Books I'm Reading Now

STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr - Thirteen-year-old Deanna Lambert's father catches her having sex with a seventeen-year-old boy. The premise makes me cringe, but yet books like this remind young girls they are not alone when they make a bad decision. For a parent who says, "I don't want my child to read this," I would offer a counter argument: the book shows such negative consequences that I think any young girl contemplating sex would stop and think twice.

IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES by Lisa Schroeder - Isabel's mother decides to reinvent herself by opening a cupcake shop. The problem is she lacks gumption when things go wrong. Isabel helps her mother with the shop and learns a lot about herself in the process. This book would generate lots of discussion at a mother/daughter book club.

DORK DIARIES and DORK DIARIES 2 by Rachel Renee Russell - The tween heroine of these books reminds me of Beckie Bloomwood from Sophie Kinsella's CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC series. Both heroines get themselves into such outlandish situations that we as readers can't stop until we see how they are going to save the day. Another great feature of DORK DIARIES is its unique format, combining text and illustrations.

THE LEMONADE WAR by Jacqueline Davies - This book shows sibling rivalry at its finest. Evan and Jessie set up competing lemonade stands to see who can be the first to earn $100. Again the format is unique. The book contains mini posters with tips for running a successful small business.

If you've read any of these books, I'd love to hear your opinions. If you have suggestions of middle grade or young adult books that I might enjoy, I'd appreciate the recommendations.

Happy Reading!

ERIN MURPHY and AUDREY VERNICK TALK QUIET BOOKS

During the recent Miami SCBWI conference, I attended a workshop with literary agent Erin Murphy and her client Audrey Vernick. The topic was quiet books.

What exactly is a quiet book? It's the opposite of a high concept book, (e.g. vampires). If you hear that an author wrote a vampire book, you're pretty sure of what the book will be about...romance with a vampire. On the other hand, a quiet book is hard to summarize in one sentence. Quiet books are often about relationships, sometimes they're historical. These kind of books are harder to sell and harder to market.

Ms. Murphy spoke about ways to make a quiet book louder. She used Lisa Schroeder's book, IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES, as an example. This book is technically a quiet book. It's about the relationship between a mother and her daughter. Sounds like a hundred other books, right? But the author made this book more interesting by its unusual setting: many scenes take place in a cupcake shop. The publisher was able to use this setting as a marketing hook. The cover is pink with cupcakes to appeal to tween girls.

Ways to Make A Quiet Book Louder:

1. Add a hook. (e.g. THE EXPRESSOLOGIST by Kristina Springer - main character is a barista)

2. Really unique setting. (e.g. IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES)

3. Glamorize the situation. (e.g. THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER by Ellen Emerson White)

4. Wish fulfillment (e.g. ANNA and the FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins)

5. Have the character make a really bad choice. (STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr)

I developed a reading list of both picture books and novels from Ms. Murphy's workshop. Check out the following titles for quiet books that were loud enough to find success in the marketplace.

LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green

CLEMENTINE by Sara Pennypacker

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson (Erin Murphy's favorite book of the season)

THE PENDERWICKS by Jeanne Birdsall

TOYS GO OUT by Emily Jenkins

A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban

JULIA GILLIAN by Alison McGhee

STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER by Stephen Chbosky

TRIGGER by Susan Vaught

PENNY DREADFUL by Laurel Snyder

RED GLASS by Laura Resau

AMAZING MORNING ON ORANGE STREET by Joanne Rocklin

ADIOS, NIRVANA by Conrad Wesselhoeft

SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU by Peter Cameron

SOMEDAY by Alison McGhee

NOTES FROM A LIAR AND HER DOG by Gennifer Choldenko

Quiet books are my favorite books to read and to write. This workshop gave me lots to contemplate as I plot my next novel. Audrey Vernick writes quiet books too. Be on the lookout for her upcoming novel, WATER BALLOON.

If you've read any of the books on the list, I'd like to hear your opinion. Or if you write quiet books, I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences.