

Meredith Resnick

The Writer’s Journey

http://writersinnerjourney.com/

Wednesday May 5^th

BOOK REVIEW

Michele Corriel

Playing with Words

http://mcorriel.livejournal.com

Thursday May 6^th

INTERVIEW WITH VAL ABOUT THE

CHARACTER WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Elizabeth Lipp

http://asharmony.blogspot.com

Friday May 7^th

INTERVIEW WITH BOOK EDITOR

FRANCES FOSTER

Samantha Clark

Day by Day Writers

http://www.Daybydaywriter.wordpress.com

The boring book I wish I'd written

2010-04-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday my husband and I took our grandkids, ages 4 and 7, to the Thomas the Train tour. Raffy, the four-year-old, considers the smiley-faced train his "best friend" so he was in heaven. The Thomas books are the most boring books ever written, but what a marketing campaign. I don't think there's a kid in the country who doesn't have a Thomas or a Percy or one of the other toy trains, much less the whole set (like our grandkids have.)

And now it's time for my tour! Join me on my first blog book tour for my 12th book, The Last Best Days Of Summer, starting May 4.

ANNOUNCING FIRST EVER (FOR ME) BLOG TOUR

2010-04-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

My friend and smartie, Tina Nichols Coury, is conducting my blog tour for The Last Best Days Of Summer (deafening applause.) See master schedule below right. Hope to see you here. You may just win a prize!

the last best days of summer book jacket

2010-01-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know that I am perfectly dreadful about book jackets (mine). Some I've liked (mostly the YA's) but others I've had a very hard time with. My poor editor! But here's the latest for my book coming out in April and I love it.

California Young Reader Medal

2009-10-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare and me

2009-10-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

My last comment should have been a new post. . .

book jacket fiasco

2009-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

I was just informed via my publisher via Barnes and Noble that middle-grade books simply cannot have photographic jackets. That's for YA only. This blows me away! And is it even true?

Got A Goose

2009-09-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

I've been slogging through a new draft and got the bright idea that I just might need some feedback (duh!), so asked if I could join a critique group that meets here in SB and in Solvang. My first meeting with the group was last night. What a talented bunch of writers--excellent critiquers, too. I can really be lazy about writing. Now that I know I need to produce something every two weeks, I'm hoping to change my ways! We'll see. . .

stretching my kvetching

2009-09-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

My writing group has a rule about rejections: you get three days for bitching, kvetching, throwing things--whatever your standard practice is --then you just need to shut up about it and move on. I've already broken the rule, stretching my kvetching to a week and I don't see stopping anywhere in the near future. My inner brat is acting up. Think I'll just go for a walk. It's a gorgeous day. Anybody have a great trick for dealing with rejection??

BTW, this morning I reread the opening chapter of Blister by Susan Shreve, one of my all time favorite MG's. At the SCBWI/LA retreat last week, I talked about the literal place from which a story is being told. This one opens with Blister sitting in a tree. Perfect.

confession

2009-09-18T07:44:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it's been four months since I last posted. Instead of whipping myself, I'm writing. I'm so in envy of those of you who can just sit down and compose something "camera ready" for the Internet. Or so your posts look to me. Do you really find it as easy as it looks? Because I don't. I feel naked and speechless out here. Words don't come to me as they do (most of the time) when I'm writing fiction. I feel like a clogged drain. Glug.

On the other hand (isn't there always another one?) I had a great time speaking at the SCBWI/LA retreat in Encino last weekend. My mission --chosen for me --was to talk about character. I was daunted at first. What's left to say about character?? But the reception was great, so I apparently said something worth listening to.

So why all the trouble with this blog?

I AM getting back into the blogwater though, so don't give up on me. I'm still learning to swim.

CYRM

2009-05-01T07:59:00.001-07:00

So I opened my email the other day and there's the announcement that SHEEP won a California Young Reader Medal. How cool is that?? I had this great plan to take myself to Opal where I celebrated (by myself with a glass of Chardonnay) the publication of my first novel but, fool that I am, got caught up in errands and marketing, stopping by Chaucer's where I got a big hug and many congrats. SHEEP is now in paper and on the table in the children's section. I'll be doing a signing there on June 2. It's so interesting that this is a book my publisher wasn't crazy to have. This is Border collie vindication all the way! Now I want to write a sequel. Son of Sheep??? Maybe Daughter of Sheep with a feminist slant. Ah, yes, I can see it all now. . .

taking it all in stride

2009-04-20T10:38:00.001-07:00

Saturday was my birthday, but I had agreed to go to a high school in Woodland Hills for a literacy day so off I went with Mary Hershey and Greg Trine, my two good buddies, for the worst event in history. No kids showed up (or few) and no books were sold. Plus I got a real pooper of a cold AND two rejections via email.

But here's the good part: I am taking it all in stride. If this is what it means to be this age, I'll take it.

