Elizabeth Scott's Blog

One Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:19:00 +0000

It's now one week (ONE!) until The Unwritten Rule is in stores! I can't believe it's almost here--I've got my fingers crossed for the book and I just wanted to say Thank You! again to all of your for your support.

And! Speaking of The Unwritten Rule, don't forget that you have until midnight *tonight* to let me know what you'd like to know about how/what/why I wrote The Unwritten Rule for my next readergirlz vlog! The person with the best suggestion wins a copy of Hex Hall AND the YA book of their choice--so head on over here and let me know what you'd like to know!

I've also got some links to share:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Five Things (That You Think When Writing Sequels)

Megan Crane has found The Easy Way To Write Ten Pages Today -- if this doesn't make you laugh, then well....I don't know what will! -- "Arrive at store that sells the jeans you know, via historical trial and error and an unforgiving camera lens, provide the most flattering jeans for what you euphemistically call your "figure." Skulk about, fingering all the skinny jeans and wishing you had the right body to prance around in them--i.e., thighs that are not as wide as the length of your foot. Catch sight of self in mirror and confirm fact that said proportions will never be yours. Veer between righteous celebration of your realness and desperate longing to be transformed into some gazelle-like-creature with tiny thighs."

The problem(s) that can happen when you mix genres -- "Besides, you may well say, there are all sorts of books that have stood between genres and done fantastically well! Twilight (horror and YA), The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (‘literary’ and fantasy), “The Dark Tower (fantasy, western, horror, romance), and all of Neil Gaiman’s books. Right you are, as usual! But again, this is a list of books for which things turned out all right. What about those books -- some of which might be just great -- that stand between genres, but you never heard of them? What happened to those books?..."

One Week!!!!!!!

blogger question, video blog contest, and links

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:02:00 +0000

Thank you all for your lovely comments about the cover of Grace--the designer really did an amazing job! The cover gods are definitely looking out for me, which is very nice indeed!

As some of you may know, Blogger is dropping ftp support for blogs soon--they claim there aren't enough people using it to keep letting it be a feature. And while that may be true, as one of the people who uses ftp, I am not sure what's going to happen to this blog. I checked out blogger migration tool, but it seems to require that my entire site be redirected through blogger's servers, which makes no sense to me because a. 3/4 of the site has nothing to do with blogger and b. blogger has, shall we say, some downtime issues.

Anyone out there using blogger on a multi-page and not all blogger site, and found a way to move your blog without having to name google/blogger as your entire site server??

Moving on, I'm getting ready to do my next Author In Residence video blog for readergirlz, and I'm planning on talking about The Unwritten Rule.

Is there anything specific about the writing of The Unwritten Rule that you'd be interested in hearing about? While I can't talk about anything spoiler related (the ending, etc), anything else is a go. Best suggestion gets a coy of Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall AND any other published and in-print YA book of their choice--I'll take comments about this through TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 9th, at midnight EST, and then the comment/suggestion(s) I like best will win the copy of Hex Hall and the YA book of their choice!

And now for the links:

Maggie Stiefvater on So, YA Literature Is Going Down The Toilet

Agent Jessica Faust on submitting a requested partial and a great introductory post about how to find an agent and/or publisher

The Intern on enchanted instruments...and endings in YA--"It's more satisfying, somehow, to see a magician pull a rabbit out of the hat he's been wearing all along than to see the magician call a herd of purple goats from the enchanted flute that just dropped out of the hatch that just now appeared in the ceiling.

Pimp My Novel on Having What It Takes

Author Jim C. Hines on Why Advances Matter

Genreality on sticking with a project -- "So, whether you’re a young writer, a not so young writer, beginning or experienced, on those days when the book seems too huge and the end too far away, just think about it in chunks." (Great advice!)

Also over at Genreality, a fab post about an author's choices--"Sometimes we concentrate so hard on being writers that we forget that if we want to make a career out of this that we have to be businesspeople too, and that means that we have to make tough choices at times. Sometimes it’s about more than the story. Sometimes it’s about knowing that the choices you make and the path you follow is ultimately your own responsibility."

Agent Jennifer Jackson posts--and breaks down--some more query stats

Turns out, authors have always been worriers

contest winners, links--and Grace cover

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:44:00 +0000

Here are the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest winners--and yes, I did expand the prizes, but after what you all did, how could I not??:

Grand prize: Morgan, who really wowed me with her entry--seriously, I actually said "WOW!" out loud and woke my dog up when I saw it--and you can see it here -- The party is adorable, but what really put Morgan's entry over the top was that she took her efforts out into the real world and documented them. Plus, those t-shirts? LOVE!! (I totally want one!)

Other winners:

2nd place, winning a copy of The Unwritten Rule as well as 10 ARCs and 10 YA paperbacks, is Tricia, who did a ton of stuff, but who got me with a song she wrote about the book (yes, an actual song, how cool is that?) which you can see it on YouTube here

3rd place, winning a copy of The Unwritten Rule as well as 5 YA novels, is being_nikki2, who also did a ton of stuff, but who got me with her collection of The Unwritten Rule shower gel, moisturizer, and etc. that she made for her friends (isn't that so cute?), along with cds she made about the book featuring the following songs: "Avalance" by Marie Digby, "Jump Then Fall" by Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield, "What You Mean To Me" by Christopher Wilde, "I Want You To Want Me" by KSM, ""Bubbly" by Colbie Callait, "Love Song" by Sara Bareillis.

And the other contest winner, who who gets a copy of The Unwritten Rule as well as 3 YA novels, is Addicted Book Reader, who created a gorgeous countdown widget for The Unwritten Rule, but who stole my heart with the bookmarks and magnets she made for the book as well--and is giving away on her blog! I never would have thought about making magnets, but what a super idea! I mean, I don't know about the rest of you, but I put magnets up on my fridge and see them every time I open it--what a unique way to get the word out about the book!

Thank you ALL for your entries, and for spreading the word about The Unwritten Rule--I've got my fingers crossed that it does well when it comes out, and if it does, I know it will all be thanks to YOU!

