My Halloween costume:

My awesome critique partner Carrie Ryan and I wax nostalgically over our old favorite teen horror writer, Christopher Pike. Check it out at The Book Smugglers!

Today, I’m blogging at ROMANCING THE BLOG about how guilty I feel whenever I look at my towering to-be-read pile. Come join me! Confession is good for the soul!

I get this question (or a variation on it) a lot so I decided to do a blog post about it. It’s amazing to see how much things have changed in twelve years, from when I applied to colleges. When I was in high school, the only successful teen writers I knew about were Sylvia Plath and S.E. Hinton, and they weren’t exactly from my generation, or anywhere near it. Now, I think teen writers look at Christopher Paolini, and how a lot of the publicity he got for his books was based around the fact that he was a teen. They look at Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, who has been successfully publishing for over 10 years, since the time she was 14.

Most disturbingly, they look at the (rather poor) example of Kaavya Viswantahan, whose pricey college admissions-consultant decided the best way for her to land admission to the Ivy League of her choice was to get in bed with a book packager and rip off a bunch of YA chick lit writers by collaging/plagiarising herself her own book and book deal.

Guys: publication is not a college admission stunt. If you look at successful writer examples of recent years, Atwater-Rhodes quietly took herself off to UMass, her home state school, where she majored in English and Psychology. She graduated magna cum laude and continues her career. Paolini chose to forego college in favor of concentrating on his book and book promotion.

And yet, people persist in believing that publishing a book is a stunt to be used to get into college, or that if you aren’t published at 14 or 18 or 19, you might as well throw in the towel.

________________________________________

[Note: Identifying details changed.]

Dear Diana,

I wrote you six months ago about getting my book published. thanks so much for your response. I have been sending queries to a lot of the agents that I could find online, but so far that progress hasn’t been too successful. I really want to have my book published for college reasons (I’d really like to pursue further in writing, and I feel that having a book published will show the colleges how serious I am about writing). I am getting a bit desperate and frantic.

Dear College Applicant and Young Writer,

I understand your frustration. This industry moves at a glacial pace and it can be extremely aggravating at times. However, it’s important not to be desperate OR frantic when you’re pursuing publication. Everyone I know who has been desperate go about making huge mistakes, like selling their book to a vanity press that takes their money and gives them a shoddy product (stay FAR AWAY from PublishAmerica and similar outfits) or signs with a scam agent who takes their money and disappears into
Bermuda. That’s no way to go about being serious about your writing.

You contacted me six months ago. Six months is a very short time in the world of publishing. I tried to get published for four years before I found an agent and sold a book. I wrote five books during that time. After one had been rejected everywhere it was appropriate to publish it, I wrote another. It might very well happen way faster for you, but how long it takes is not the most important thing. The most important thing is writing a great book and selling it to a publisher who is going to publish it well, distribute it everywhere, and promote the heck out of it.

You just need to keep plugging away — working on your writing, working on your queries.

Being serious about writing isn’t about racing toward publication. It’s about writing and pursuing publication in a serious and professional manner. The fact that you’ve written a whole book in your teens and are pursuing publication for it is an impressive feat, and one you should definitely mention on your applications (or get one of your teachers — especially an English teacher– who is writing you a college recommendation to mention). But getting published isn’t a college application stunt, it’s the start of a career.

I was very, very serious about my writing for those four years (after college) I wasn’t published. I wrote a lot, I learned a lot about
writing, and I submitted the books I’d written and polished. I was also very serious about writing when I was in high school, and the colleges I applied to knew it. To show colleges you are serious about your writing, the best thing to do is keep doing what you’re doing, and let them know. Let them know you’ve written and polished a novel, Let them know you are pursuing publication. That’s really focused and ambitious and accomplished of you — and whether or not you’ve actually sold the book matters a lot less.

Let them know (ideally through one of your teacher recommendations) that you are acing your English classes and taking all the
opportunities you can to get extra writing in (like writing for your school newspaper or literary journal, taking creative writing electives– I taught writing skills classes to younger kids while I was in high school — entering teen writing contests like the kind they have at libraries/schools/magazines, attending local writing conferences or book festivals). And, above all, write an extraordinary college entrance essay so they can see first hand what a great writer you are.

