Writing tips from the awesome Brent Hartinger!

Ever read the amazing GEOGRAPHY CLUB?  SHADOW WALKERS, DREAMQUEST, LAST CHANCE TEXACO...?  Okay, you get it, Brent's written a lot of great books.  And he's generously sharing writing tips and more today at A Year of Auditions.  Here's a teaser...

I get asked a lot for advice on how to be a great writer, and I agree with most of the boilerplate advice: read a lot, write a lot, revise a lot.

But here's something else to consider: get involved with the theater.

I hear the objections already: "I'm not an actor! I'm way too shy! I don't have time!"

But the fact is, there are all kinds of things you can do in the theater that will absolutely help your career as a novelist -- things you might not ever learn anywhere else.

For the rest, CLICK ON OVER!

BOOKANISTAS: RIVAL by Sara Bennett Wealer

Plot without spoilers...Kathryn and Brooke are both talented singers with dreams of winning the coveted Blackmore music prize.  That seems to be where the similarities end: Brooke is rich; Kathryn is poor.  Brooke is popular; Kathryn is shy.  For a moment in time, it seems they can be friends until, near the end of their high school junior year, they become bitter rivals.

Of literary interest...Wealer's understanding of the world of music--from her use of musical terms to begin chapters to the many wonderful tidbits about composers, operas, and care of the voice--enriches this piercing high school story.  Alternating chapters are narrated by Brooke and Kathryn whose voices, and characterizations are so spot-on that you  really feel compassion for boths points-of-view.

Finally, just gotta say...Though music is an important element of this story, I found it to be an incredibly realistic picture of the high school social scene, where power and popularity can be as difficult to hold onto as high note.  This is a story about dreams, the people with think we need to help us reach them, and the power of our own desire for success.

Wonder what the other Bookanistas are singing about this week?  Join our book club at The Reading Room or just click along...

Elana Johnson is mesmerized by Memento Nora

Christine Fonseca gives a Guestanista video review of 11 Birthdays
Jamie Harrington is giddy for Texas Gothic
Beth Revis features Between Shades of Gray all week--with giveaway!
Megan Miranda gushes over Blood Magic
Myra McEntire introduces "Bookanistas Give Back" - with prizes!
Jessi Kirby wants to be Like Mandarin
Bethany Wiggins Praises the Princess of the Midnight Ball
Gretchen McNeil sings about Spoiled
Carrie Harris loves The Lipstick Laws--with giveaway!
Rosemary Clement-Moore is ensnared by The Demon Trapper's Daughter
Sarah Frances Hardy delights in Divergent
Veronica Rossi marvels at Moonglass

For the Gleeks Among Us

I am one of the Gleeks in this picture:

To find out which one and watch some fun audition footage, click HERE.

Meet RIVAL author Sara Bennet Wealer

FIRST: If you like the beach and contemporary YA, swing by author Jessi Kirby's blog to WIN AWESOME SWAG!

NEXT:  As I've mentioned (okay, repeatedly, sorry), I'm a big fan of contemporary YA, especially stories about the arts.  So, I was thrilled to discover  RIVAL by Sara Bennet Wealer, and even more delighted when she offered to share some audition stories at my new companion blog A Year of Auditions.  Here's the beginning of her story...

One of the best ways to learn about yourself is to take some sort of test – put yourself out there and see how you fare. If you’re a performer, then you do that pretty much all the time; it’s called an audition. I’ve had my fair share of them, and each one taught me something, even if it was just that I should never, ever again attempt to sing hair metal.

More than just honest and fun, Sara's story offers insight into the writer-performer connection.  CLICK ON OVER to read the rest!