SHEEP!

2009-04-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

For an amazing look at what sheep can do (if pushed by those great Border collies), check out this video!

/Users/valeriehobbs/Desktop/NEWS DEFAULT VIRAL ST_UIP.webarchive

how you tell the story is the story

2009-04-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Went to a luncheon at the Biltmore La De Dah to hear Elizabeth Strout, author of Amy and Isabelle as well as two other fabulous books for adults. I was a fluttery fan and got to talk with her alone before the luncheon began. One of the things she said during our (students and my) discussion with her was, "How you tell the story IS the story", and it has stuck with me for a couple of days now. Would love to read your take on this.

advice from an author (not me)

2009-03-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

I just found this in the latest Author's Guild mag and I love it:

The late Muriel Spark had the following advice on writing novels: "You are writing a letter to a friend. Write privately, not publicly; without fear or timidity, right to the end of the letter, as if it were never going to be published."

Now, I'm not saying I can DO this but I'm sure going to try!

Good luck with your writing everybody.

Time spent

2009-03-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

What happens to the TIME?? Yesterday I literally messed around with a picture book manuscript and, wham, there went the day! I remember summer days when I was 8 or 9 years old and whining about being "bored". The days dripped by as slowly as honey out of my honey bear (which has gathered an army of voracious little ants this morning.) I want that time back. I wish I'd banked it for the future! Hmmmm, interesting plot possibility. . .

fantasy or magical realism?

2009-02-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hey, you fantasy folks (fantastic folks!) out there. What is the difference between fantasy and magical realism? I say that I'm writing a fantasy because there's a "creature" in it, a living, breathing, English speaking non-human. But if all the other characters (except the creature's tribe) are human, wouldn't that be magical realism? Particularly if the story without the creature in it would be considered "normal" or "everyday" and is contemporary? I don't suppose it matters, I'm just curious. . .

The weather can't decide what to do today and neither can I.

Is it love or is it desperation?

2009-02-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

I dug a rejected manuscript out of my bone pile, printed it up, and took it to Peet's to reread. I love all this: going into my favorite coffee shop manuscript in hand, ordering a medium-sized non-fat cappuccino, taking out my best pen and then at last reading, trying not to be swayed by my own words, trying to be my own best editor, trying to tell myself the truth. The manuscript is/was my first venture into fantasy and, for good or ill, I still love it. I may be fooling myself, but it all felt good yesterday morning as I sipped my hot drink and the rain came down like, well, I'll call it a benediction.

I'm back!

2009-02-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that it's been almost two months since I last blogged. I'd like to say I wrote a book in that time but,alas,I am not superwoman. I did one heck of a lot of revising though and finished what is now called The Touch Of A Kiss. Sounds hot,no? Let's hope the editor at Penguin thinks so. Then WHAMO I got my middle-grade novel, Lucy In The Sky, which I thought was "in the can" back from FSG. Three times. I think I've learned my lesson at last. Make a calendar BEFORE starting to write, or at least somewhere early in process.

Read The Hunger Games this week. Couldn't put it down. I am positively green (black & blue) with jealousy. I adored Katniss Everdeen.

My grandson just asked me why we never have any girl presidents. How do you answer that one?? I did say that I was sure there would be one soon. He's six. I suppose in his lifetime there's a chance.

revision decisions

2008-12-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

SO I read the aborted sequel--which really needs to be a stand-alone mystery--making notes, slashing out big sections of mind-numbing telling-not-showing scenes and in general getting really excited again about the whole story. In other words, having fun. Then I went through the draft again, putting all the major scenes on sticky notes in "shorthand". Next I cleared the all-purpose table of Christmas wrap, newspapers, the fruit basket, coffee cups, tape dispenser, stapler, scissors, etc., etc. and wiped it clean. The sticky notes got laid out in order so I could study them and then change the order of events if it seemed wise. It did, a little. Next came color coding. I got out my colored pencils, choose different colors for different characters and settings so I could see who came into the story where and add scenes when too big a lapse came, for example, between the appearances of a certain character or a certain setting. (This is really difficult to explain but I hope you're getting the idea.) My attempt was to externalize the whole process--take it out of my brain, which pops up scenes and ideas in any order it chooses, and see it in front of me. I'm tring to be objective about the whole thing. To see it as the reader would. Killed some real darlings in the process and they're staying dead. Now I need to write a whole new opening and feeling a little nervous about it. I'm putting it off by writing this, by checking my email, by sitting in silence and listening to the rain.

Me? A multitasker??

2008-12-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

I've never been able--or never chosen to--work on more than one project at a time, but I'm really tempted to today. On my brain-charging walk yesterday I was thinking about the aborted sequel to my first novel when a new first line dropped out of the sky straight into my lap. Well, into my cell phone which I sometimes use as a tape recorder. So now I'm printing out the "sequel", which probably doesn't work as a sequel, so I can take it to my favorite coffee shop (at the moment Peet's downtown), have a cappucino and luxuriate in the reading of my own good (well, sometimes mixed) stuff.