In other news, I'm pleased to say that I can finally share the cover of Grace, which will be out on September 16th, with you. Here it is:

For a summary of what the book is about, check out my books page

And finally, here are the links:

Pimp My Novel on ISBN numbers--the system behind them and even links to articles about the specific publisher codes that appear in them

Editoral Ass talks about becoming an editor

The Rejectionist offers reassurance and some sensible advice--"Maybe what you need is a break from the internet altogether! Try it!... It's kind of amazing! Freeing! Joyful! Try it for more than seven minutes! Try it for a day!--As someone who won't go online while I'm writing, I can say it is pretty liberating to be offline for at least part of the day.

Tess Gerritsen writes about the Lexile number

Finally, a publicist blogs about why bookstore events are scheduled for authors, as well as why they aren't

last day to enter The Unwritten Rule contest...and two weeks until the book is in stores!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:01:00 +0000

Today, March 2nd, is the last day you have to enter the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest--please make sure you get your entries in by midnight EST tonight! I'll be going through all the entries tomorrow...

And! It's now officially two weeks until The Unwritten Rule is in stores--YAY! If you're looking for a sneak peek, you can find it here.

Moving on, I'm thrilled to say that I'll be taking part in this year's NYC Teen Author Festival--you can find out information about all the events here, and this is what I'll be doing:

Thursday, 3/18 at 10 A.M.:
Authors read to high school students and the public in libraries across the city.

Queens: Broadway Branch, QPL, 40-20 Broadway, Long Island City

Jessica Blank
Sarah Burningham
Heather Duffy-Stone
Marianne Mancusi
Elizabeth Scott

Friday, 3/19 at the Main Branch of the NYPL (at 42nd Street and in the South Court) from 4:15 to 5:00 PM:

The Boy You Can’t Have

featuring:
Susane Colasanti
Elizabeth Eulberg
Robin Palmer
Elizabeth Scott
Melissa Walker
Maryrose Wood

And then, on Sunday, March 21st, there is a HUGE signing (over 70 authors!) at Books of Wonder. The signing starts at 2 P.M. and runs till 6 P.M.

I'll be there the whole time (so come say hello!!), but this is when I'll be signing:

4:15-5:00 P. M.
Diana Peterfreund
Shani Petroff
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Matthue Roth
Marie Rutkoski
Lisa Ann Sandell
Samantha Schutz
Elizabeth Scott
Kieran Scott
Courtney Sheinmel
Sara Shepard
Abby Sher
Jon Skovron

So yes, if you live in/around NYC, I'd love to see you!! (Or even if you don't, the author signing on Sunday--WOW! There are some amazing authors that are going to be there--check out the full list!)

Moving on to links:

Want to win a bunch of free books, including a copy of The Unwritten Rule? Then check out this fab contest run by I Heart Daily!

Yesterday, The New York Times ran an article about e-book pricing -- I should note however, that they claim authors "generally" get a 15% royalty on hardcovers---ha! I can tell you right now that this author has never even *heard* of anyone getting that. Maybe a best-selling author, but your regular author? Nope.

Anyway, the Times also has this nice little graphic that neatly illustrates how publishers (ideally) make money on books.

Two bloggers wrote about this article--Tess Gerritsen and Pimp My Novel--and both posts are very much worth reading.

Agent Jessica Faust has updated her publishing dictionary

hey there, March!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Well, it's March and that means the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest is almost over!! You've got until midnight EST tomorrow, March 2nd, to get your entry in for your chance to win--and see your name in print, get a phone call from me--and get 35 FREE books!!

So all of you who want to enter, now's your chance--just head over here, follow the instructions, and remember, I'm looking for something that makes me go WOW!!

Moving on, I've got some links to share:

Agent Jessica Faust on the importance of being professional --It can be so hard to do, especially when it feels like everything rotten that could possibly happen has happened, or is happening, but, as Jessica says, "So, while it’s understandable that you will, at times, be frustrated, try not to always share it with everyone."

Pimp My Novel on the difference between frontlist and backlist titles--if you want to be in publishing, either as an agent, editor, author, what-have-you, this is the kind of stuff you need to know.

Author Charles Stross on how books are made--if you read only one like today, make it this one, and be sure to check out the production workflow, which is very detailed and covers everything from scheduling to print runs to shipping. In short, if you're looking for how a book goes from manuscript to being an actual book, this is what you want to read.

Excellent post about cover art--"Money disappears very quickly in this industry. Which is where cover art comes in. It is the single most important decision in selling books. The casual customer is led – nearly always, when they don’t know the author – by cover art. It’s the first thing they’ll see. And they buy the book with money, which pays the wages of lots of people. The right cover feeds lots of publishers and authors and keeps people very happy indeed."

Responding to negative feedback--It's quite a long post, but keep an eye out for the part about Alex Scarrow, and how he responded to someone who felt his books were not for them. (I'll give you a hint: he was very, very polite and respectful. In other words, class act all the way!)

Yet another way to trash your writing career--decide you don't need to be edited anymore

Great post over at Genreality about falling into the comparison trap

Finally, with all the back-and-forth that's been going on about e-books, it's important to remember that while sales of e-books *are* growing, they still account for only a tiny percentage of books sold--although, interestingly enough, the number of books (and yes, I mean print books!) bought online is rising. The always wonderful Tess Gerritsen talks about it here

even MORE prizes added to the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:55:00 +0000

Well, the prizes have been upped AGAIN in the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest -- the winner now not only gets her/his name in the acknowledgments of my 2011 Pulse book and a phone call but now also gets 35 young adult novels! (That's right, an extra ten shiny new hardcovers have been added...)

To sum up: your name in a book, a phone call, AND 35 books??? There's only six days left to enter this contest, so what are you waiting for? Head over here, read the rules, and enter!

And don't forget, I'm looking to be blown away! This is the largest contest I've ever run and the winner is going to be the person who does something that makes me say WOW!

And now, today's links:

How millennial are you?

In addition to the quiz above, the Pew Research Center has complied a long and utterly fascinating report about the millennial generation

Agent and author Nathan Bransford wants to know where you go for inspiration -- With well over 100 comments, if you're looking for inspiration, there might be something there that makes you think "Oh! Hey! I could do that and get inspired!"

