I'm an aspiring author of YA fiction who checks her email far too much, and drinks copious amounts of coffee.
By day I'm an office worker and a mom to one Super Spawn, and by night I'm having the time of my life creating stories I can't wait to share with you.
You can contact me at Holly(at)hddodson(dot)com.
The day has finally come for SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY’s release into the world!! So I’d like to wish a very happy book birthday to Susan.
I’m going to run out to the book store right now to spot it on the shelf! (Yes, I pre-ordered it long ago, but I still want to see it in the actual store.)
(((Edited to add pictures of the actual book in the actual store!!)))
SS&D among some AWESOME company!
On the BEST IN TEEN table! Woot!
Over the weekend I did a lot of writing on my new WIP. It’s that time of year where I’ve set a goal date to get this thing out, and I’ve devised a spreadsheet with daily and weekly goals to meet along the way. (Oy, I sound a mite ridiculous with all that. I couldn’t do it any other way though.) I’ve got a little over 30k words left to add to this MS to get it (basically) finished. (Yay! Let’s get this thing done already!)
This is actually my second start on this MS. My first attempt was okay, but it had a very wrong voice, and I have to say I’m very glad I let go of those (thousands of) words. The story is much better for it.
The amount of planning and forethought I put into this particular story overwhelms me sometimes. I’ve got a workbook full of spreadsheets, a synopsis, and a document full of brainstorming ideas. (Mostly because this story intimidates the heck out of me.) And still managed a false start.
It’s just one of those moments where I sat down and realized that there is a huge part of writing a new character and world that you can’t plan — the voice. Which, let’s face it, is one of the most important parts of writing a book to begin with. So if writing a few thousand words that have to be thrown out is what helps find my character’s voice, well, so be it.
Another thing I’m learning this go-round is a simple way to control my internal editor. I know we all struggle with that from time to time. For me, I’ve completely stalled out on writing because my editor would grab hold with a point that needed to be fixed before I could move on. So instead of giving in, I bought a new notebook…one I can use for multiple things (it has sections)…and I started writing notes for every change I thought of along the way.
So as I write and realize a scene needs to be tweaked to add something, or take something away, I make a note and move on. That way I know it won’t be forgotten, but I also don’t have to get caught up in having a perfect first draft. I can keep my momentum going, and know that when I start revising, I’ll know exactly where to start.
Seems simple and a little silly, but it works for me.
And I want to thank ALL the ladies of Weekend of Awesome, because I was seriously doubting this story as a whole until you guys showed such enthusiasm over the concept. Thanks for being so awesome. 
So last Friday I hopped on a plane to Charlotte for a weekend I’ll never forget. (Also known as Weekend of Awesome.)
If you missed the buzz about WOA last year, what happens is a bunch of blogging writers meet up to write, talk craft, and – well, not to sound cheesy — become friends. Last year I wasn’t able to attend the awesome event, which was far less than awesome, so I was beside myself with excitement about this year.
We rented a gorgeous lake house just north of Charlotte, NC and spent the weekend enjoying the view as we challenged ourselves to become better writers.
I’ll tell you, there’s nothing quite as inspiring as sitting in a room with seven other writers who understand you – being able to ask questions and talk candidly about this journey. It was fantastic to say the least.
This year we had a house full: Ghenet Myrthil, Meredith McCardle, Pam Harris, Marquita Hockaday, Erinn Manack, Megan Orsini, Racquel Henry, and I were all there.
Between sipping coffee on the dock in the mornings, word-warring the day away, and giggling over dinner and movies every night, I’d say it was probably the best writing retreat EVER. I left with great memories, great friends, an extra 7k words on my manuscript, and as inspired as I’ve ever been to keep going.
BIG SAPPY GROUP HUG!!
The Ladies of Weekend of Awesome
So…today I’m flying back from my little retreat, which I will tell you all about as soon as I’m unpacked and settled. For today, however, how about a picture of some VERY cute puppies?
Something Strange and Deadly
The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—
The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.
And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.
Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.
Step 1: Stare at a blank Word document for six hours.
Step 2: Decide it sucks and pour a rum and coke.
Step 3: Decide you can’t stand even the sight of the blank page any more, and instead of putting words on it, slam the laptop shut.
Step 4: Burn the laptop.
Step 5. Have more rum…coke optional.