Or is this all an excuse not to finish Millie?

Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to --write!

the vampires of envy

2008-12-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

Bleak view of all things writing this morning. I don't want to be a "quiet" writer any more. I want to be sizzling loud and controversial and, above all things, RICH. Ah, dear. The feeling is not unlike getting grabbed by the neck by one of those alluring vampires. As long as I can keep the thing from biting me, I'm safe. Right? Envy is death in this profession. But how do we avoid the vampires of envy and greed? Feels a little weird putting this out there. Like I'm writing in the nude.

Shredderlady

2008-12-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

I am tearing apart a middle-grade novel that didn't make the grade and realizing how timid I am when it comes to revising. I'm not afraid to lose the original work because, after all, it's still on the hard drive so I guess my timidity (timidness?) comes from fear--I can't really do it, or do it well. I'm not as good a reviser as I thought I was. Theoretically and practically, I know how to do it. But when it comes to actually doing it, I freeze. This particular novel (I'll call it Millie) I can see now goes in too many different directions and doesn't really come together in the end. This has been my problem with every novel that didn't cut it (the three or four in my boneyard). So it makes sense to write down all these separate threads, see which ones really cohere, and dump the others. Okay, so far. BUT then I really need to dump whole scenes, whole chapters and write new ones. Killing my darlings, always hard. Still, there's a little pleasure thrill when I start to dream up new scenes, which is the real joy of writing for me. When it's dancing in my head as if on screen and I haven't written it into life yet. Yes!

How do you go about revising a "finished" piece of work?

On The Wing

2008-11-23T15:22:00.000-08:00

Patty's neat writing room prompted me to offer an alternative for those of you who live in semi-chaos as I do.

It's gotten colder as the day goes on--rain in the forecast. We need it, but the fire neighborhoods don't. At least not until the hills can be sprayed with that seed paste, or whatever it's called.

I finished the sixth version of my picture book, which my amazing editor has been willing to read and comment on. Now of course I've got my hopes up, even though she says it's hard to get a PB published these days because they're so expensive to produce. So I'm going to try to forget all about it (right!) until she says yay or nay. Scouting around again for something to do, something brilliant and funny, or brilliant and dark, or just plain brilliant (right!)

My fingers are freezing.

One of us left the door to the bird cage open and our two little finches, Woody and Wife #3, have flown into the great unknown. At least she won't have to keep flying away from him. He really did live up to his name!

picture book dummy

2008-11-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

Dummy. That's me, not the mock up I'm trying to do! Picture books are HARD (whine, whine.) My PB is about a dog and some kittens. Is that original or what? Actually, it's been fun. And pasting the words onto a "dummy" book taught me a lot about what could be done with the art. So now I'm (ulp!) sketching dogs. Trying to retain that same "fun" element and banish those ugly little prodding voices that say, "What do you think you're doing? You're not a picture book writer! You don't know how to draw!" SSSSSSSS. Go away! Be gone! I'm having a great time NOT thinking about publishing for a change.

Warning: whiner on the loose

2008-11-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

Sipping my green tea (blech!) in lieu of the Kona coffee our friends brought from the Big Island this weekend. Is there life after coffee? I'm about to find out. . .

So I'm in that place where I know I will never ever write another book. Robin, Mary, Lee, and Thalia--my super group--have all heard this too many times from me. But this time I mean it (whine.) My intention this morning was (note the tense even though it's still morning) simply to write. HA. Morning Pages kind of stuff in which I whine and bitch my little heart out, hoping against hope that I'll get to some "real" writing before the end. I picture all my writer friends happily or madly typing away on the latest drafts of their novels, wish them well, and wave as they recede into the distance. Whine.

SHEEP trailer

2008-11-15T15:43:00.000-08:00

Check out my new book trailer for SHEEP on You Tube
Search: Border collie adventure story

If I were blog literate it would be on this blog, no?

A fish out of water

2008-11-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm still in a room by myself. Still trying to think up the "right" words and wondering if anybody will ever read them. But Patty Palmer said that I need to blog (thanks, Patty!) and so I'm diving in. Or actually sticking a toe in and testing the waters. Outside as I write, Jack, (husband par exellence) is diving his hand into our new fish pond to set up an underwater spotlight. I'm at that daunting place in a writer's life when nothing I think up seems worthy of my time and effort. I've heard this referred to as "filling the well" but it feels more like crawling the desert to me. When kids ask me where my ideas come from--they always do--I say "from my brain, the same place your ideas come from." But that's just the beginning. Isn't it thrilling and scary that we can write about anything at all? Wouldn't it just be easier to be a tech writer?