Bonnet-free Christian authors
Last year, I was delighted to meet Anne Dayton of the writing duo Anne and May. The thing I love about Anne is that, when you first meet her, you just think, “Wow, she seems really sweet.” And then, out of nowhere, her sense of humor breaks free and you realize she’s this ninja of hilarity who will make you laugh your head off when you least expect it . So, of course, I had to start reading the Anne and May books, which are every bit as sweet and funny as their authors. Thought you might enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek at how these two best friends create such cool books.
Ginger: Did you guys pretty much create the Christian chick lit genre? What drew you to that particular niche?
Anne and May: It’s tough to say who created the Christian chick lit genre. We were working on our first book Emily Ever After at the same time others were working on their own books. The truth is, it was a great idea and many of us were racing to get a book into the stores. Continue reading ‘Meet Anne and May’
I had the opportunity recently to correspond with Cal McAllister, co-founder and creative director of Wexley School for Girls in Seattle. What’s especially cool about Wexley School for Girls is that it’s not an all-girls’ school…or even a school…or even named after someone named Wexley. I’d try to tell you what it is, but Cal can do a much better job of that than I, so I’ll let him explain. He also has some interesting things to say about brand identity and other topics from BRAND-NEW EMILY. Enjoy!
Ginger: Your company is called Wexley School for Girls, but it’s not a school. What is it, what do you do, and why the name?
Cal: Funny, we never get that question. Since you asked, Wexley is a marketing company. We are founded on the belief that the traditional advertising billing model is broken. Continue reading ‘Your Acceptance Letter from Wexley School for Girls’
As part of a new series called “Tips from the Industry,” Book Divas asked me to guest blog about how to get readers’ attention. Can books compete with all the other media choices available to teens today? Take a look at my article and tell me what you think.
How cute are these girls?
Had a great time hanging out with lots of cool chicks at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur, Georgia, last weekend! Author Jennifer Jabaley and I took turns interviewing each other about our writing process. Jennifer shared how she got the idea for her novel LIPSTICK APOLOGY, and I shared why I can’t write when pigeons are present. (If you missed it and would like to know where Jen got her original idea and/or how pigeons came into the conversation, check back for a video of the event to be posted soon.)
We were thrilled to have JUSTINE magazine take part in the festivities. All the girls got lots of cool swag, including a free copy of JUSTINE and a Lip Smacker. One lucky girl even won a backpack filled with books, courtesy of JUSTINE. (I am totally jealous!)
Big, big thanks to the folks at Little Shop of Stories–especially Krista, who took such great care of us that night, and Terra McVoy, the store’s manager and author of PURE. Thanks also to my friend Phyllis, who set up such a nice table of refreshments. I had fun getting to know Shelli Johannes Wells of Market My Words, children’s book illustrator and author Elizabeth O. Dulemba, bloggers Vania Stoyanova, Kelsey Fleming, Shalonda, Eli, and lots of other cool people. And, of course, it was wonderful to meet so many teen girls who came out that night. I hope you’ll enjoy BRAND-NEW EMILY, and I hope to meet up with you again next year when JUMP hits shelves (November 2010). 
I just found out today that BRAND-NEW EMILY has been selected for quiz development by Accelerated Reader. Since the AR program is in use in so many schools, that means it will be easier for teachers and librarians to put BRAND-NEW EMILY on their reading lists. Very good news!