Editorial Ass on being scooped, or what to do when a book sells that sounds just like your work-in-progress--"At the end of the day, no idea is unique. There are too many people in the world. So hold the bar high in terms of the execution you expect from yourself. And may the best book win."

Agent Jessica Faust answers reader questions

Ever wonder why agents and editors use form rejection letters? This is a great little essay that talks about why

Agent Rachelle Gardner on why agents have submission guidelines

Over at Storytellers Unplugged, How To Start A Novel

Finally, agent Janet Reid on why she rejected fifty queries in a hour and NYT best-selling author Lynn Viehl picks up on some of Janet's reasons and offers some thoughts on how writers can see if their query may get rejected by using what Janet says She also offers writing advice and links about querying as well.

everyone's talking about publicity

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:33:00 +0000

Apparently lots of people are thinking about--and blogging about publicity--this week. Check it out:

Pam Jenoff wonders about how authors should go about getting publicity -- "What works? How much should I do myself, or pay to have done? How much should I rely on outside help and, if so, what kind?

I suspect I’m not alone in my confusion and if I could find the answers, they might be worth more than the remuneration from actual writing. With each book release, I put forth my best efforts, beating the pavement from one bookstore or library event to the next, well or sparsely attended. I shake the trees of my alumni and regional publications, mill the Facebook network and mailing lists. But aside from the time that it takes (a whole third job, it seems on top of the day job and the writing), I’m aware that there is only so much I can do on my own."

Meanwhile, Pimp My Novel points out that while Twitter and Facebook are great, the one thing an author always needs to have is a website

And finally, Justine Lee Musk talks about how authors need to find ways to use social media in ways that make them feel comfortable and how building an author platform isn't a bad thing -- "Here’s the thing. An online author platform is about creating cool content and connecting with people. Does that really sound so horrible? Does that sound like a waste of time?"

Before I move on to the rest of today's links, can I just say that this year's weather is proving to be downright weird? It was almost fifty yesterday and now it's supposed to snow tomorrow! I tell you this: I am NOT looking forward to summer. I suspect it will be day upon day of scorching sunshine, which I'm not a fan of. (Hey, when you're pale, the sun is not your friend. I sometimes feel I've spent my entire life covered in SPF 25-50)

Oh! And there are now only SEVEN days left to enter the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest--so if you're working on something awesome (and I hope you are!) just don't forget to get that entry in!

And now, the rest of today's links:

Agent Jessica Faust has a query recap up -- for those of you looking to learn more about why agents accept or reject queries, these are always good to read

Agent Kristin Nelson has been doing a lot of thinking--and blogging--about e-books and she's got posts up about publishers holding reserves against returns for them and tying bonus clauses into print and e-book sales

If you are a teacher, or are in a book club that reads YA, or even if you and a bunch of friends want to get together and enter, you've still got time to enter the Simon Pulse Call Me contest, where the winner gets free books for their club/classroom/friends AND a call from an author.

Finally, a very lovely and very true blog post (at least in my opinion) on how you know you're a writer--"And I won’t do this because I’m virtuous, or because I have more discipline than someone else, or because I’m better at it than anyone. I’ll do it because I love it, because in spite of the cursing and the whining and the frustrations, it’s the only thing I want to do with my time....Know what I mean? Yeah, I thought so. You’re a writer, too.

don't forget to spread the word about The Unwritten Rule contest, links, and thanks

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +0000

First, I want to thank all of you who commented or sent emails about what happened. My husband's relative is okay--as okay as someone who's had two strokes (turns out it wasn't just one!)--can be. We'll be waiting to hear more, of course, but I really did want to let you know how much your support means. (And my husband has asked me to say it means a lot to him too. He said, "Wow, you know some pretty amazing people!" And you know what? He's right!)

I also want to remind everyone that there's only a little over a week left to the enter the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest and don't forget, I'm really looking for things that makes me go WOW!--and if anyone can do it, I know you can!

Also! Sightings of the paperback of Something, Maybe have been reported and yes, it does have the first two chapters of The Unwritten Rule in it, so if you're looking for a sneak peek...

Finally, my second video blog as Author in Residence at readergirlz is up here, and this month I'm talking about how sometimes you've just got to sit down and write, along with where *and* what inspires me, and why I love reading so much. And hey, if you're looking for a chance to win the paperback of Something, Maybe--no matter where you live--this is where you want to go!

And now, the links:

The Intern offers a list of book marketing do's and don'ts

Thinking getting an agent means you'll automatically be published? Read this.

Agent Jennifer Jackson offers some very interesting query stats

Author April Henry posts about how publishers build buzz and offers a link to what one publisher is doing (Hint: it's a lot!!)

A UK newspaper, The Guardian, asked over twenty writers what their rules for writing are. The result is fascinating and you can read what those writers have to say here and here -- in my opinion this is one of those rare things that deserves to be bookmarked *and* printed out.

Author Pam Jenoff's very inspiring first sale story

Author--and former editor--Laura Anne Gilman on how to wreck your writing career

And! One last bit of news--

I'm thrilled to say I'll be chatting about The Unwritten Rule over at the Simon Pulse PulseIt Board on March 17th from 6-7 PM EST--the PulseIt community and message board are amazing because the whole thing is ONLY open to teenagers AND you get sneak peeks at upcoming books PLUS they even sometimes give away free books (!!!), so if you haven't signed up, you really should! (You can sign up here) I hope to see you all there!

a little out of the ordinary today

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Last night, one of my husband's family members had a stroke. It looks like it was pretty severe, but we're still waiting to hear exactly what's going on.

I was sure I posted a link to something an author wrote about how you can tell if someone is having a stroke years ago, but I can't find the link anywhere. But I did save the information and in light of what's happened, I feel like I should share it.

It can be hard to tell if someone is having a stroke, but if you see someone having:

-- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
--Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
--Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
-- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
-- Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Call 911 right away. Don't hesitate, don't let the other person try and talk you out of it. Just do it.

If the symptoms aren't really clear but you think the person might be having a stroke just:

--Ask the person to smile
--Ask the person to raise both arms
--Ask the person to say something simple (like "I like food.")

If the person has problems doing ANY of these things, call 911 right away.

After what's happened, I feel like I need to share this. Thank you for reading it.

And although I admit my mind is elsewhere now, I do have some links to share and well--I like sharing them with you and it's nice to do something that makes me smile. So here they are!

Now, I admit, I think Melissa de la Cruz is just about one of the most awesome people ever, but this blog entry about writing--which covers just about everything you can think of-- really is fantastic, and inspiring to boot.

Agent and author Nathan Bransford wants to know what keeps you writing--with well over 200 comments, there's a lot read here!

Genereality on dealing with rejection

Agent Rachelle Gardner has a great post about facing challenges -- "Those hard moments, the ones when you wonder why you're doing it, the moments when you think you want to give up... Those moments are when you prove to yourself who you are and what you're made of. Those are the moments that separate the men from the boys, the writers from the wannabes. They are your moments of truth."

Great look at what an editor does from Alvina Ling, a long-time editor at Little, Brown--not only is the post itself fantastic, there's links in it where you can read even more about what she does. Definitely worth checking out!

letters and links

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:01:00 +0000

I've been getting a lot of letters--actual letters--from fabulous readers like you lately, but there's a problem. No one's sending along a self-addressed and stamped envelope so I can reply to you! I've updated the info about getting a bookplate or sending me a letter to show that (And for those of you waiting for bookplates--I'm sorry I'm so behind and I promise I'm going to get to them as soon as I can)

Also! Don't forget to keep those entries for the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest coming -- and here's a few more little things you can use in the contest if you'd like:

pic to use on facebook:

pic to use on twitter:

And to answer a few questions I've gotten about the contest:

Yes, the contest is open to everyone now and yes, there are prizes for people who live overseas!

Yes, you can enter as many times as you want, but please, please don't just tweet about the book and contest constantly--I'm not looking for quantity here, I'm looking for quality.

Yes, please feel free to post pictures of you ordering the book at your favorite local bookstore or if your library has a display about my books and you helped with it or suggested it or etc. Basically, whatever you chose to do out there in the world, please document it!

I adore everything you're all doing online, but don't forget the real world too (and there's more suggestions for things you can do offline over where you enter the contest)

Okay, I think that's it, but let me know if you have any other questions.

And now it's link time....

Agent Jessica Faust on formatting guidelines and the importance of learning about the industry

Great post over at Genreality about luck -- not something you see talked about a lot, but it does play a role, so be sure to check out the post!

Editorial Ass talks about hope for debut authors and links to Marie Mockett's incredibly thoughtful and honest blog post about being a debut author -- "it’s healthy for writers to understand and be in control of their careers." If you read only one link today, make it Marie's outstanding post.

A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy on why librarians shouldn't add ARCs to their libraries and why bloggers should not donate them or sell ARCs There's also a very nice collection of links with more information about ARCs and what they are/how to use them/what to do with them

The Intern wants you to know that you shouldn't randomly ask publishers for advice

Agent Rachelle Gardner writes about why she says no to manuscripts she's requested and talks about her typical day

Five tips for those who want to be book bloggers (I think some of the tips are great ideas for established book bloggers as well)

Don't forget the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest (now with even more prizes! Plus prizes for people who live outside the US!!!)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:06:00 +0000

Don't forget to enter the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest!

Here's a quick recap:

I'll be giving away fifteen (yes, 15!) ARCs to one lucky US resident. Oh, AND your name will be mentioned in the acknowledgments of my 2011 book with Simon Pulse AND--if you want--you'll get a phone call from yours truly!

AND!! As of now, you'll also get TWENTY hardcover young adult novels as well--which means you could win THIRTY-FIVE books.

35!

BUT WAIT!!

Now I'll also be giving out not one, not two, but THREE ARCs of The Unwritten Rule, and everyone is eligible to win those, no matter where you live!

How do you enter?

Simple:

Tell people about The Unwritten Rule

How can you do that? Lots of ways!

Like:

--post the book cover and summary on your blog and let the world know you can't wait to read it! (you can get a copy of the book cover in small, medium, or large, and the summary is here)

-- post the book cover and summary on fb/myspace and let the world know you can't wait to read it!

--if you're read an ARC of the book, post a review on your blog and goodreads, librarything, etc.

--put the book cover up and/or say you're waiting for it, etc. in your facebook/myspace status

-- tell your friends to read my books or better yet, go and get them to pre-order The Unwritten Rule at your local bookstore (a pic of this would be SO amazing!!)

-- make a countdown widget for The Unwritten Rule and put it up on your blog! (or if you don't know how to/don't want to make one, you can use the one that's here)

--tweet about The Unwritten Rule (and yes, you can do this more than once, but don't tweet about it, like, a hundred times a day. Or even more than once every few days. In other words, tweeting isn't going to impress me nearly as much as doing other stuff, so don't go overboard with it)

--whatever other ways you can think of to get the word out and get people excited for The Unwritten Rule-- (create a petition to have me visit your school/library/fave bookstore to talk about the book/or do a signing/get your local library/school library to order a copy)

--use your imagination and go for it!(eta: and yes, links to pictures of what you've done are totally welcome!!)

Then, just tell me what you did in a comment and provide a link/links to what you've done. Also! Please post your email address so I can contact you if you win. Finally, please note that this blog entry* is the *only* place you can enter--no email entries, nothing through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.

Since this is a pretty big contest, I'm going to leave it open from today, February 9th through midnight EST on Tuesday, March 2th. (if you get a note saying your comment will need to be moderated don't worry--I *will* approve it!!)

Also, don't forget to be creative--I'd love to see someone organize a group bookstore visit to pre-order copies of the book. I love that you are mentioning the book on your blogs and all those other things, but there's plenty of real world stuff you can do too, so don't forget about that!

And that's it! I can't wait to see what you all do--I know you'll amaze me--and THANK YOU for helping to spread the word about The Unwritten Rule

*For those of you with feeds that strip out links, you leave your comment with what you've done to help spread the word here: http://elizabethwrites.com/blog/2010/02/spread-word-about-unwritten-rule-and.php

And I've also got a bunch of links to share (I know, the surprise!!):

A blogger asks about the importance of getting review copies

Pimp My Novel answers reader questions -- I love his definition of midlist authors. LOVE!!