Good luck and keep writing!

______________________________

This person had written a novel as a teenager, but if you haven’t, does that mean you’re 1) never going to get into college, 2) never going to write a novel, 3) never get published? No, no, and hell no. I had written a dozen starts of novels by the time I got into college. In college, I wrote another dozen starts. I didn’t actually finish a novel until the year after I graduated from college, because I said to myself, “Self, it’s time you put your money where your mouth is. You say you want to be a writer? Well, prove it. Finish a book.” I finished four before I sold anything, at the age of 26.

Guys, that’s still pretty damn young. And it’s so not a race, either. I’ve published five books, but I know authors who have published fewer books than me to far, far greater acclaim, money, sales, fame — and were older when they started.

Write as much as you want, pursue publication in high school… or don’t. It’s not going to leave a black mark on your career if you don’t write a book until you’re say, 30 years old (hello, Stephenie Meyer). And maybe you’ll be like Atwater-Rhodes or Paolini or any of the other folks who publish in high school or college (Jennifer Lyn Barnes is another example.) But don’t plan on publication as a “way” to get into college. These aren’t volunteer hours we’re talking about, and the publishing world is too slow and capricious to conform to the rapidity of the college application carousel.

(UPDATE: Read the follow-up post HERE.)

Last night, I had the great pleasure of attending a presentation by Scott Westerfeld and Robin Wasserman at Politics and Prose here in DC. They were there to talk about their new books (Leviathan and Crashed, respectively) but the way they did so brought the experience of the author visit to a whole new level. I was blown away by the amount of time and effort had gone into their slideshows and lectures — clearly, I’ve gotta up my game.

Scott’s lecture was about the history of illustration in novels, since his new book, LEVIATHAN, features 50 gorgeous illustrations of his unique and beautiful world.

He also talked about how a lot of the things in the book are not so outlandish as one might think — a topic which I hear myself relating all too often (ahem, bone-covered monasteries).

And then Robin’s presentation was about the history of robotics, and how did we get from a place where we thought robots were cute little toys to the place where we are daily frightened of the robot revolution.

And let me tell you why, I, personally, am afraid of the robot revolution. Scary fast robotic hands. Robots that jump 25-foot fences. We’re already creating the robots that will hunt us down and kill us the second SkyNet gets smart. ::shudder::

However, the thing I find so interesting about Robin’s series is that she goes, “Hey, let’s look at it from the robot’s POV.” And the thing that’s especially fascinating about SKINNED, the first book in the series, is that the main character, Lia, spends the whole time questioning whether she is really Lia Kahn, the dead girl whose brain has been “downloaded” into a cyborg body, or she’s just been programmed incredibly well to think she’s Lia Kahn. The question of identity is mind-blowingly complex.

(Ahem, insert rant here about how YA literature is some of the best and most interesting out there…)

So what I’ve got today is a SIGNED copy of CRASHED to give away to one lucky blog reader. And to enter the contest all you have to do is leave a comment here on one of hte following two topics:

1. Are you afraid of the roboto revolution? If so, why? If not, why not, you foolish, foolish human?
2. If I were to come and do an author visit where you are, what kind of slideshow/presentation would YOU like to see?

Have at it! Tell your friends!

Hi, everyone, it’s me, your absentee blogger. I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting this place of late (I know I’ve owed folks more on the “nice guy” thing for, like, weeks) but I’ve been so busy! Florida, St. Louis, New York City, the KidLitCon — and then revisions, revisions revisions! It’s been a whirlwind.

For instance, this weekend I spent all day Saturday (from about 6 AM to 10 PM) at the KidLitCon here in DC. I attended panels on how authors, bloggers and publishers can work together, a panel on the new FTC guidelines work (and “guidelines” is really the appropriate word here, because the takeaway message I got from the very nice FTC rep was that everyone needed to chill out), and got to hang out with some amazing authors, including Laurel Snyder, Amanda Brice, Caroline Hickey, Pam Bachorz, Paula Chase Hyman, and Varian Johnson.

Varian Johnson, me, and Paula Chase-Hyman at “Meet the Author” at KidLitCon

On top of that, I met some amazing librarians whose blogs I totally intended to come straight home and check out… except:

My train to New York City left at 7 AM the next morning. Yikes.

