Here she comes talking YA again.

Yes, because this is an excellent article that links to another excellent article on censorship in Young Adult literature. Someone thinks it's a good idea to start rating them, like movies are rated.  Here are a few thoughtful responses about why it's not a good idea.

Start here with the best selling author Kiersten White (who has a new book coming out with a cover so gorgeous I could just spit), and follow the breadcrumbs as you wish.

Also, bonus!  As I've mentioned before, I don't write short stories.  But I know many of you are interested in them, and this is a wonderful article by the late Marian Zimmer Bradley that is as applicable today as it was when she wrote it. If you want to know, "What is a short story?" this is your link.

And speaking of head shots... if you missed it on planetpooks, I wrote some practical advice about them. You might need one for a website or blog, or for your book! For press releases. For... inspiration? Anyway, if you want my thoughts on the matter, try reading this.

And finally, I hope you're finding fabulous books to read this spring, and are writing fabulous books of your own.

Keep going!

Tips from the Pros

I ran across this extensive collection of writing advice from fifty-seven professional writers and wanted to share.

I particularly love this:

Erica Jong–who in Seducing the Demon defined a writer as “someone who takes the universal whore of language and turns her into a virgin again”, and who created compelling female characters such as Isadora Wing and Fanny Hackabout-Jones–tells us that she writes to get her life down on paper so that it can never be extinguished. She also writes to keep from going mad.

So much that I am now adding her book to my pile of writing books.

Delicious.

I also have a new writers' quote to add to my rotating signature line for email.

Have a GREAT week, peeps! And let me know how you're doing!

Erica Jong

"Did I ever tell you about the time I threw up a ball of grease?"

"Did I ever tell you about the time I threw up a ball of grease? I think I did.  It’s a good story.  I’ll tell it again."

That, ladies and gents, boys and girls, is a hook. That is not only a hook; it's a hell of a hook.

It has nothing to do with why I am now coming out from the other side of a surgical procedure where all went well, all is well, and now (knock wood) all will be well.  It has nothing to do with me canceling my spring class. (Sorry about that, again.)

But how could I not use that hook?

It's one reason why I love  this blog, this The Art of Doing Stuff blog. Her voice. Her style. Her energy.

And boy, does that girl know how to hook.

Another happy hooker is Bad Mama Genny.

Her hooks are often her titles.  Seriously, can you pass up, I Didn’t Give Hitler a Hysterectomy This Weekend, But It Wasn’t For Lack of Trying?

Yes, these are blogs, not books. 

But let's take this as an exercise from Pooks this week. Pretend I am teaching instead of lolling in luxury like the crack ho queen of hydrocodone.  

your friendly crack ho queen of hydrocodone

Are you with me?

Reply in a comment with an outrageous hook, one that will make us want to keep reading even if it's through split fingers, watching a train wreck happen.

Who's on first?