"Counting Kitties" & "Kitty’s First Day of School" By Sarah Linx

9/30/2018

NOTE: This is a double book review, two books being reviewed at the same time.

Debut children’s author, Sarah Linx, introduces us to her two new books written for young children:
Counting Kitties: Emerging young readers can count their way up from numbers 1-10, while rhyming their way through situations that our beloved furry family members could get themselves into throughout the day!
Kitty’s First Day of School: Kitty the Calico is a young and energetic kitten, who is going to school for the very first time. While at first, she was scared to be away from home for so long, Kitty quickly learns that school is nothing to be afraid of.

You can tell from the covers just how cute these books are! I love these books! My granddaughters did too! The five-year-old knows her numbers quite well, as she demonstrated for me when we read the books together. Her three-year-old sister enjoyed copying her older sister as we counted the kitties in the first book.
These 6” X 9” paperback books are written and illustrated with love by Sarah Linx. The pictures are gorgeous and are on every page opposite the words. You can open the book almost anywhere and find a beautiful illustration that matches the words on the facing page. The print is large, the pictures are large also. Everyone will enjoy these books.
These books get 5 stars!

You can buy these paperback books:
https://www.amazon.com/counting-kitties-paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Kittys-First-School-paperback

You can buy the kindle edition:
https://www.amazon.com/counting-kitties
https://www.amazon.com/kitties-first-school
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39919286-counting-kitties
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41434770-kitty-s-first-day-of-school

You can follow Sarah Linx:
https://twitter.com/SarahCatsCats
http://www.booksbysarahcatscats.com
https://www.instagram.com/sarahlinxauthor
https://www.facebook.com/sarahcatscats
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15460151.Sarah_Linx
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sarah-linx

Tags: Early education, early learning, pre-school, story time, parenting
Copyright © 2018 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction

22 Comments

Sarah Linx link

10/1/2018 03:56:36 pm

Hi Mark,
It's such an honor to be chatting with you. I'm so excited. Thank you so much for your support. It means the world to me!

Mark

10/1/2018 04:47:04 pm

The honor is mine as well, Sarah, your two books are so cute. Thank you for joining me for a chat. I hope that the hundreds of people who drop in and have a peek around will enjoy getting to know you as much as I will.
Tell me a little bit about yourself and then we will start talking about your books and writing.

Sarah link

10/2/2018 12:24:23 am

I'm generally a pretty easy-going person. I've never been one for those wild parties and I don't think that would happen anytime soon!

My idea of a good time is playing mobile games on my phone and spoiling the newest member of our family, our dog, Pika the Pomeranian. She's a little ball of fluff. Some of my hobbies include baking, coloring, crafts (does anyone remember friendship bracelets and lanyards 'gimp'?), and just recently I've dabbled in jewelry making. I am also developing quite the obsession with gemstones. Not only are they pretty to look at, but they do wonders for inspiration.

I enjoy a few sitcom and drama tv shows. Now, however, I find myself watching way too many cooking shows, something I never thought would happen! I never showed an interest in that until recently. Cooking is really a form of art though. I also started watching some of my favorite tv shows from my childhood. As an adult, I get flooded with memories of watching, yet, horrified at the same time. Some of this stuff was scary, and I'm like "How did you watch this, let alone understand it?" I'm also proud that I still have a perfectly functional Playstation 2, and occasionally break out my vintage childhood games.

For the past year and I have I have been studying Early Childhood Education. Teaching young children is far different from teaching older children. I have also spent my summers working at a local summer camp, and enjoy working with children. My mom calls me the "pied piper" because I can't walk by a child in a shopping cart at a supermarket having a rough time. All I do is smile and wave, maybe say hello, and they look at me and start giggling and kicking in their seats. Their parents turn to me and give me these horrible looks like I'm the devil.

Especially in this day and age, children really need role models and someone they could look up to. Someone to inspire them, not tear them down. The slightest, silliest thing that is often trivial to an adult, can make a kid's day. They might forget it later, but it feels good knowing you helped someone in that moment.

Mark

10/2/2018 01:49:08 pm

I remember gimp! I worked with it quite a bit, made many different things. I even moved beyond four strands and worked with up to 8 strands at one time. I don't recall why I stopped.
There were a lot of scary shows a long time ago on TV. I grew up with some amazingly violent shows also, do you remember The Three Stooges? I watched those shows in black and white, they were pretty old.
Are you a teacher? I work with fifth graders in my church on Sundays. You are so right about kids needing good role models and knowing that they are loved. Even a stranger can express love with a wave and wink. Good on you.
Questions for you.
What inspired you to write these two books?
Can you describe the writing process while working on your two books?
Did you have to change your process from book to book or did it stay the same?

Sarah link

10/3/2018 02:07:22 am

I hope it's okay to do this one in two parts!

I have been doing gimp, friendship bracelets, and god's eye yarn crafts ever since I can remember. Each one is quite different and you can do them in endless different ways. No one project is alike but it takes a ton of time and practice. It can be highly amusing, satisfying, and, frustrating, all at the same time! The most I have done is 20 strands and the result was interesting! My favorite strands range from 3-8. My newest sensation is making them "zig-zag" by alternating different stitching techniques. I also enjoy learning different methods for friendship bracelets. Making your strings long then folding them over once to double them get me the best results. When they naturally (by accident) fall off your wrist, many believe that whatever wish you made when you made it or it was given to you will come true! Not sure how I feel about this, but as a kid, it made me feel better about losing them!

As a 90's kid, I grew up with the original English dubbed Sailor Moon anime. I had all the toys, costumes, and roll-played it constantly as a kid. I was excited to see that it has resurfaced on Hulu and the likes. I was thrown by the anime names because the characters were given names that sounded American when I grew up with it. I am about halfway through the series. There were several plot elements that suddenly made sense to me as an adult, and things I missed all together when I was a kid that shocked me! I rarely cry as a result of movies and tv, and I might have teared up a bit during a few specific things (no spoilers, sorry). I was also a huge fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and dressed up as her for Halloween. Some of it was quite scary to an 8 year old, so my mom had to explain it all. One of these days I will watch it from start to finish! They filmed an episode of "Angel" down the street from where I lived when I was younger, can't quite remember the age. I ran up to Angel and he let me sit on his lap and was a total sweet heart!

My dad is a huge fan of the Three Stooges. I occasionally watched some of it with him. I was amused by it, but I don't think it was my favorite. As long as we are talking about black and whites, my craze was "I love Lucy" I had a ton of videotapes, dolls, books, and photos. I even did an English paper on Lucille Ball in the 8th grade. I also met an amazing impersonator back when they had the museum at Universal Studios Hollywood. As a child, I watched several of my favorite episodes over and over until I could recite the lines when the actors say them or are about to say them in two seconds. That show defined comedy for me and taught me so much.

For comedy, I also liked Brady Bunch. I was also in the room a lot when my mother watched "Friends." My parents also loved watching Tim Allen in Home Improvement. When I hit my teens, I found the reruns and I was occasionally in the room when they were on. This has got to me my favorite 90's sitcom. Every time I watch it, I discover something new about the comedic timing.

I have been fortunate enough to attend audience taping to couple of recent sitcom shows in the past few years. It's a lot of fun to witness the inner workings of your favorite shows.

This is going to make me sound like a total "TV head" but I enjoy other things about life too!

Sarah link

10/3/2018 02:22:16 am

Now onto, teaching and writing!

Mark, I admire you for your work with children. Working with children at any age has a lot of challenges. In the end, teachers make a world of difference. It may not been apparent right away. Children need to trust their teachers and realize that learning is just as important outside of the classroom, as well. I trying to make my interaction with children as fun as it can be because learning doesn't seem so technical. I call this "teach without touching." Let the child discover what they have learned and how they learned it. How is the important word here. All the sudden a child goes, "hey you tricked me!" Me: "No, I don't like to be tricked." Child: "You taught me something when I didn't think I was supposed to be learning!" This was a great moment in my book.

I've done a lot of babysitting, tutoring, and work at summer camp. I would love to work in a pre-school or day care type of setting. I am still working on my teaching credentials, but in a way I feel like I am a type of teacher in a way, because I have worked with children for so long. I guess the question of whether I am a teacher isn't a simple, "yes or no."

What inspired me to write my books?

My first book, "Counting Kitties," was actually my second book. I was in the eighth grade at the time. It was a project for our English class. We were supposedly graded on plot originality, grammar, and reactions to students when we read them to our school's kindergarten classes. I made the pictures out of mixed-media. I used combination of cats from calendars and construction paper mosaic backgrounds. I wanted to do a counting book because it was a requirement that the book have an "educational message."

I did not want it to be a textbook counting endeavor. Instead, I took my favorite animal (cats) to teach the lesson I wanted to teach. I remember the children and the kindergarten teachers giving me helpful feedback and everyone enjoyed it. I knew I should keep it because maybe I'll publish it, someday.

Finally, my process began when I started to look through my childhood project. It was falling apart, faded, and I knew it needed a modern revival. I had to start by editing! There were a few punctuation and spelling typos that I was supposedly graded on! Ok, nope! No notes whatsoever. After that, I started to make a list of ideas I could use for illustrations. There is a difference between something "childish" and "child-like." I wanted my drawings to make a child feel as though they could have drawn it if they wanted to. Illustrations can be done by your own hand, and do not have to be perfectly drawn by a computer. My drawing techniques improved as I practiced. Colored pencils are are amazing and fun!

For my second book, "Kitty's Day of School," pretty much everything changed. I was inspired to write a book about school because there is this open patch of land where I live and leads directly to a school. The street just ends, and was never closed after the houses were not built. Countless cars and children walk alone to and from school. We still have mixed feelings about this, but moving was never in the cards. I also remembered some of my past babysitting experiences, and the children were fearful and petrified of school. It's natural for kids to be fearful, but I was scared the damaged had been caused already because many kids I knew hated school. My school experience had a mix of good things and bad. Some things I did not completely grasp until I was older and reflected on my memories.

For this new book, I had an idea. "School." "What about school?" I had no plot, no guide to reference back to. It was completely my idea, something new and I was petrified with fear and doubt. Things started to come together, but I felt like something was missing.

The drawings were spread on the floor, and it was a jigsaw puzzle that needed to be solved. Finally, I started to outline topics that each picture depicted, and what order I felt like it belonged. Suddenly, my outlining experience from that Lucy report came in handy because the format came flooding back to me and I did a conventional outline for my book. While most authors write and hire an illustrator later, I did most of my pictures first! My pictures told me what to write. My Calico cat, Kitty, nuzzled me, right then I knew I rework my story around Kitty! She's playful and energetic. She's been my best friend for eighteen years!

Children are pressured to get things right the first time. They become scared of failing. I failed Algebra the first time, and I frequently tell people, this is why I write and teach children. Im good at it. Everyone laughs. I had a compassionate teacher, who gave me some great resources and passed with an A. Compassion and teaching techniques makes a difference. Even as adults, we know we make mistakes. I try to grow from them and hope that I become a better person from them. I really want children to grow up knowing that mistakes are a

Mark

10/3/2018 01:00:27 pm

I love what you have done with gimp. I could learn some things from you, no doubt.
Lucille Ball was a genius! Her timing and physical comedy were peerless! I still enjoy her shows.
That is pretty cool about the taping of the Angel show. What a thrilling moment for you!
Tim Allen's Home Improvement was one of the few shows I made an effort to see in the 90s. I laughed a lot and had so much fun. Being in construction and having a nearly 20-year background in retail, it was right up my alley.
Next year, my fifth-graders will move on to Junior High church. I will go to the first or second grade incoming class and stay with those kids, moving up each year with them until they move up to Junior high also.
I think your "teach without touching" is brilliant! I have tried to utilize that concept with my children and grandchildren.
I really enjoyed your story of the process of writing both books! Fear comes into children's lives from so many different angles. Our job as adults is to help them overcome these fears. You have made a great beginning with your books. If children can learn early on that mistakes are a normal part of life, they will have a much better grounding in reality. I believe this is such an important concept.
I love how you switched the process for the "School" book. Pictures first, then prose. So different from what usually happens.
More questions.
Are you working on another book or books? If you are, what can you tell us about them?
Will your next book include cats or will you bring in another animal or animals?
If you weren't writing books for children, what genre would you like to explore?

Sarah link

10/3/2018 08:16:21 pm

Well, this is embarrassing! It was supposed to be to, "Teach without teaching!" Too bad I can't use Grizz to sniff out my typos before I submit! He's awfully cute, by the way!

I never get tired of Home Improvement. It's one of the best sitcoms I have ever seen. I won't tire of it. Every now and then Jill would be upset with Tim, and he would say, "Sugarplum, honey bunch." I love it when shows sneak in those Lucy references. She truly was a genius!

I am so lucky to have seen a taping of an episode of the original Last Man Standing with Tim Allen. So much fun to watch. I'm glad the show is back! I am also fortunate to see "Hot in Cleveland," "Mike and Molly," and, "The Big Bang Theory."

I am so glad that you enjoyed reading about my process. I have been wanting to share it for a while now, but I wasn't sure how it would look! I want aspiring authors or even children who love writing to understand you have to develop a process that works for you. What works for you might not work for someone else, and vice versa. That's okay! Be you. That is what your readers connect with. I'm starting to embrace that and I'm proud of it. Comparing yourself to others, writing or otherwise, never does any good.

Other books! Yikes, here we go!

For the past four summers, I wanted to develop a book around a summer camp. Obviously I was inspired! I have worked bits and pieces on it. I don't think I have writers block because again I tried doing the pictures, but I had "picture block." Maybe, I'll try writing the prose first this time and see if I can get around my funk for that one. In the meantime, I wound up developing, creating, finishing, and, publishing, "Kitty's First Day of School!"

I queried my first writing project about a dog who finds a forever home after escaping from a bad situation. I was inspired by my neighbor at the time who had done this and I decided to come up with "her story." I would love to publish this one as well, but I need lot's of drawing practice before I can tackle that one. This one will always be close to my heart.

I would love to do a science fiction story, if I wasn't writing for children.

Mark

10/3/2018 11:18:31 pm

I certainly agree with you about Home Improvement, such a funny show! I have seen quite a few of the Last Man Standing also, on Hulu. I laughed my head off a couple of times,especially with Jay Leno.
You are right, every person has to find what works for them when writing a book. They have to discover the most effective process, and it's important to experiment with different ideas and methods. Because what works for one style of writing may not work for another.
Those ideas sound like they have lots of potential. I think it's wise to have more than one project also, if one gets stuck then you can work on another and keep the creative juices flowing.
New questions.
Was there a particular moment when you knew you wanted to write for children?
Do you have any advice for the aspiring artist?
What software do you use to write and publish your books?

Sarah link

10/4/2018 02:30:46 am

Publishing my books was always a dream of mine. I knew that if I wanted it badly enough, it would happen. At one point, I was like I needed to make it happen. I couldn't wait any longer. I knew I wanted to write for children because I enjoy working with them, and yes, I even had a story! The question was, how would I do it?

I researched the self publishing learning curves for tons of nights. What options are out there? Personally, I knew right away that I wanted a physical copy. Something I could hold. I tried everything from Lulu, NookPress, Apple's iBook Author (for ebooks only). These softwares are great in my opinion. They weren't ideal for my project. I had to research how to complete some of the formatting steps. Researching isn't always for writing! The process of publishing is important too. Somehow, I got there. I remember saying to myself, "What did I just do!?" I was in a state of complete shock I got it done.

To format my manuscript, I used my computer's built in word processor, "Pages," on my laptop. My mother calls it, "Your silver friend." This might seem like a no-brainer, but it was a piece of advice I had to learn myself through experience. Format your manuscript document the trim size of your book. For example my print book's trim size is 6x9. Originally, I still edited my manuscript with standard 8/1/2 x 11 options. It wasn't my most horrible mistake, but it was the source of a lot of frustration. Once I figured this out, hello! It was pure magic. Things just started happening, and I'm like. "Seriously?" Once I specified these changes, my document shrunk to it's actual size. If I were to hold the physical copy up, the size it would be the same. I saved a template to use with "Kitty's First Day of School." This made things a lot easier, even though it was a lot longer than my first book. I had examples to look at, and I can make everything look more tidy.

My covers were tricky. They also contained hand-done images and I did not have expensive photo processing software at my disposal. Even if I did, I was afraid I wouldn't use it properly. My friend told me about an online service called, "Canva." Again, it was a learning curve, but this is great! If you use Amazon's services, use that built-in "digital book reviewer." You can download a pdf too, but the digital guide shows a lot of technical things that could and do go wrong. Don't underestimate it!

Ultimately, I did not have to buy any software. You don't need all the bells and whistles. You need a quality product that as an author you are proud to have to your name and share it with the world.

For the aspiring artist:

Specifically for Writers:
Know your audience, know your genre. Do you want a physical book, or a digital book? Both?
Do your research. Whether it is topics in your writing, or the process of publishing.
Queried rejections aren't the end of the world. For a while, it does seem like that. It stung for a long time. The letters basically said, "your writing isn't right for us, but you are right for someone. Find that someone and we wish you luck." This is true. I knew in my heart my writing could make a difference. Yours will too! Don't give up
Being an indie author is a choice! Remember what we discussed where we had to find what us right for us as human beings and for our projects? Choosing to be an independent author has its pros and cons depending on your point of view. It is a choice you can and should be proud of!
Yes, we want to write something our audience would want, but at the same time, you have to ask yourself, "What do you want?" If you fixate on writing what people want, your writing becomes less personal and the writing is theirs not yours, at least I feel that way.
Writers Beware - Vanity Presses. Be careful here. Anyone who asks you to pay upfront for their services is a reg flag. I vetted a few of them. They do have a purpose, though, not for what you have in mind.
Pro services aren't obtainable for someone who has no marketing skills or representation. Not true! There are times when skills are essential to a quality product. I hired someone to format my ebooks for me. I thought I couldn't afford it. If you are really struggling financially, talk to many professionals to see if you can make things work. You will be surprised in the best way possible.
You can view other authors as competition or learning opportunities. I have met some great people who were willing to share advice with me. It's worth your time and effort to learn from others and yourself.

For creating in general, how does it make you feel? Hold on to those feelings. You will have days when you feel confident, and days when you don't. The fact that you are creating something has already made you successful. We don't need to define success by having multiple million dollar homes. Ask yourself, what am I bringing to this world? Hold onto that.

Sarah link

10/4/2018 02:54:58 am

I always knew I wanted to write for children, but there was a particular moment when I thought, "Maybe this is more than a dream. Maybe I can make a difference here."

I had just experienced that shock and awe phase, of having my work accepted and my proof was in the mail. I had chills all up my arms and in my legs. Everywhere. I kept whispering things to myself, "What just happened here?"

I had just gotten my author proof of "Counting Kitties." I have had it for maybe two days. The only people who had seen it were myself, pets, and, parents. I threw it in my bag to take to summer camp. I didn't expect to use it, but I wanted to show it some of my colleagues.

It was the end of the summer, and it was one of those really bad heat days. Working with the younger kids, learning just goes out the window when its that hot.

We sat in the shade and I was working with a group of young girls. I was like, "Hey want to read my book?"

Two or three girls excitedly expressed interest and we sat down at a picnic table. There was also this gigantic beach chair that was taller than they were and three of them could fit in it!

I started to read "Counting Kitties" aloud. Two of the girls sat beside me, one on each side of the bench. They repeated the phrases they understood or deciphered from the pages, as they were too young to be formal readers. They started counting.

A few pages in, our little reading group got bigger and bigger. Four kids were squeezing into that chair. They asked if they could flip through the pages to catch up. After that we took turns counting and echoing the rhymes.

At the end of my book, one girl asked if she could hold it. She flipped the cover over. It had a brief biography and photo of me wearing a Christmas hat in front of a giant tree.

Her face went pale, and I knew I was caught!

She said, "Your name is Sarah. This woman looks like you. I mean, you aren't in your camp shirt, and you look pretty, and you are wearing a Christmas hat. Does that mean you like wrote it, then? So you would be the author! When you said 'my book' I thought you meant a book that you owned! You tricked me! This is so cool."

We had just killed a while laughing our tails off with this book, only for them to discover this was "my book" in more ways than one.

A bunch of other girls had to look at my photo to confirm the author theory.

I knew that I had these books in me, because children were proud to read, and that they learned something new. Any chance to inspire children, is an opportunity for learning. It's a fun memory to relive.

Mark

10/4/2018 11:44:41 am

What a great story Sarah! Sharing your book with those young girls at summer camp is so heartwarming! Thank you for relating that pivotal event in your life and theirs! I have no doubt that at least one of those girls was inspired to become an author herself.
Thank you for being so candid in sharing the process you have been through in writing and publishing your books. You have shared so much good information That I am sure many writers will find interesting and inspiring!
New questions.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?
Now that you have a published book, are you writing anything strictly for yourself or are you concentrating on writing for your readers?
What are common traps for beginning writers?

Sarah link

10/5/2018 02:55:07 am

Most valuable advice from another writer... A writer once told me that your passion will find you. You don't need to waste your time searching for it. Your heart will know, and your brain will follow. Once this happens, take that one piece and hold onto it. It will only grow from there.

At the time, I didn't know what to feel about publishing my work, and didn't know writing for children would be my passion. One year later, I managed to get "Counting Kitties" published. Writers should be able to lift and inspire other writers. I hope I can do that for another writer, someday.

Do college essays count as writing things for yourself? I'm up to my whiskers in those! I don't have a personal diary or anything, but I do have a blog I should dust off one of these days. I recently found some projects from my teens on my old desktop computer. Maybe I will revisit those.

Traps for writers - oh man! Maybe I can write a book on all the traps I've fallen into. Not sure if I'm comfortable saying how to get out of them, but I can say how I got out of them.

Writing traps:

It may seem like a no-brainer, but keep track of your characters and key plot elements as you think of them. It's harder than it looks, and I learned this one the hard way. Then again even the best movies and television shows have continuity that escapes their writers, only for people to complain about it online later. Try not to let it happen. If it does, Find and Replace is your friend, and you can revise later. It's not the end of the world. To some it could be. Beware!

Writing and creating in general is a very personal and subjective matter. Try to keep your feedback in perspective. A couple of people might love your work. One plot doesn't sit well with someone, while another person loves it. How do you feel about it? If you need to ask yourself why you are changing something, get an unbiased opinion. It really helps you figure out how you can improve as a human and creator of content.

You know those End User Agreements that are books themselves? Take the time to read them. Watch out for exclusivity that makes you feel uncomfortable. There are pros and cons to this. For me, that wasn't my best option, but it could be for someone else. Consider these options. If you are a traditional author, I would hope that you could ask questions about your contract before you sign. If you are self-publishing, there are many impostor websites that seem legit, but let's face it, they aren't here to sell your books for you. These can be agents, imprints, or publishing houses. Do your research here. Another thing I learned the hard way!

You are only an "aspiring author." This has been quite the discussion topic on Twitter lately. It took me a while to figure this one out too. You don't need a fantasy contract. If you are putting your heart and soul into something, you are a writer or an artist. You don't magically become an author when you are published. It starts way before then.

With all of the books out there, my writing can't make a difference in the world: This is another topic I ponder over frequently. What is your version of success? Millions of dollars and sold books? If your work has inspired someone to follow their own passion, or just make their day a tad brighter in a cruel world, you have already made a difference in the world. Remember that. The smallest things are sometimes the biggest things.

Mark

10/5/2018 12:12:38 pm

Thank you, Sarah. You have distilled a lot of experience into some wonderful wisdom. You have had some hard knocks, it sounds like. But that is how most of us learn in the first few decades of our lives. It's how I have learned a lot, that's for sure. I hope a lot of writers are able to glean a useful nugget or two for themselves.
I agree with your point about when a person is an author. When you are writing a book, articles or anything to benefit, educate, or entertain another person you are an author.
New questions.
Do you have anything you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
Are there any writing styles that you disliked at first but soon came to like?
Have you ever read a book that changed the way you look at writing?

Sarah link

10/6/2018 02:54:39 am

Lucky Charm - I find our family's collection of gemstones to be really inspiring. I have to be near them when I draw. When I write, I have a small polished Amethyst stone in my room on my desk while I'm on the computer. I also have a few lucky necklaces and bracelets I made. I can keep them beside me while I write when I'm not wearing them, and just rub the stones if I need it clear my mind. Sounds silly, but whatever works!

Writing styles - not sure about this one. My preferences depend on what I'm reading or writing. I want to feel like I'm in the book, observing the characters as their actions take place. If I can't imagine it, it's not as fun for me. I like words that flow together easily. If I'm reading a book, I want to be able to understand it. If the syntax, word usage, and grammar bother me more than the plots do, I often wind up not finishing it.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and Maximum Ride by James Patterson. Both of these series were unlike anything I had read before, and any assumptions I had before reading were invalidated pretty quickly. I learned that writing did not and should not have to conform to any standard or practice. Heroes can be anything - human or creature, as can villains. Plot twists can really change everything you know or think you know in a blink of an eye. It's okay for your writing to be different. It's okay to have characters that are different. It's okay for you to be different! Another one, would be Harry Potter by JK Rowling. She also pushed every boundary, and then changed everything. I also learned that it is okay to be inspired by your favorite authors, heroes, and, characters, but you don't need to be the next, "Harry Potter." Write what you feel, write what you love, change those perceptions people have about writing, make something different.

Several of our family copies of the HP books have missing pages. One of these days I will rebuy these and read them, along with Graceling.

Deep dark secret: I actually haven't been inspired by a new book in a very long time. Remember that writing is subjective? Well, I had high hopes that this and this would happen in a book, only to be disappointed with the last few books in a series, and wrote a personal climax and ending for myself. An author should be proud and stand by their work, I support that. People have the right to like a book, and not like a book. Same goes with music, movies, tv, or pretty much anything.

Mark

10/6/2018 01:00:20 pm

There are a few books I never finished also. One was a psychological thriller about a missing child, it was too dark for me. The others were mostly because of the massive quantity of spelling and other errors.
I very much agree with you, I like to feel part of the story. That's why I really enjoy a book written in first person POV, if it's written well. Any sort of ill-defined head-hopping ruins that experience quickly.
A book I remember from many years ago that really surprised me is Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever written by Stephen R. Donaldson. I think it was written in first person, but I am not sure. It surprised and delighted me over and over. I think it's been rewritten since I read it.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Would you agree or disagree with the statement: suffering is a requirement to be a good writer, and why?
Do you ever brainstorm with non-writers and if so, is it effective?

