MGOC Contributor: Patrice Lyle

PATRICE LYLE

EXCERPT from "Ten Ways to Lose Your YA Reader" by Patrice Lyle in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

The young adult (YA) fiction market is totally hot. What’s even hotter is actually writing the stories that captivate teen readers’ hearts. The ones that keep them up past their bedtimes to finish reading. The ones they text their friends about during class when they’re supposed to be learning something constructive. The ones they can’t wait to spend their allowance on.

Writing for the teen audience is in many ways similar to writing for adults. Great pacing, strong characterization, vivid world building and a clever plot. Sure these are all essential. But there are more ways to lose young readers than adults. Here are the main ten.
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Patrice Lyle grew up in Astoria, Oregon, where she watched several movies being filmed in her neighborhood; such as The Goonies, Free Willy and Kindergarten Cop. Seeing these stories “come to life” at a young age instilled in her a great love of story telling. When she was nineteen, she embarked upon a European adventure to work as a nanny in Amsterdam with her sister; a trip that ended up being the greatest story of all. She returned home and eventually earned an MA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University and a graduate degree in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health. She now lives near Baltimore with her husband and three cats, where she divides her time between her two passions in life: helping people get healthy and writing paranormal novels. Her YA paranormal novel, LETHALLY BLONDE, will be available in 2012 from Leap Books. Please visit www.patricebooks.com.

Arnzen's New Book Features "How-To" Articles and Dark Prompts

A quick note from Many Genres co-editor, Mike Arnzen...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Many thanks to everyone who has read Many Genres, One Craft over the past six months, and who has been posting reviews, sharing comments, and sending feedback. As editors, Heidi and I are thrilled that the collection has received awards but it is even more rewarding to us to know that the book is making a difference in writers' lives.

I wanted to let you all know about something special in my newest book, The Gorelets Omnibus, which is a "collected works" volume of all my twisted horror poems from gorelets.com and elsewhere over the past decade. I'm proud of the book, which includes not only hundreds of pages of short-short horror poetry (reminiscent of the flash fiction from my book, 100 Jolts), but also -- available only in the special hardcover edition -- a variety of miscellaneous pieces that should inspire anyone who is interested in writing dark fiction or adding a little strangeness to their work.

For instance, there are five articles written by scholars from America and the UK, analyzing what makes the poems tick and what makes today's "new media" horror special. There is also a collection of "how to" articles on the crafting of horror poetry that I've published over the years. And -- perhaps best of all for the creative writers reading this -- this book includes the entire collection of my "Instigation" prompts from over the past ten years (including the impossible to find Instigation columns from Hellnotes magazine from years ago).

In other words: though it isn't apparent on the cover, the hardcover edition of this book hides a short-course from me in writing horror. If you're a horror/mystery/dark fantasy author, I think this book will prompt your dark imagination in ways you might appreciate, even if you have no interest in poetry. (Though look out, future Poes and Lovecrafts -- this collection might change your mind!)

End of the sales pitch. Go check it out at Raw Dog Screaming Press (if you act quick, you might be able to get a collector's item bonus for pre-ordering!) or sign up for my newsletter on gorelets.com for insight into what this book has to offer.

Support a Teen Workshop and Bid on a Copy of Many Genres

The Alpha Workshop Fundraiser, is a chance to donate to a scholarship fund for a worthy young genre writer's workshop and also pick up some excellent science fiction, fantasy and horror-related books and other services. Alpha is a fantastic workshop, described by (and oversen by) Diane Turnshek in her essay from Many Genres, One Craft. Contributors to our book who have taught as guests include Michael Arnzen, Scott Johnson, Lawrence Connolly, Timons Esaias, and others.

For their fundraiser, we've contributed a signed copy of MANY GENRES to their fundraising auction to support their scholarship fund.  BID ON IT HERE. Only a week to bid, so act quick: The auction will run January 13-20.