Some advice on how to have a successful reading

Agent Jessica Faust on hearing you're the "wrong genre"

Jeff VanderMeer has an interesting post about letting go of things you feel you must have in order to write

Agent Rachelle Gardner makes some very good points about writing and money

Thoughts on writing and dreams

Salon's Laura Miller is not a fan of book trailers

Agent Kristin Nelson on why some publishers are planning to stop making ARCs

Publishers Weekly has a nice report on the PEN American Center’s Children’s Book Committee panel “Crafting a Career as a Children’s or Young Adult Author—Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow"

The Intern on why it takes so long to publish a book

Editorial Anonymous also has more answers to reader questions

Interesting post about mistakes authors make on Goodreads (and Facebook)

The Unwritten Rule countdown widget!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:08:00 +0000

Wow, I mention wanting a widget and you all just spring right into action! (And that's why YOU are so amazing!)

Anyway, here's a countdown widget--feel free to put it up on your site, or if you've already made one, keep using that--I just love knowing that you all are so sweet! (This is the first countdown widget I've ever had and it means a lot to me. And having readers make them? Even better!)

Anyway!

And here is the code for it:

All you have to do is copy and past the code from the little box and bam! A countdown for The Unwritten Rule

Thank you again, everyone!

more snow. and links.

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Apparently all my complaints about it being seventy in November or whenever that was have been heard because we're now getting even *more* snow. We actually have so much now I can't see out of most of our front windows, although, as I type this, I can see that it's snowing so hard that the snow is coming down sideways. (Yikes!)

Just a few things about the Spread The Word About The Unwritten Rule contest (the contest info post has also been edited to reflect this stuff:

1. Please don't tweet about The Unwritten Rule constantly. I'm serious about this.

2. Links to pictures of things you've done are definitely welcome!

3. Don't forget to be creative--I'd love a countdown widget. I'd love to see someone organize a group bookstore visit to pre-order copies of the book. I love that you are mentioning the book on your blogs and all those other things, but there's plenty of real world stuff you can do too, so don't forget about that!

Moving on to the links:

Some good questions to ask when you get "the call" from an agent -- and I would add, if you at all can, meet the agent in person.

Here's one thing you never EVER want to do to an agent: just show up at their office. As Nathan Bransford explains in the linked post about this: "Now, let me be clear: I'm sure this person was just trying to show initiative, probably lives in the area or happened to be here on vacation and was thinking, "Hey, what the heck I'll stop by and maybe make a personal connection." I'm sure it was all completely well-intentioned. But this is not like other businesses - we don't take drop-in appointments...Save yourself a trip - just send me a query. If I love your work there will be more than enough time to meet in person."

Sarah Monette on writing the ending of a novel

Agent Jessica Faust on why there are no absolutes in publishing

The Intern sits in on another editorial meeting

Some tips on how to write when you have no time to write

spread the word about The Unwritten Rule and win books and MORE!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:40:00 +0000

So it's about to snow here (again), and I'm super nervous about things, and I thought--you know what will cheer me up?

A contest!

So...

I'll be giving away fifteen (yes, 15!) ARCs* to one lucky US resident.** Oh, AND your name will be mentioned in the acknowledgments of my 2011 book with Simon Pulse AND--if you want--you'll get a phone call from yours truly!

AND!! As of now, you'll also get TWENTY hardcover young adult novels as well--which means you could win THIRTY-FIVE books.

35!

BUT WAIT!!

Now I'll also be giving out not one, not two, but THREE ARCs of The Unwritten Rule, and everyone is eligible to win those, no matter where you live!

How do you enter?

Simple:

Tell people about The Unwritten Rule

How can you do that? Lots of ways!

Like:

--post the book cover and summary on your blog and let the world know you can't wait to read it! (you can get a copy of the book cover in small, medium, or large, and the summary is here)

-- post the book cover and summary on fb/myspace and let the world know you can't wait to read it!

--tweet about The Unwritten Rule (and yes, you can do this more than once, but don't tweet about it, like, a hundred times a day. Or even more than once every few days. In other words, tweeting isn't going to impress me nearly as much as doing other stuff, so don't go overboard with it)

--if you're read an ARC of the book, post a review on your blog and goodreads, librarything, etc.

--put the book cover up and/or say you're waiting for it, etc. in your facebook/myspace status

-- tell your friends to read my books or better yet, go and get them to pre-order The Unwritten Rule at your local bookstore (a pic of this would be SO amazing!!)

-- make a countdown widget for The Unwritten Rule and put it up on your blog! (or if you don't know how to/don't want to make one, you can use the one that's here)

--whatever other ways you can think of to get the word out and get people excited for The Unwritten Rule-- (create a petition to have me visit your school/library/fave bookstore to talk about the book/or do a signing/get your local library/school library to order a copy)

--use your imagination and go for it!(eta: and yes, links to pictures of what you've done are totally welcome!!)

--remember that I'm going to be the most blown away by something that's super amazing--that makes me go WOW! So think quality, not quantity :-)

Then, just tell me what you did in a comment and provide a link/links to what you've done. Also! Please post your email address so I can contact you if you win. Finally, please note this this the *only* place you can enter--no email entries, nothing through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.

Since this is a pretty big contest, I'm going to leave it open from today, February 9th through midnight EST on Tuesday, March 2th. (if you get a note saying your comment will need to be moderated don't worry--I *will* approve it!!)

Also, don't forget to be creative--I'd love to see someone organize a group bookstore visit to pre-order copies of the book. I love that you are mentioning the book on your blogs and all those other things, but there's plenty of real world stuff you can do too, so don't forget about that!