Sarah link

10/7/2018 02:20:27 am

These are more great questions!

98% Percent of the writing I do comes naturally to me and I feel energized or accomplished. Energized is a great way to put it. The other time when I have trouble is often a certain point. Something lacks development and I can't quite put my paws on it why it's bothering me, or what needs to be reinterpreted. My most recent experience with this was whole working on "Kitty's First Day of School." I had quite a bit of the story completed. The sequence and the plot ending didn't sit well with me, and I thought I was never going to figure this out. I remember saying in my head "something needed to happen but what?" I started to feel strained and my ideas felt forced. When this happens you know you need a break. After taking a break for a few weeks, I looked at all the writing I had and took interpretive inspirational notes on all my illustrations in the form of a boring outline format. I wrote a phrase to summarize my writing, then the notes on the drawings. Then I started getting these weird ideas out of the blue. It was like a fill in the blank puzzle. I was like "what if this and this happened, and then this and this?" Suddenly, I felt energized again. I wound up redoing five pictures and another six or seven drawings after that. Then I added changes to my outline and began writing about the new pictures. I didn't force my writing. The book told me what needed to be done and I slowly put the puzzle together. Once I solved the missing pieces the rest of the writing came naturally. It's acceptable to step away from your work. You need to evaluate things constantly, but not so much so that you lose confidence in yourself. Outlining really helped me figure out what needed to happen and the order things should happen. These events changed the entire course of the book. Since I had to redo some things and add quite a few new drawings, I had more work than I intended. In the end, I knew it was all worth it, and I was right. Even when I knew what I was doing, I started to feel like I was "Back at square one" because my "to-do list" piled up again. I chipped away at it one by one. It goes back to what I said about an author being proud of their work. I was more proud of this project and myself for getting it done. It was a crazy, memorable process.

Suffering as a writer, interesting one! I'm not sure if it is a requirement, but I would definitely respect the author and the project more if I knew about the suffering writers endured while working on a project. Not just writing itself, but the process of figuring out what should happen and when, and those pesky doubts on whether or not it's a bunch of "catnip" (since I write about cats) or if it can inspire someone. This can be tiring. I don't want to be judgmental, but if you write without knowing what needs to change or learning anything about yourself in the process, you need to work on your project a bit more first! All these things aren't learned overnight. Once you finish writing, there is that whole publishing process. Whether traditional or independent, your work is never done.

Brainstorming with non writers - Yes, I would say that it can be effective, but you have to work with the right person. I've done it for both public and private things. I think it's important. A friend or family member, maybe? It needs to be a person that will"kick you in the behind," when you genuinely need it, and lift you up when you are in the middle of figuring things out, or just encourage you and help you believe things will "come to." Both sides need to have a high level of trust in the other, or this will not work, and it can even have the opposite effect on your writing and your self-esteem.

Mark

10/7/2018 10:17:22 am

Thank you for sharing that process you went through so openly. The story helped you figure out what really needed to happen. I have heard many writers talk about that.
Trust is important at every level of the story. All the way to the reader. I think some authors are afraid to trust the readers to understand the story. Some authors almost make their existence dependent on reviews, and a bad review sends them into a serious funk. Most of the time, the reviewer didn't really like the story because the story wasn't right for them. This becomes very obvious when one poor review sits opposed to a bunch of good ones. Every book has an audience, and every book has a non-audience. NO book is right for everybody. Then there's trolls and haters. You just have to ignore them and never respond, they crave attention.
Stepping off the soapbox ... new questions.
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?
Do you think reading, watching movies and listening to music help you be a better writer?
Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?

Sarah link

10/8/2018 03:28:34 am

These are awesome questions.
1. Every author wants their work to be liked. However, at some point you have to keep writing, and write what you feel, what you love, and follow those instincts. Like you mentioned earlier, not everyone will like a book. But someone will. Focus on how you feel, not how others are writing, and doing things the way they are. What works for you?

Reading, writing, movies.