Here's info about the workshop itself:

The next Alpha SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers (ages 14-19) will be held July 18-27, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA. At Alpha, students can meet others who share their interest in writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror. They can learn about writing and publishing from guest authors, including Tamora Pierce and Kij Johnson. Participants will write and revise a short story during the workshop. Applications are due March 1, 2012.

MGOC Contributor News: Leslie Davis Guccione's The Chick Palace

Many Genres, One Craft contributor Leslie Davis Guccione has a new novel out--The Chick Palace.

THREE DILEMMAS, TWO FRIENDS, ONE DESERTED TREE HOUSE...

The friendship of Boston bred Johanna Lawrence and Two Rock, South Carolina’s Lilly Covington spans, well, decades. From their days as college roommates through their years as lakeside neighbors, they’ve offered each other sympathy, support and solace for life’s rough edges. Summer’s come round again and with a new crop of concerns, they commandeer their sons’ long-deserted tree house for morning coffee, evening margaritas and soulful contemplation.

Happily married Johanna has a family reunion to organize, a husband needing attention, a daughter wanting advice, and a son sweeping Grand Central terminal as community service for graffiti violations. Fresh from her mother’s memorial service, she carries her small bag of ashes on morning walks around the lake, “waiting for wisdom” as she grapples with her emerging role as materfamilias. Who has she become? How did she get there so fast?

Single again Lilly, bemoaning her fresh status as an empty nester and the second divorce from her only husband, hopes to seek refuge in her aging bungalow next door~~until “Ex-ex” announces that he and his paramour, graphic designer Cat Gallordi, intend to use it on alternate weekends.

Complications deepen at the far end of picturesque Lake Allamuchy. Johanna’s first love, the bad boy she used years ago to defy her parents, suddenly appears. Quicker than he can dub their tree house The Chick Palace, he embroils Johanna and Lilly in a triangle, steals hearts and turns summer upside down. Just as he did one long-ago August.

With her trademark heart, humor and sass, RITA finalist and creator of the Branigan brother series, Leslie Davis Guccione plunks us into a lakeside romp fueled by friendship, family, and one old flame not averse to once again testing the waters.
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New romance, empty nests, love, secrets, betrayal and forgiveness ... The Chick Palace has it all, along with healthy dollops of humor and wisdom, all drenched in the sunshine of memory. I loved this book. -- Adina Senft, author of THE WOUNDED HEART


posted by heidi

MGOC Contributor: David Morrell

DAVID MORRELL

EXCERPT from "To Thine Own Self Be True: Five Pieces of Advice for Potential Thriller Writers" by David Morrell in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction

Thrillers have never been more popular. On the New York Times hardback fiction bestseller list, over half are often filled with examples of the genre. Thrillers even have their own organization, International Thriller Writers. But they didn’t always have this presence. Back in 1972, when my debut novel, First Blood, introduced the character of Rambo, bestseller lists favored a mix of literary, sentimental, and historical fiction as well as the sort of celebrity gossip novels that we identify with Harold Robbins and Jacqueline Susann. Not that thrillers were entirely absent. Michael Crichton’s The Terminal Man appeared on the New York Times list that year, but it was considered an exception. Only in this decade did thrillers become so unusually dominant. If you’re a writer who’s thinking of going in this direction, here are five pieces of advice that might be helpful.

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David Morrell is the award-winning author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. He holds a Ph. D. in American literature from Penn State and was a professor at the University of Iowa. Noted for his research, Morrell has written numerous international bestsellers that include the classic spy trilogy The Brotherhood of the Rose (the basis for an NBC miniseries after the Super Bowl), The Fraternity of the Stone, and The League of Night and Fog. International Thriller Writers honored him with its ThrillerMaster award. His writing book, The Successful Novelist, discusses what he has learned in his almost four decades as an author. Find him online at http://www.davidmorrell.net.

Many Genres One Craft Wins First Place at London Book Festival

We are pleased to announce that Many Genres, One Craft won first place in General Non-Fiction at the 2011 London Book Festival!

Congratulations to all the contributors, the editors, and our publisher Headline Books, Inc. for making this book such a success.


posted by heidi