Step 6: Send a nasty letter to all literary agents, thereby ruining any hope at a writing career.
Step 7: Where’s the rum?
Step 8: Call in favors for someone to bring more rum.
Step 9: Grab pen and paper and drunkenly stare at the blank page.
Step 10: Drink more rum.
Step 11: Decide you are Hemmingway.
Step 12: Sing the words as you write…a quote from someone else.
Step 13: Realize all the rum is gone, and decide you are NOT Hemmingway, you are Captain Jack.
Step 14: Decide its a good idea to fake sword fight the cat.
Step 15: Wake up the next day wondering what the hell happened, and why a rash of literary agents have restraining orders against you.
Step 16: Decide maybe you would be better at photography.
Hahahaha. Many thanks to my sister for indulging my sillyness and playing along while I made this list. Hope you find it as funny as we did.
I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I’ve used the phrase “use your words” as a mother. Since Super Spawn was first able to talk I’ve encouraged the use of his vocabulary to explain his feelings instead of having a tantrum on the floor. (And get this, it works!)
Something I’ve tried to impress upon him, even as a small child, is that words are powerful. Coming from a toddler’s standpoint, being able to use his words can mean the difference between bawling on the floor because he lost his toy or whatever the “crisis” is, and having Mom fix the problem.
As he grows I hope to teach him how words affect people on an emotional level. How a single phrase can change the way someone sees themself, for better or worse.
As writers I feel like we hold a very special gift in our hands — the ability to take words and shape them into more. We can create turns of phrase and entire worlds that have the ability to reshape the way a young adult’s (or whoever reads) view of society, the world as a whole, or themselves in a very deep way.
So, use your words for good whether it be on your blog, in your life, or in your novel. Don’t forget the power they hold.
As Spiderman says, “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Can you tell Super Spawn is into Spiderman lately?)
Divergent
by Veronica Roth
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.
The one thing that struck me with this book was how incredibly real it all felt. The world, the characters, everything about this society has a ring of truth as you read it. Roth makes it easy to imagine that a society like this could exist in our future, and I think that’s because of her intricate attention to detail. Really, not a single bit of information was missed in building this future world.
Tris is probably the best part of it all. Her character is flawed and easy to like, she’s impulsive yet careful — she has all the contradictory, yet normal, thoughts and actions of any teenager. That absolutely brings the story to life.
Four is a huge part of the success of this story as well, in my opinion. I won’t go into any detail, as I don’t want to spoil any plot points, but suffice it to say that he’ll keep you guessing.
It’s not often that a book sticks with me enough to take me there in my dreams, but this one did. It crept into my thoughts for days after reading it, which tells you something right there. If you haven’t read DIVERGENT yet (sometimes I think I was the last one on this boat), then you should. It is fantastic.
Also, I’d like to direct you to another review from the SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY ARC Tour over at The Book Slayer, who says, “This book rated right up there with Divergent and Angefall.”
Lately I’ve been more tinkering with my WIP than writing, it seems. Not that I’m not writing, because I am. It just is going very, very slow right now, and I’m used to blazing through first drafts. I keep reminding myself that it’s not a race, and that I don’t have to keep blasting out first drafts in a month. It’s okay to take my time.
I think this is one of those patience-learning moments. You know, patience isn’t all about waiting on other people. It’s also about allowing yourself the time necessary to do your story justice. Whether that’s writing it, rewriting it, revising it, or whatever.
I’m not really ready to talk about what my new WIP is about yet. It’s a big story, and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort for me to get it right. And I’ve (for the most part) accepted that.
It’s funny though how taking my time with this manuscript has opened me up to all sorts of new feelings about my writing. See, not long ago I was pulled out of drafting for a couple weeks to deal with another project. Which was fine, it gave me some needed space to sort through a plot issue on the WIP anyway.
Thing is, when I came back I was cringing the whole time. That feeling that omg this is going to suck even worse than I remembered, and why do I even try… I’m guessing I’m not the only one around here who gets that way. But then I read what I had written, and lo and behold, but it doesn’t suck! Don’t get me wrong, it’s not anything fantastic, but it isn’t nearly as bad as my mind had convinced me it would be.
And this is a rambly post witout much of a point other than not to rush yourself. Especially when you’re in this zone of freedom where deadlines are only of your own making. If the story feels too big, give your brain time to wrap around it and turn it into something manageable. It helps, believe it or not.