This is a real hard one, for me actually! I love reading, writing, music, and, movies. I think they have helped me become a better writer in different ways. I need complete silence when I write, but music is like a "guardian angel," when you lose that objectivity, and you need to regain it. I will play music when I know I need to evaluate a certain part of my writing. Playing music beforehand, but not during, helps me find that missing puzzle piece.
Now when it comes to working on my illustrations, I go batty if it is too quiet, and can't focus on what I'm drawing. It's like the complete opposite of when I'm writing!
Reading - I thought I had to read a bunch of books in my genre before writing. I quickly began to get overwhelmed by all of the offerings out there and thought I wouldn't fit in. But it taught me a valuable lesson: I know who my audience is already, I am proud of my writing, and that it is okay for me and my writing to be different from other people. Saying you like something when you don't because you are afraid does more detriment to you, but it becomes a learning experience. I love reading, but I need to read things in general when I am focusing on other things. Unless, it's for research purposes, I find it distracting. On occasion, I will stumble across old creative writing exercises, and reading those can be inspiring to me and I'm reminded of what made me figure out writing in the first place.

Uh, oh! The egos!

I think big egos are a combination of assets and liability. Unfortunately, I often see people with their ego being an asset or a liability, and it's often obvious which side they fall on. Often, it starts out as an asset that keeps one disciplined, and then it becomes a liability later. Again, no judgement, I don't want to be mean to anyone because really, I don't know these people, and I only have my perceived opinions of them, which is never the whole picture. There were also so many creative people I idolized growing up, only for my opinions to change. No judgement, but I think balance is important. I'm doing my best to keep mine in check! I still have a lot to learn about life, writing, and everything in between. Stay true to who you are.

Mark

10/8/2018 11:39:39 am

Silence when writing and noise when arting! What an interesting dichotomy. You illustrate so well how we humans are made up of so many different pieces. And we are more than the sum of all those pieces. You have found so many ways to stimulate your creativity, to wake your muse, if need be.
I have to agree, balance is necessary when it comes to our egos. We need discipline in so many areas of our lives.
New questions.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer to enhance your career?
Do you subscribe to any magazines, newsletters, blogs or podcasts that enhance your writing career?
What are your favorite reference books for writing?

Sarah link

10/8/2018 11:50:06 pm

Looks like a gremlin was inside my computer. I had my responses all ready to send and something ate them! Lets try it again!

Money/investments:

The best money I have spent so far, was hiring professional services. By the way, I must also applaud you for making your services to accessible to authors, who otherwise might not get the services they need. When I first started out, my friend referred me to one of his friends who owns a web design business. We were able to work something out that I could afford, and I am grateful. That was my first real big expense as a writer. There are a ton of free options available now, but I am glad I hired a professional to do it. The second big investment was hiring a professional ebook formatter. I needed someone who could help me make the online representation of my books become the best they can be. I was on the fence as to whether or not these investments paid off. However, I don't regret spending the money. You just have to consider things carefully, especially when you don't have that much to start with to improve your products.

I don't subscribe to any writing magazines, blogs, or podcasts but I do follow some specific blogs online and chats on Twitter. Author Jessica Reino invented the #thewriterszen, writing Twitter chat and it is full of amazing people, advice, or, just offer encouragement on those days when you need it. Rachel Thompson of @BadRedheadMedia (https://badredheadmedia.com/blog) is another one of the best sources of advice and inspiration on social media. These women are awesome and you should look them up! I just try to soak up their knowledge like a sponge.

When I first started writing, I needed to research what types of beginning and end matter to include, such as copyright. I had a pile of physical books that were in my house on my desk. I kept using several books for references for different portions and it was a good learning experience. I was able to use my own information, but it looked professional. When it came time for the ebooks, I scoured them as well, trying to learn the formatting and how they work. "Counting Kitties," is also a good reference for me. I can analyze the formatting of my new projects better, and refer back to my original project when I get stuck. It feels as though each book is a building block for the next, even if the stories stand alone. The other day, I dusted off my middle school grammar book. It had some college-grade topics in it, and when in doubt this book is like your ally! It also comes in handy on occasion with those pesky essays. Whether blogging, writing for print, ebooks, etc, I think it is a tremendous benefit to see samples of your format before you work on it. It helps more than you could imagine.

Mark

10/9/2018 12:05:12 am

More than one author has said good things about hiring out certain parts of a project. Choosing carefully is so very important. I think you investments paid off, because your books look so good.
I think I already follow both of those women. It's always good to hear a recommend.
Grammar is not the never-ending list of rules so much as it's a collection of agreements with many exceptions and fluid boundaries sometimes. The rules are changing slowly. When I was in high school two spaces were required after every sentence in typing class. Don't do that now, you will be laughed off your horse.
Our time has come to an end for now. I have a new week of promotion starting tomorrow. I have enjoyed our conversation so much, your answers were thoughtful and full of candor.
Until next time, keep on writing.

"Counting Kitties" & "Kitty’s First Day of School" By Sarah Linx

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