HOST: LindaJoySingleton: WELCOME to the YA Authors Cafe! Tonight's chat will begin in a few minutes. We're waiting for a few more guests to arrive. In the meantime, please grab a cup of coffee and introduce yourself to others.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: ****ATTENTION**** The chat is now beginning. We ask everyone to quiet down now, find a comfy seat, and hold all your comments and questions until the HOST opens up the floor.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Before the last question, I will invite the audience to get ready to participate. At that time, if you would like to ask a question, type "?", send, and then type out your question so it is ready to SEND when I call on you. Please do not press SEND until I call on you. Violators will be asked to clean up the room at the end of the night! ; )

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Our Topic Tonight is BEWITCHING BOOKS FOR TEENS AND TWEENS

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Our speakers are Dotti Enderle

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Dotti Enderle is the author of 12 books for children and educators including her Fortune Tellers Club series with Llewellyn, and Storytime Discoveries, a science and math series with Teaching & Learning Co. Her newest release is her first picture book, The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Also Laurie Faria Stolarz is the author of Blue is for Nightmares and White is for Magic, both nominated for the Top Ten Teen Pick through the American Library Association; Silver is for Secrets, the third book in the trilogy, is due out in February 2005. She has an MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Young Adult Literature and a graduate certificate in Screenwriting, both from Emerson College in Boston.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: And me: Linda Joy Singleton's REGENERATION series was chosen as a Quick Pick by ALA and optioned by Fox TV. She has two new series from Llewellyn Publishing. THE SEER is a YA series about a psychic teen who solves mysteries while trying to fit in at school. And STRANGE ENCOUNTERS follows sixth grader Cassie Strange as she travels with her family in search of paranormal adventures.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: - Okay this is the time for each guest to make an opening statement. I’ll start off by saying I’m the pretty new to Llewellyn and I’ve really been impressed. I’m writing books with a mixture of mystery and magic that I love. And I give credit to Dotti for telling me about Llewellyn.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Dotti and Laurie...Go Ahead

Dotti: I've been with Llewellyn for 3 years. They're great to work with.

Laurie: My first novel, Blue is for Nightmares is the first in a trilogy. It was published by Llewellyn in Nov 2003

Laurie: I've been really happy with Llewellyn.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Now I'll ask a few questions to get this talk going. When I asked for question suggestions, I had some great ones...like do you dance with werewolves in the pale moonlight and do you ride brooms.

Dotti: I ride a toilet plunger

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: But I'm so busy writing, I don't even use a broom to clean.
Laurie: huh?

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: So on to a more serious question -- How do you plot a paranormal mystery. Laurie, would you like to answer first?

Dotti: Better milage

Laurie: I'm not sure mine is paranormal. My main character, Stacey Brown, has premonitions that involve danger. For Blue, I knew I wanted to write a mystery, one that had lots of suspense, a bit of comedy, and a bit of romance. I started plotting from there, creating my character, and deciding what I wanted to happen to her. To me, every great mystery has a stalker, so I started there.

Laurie: Now that I know my character, I do create plot outlines for what I want to happen to her.

Dotti: I'm guilty of never plotting. I just have a basic idea for a story and start typing. The twists and turns come as I write.

Laurie: I wrote Blue that way, but ended up rewriting a kagillian times. For me, it's easier to map out the plot beforehand.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I plot a lot. I'm getting to write my next THE SEER and know the title and one scene. I'll plot an outline to find out most of what happens next.

Dotti: I tried plotting, but I never stuck with it

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Any more comments about plotting or are you ready for the next question?

Laurie: Yeah, process is different for everybody.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I often change my plot, too as I go along.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: question #2: Since we three write for New Age company Llewellyn, do you believe what you write?

Dotti: No always

Dotti: But I do get lots of kids writing to ask me to teach them fortune telling

Dotti: Especially tarot

Laurie: Do I believe in premonitions? I belive some people have them, yes. I get lots of fan mail asking how to read playing cards, like Stacey.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: What about you, Laurie? You write about Wicca...is it something you're interested in?

Laurie: I'm interested in folk magic and wicca but I don't practice. I mean, I do lots of home remedies, many passed down in my family. My grandmother was big into home remedies and reading playing cards.

Dotti: By the way, that typo should have read "not always." I've actually predicted a few things (two deaths), but not on purpose

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I write about a psychic character, and I do believe people can be psychic.

Laurie: My grandmother had premonitions - I suppose that's really where Stacey, my MC, stemmed from.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: But I'm currently writing about a mermaid, and I don't expect to see one swimming in the ocean.

Dotti: It's scary when you know something is going to happen

Dotti: My grandmother was a healer with magic (so to speak)

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Okay, one last question and I'll open it up to questions from the group

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: What's your most common comment from fans who write you?

Laurie: such a great question

Dotti: When's the movie coming out? JUST KIDDING! They ask me when the next book will be in the stores

Dotti: I did have one fan ask me to write more books like Hand of Fate

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: My Llewellyn series are too new and I haven't had any fan letters yet, but for my REGENERATION series fans mostly wanted to know if Chase was going to end up with the good girl or wild girl

Dotti: I hope you let them know

Laurie: I guess it would have to be I hated reading until I found your book. I get lots of mail from parents thanking me for getting their kids to read as well. I love it; it's really the best part. I was a reluctant reader as a teen and so I wanted to write for kids like I me.

Dotti: That's cool, Laurie

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Okay, now we'll open up questions to everyone. Write ? when you have a question and I'll call on you by writing GA for Go Ahead

Laurie: Kids are always asking me if there will be a movie and I've had some ask if they can be the actresses.

Cathy: For all--do you write what you want or do you write with censors in mind?

Dotti: I write what I want and hope it's banned. That's good publicity. ;-)

Laurie: I write what I want for the most point.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Since I'm with Llewellyn, I have more freedom writing what I want. Having a spirit guide for a sidekick wouldn't have worked for my other publishers.

Lara Z: For all: Do you get itchy writing within series fiction? As much as you love your characters, do you ever get restless to work on something else?

Dotti: I do work on other things. I limited my writing of Fortune Tellers Club to two chapters a week so I wouldn't burn out.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I know Dotti and I have different answers on this. I love knowing my characters and complicating their lives more and more in each book.

Lara Z: I ask because I'm always begging Laurie to write more Stacey books, but I know she has other projects in the works ...

Laurie: Oh yeah. It gets challenging to make it interesting. For example in the novel I'm working on now, in the series, I'm trying out some new things.

Lara Z: Tell us about them@

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I have other projects I'd like to write, but they have to wait a while.

quietasamouse: You guys are the coolest authors in the world, and I'm the luckiest editor. I'm leaving now, so no more lurky editor. (Thanks for all the goodness about Llewellyn-- now you can REALLY talk about it.) smiley faces!

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: ha--the mouse unmasked!

Laurie: To answer your question, Lara, I'm experimenting with alternate POVs to make this next STacey book interesting for me.

Jennifer: For all: How much research do you do for the types of books you each write (ie the tarot reading, wicca) and do you do it before hand or as it arises in the writing process?

Dotti: I did all my research when I was the age of my characters

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I go to Psychic Fairs, read about psychics and watch that cool Court TV channel about Psychic Detectives

Dotti: I started reading tarot when I was a teen. But I make up a lot of the fortune telling in my books.

Laurie: I did a ton of research but it started by researching my family and what they used as folk remedies/magic. Then, I researched wicca intensely. It helped me learn that Stacey practices folk magic and not traditional wicca.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I only did a ouiji board once as a kid -- and it said I was going to marry someone named Rick and have 3 kids. Wrong!

Laurie: poor rick - he might be out there looking for you.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Dotti and Laurie, it's so cool you have personal experience to draw on...I envy that!

Dotti: Hey, it said I was going to marry Paul McCartney. Don't believe those things!

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: LOL...Rick blew it

Cathy: Did you all read horror and fantasy as kids? Which authors?