And that's it! I can't wait to see what you all do--I know you'll amaze me--and THANK YOU for helping to spread the word about The Unwritten Rule

*The ARCs:
**(Shipping twenty-five books overseas would bankrupt me! As would the phone call--sorry!) But that is why I'm now giving away three ARCs of The Unwritten Rule as well!

hello, snow!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:03:00 +0000

I would tell you about all the amazing things I did this weekend except that--well, we got about 30 inches of snow here and, therefore, I spent the weekend indoors. Now, granted, I spend a lot of time indoors, but there's something about being in the house and knowing you can't leave that makes you (or at least me) suddenly desperate to get out! I have my fingers crossed for a dig-out today, so we'll see...

In the meantime, loads of links to share:

Are you a teen who blogs? If you are, apparently you're a rarity

Agent Jessica Faust on being a teenager and querying agents/getting published and trusting your gut instincts when it comes to agents -- I especially like the second post, as when I left my first agent, I wondered if I'd ever find another one, but everything in me was screaming "Go! GO!"--and you know what? I left, and it was one of the best choices I've ever made.

Pimp My Novel offers Good Idea/Bad Idea, or things writers and authors really should--and shouldn't--do

Author April Henry talks about life as a full-time writer

Author Catherynne Valente has a fascinating blog post up about publishing and self-publishing via e-book -- It's a long post, but very much worth reading.

Author Jay Lake writes about why he won't stop working with publishers

Agent and author Nathan Bransford has some tips for making the most of your book marketing time as well as a nice roundup of what happened last week in the publishing world (short answer: a lot!!)

Must-read blog post by CJ Cherryh, who's been a published author for 35(!) years, on how publishing has changed. An amazing look back at how publishing was in the 1970s, 80s, etc--don't miss out on reading this one!

Editorial Anonymous points out that editors can't--and shouldn't have to--fix everything that's wrong with a book. There's also discussion of what things can make a book impossible to edit and this: "One of the misconceptions editors meet most often among non-editors is that we can fix anything. No, we can't. We don't have superpowers. Our ability to make anything better depends on our ability to convey to the author what's working and what's not working and why, and the author's ability to apply that knowledge. In order to edit anything, it has to be the author who fixes things, not us.

Author Joshua Palmatier on looking at a project and realizing you have to start all over again

links! and my boots. (don't worry, you'll see...)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:20:00 +0000

I lost my car keys (I know, I should just wear them around my neck or something!) again this morning. I looked in my purse, of course, and then checked the car (I figured that, knowing me, I could have left them in there) and then the fridge (remember when I found my snake ring in there?!).

No luck. So I check my jacket and then the jeans I was wearing yesterday and then--then I found my keys. In my boots.

Yes, apparently my brain decided an excellent place to store my car keys were in my right boot! Thank you, brain....(SIGH)

Before I head off to try and not misplace anything today, I've got some links:

Agent Jessica Faust on how It's Not All About You and a truly outstanding post about writers and revision

Ellen Hopkins asks What Is A Book Worth? -- As usual, it's a wonderfully articulate and smart post

Nathan Bransford asked how much e-books should cost (And the poll results, if you just want to see those, are here)

Bob Mayer on the importance of passion when writing

Agent Rachelle Gardner shares ten things she and various other agents DON'T want to see in queries

Thoughts on the "rules" of writing

interview with Suzanne Young!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:45:00 +0000

The Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit (GCC) is a webring of YA novelists, and I'm happy to be new member of it because I get to talk to other YA authors about their books--which, well, how awesome is that? (And I think we all know how much I love YA!)

Today, I was lucky enough to interview Suzanne Young about her new book, The Naughty List!

Me: Tell us about your book in ten words or less!

Suzanne: Group of cheerleaders who investigate cheating boyfriends. (quick comment from me--how awesome is that?? And there's even a website for the book, which is the first in a series, here)

Me: What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Suzanne: I’m a big fan of “Keep Writing.” If I would have stuck with my first book, I’d still be waiting. The Naughty List was my fifth book. And my latest sale—my 12th book.

Me: What do you wish you'd known about being published before your first book came out?

Suzanne: I wish I’d practiced in the mirror more. I’m about to go do my first reading—and I’m terrified!! What if I have a weird twitch that I’ve never noticed before?

Me: What's the last book you read that you loved so much you had to tell everyone about it?

Suzanne: I really loved Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder. Oh, and Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles!

Me: What blogs do you *have* to read?

Suzanne: Most of my mornings are spent reading blogs! How to pick a favorite— well,I always check the Tenners on LJ and Alice Pope’s CWIM. Also, I have my friends all listed on my blog, so I stalk them daily.

Me: Random Bonus Question: What's your favorite salad dressing?

Suzanne: Pesto Ranch from The Spaghetti Factory. Mm…. spaghetti.

--

Isn't she great? Don't forget to check out The Naughty List and congrats to Suzanne for her latest sale, a novel called A Need So Beautiful, where a seventeen-year old finds out that by doing the good deeds that her body makes her, she will disappear into the Light and be forgotten -- but by fighting "the Need," what might happen could be even worse...

--

PS Is anyone else having awful problems with Blogger and ftp? I know they are getting rid of it, but for those of us who haven't moved yet, can't they give us the time they said they would???

links! and what shows are you watching? and what prizes do you want?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:25:00 +0000

Our DVR is currently just about ready to blow up--I've been recording some new shows lately, and my favorite is Life Unexpected. Anything new or new-ish that you think I should know about or check out?

The winner of the suggestions for my next readergirlz post is Haley, and this time around, and I'll keep you all posted as to when it's going up. Also! Any ideas for what you'd like the contest that goes along with my next readergirlz video are welcome...

Moving on to the links:

Agent Jessica Faust has a very interesting look at the economy and agents

Nice post about rejection and how to deal with it here

How did people get an agent before the Internet? Read April Henry's How I Got My Agent story and find out!

The Rejectionist on the perils of working for a bad agent

Justin Musk offers some ideas on how to create compelling characters

Finally, if there's only one link you decide to check out, make it this one: Micol Ostow on writing and insecurity

want to win a signed ARC of The Unwritten Rule?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:58:00 +0000

If you're interested in winning a signed ARC of The Unwritten Rule, you'll want to check this contest out:

My name is Katy*, and I run the Elizabeth Scott Fans! groups on Facebook and Goodreads, as well as the new and improved fan site: elizabethscottfans.tumblr.com

Right now, I'm having a contest to win a signed ARC of Elizabeth’s upcoming book, The Unwritten Rule.

