LaurelWanrow.com

I haven’t started on a new manuscript – on purpose.  I heard a great workshop on self-editing and have been working over the last ms, as well as one of my previous ones.  This takes some concentration, and I get so sucked into the world of a new book, that while I have the opportunity ( i.e. I’m not published with deadlines, other than the self-imposed ones  )  I figure I may as well focus.  This week I also used a new workshop from nationals on High Concept and have beefed up my story loglines.  It’s helped quite a bit with the three line query pitches and a new synopsis, both of which are a different form of writing.

One of the neatest things I did during RWA 2009 was to connect with other YA authors.  I participated in two different breakfast meetings, but I also met so many other YA authors along the way.  It seems there are more of us now and the networking is ramping up.  The report on young adult chapter of RWA is good – we are close to being official.

A YA novel even won the overall First Book category in the RITA – or published competition:  Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs.  This book was also nominated for the YA category, which was won by Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore.  I’ve read both of these and they’re great.  The third novel in the category was How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro, which I’m going to pick up soon. Hope you all put them on your to-be-read list as

The RWA conference ended last night — three days of writing workshops, renewing connections with far-away writers, meeting new writers, and brainstorming all the ideas that come with the creative venture of storytelling.  I’m swimming in the excellent karma of so many great conversations and ready to drop into my imagination and explore another new world.  But first (!) I have to catch up on my sleep and send out my requested partials on Seaside Sorcery.  The response to my story pitch is encouraging–cross your fingers for me!

At long last my writing conference is about to start and I believe I’m ready.  Re-editing my manuscript reacquainted me with a piece I haven’t looked at in almost a year, and I’ve learned so much in that time that I felt confident about the changes I made.  I’m proud of my finished novel and excited to go out and talk about it.

I’m just as proud of my new website and sure will be talking it up as well — especially all the great art I have!

Two new pieces went up today.  Thanks to Vanessa Savanh for drawing Duffy in a hot pink tank and to Rui for her deep blue-eyed portrait of Coral.

RWA 2009, here I come!

Preparing for the RWA national conference has taken me away from the internet for a more than a week–as have other activities at home.  I’m pleased that I did finish editing all 277 pages of Seaside Sorcery, so it’s ready to go if requested by any agents I pitch to at the conference.

Guinea pigs–we seem to be overrun with them.  If you’ve been to Hilda’s page under Meadow Magic, you’ve read about our volunteer fostering.  Right now we’re pig sitting for a fosterer on vacation – her rescued moma and 3 week-old babies.  They are incredibly soft and cute, and eat so much.  We are constantly feeding them, then cleaning the cage.

And art.  A few more pictures have come in, and they’re all great.  Thanks to Chisuru for the portrait of Fern – glowing with bright green energy, to Ayame for 2 drawings- one each of Duffy (