Laurie: Steven King, Lois Duncan, V.C. Andrews, Richard Peck.

Dotti: My favorite book in the whole world was The Thing at the Foot of the Bed and Other Stories by Maria Leach. I wore that book out!

Laurie: I love Robert Cormier.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I mostly read mysteries. I consider myself more of a mystery author, but with supernatural themes. I read Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt and girl series mysteries

Dotti: I've been a big King fan forever

Lara Z: Laurie, how did your screenwriting experience inform your novel-writing process?

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Oh, Lois Duncan was a big influence, too (by the way)

Dotti: Excellent question

Laurie: I picture my scenes as movie scenes. There's also lots of dialogue, like a movie. Many of my readers I think associate them with films by the way they're written. Now, I'm just waiting for Wes Craven to come aknockin.

Dotti: Same here, only it's a book so it's like a silent movie. ;-)

Lara Z: Who would you want to see to play Stacey? And for the rest of you - do you have actors in mind if Hollywood does come calling?

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: At my first writing conference ever I went to a screen writing talk and continue to plot in beginning-middle-end segments

Laurie: anybody out there have wes's cell number?

Laurie: Stacey? I have no idea. I've been asked this question. I kind of picture that girl on Tru Calling, what's her name??

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I had a psychic friend tell me my STRANGE ENCOUNTERS would sell for TV...so I'm waiting. I'll let them pick the actors.

Debbie: To follow up on Cathy's question, about who you read as a child--what do you read now, in terms of mg or ya authors. (And why do you read them?)

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I love midgrade fantasy and mystery the best.

Dotti: I love Louise Rennison. I'm really into comedy and these new chick lit YAs.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I'm reading Nancy Farmer's SEA OF TROLLS now

Dotti: I do miss the horror trend though

Laurie: Robert Cormier, MT Anderson, Nancy Werlin, FLB, Lara Zeises, Annette Curtis Klaus.

Miriam: I have to get back to work but I want to wish all 3 of you great luck with your books and all your upcoming adventures!

Laurie: thanks!!!

MaryP: I am in awe of how prolific you all seem to be. How do you do that? What kind of daily, weekly, goals do you set for yourself? Tell!

Laurie: I have a 10 page a week goal and if I don't make it by Saturday, I have to spend my entire Saturday at the computer.

Dotti: It was much easier before being published, but I squeeze in writing time whenever I can these days.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I usually write every weekday morning...except now I'm writing constantly in a mad dash to finish #3 STRANGE ENCOUNTERS

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Laurie--great discipline!

Dotti: Yeah, Laurie wins that question

Laurie: with a job, a husband, and a 15-month-old, I have to be.

Cathy: For all--what was your path to publication?

Laurie: I tried hardback mainstream publishers at first, but found resistance. I got lots of good feedback, but ultimately it was the genre that seemed to cause some difficulty.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: My path was like one of those dizzy giant roller coaster rides. But my first book sold in 1988 without an agent, then I worked for packagers, then got an agent, was dropped, got another agent, was dropped...sold to Llewellyn. YAY

Dotti: Lots of practice, reading, took a couple of writing classes. When I dissected my favorite book, that's when it all came together for my writing. After that it didn't take long to find a publisher

Laurie: Yeah, Llewellyn embraced the genre.

Cathy: Laurie, what was the difficulty on the genre? What kinds of comments were you getting?

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I dissected a book, too, Dotti -- which led to my 2nd-6th sale

Laurie: Editors told me straight out that they thought it was more suited to a paperback original than hardcover.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I had rejections with the "more suitable for paperback" comment, too

Debbie: Oh. Such good questions and answers. Mine as to do with writing time and space. Do all of you have an office with walls and locks? Or do you write anywhere, anytime and at any moment?

Dotti: My rejections were because of the occult content

Debbie: Has to do, I meant.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I had rejections with the "more suitable for paperback" comment, too

Laurie: My laptop comes with me everywhere.

Laurie: anywhere, anytime, any place

Dotti: My best writing was sitting in my car outside my daughter's dance studio

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I have an office and since we're building a new house, I'm getting my dream office: 2nd story overlooking treetops. But mostly I write on my laptop in bed.

Dotti: I did a lot of writing by the playground at McDonalds too

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Since my kids are grown, I have plenty of writing time.

Dotti: Rub it in!

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: There's time for more questions.

Dotti: I do have an office, but it's attached to the bedroom and it doesn't drown out my husband's snoring

Kathleen: Any advice for writing ghost stories? Do they sell?

Dotti: If done well, anything sells. Make it good and scary

Laurie: If it's good and gets good marketing, it'll sell.

Dotti: Two of my FTC books are ghost stories

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: It seems like there are more paranormal books coming out, so I think ghost stories have a good chance.

Laurie: read lots of ghost stories and learn from those you like.

MaryP: (FTC, Dotti?)

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I heard once that you can gage the kid market by seeing what the adult market is doing...that the kid market usually follows a few years later (chick lit is a good example)

Dotti: Fortune Tellers Club

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Some of the best ghost stories are by Kathryn Reiss -- she's great

MaryP: (sorry. I'm abbreviation challenged.)

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: And for funny ghost stories for midgrade, Eva Ibbotson is good

Dotti: Don't go into a teen chat room!

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Oh, and Dotti's ghost stories are great, too!

Dotti: I was wondering when you were going to say that! :-)

Debbie: I'm wondering how much of your own time, energy and money you spend on promoting your books. Also wondering what Dotti means by "don't go into a teen chat room?"

Dotti: That was for Mary who is abbreviation challenged

Debbie: Ohhhhh!!!! Got it.

MaryP: (ack ; )

Dotti: More energy than money on my part. I do pay for my own bookmarks though.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Promotion is a tough balance. I'm losing two writing days this week because of judging a contest and speaking at a school. But I enjoy these extra activities.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I buy my own bookmarks and throw them at strangers.

Laurie: I don't spend much money. I make spell cards at Kinkos for about $150 for 500. I do this to promote forthcoming titles. Most of my promotion is in speaking gigs, signings, visits.

Dotti: I give away fortune cookies

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I just started a Reading Club blog link from my website and hoping kids enjoy that & check out my books.

Cathy: What has surprised each of you the most about being published? Anything?

Laurie: great idea about the cookies

Dotti: That it presents a whole new set of problems and you aren't exactly on easy street as you thought beforehand

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Hmmm...I think I've been surprised by how much better I'm being treated by a medium sized publisher than the big guys.

Cathy: Well said, Dotti.

Dotti: Oh yeah, and then there's that thing about not being on the NY Times best seller list yet

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Dotti has the BEST promotion ideas

Laurie: The biggest thing I've learned is that the best part of all this is the people, the readers, you connect with, who get something from your work.

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Our "official" time for tonight is up--some of us need to go--but the rest of you are welcome to stay and chat as long as you like. Thank you to Dotti and Laurie.

Laurie: Thanks, Linda!

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Or should we take one more question?

Dotti: And a big thanks to Linda!

Dotti: One more

Theodora: How do the schools respond to the material you write?

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: I don't know yet. Dotti, Laurie?

Dotti: In my case, not well at all, but I write for a younger crowd than Laurie

Laurie: The teachers I've met have been very enthusiastic. I'm getting some of their most reluctant readers to read.

Dotti: It's definitely easier to promote my picture book

Laurie: I was invited to speak at a teacher's assembly in CT based on that alone.

Dotti: Awesome

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: Don't forget our next chat on October 12…..Drumroll . . . Dark Realities: How Much Truth Can Authors Share with Young Readers?" with Host, Catherine Atkins, and guests, YA authors Kathleen Johnson and Kathe Koja.

Cathy: That's *Jeffrie* Johnson. <smile>

HOST: LindaJoySingleton: So thanks again to Dotti and Laurie and all of you who asked such great questions!

MaryP: Thank you all! Great chat!

Laurie: Thanks for stopping by!

Dotti: Thanks everyone!