Here's how to enter:

1. Join tumblr and then follow Elizabeth Scott Fans! on tumblr

2. You get 1 entry for that, and then you can get an additional +1 entry for each review you write of one of Elizabeth's books and then post to Amazon or B&N.com.

3. Make sure you note that you're following the tumblr fan site and/or list where your reviews are (and what name you wrote them under) along with an email address where you can be reached here

Please note that entries will ONLY be accepted at Katy's site--not anywhere else!

The contest is open to US residents only and ends at midnight EST this Friday, February 5th. After that, one winner will be chosen based on the number of entries and that person will get the ARC!

*Katy is amazing--and I just want to thank her for being so supportive of my books and for running this fab contest!

WOW! Awesome The Unwritten Rule news!!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:20:00 +0000

I just found out from my editor that The Unwritten Rule is going be out before April 6th--in fact, it's going to be in stores on March 16th!!

I'm super excited about this, because a. The Unwritten Rule is going to be out sooner, which makes me happy because I can't wait for you all to read it! and b. Wal-Mart is going to carry the book and it's going to be in way more stores than Something, Maybe was AND they are going to carry the paperback of Something, Maybe too (which will be out on Feb 23rd--and yes, will have a sneak peek of The Unwritten Rule)

One last thing--since I'm in a really good mood, I want to sweeten the winnings for whoever gives the best suggestion for what my next readergirlz blog post should be about. In addition to Fallen, the winner will now get that and not one but TWO other published YA books of their choice. So come tell me what you think I should talk about for readergirlz! You've got until Sunday....

don't forget about the free books...or yes, I am giving some away! (I know, the shock, right?)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:02:00 +0000

Just a reminder that, as part of my first readergirlz videoblog, there's a free book contest going on--and if you want to enter, there's still time.

Also! Anything you'd all like me to talk about next month? Best suggestion gets a copy of Lauren Kate's New York Times Bestseller Fallen (and did you see the all ads for it on the CW last week during The Vampire Diaries??? Wow!)

(Edited to add: and now, not only will you get a copy of Fallen, but you'll also get to pick two published YA novels you want--and get them too!)

Anyway, for your chance to win the copy of Fallen, just leave your suggestion for what my next redergirlz blog should be by--well, since this is Thursday, let's say you've got until midnight EST on Sunday, January 31st, and the suggestion I like most gets the book. (And yes, the contest is open to everyone, even non-US residents)

I know I've already said this, but I do want to thank all of you once more for all your support about the whole piracy thing. I really appreciate it, and yes, I meant every word I said! (Especially about how you are all the BEST!) Oh, and again, for those of you overseas who can't find my books--I highly suggest you check out The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.com/) -- not only are their prices great, they have free shipping everywhere, which makes it an amazing deal and a great way to get books you can't find elsewhere. (I'm currently waiting for two UK YAs: Sarra Manning's latest, Nobody's Girl, and Saci Lloyd's The Carbon Diaries 2017, to come)

And now we move on to the links:

The first is a repost of one I put up on Monday, but forgot to actually include the link (thanks, Ben, for the heads up!)--a guest blog over at Nathan Bransford's about trying to get published (again)--and yes, it is depressing, but I think very much worth reading.

I found this absolutely fascinating: An interview with someone who not only downloads books illegally, but who also scans in and uploads books for other people to steal--check out Confessions of A Book Pirate

Author Lilith Saintcrow points out that editors aren't your enemies--"I see a lot of new writers (and a lot of unpublished writers) operating under the unconscious assumption that the editor is an enemy at worst, a suspect ally at best, and someone to be on guard against. I’ve had one or two nasty revenge-editors, but those are the exceptions. The overwhelming rule is that editors are your friend. They believe in your book. They fight for it in acquisition meetings, they twist arms to get marketing money, they work and agonize over polishing it until it’s as good as it can be. The editor wants what you want: a successful book that earns money. Their energies are concentrated to that end. You are a fool if you don’t realize that and make it as easy as possible for them to be your advocate."

Jessica Faust has a great post on agent response time

Over at the Amazon book blog, Omnivoracious, there's a list of their top eight YA authors of the last decade. (Make sure to check out author number 2, and see who is listed under "paved the way for"---talk about an honor!!)

Maybe writer's block isn't such a bad thing...

Pimp My Novel on PSA, or Per Store Average--yet another great look into an very seldom discussed aspect of publishing. Also, there's a good--but scary--post about the future of Borders

Agent and soon-to-be-author Nathan Bransford wants to know how you got the idea for what you're working on now --There's loads of comments, of course, and interesting stuff about inspiration and how it works, not just for Nathan, but for others too.

Finally, I'm so glad to see that this so-rarely addressed subject has gotten some more attention: Agent Rachelle Gardner writes about what you need to do if you want to work in publishing She also has a post about becoming an agent as well.

Don't forget get to visit readergirlz for your chance to win a free book, and don't forget to let me know what you'd like my next blog for them to be about--that copy of Fallen could be yours....

weekend and links

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:45:00 +0000

My husband, being the amazing guy that he is, took me out of town this weekend because he thought I needed to relax and he was right! One of the weirder things about working at home is that your house becomes your office. So, in a sense, you are always at work--if nothing else, you're always carrying around your story in your head. It was nice to just have it in my head this weekend and not everywhere I looked!

I also have to say Thank You! to you all for your super wonderful comments on my readergirlz videoblog--there's still time to watch and comment, so if you're interested in winning one my books (your choice!) head on over there. You should also check out the rest of what readergirlz has to offer: there's a recap of ALA, cover stories, and reader reviews--in short, fun!!

Here are today's links:

Author Kiersten White on the process of submitting a book to publishers -- As someone who has had books turned down (is there an author out there who hasn't??), let me say Kiersten really nails the worry that we (or at least she and I!) go through whenever a book goes out.

Something I'm going to try and keep in mind: The Writer's Weekend, or the importance of not working all the time.