So, after sleeping all the way to New York, I arrived, checked into my hotel (Luggage = one tiny suitcase and one enormous bag of killer unicorn cookies) and betook myself downtown to Books of Wonder. The other authors at the signing included John Connolly, Marissa Doyle, John Hulme, Daniel Kirk, Sara Beth Durst, Dan Poblocki, and Michael Wexler — and I am now the proud possessor of all their books.

Also at the signing: my editor, Sharonluvscats (in her awesome unicorn jacket!), Cassandra Yorgey, my uncle Tom (who drove down from Buffalo to see me!), a whole bunch of my college friends, and Mitali’s dad.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO BRAVED THE CRAPPY WEATHER AND CAME!

Sharon’s AWESOME unicorn jacket

Me and Sarah Beth Durst, who has an awesome rundown of the whole event on her blog.

It was a really fun signing. Instead of doing a reading (which always makes my palms sweat in fear), we all got a chance to talk about the kernel of the idea behind our books. And regular blog readers know I can go on forever about the ideas behind killer unicorns. After our presentations, a school principal came up to me and said she was buying Rampant because it sounded very educational. I hope, upon reading it, she decides there’s enough mythology, monasteries, and museums mixed in with the making out and the manslaughter.

See what I did there? What a wordsmith.

After the signing, Sarah Beth Durst and Sarah Cross and I went to a nearby bakery and had ridiculously rich hot chocolates with ridiculously large marshmallows in them. Then Sarah Cross and I went to dinner and caught up, since I hadn’t seen her since Team Castle. We caught up for, um, five hours. Eventually, the people at the restaurant took our teacups and water glasses away and refused to keep refilling. Getting the hint, we betook ourselves to Grand Central Station and kept catching up in the lobby until we finally, reluctantly, admitted we should both probably go home and get some sleep.

The next morning, I woke up, packed up my killer unicorn cookies:

And headed off on my day of extra special secret fabulous promotional events. I did a television appearance (more on that soon), a video interview (more on that a little less soon, but still not so long from now), and had nice long chats with my editor about — ahem — secret books I may or may not be writing (see column at right).

And then I came home to Sailor Boy and Rio and TempDog #4, who all missed me madly. And I spent all of Tuesday playing catch-up.

So, there you have it! Why I’ve not been around. Sorry.

In other news, I’ve got winners of the fabulous Kristin Cashore Giveaway, and here they are:

MICHELLE OF THE SPIRAL PATH (comment #7)

SARA OF THE HIDING SPOT (comment #16)

And here’s how it works. You two email me and tell me whether you want Graceling or Fire. First come, first served.

I’m so glad to have my computer back, you guys. You have no idea. And all my old files…. pretty pretty files.

Anyway, yesterday, after spending a record four hours in the Apple Store with the awesome Apple Geniuses, I emerged with shiny, shiny Bucephalus all loaded up with Pantalaimon. Yes, Pan now lives inside Bucephalus. How’s that for YA fantasy meta?

Anyway, after all that, I betook myself to Politics & Prose to attend an appearance by the awesome Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling and Fire.

Kristin was on the very, very last stop on her tour, and she seemed very tired, but she rallied enough to show us all kinds of goodies regarding how she writes a book. For instance, she does everything in long hand in big spiral notebooks and she probably crosses out as many if not more pages than she writes. She also carries around a huge stack of loose papers on which she writes down all kinds of notes and binds them together with a big binder clip.

To say I was agog is putting it…. um, mildly. First of all, I would never, ever, ever let y’all see what I write down in my little notebook. It’s way more “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” than Kristin’s neat (tiny) lines of text. I’d look like a candidate for a nice long stay in an asylum.

But hey, to each her own! You can’t argue with the results! I adored Graceling.

I also got to ask her a question that had been bugging me greatly about Fire, which is: are all raptors monsters? And she said yes. You heard it here first, guys.

And — this is the part you’ve been waiting for, I know — I got two signed copies to give away to YOU, darling blog readers! A copy of GRACELING and a copy of FIRE. Signed by Kristin Cashore!

