Posts made in March, 2013
Marissa Meyer: SCARLET Talk & Book Signing
Another Tuesday, another signing, this time with the lovely Marissa Meyer. Maggie Stiefvater was also in London this last week, and if I could have made it to her event too I would have. I wait for one YA author event, and they all come along at once! Marissa Meyer held her first ever international signing at Waterstones in Bromley. It was short and sweet. She spoke about her Lunar Chronicles series (Scarlet is the 2nd of 4 planned books), told us a fairy tale (an ancient and very gory version of Little Red Riding Hood, involving cannibalism and intestines), and took questions. Marissa then went on to sign books, giving out bookmarks and pin badges at the same time. A...
Lauren Oliver: REQUIEM Talk & Book Signing
Yesterday marked Lauren Oliver’s first ever UK events. As a big fan of her books, especially Delirium, I was really excited about her Requiem signing at Waterstones Piccadilly. And what an event it was. Wine, sparkly drinks, lots and lots of people. During the signing itself Lauren took the time to speak with everyone and write something personal in their books. However, it’s the pre-signing talk Lauren gave that I want to share. She spoke extensively about writing and her writing journey, and said just so many amazing things that really resonated with me. You can get good at anything if you do it every day for long enough. Lauren has been writing every day...
Spring Clean Your Writing
A day late, I’m taking part in my first YA Highway Road Trip Wednesday. This week’s question: Spring cleaning! What do you hope to “clean out” from your writing? What habits/tropes/words, etc do you want to eliminate? alsis35 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC Rhetorical Questions I recently learned about this one. Having your main character ask herself rhetorical questions may seem like a great way to express emotions (‘How could this be happening to me?’), or goals (‘How could I get him to help me?’), but it isn’t the strongest writing. The question itself is redundant—think about what...
My First Writing Mistake, or Why Writers Can’t Just Be Readers
Before I wrote the first draft of my first book, I had no desire to be a writer. I know that makes me a little abnormal, as far as writers go—most authors seem to have always wanted to write, been penning novels since they were children, etc. Not me. When I decided I wanted to write (which was, non-coincidentally, after reading my first YA novel), it was like aliens had abducted me in my sleep and implanted a ‘you want to write’ chip in my brain. Almost out of nowhere, I had an idea for a story, and I wanted to write it now. Turns out the ‘you want to write’ chip is a permanent implant. Given these circumstances, when I first started writing,...
Writing: Getting Re-Inspired
Sometimes, once I start writing, I can just type all day long, like the Energizer Bunny. Other times, the words just…kind of…drag. Maybe my brain feels a little fuzzy that day. Or I’m thinking too much about the non-writing work I’ve got to do. Or I’ve reached a tough section in the writing and I’m feeling daunted, or just plain lazy. On those days, here’s what works for me. Double-check the problem’s not with your story. If you’re feeling generally sparkly, but aren’t motivated to write the three chapters you have planned about your main character’s knitting project, maybe there’s an issue with the...
Glimpse
Inspired by Alfred Noyes’ poem 'The Highwayman', Glimpse is a ghost story, a love story, and a story of overcoming trauma.
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About Kendra Leighton
I’m a YA writer and chocolatier. Glimpse, my debut novel, was inspired by Alfred Noyes' poem 'The Highwayman'. It was published in 2014.Read more...
