When I conceived Sucker Literary in 2011, never could I have predicted or even
dreamed of the amount of support I would receive from the emerging writers of
the YA community. Not only has the support been enormous in terms of the amount
of writers who currently make up our staff and the amount of submissions we
have been bestowed with, but also the support has reached across the globe and
back. So when one of my own Sucker Literary writers or staff
members calls upon me to do something, I do it—because this is how we roll.
Kristina Wojtaszek is the
author of If It Rains, featured in
the soon-to-be-published third volume of Sucker Literary, and she is
the impetus of my participation in an author blog hop where participants answer
the same four questions (see below) and then introduce some fellow authors.
To learn
more about Kristina, check out the links below:
Twitter: @KristinaWojtasz
The Four Questions
1. What the heck are you doing?
First, I will start with what
I am NOT working on—a completed but rough manuscript that my agent inspired me
to pursue. It’s a steamy NA story involving four different point-of-views. I
had worked on it feverishly for a period of time (first draft was back in Nov ‘12
of NaNoWriMo)—
and I needed some space. I will be back to it this summer after I finish some
course work for my OTHER dream I am pursuing (becoming a licensed mental health
counselor).
Additionally, I am currently
working on finishing up Sucker Literary III and also republishing a little book from back in 2006 called My Summer Vacation. Though I think that
I am a better writer and my current work (the first three volumes of Sucker
Literary and all my manuscripts my
agent has) is much, much stronger, I still believe in the first set of
characters I fell in love with. I still believe in the series I created way
back when. . . a series I still believe
someone out there will eventually connect with. . . someone, as in, a major publisher (Entangled,
do you here me?). So, I am on a quest to republish the second one in the series
right now. Just like the first
one I recently re-released, I won’t heavily edit it (though I will want to)
but just tighten it up a bit and redo the cover. There are two more Maddie
books, Fear of Falling, which is
available in digital and print on Amazon, and an unpublished fourth manuscript,
trying to find a publisher as we speak.
2) How
does my work differ from others of its genre?
I do not hold back in my
writing just like I try not to hold back in my life, which is what makes me
different. I also don’t like to over describe the way a character looks, and I
tend to be very heavy on dialogue, of the very authentic kind. I write from a
voice-driven place and like to tackle the emotional inner life of my characters.
I don’t lead with the plot when I write, but I love a juicy one, though I
believe that a juicy plot comes from the complex inner workings of a three-dimensional
character.
3. Why do I write what I do?
Because I can’t stop.
Characters float into my
head innocently enough, and then I can’t get rid of them, and so I let them it out.
Entire novels and short stories come to me when I fall asleep. If I don’t get them out eventually, I get
very irritable.
Also, I write because I have
a point-of-view that includes no bullshit and no lies and no fairy tales, and I
feel this point-of-view pretty strongly and want to tell stories that have all
of the above. . . with a glimmer of hope
and faith in oneself.
4. How does my writing process work?
My writing process is
exactly like my personality:
Focused, tenacious, and
filled with multitasking. Oh, and a lot of Starbucks.
Now, here are some authors that you
HAVE to know about!
Kacey Vanderkarr, Young Adult Author
Blurb from her new book Reflection Pond:
Sometimes you find home, sometimes it comes looking for you.
Callie knows a lot more about pain than she does about family.
She’s never belonged, at least, not until she falls through a portal into her
true home. The beautiful faerie city of Eirensae doesn’t come free.
Callie must find her amulet and bind herself to the city, and most importantly,
avoid the Fallen fae who seek her life. Seems like a small price to pay for the
family she’s always wanted.
Then she meets cynical and gorgeous Rowan, who reads the
darkness of her past in her eyes. He becomes Callie’s part-time protector and
full-time pain in the ass. He has secrets of his own for Callie to unravel.
What they don’t know is that the future of Eirensae lies with them, and
the once peaceful city is about to become a battleground for power.
Twitter: @kacimari
Kristen Tsetsi, Journalist, Fiction Author
"Pretty Much True... is about a young woman who has the
misfortune of falling in love with a man who is shipped off to war. What I love
about this story is that there's nothing the least bit sentimental or saintly
about Mia, the narrator. It's a fascinating study of how the casualties of war
extend far beyond the battlefield that is also incredibly funny in places.
Great book." - Russell Rowland, author of In Open Spaces and High
and Inside
Bio: Kristen Tsetsi is the author of the novel Pretty Much
True… and the short-story collection Carol’s Aquarium. When not
working or writing and filming scenes for “Inside the Writers’ Studio,” a
comic-relief YouTube series for writers co-created and co-written (and
brilliantly edited) by author R.J. Keller, she takes pictures of things and
spends time with her husband.
Twitter: @ktsetsi
Jackie
Hennessey, Author and Blogger
Jackie is a Rhode Island mom who understands what other
mothers go through. Having worked full-time, part-time, and been a
stay-at-home mom too, she sees motherhood from a variety of angles. And
thankfully, with a sense of humor. Jackie is the author of the
award-winning gift book, How to Spread Sanity on a Cracker, and blogs
about being an imperfect mother at http://www.ventingsessions.com.
Jackie earned a BA in journalism from Texas A&M
University where she received the “Best Aggie-Life writer” award. She has 20
years of experience in journalism and public relations and works as a
pr consultant in Rhode Island. She pens the “Ask Mom” advice column at OnlineRI.com, writes
for Barrington Patch, and guest blogs on sites like Scarymommy.com and Bluntmoms.com. Jackie
was a cast member of the 2013 Listen to Your Mother Providence show and
is a member of the Association of Rhode Island Authors, Rhody Bloggers,
Rhody Bloggers for Good, and RI Digital Media Women.
When she's not folding laundry or taxiing her kids around,
she enjoys venting with other women and laughing at her imperfections.
4 comments:
Love Jackie!
Thank you! I always enjoy your posts, Hannah. You are so talented. I look forward to following these fellow authors. Thank you for including me in this hop!
So excited to follow this bloghop! As always, good luck to you, Hannah, in whatever you're doing. Sucker has been such a wonderful contribution to short YA literature. I can't wait to see this next volume.
You are amazing, Hannah! Thanks for including me in the blog hop and finding a place for me at Sucker. It's great to have a writing family.
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