Now, what should I make ya’ll do to win one of these beauties? I could (and yes, I’m talking to you, Angie) make you admit publicly in the comments that Po is the very nicest of nice guys and yet you love him madly. I could also make you tell me what your Grace would be — you know, if you had one — or what color hair you’d have if YOU were a human-shaped monster.

Or, you know, any of the above. Leave it in the comments, enter to win.

So for the past week, I have been sans computer chez Diana. Talk about a pain. I’m still feeling it, since the change in technology in the past few years means that I am still unable to get my old files off my back up drives or my darling old broken Pantalaimon. They apparently use some totally new kind of firewire cable these days. And I can’t find my old MS Office disks, so I’m on Open Office for word processing now. But I do miss my excel.

(Note to self: never again name a computer after a daimon. It’s too creepy when it breaks.)

We had a good run of it, Pan and I. I’m kinda shocked, though, at how far things have come in the past 3.5 years. My new computer, which is not the fastest or the largest Mac makes by far, has about three times as much memory as my old computer and my old back up drive put together. And it’s way faster. And the keyboard/trackpad are all weird.

Anyway here it is:

Rio and my new MacBook

Sailor Boy and I spent a while brainstorming names for this beauty. Which is how we’ve arrived at the following contest:

Guess the Name of My New Computer!

Winner gets a signed copy of RAMPANT.

(If more than one person guesses the name of my new computer, the first correct guesser wins.)

Have at it!

Updated for HINTS: My last three computers were named: Arthur, Lancelot the Laptop, and Pantalaimon. As I said above, I will never name another computer after a daimon, so Kaisa is right out. I have also not, just for the sake of narrowing things down, named the computer any of the following: McNulty, Omar, Xander Harris, Prince Zuko, Logan Echolls, Tally Youngblood, Aslan, or Sokka.

Updated again: Though I should have named it Aang. Oh well. Maybe I’ll save that for my MacBookAir. Hee hee, I crack myself up. (Just kidding, I’m not getting a MacBookAir. Way too big for my netbook needs.)

UPDATED AGAIN… THIS TIME WITH A WINNER!

The name of my computer is…. BUCEPHALUS

(Lisa S., contact me with your address to receive your prize!)

1. I’ve been working really hard on revisions for KU2.
2. Which have been hampered sadly, by Pantalaimon’s timely/untimely (depending on which Apple Genius you ask) death.
3. I have been doing some home repairs chez Diana
4. Which include a massive tree removal operation which rendered my office about 12 times more sunny, which I’m sure I’ll appreciate in the coming winter months but which makes me think I should have gone for an anti-glare screen in my new computer. Also, I’ll probably want to plant something new so I have some shade next summer.

But, don’t worry. I’ll be back soon. Like when Fed Ex decides to get off its butt and deliver my new computer. Stupid Columbus Day.

In other news, check out this great new review of Rampant from In Between the Pages:

I loved Astrid. She kicks butt in so many ways. Plus, she’s a science nerd like me. Chem major all the way! The characters were all very layered and unexpected, with none of them conforming to stereotypes. The jock was extremely nice and grounded, while the girls who appeared to be nasty ended up having hearts. Then there were the boys. Who doesn’t love a guy that enjoys art and speaks Italian? (melt)

Debut author Kay Cassidy (The Cinderella Society) has put together a massive an awesome project called The Great Scavenger Hunt for YA libraries. Check it out for all kinds of fun games and prizes. She’s asked various authors to submit a scavenger hunt made up from things inside the pages of their books (spoiler free). I’m a participant, and you can see my scavenger hunt here. (click on my name, which is, of course, under P for Peterfreund).

Also, I have some super-exciting news! My first NYC signing!

Books of Wonder

Sunday OCTOBER 18TH, 1:00 - 3:00PM
18 West 18th St. New York, NY 10011

FANTASTIC FICTION SIGNING WITH:

John Hulme
Michael Wexler
Daniel Kirk
Troy Cle
Dan Poblocki
Sarah Beth Durst
Marissa Doyle
Diana Peterfreund

One of the coolest parts of this event is that you can pre-order signed books from the store. So if you always wanted a signed copy of RAMPANT from yours truly, just contact Books of Wonder and order one. They’ll have it waiting for me at the signing to sign just for you!

See you there!