Two guest blogs over at Nathan Bransford's blog: one about trying to get published (again) , which is depressing but worth reading, and writers and "but"

Editorial Anonymous on How To Complain About Your Publisher in Public--I think the answer to this one is pretty obvious, but in addition to answering that question, she also tackles some others that have been raised recently.

Elizabeth Bear on writing, deadlines, and needing money and healthcare--a problem all too many authors face

your questions answered--and free books!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:08:00 +0000

I'm so happy to say my first official author-in-residence* post is up at the readergirlz blog--YAY!! I had planned on answering fifteen of your questions, but the video ended up being super long, so I had to cut it down to five--but if you're interested in seeing my workspace, hearing about my writing rituals, learning about my writing "process," watch me discuss the best--and worst--reviews I've ever gotten and talk about why the concept of loss seems to figure into so much of my work, then head on over here.

Also! At the readergirlz blog, you can find out how to win a signed copy of any of my published books (hint: it's super easy--you all know how I am about contests!!)

Okay, on to the links:

Agent Kristin Nelson talks about what happened during the two-page writing workshop (see yesterday's entry for a link about the workshop itself)

If you read only one link today, make it this one: Cherie Priest's outstanding post on what an author can--and can't control. She also touches briefly, and very sensibly, on book piracy

The Intern is back with more reasons why you *don't* want to be published

Justine Musk on the importance of practice

* I will never, ever get tired of typing that! I grin every time I do! (How could I not??)

thank you

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:40:00 +0000

I want to thank all of you who commented, sent emails, sent me tweets, dropped me a note on facebook, and so on, about what I said yesterday regarding my books and what happens to me when they are downloaded illegally.

And yes, I did mean what I said when I offered help--if you need it, let me know.

Also, I do know that this is a big deal for a lot of you overseas, where finding my books can be very hard. I stumbled across a site a few months ago that will most definitely be of interest to you! It's called The Book Depository, and you can find it here: http://www.bookdepository.com/

Not only do they have just about every book you can think of at great prices--including all of mine!--they will ship anywhere in the world for free. That's right. For FREE. I use them all the time to get my YA UK book fix. And my Australian YA book fix. And my general overseas fiction that isn't out here in the US fix. (What? You all know I like books!! And how can I not get say, Sarra Manning's new YA, Nobody's Girl, as soon as it comes out which is--oooh! Now! Guess what I'll be doing after I write up this blog post..)

Anyway! Thank you all so much for your support. I know I always say you're all the best, but it's because you ARE!

Before I move on to the links, I also have to send a huge shout-out of thanks to librarians, not just because of their overall awesomeness, but because Love You Hate You Miss You was named one of YALSA's 2010 Best Books for Young Adults and Living Dead Girl was named a 2010 Popular Paperback *and* an Amazing Audiobook. WOW!

Oh, and I did get the video blog edited, and I will let you know as soon as it goes up on readergirlz!

Links:

James Patterson is one of the authors who is, quite frankly, keeping publishing afloat these days and this is an excellent, in-depth piece about him from The New York Times

Pimp My Novel talks about the article and Patterson here--"In short: writing is art, ladies and gents, but if you want to make a living doing it, it is also necessarily a business. Be relentless. Take an active interest in the advertising, sales, and marketing aspects of your book(s)."

Bob Meyer on writers and fear -- "Fear of change...I have found the greatest impediment to getting published for writers is that they are unwilling to learn and change what they are doing. They swap deck chairs on the Titanic, rather than dare to change."

Agent Kristin Nelson on giving two-page read workshops which sound painful but also very useful -- "This is the class where participants bring the opening 2 pages of their manuscript. We pretend that we are sitting in our office reading the slush pile. If we would have stopped reading, we say “stop” and then we explain why."

Agent Rachelle Gardner has some great tips for how to use email professionally, and The Rejectionist wants you to know that there is a place for your novel's summary--and it's not the subject line of your email

Finally Agent Jessica Faust on rewriting and including poetry and music in novels

I forgot!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth Scott) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:27:00 +0000

I was so nervous about making the video blog yesterday that I forgot to say that it seems pretty clear that everyone wants a release day chat and YAY!

I'd so much rather talk to all of you when the book comes out than make a trailer and you know I'm going to run contests anyway so this way it's the best of both worlds! (Sneak chat peak: I'll be revealing not one, but TWO huge secrets, so it's going to be fun!!)

I have to edit the video blog (you all asked so many great questions that the video ended up being thirty minutes (!!) so I have to cut it down so it's, you know, not quite so long! But if there is interest--although half an hour of me is um, a lot!--let me know and I'll see what I can do about getting the whole thing up at some point later this year)

Before editing, a few links and one request:

It's time for Operation Teen Book Drop, which is sponsored by readergirlz, and will take place on April 15th. As usual, I'll be dropping some books around the DC area. If you have any places around DC/MD/VA where you'd like to find some young adult novels, let me know!

Outlining for Non-Outliners: An Outline-- with a title like that, you know it's going to be funny, and it is, but be sure to check out 20. because I think it's so, so true.

Hey, how about some rules for writing for children...from 1954? Funny and actually kind of scary because um, wow--well, you'll see if you read.

Tess Geritsen talks about book piracy, or downloading a book for free -- Since it's Tess, it's obviously worth reading.

And now here's the request:

I went to the site Tess mentioned in her post and looked to see if any of my books were up there.

I'll be honest, I didn't think there would be.

But there were. There were a lot of them. And I appreciate that you all want to read my books and I know that hardcovers aren't cheap but look, here's the truth:

I'm not a bestseller. I don't hit the Times list, I don't hit any lists, and therefore, I don't have the kind of protection that those sort of sales provide.

To be blunt, if I don't sell books, my publishers won't buy more from me. I have to make them money. I HAVE to.

So when you download a free book, it's free for you and I get that you like free, I do. But if you want more books from me, downloading one of my books isn't the way to do it. Publishers want authors who make money. If I don't, that's it. No more Elizabeth Scott books ever. EVER.

So, please, before you download one of my books for free think about going to the library or write to me.

In short, I need your help, and I will help you if you need it, because I--well, this is my job on the line. And I like my job.

Thanks for reading this.