YA Guy Answers Questions... from Students!

One of YA Guy's favorite things about writing for young people is that I get to visit schools. The energy and enthusiasm students show are truly amazing--and the questions they ask about my novels and the writing process are great. To give you a sample of what I mean, here are some questions that I received from eighth grade students at a recent school visit, along with my answers.

Michael: Did you ever test your writing on your own children?

Me: As a matter of fact, yes! My daughter was my first reader for SURVIVAL COLONY 9 when she was twelve years old (she's now eighteen and about to go to college). I'd written a single chapter and wanted to see if it was any good, so I asked her to look it over. Fortunately, she gave it the thumbs up!

Conner: What were some of the main changes you made in the draft of SURVIVAL COLONY 9?

Me: One of the biggest changes was that I removed a chapter that included a lot of backstory about the world, the wars, the coming of the Skaldi, and so on. It was too much information all at once, and it slowed down the story. So I took tiny parts of it and included them in the chapter where Querry and Korah talk by the pool, and I sprinkled some other parts throughout the sequel, SCAVENGER OF SOULS. If, as I'm currently planning, I publish a prequel, some of the information will find its way in there too!

Brittany: Were any of the characters inspired by real people?

Me: Most of them were, in one way or another. But in particular, I think the character of Laman was inspired by my own father, who's a great guy but (as is sometimes the case with fathers and sons) who sometimes rubs me the wrong way. The scene in which Querry and Laman play catch was definitely modeled on my own life--because the one thing my dad and I can always talk about without risking an argument is baseball.

Alex: Is writing your full-time job?

Me: I wish! Like many writers--maybe most writers--I have a full-time job that pays the bills, and then I write whenever I can. Balancing the two can be difficult, because writing takes so much time. But luckily, I'm a teacher, so I do get summers off!

Abbey: What's the favorite book that you've written?

Me: I'm tempted to say "all of them," but the reality is, one of the books I really, really love is also one that will probably never be published. It's a strange, quirky, satirical science fiction novel that is so personal, I can't see it finding a mass audience. It's what writers sometimes call "the book of my heart," the book I really wanted to write. But as a writer, one has to accept that a book like that won't always be published.

Gaven: Are you a fan of post-apocalyptic movies?

Me: How could you tell? Yes, I love the Terminator series, the X-Men movie Days of Future Past, and a number of other similar stories. Someone told me when SURVIVAL COLONY 9 came out that it was somewhat similar to The Walking Dead, so I watched the first episode of that series. But alas, I've never been a fan of zombie movies.

Austin: How did it feel to create a novel?

Me: This is a sort of dorky answer, but in all honesty, it felt similar to creating a child. I remember how it felt to hold my daughter for the first time, and it was similar to holding my own novel for the first time. (Holding my daughter was better, though. I have to say that or she'll kill me, but it's really true!)

Rocco: Did you ever try to publish any of your novels from the past?

Me: That's an interesting question. Like most writers, I've written more books than I've published, including a fantasy novel I wrote when I was sixteen. These days, with self-publishing, I could easily put those novels out there. But I feel as if that would be a mistake, because there's a reason most of them aren't published: they're not very good. They were the novels that helped me develop my skills to the point where I could write publishable novels, so it's probably better they remain in my closet or on my hard drive!

Lindsey: Is there a particular character you relate to?

Me: I definitely relate to my narrator, because he's the most me: a guy who tries to do the right thing but sometimes fails and sometimes doubts himself. But I also relate to Aleka, the character I'd most like to be. I find her really admirable, because she has a very strong sense of justice that I wish I could live up to in my own life.

Christian: How did you handle criticism from your editor?

Me: Another great question. Like all people, I feel bad when I get criticized, when someone doesn't like my book, when I get a negative review, and so on. But as a writer, you have to learn to deal with criticism--which doesn't mean ignoring it, but putting it to productive use. My editor always has critical comments to make about my manuscripts, and at first they sting a little. But then I take a step back, think about what she's saying, and do my best to learn from her criticism and make the manuscript as good as I can.

Hannah: With all the disappointments in a writer's life, what gives you the strength to go on?

Me: I think the answer to that is simply that I've wanted to be a writer almost as long as I can remember. If I'd given up, if I'd let disappointment stand in my way, I wouldn't have achieved my dream. So every time the going gets tough, I remind myself of why I'm doing this, and that helps me find my way.

Nadia: If you were living under the circumstances Querry lives under, what would you do?

Me: The reality is, I'd probably die. I'm not saying that facetiously; in order to make this book work, I had to take certain liberties with reality (such as the scarcity of water in Querry's world) that probably aren't actually survivable. But if it were possible to live under these conditions, I like to believe that, like Querry, I'd fight for the future, not only my own but that of others.

Jared: Did the ending of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 stay the same from draft to draft?

Me: Yes--but the middle changed a lot! That's usually how it is with me as a writer: I know where I want to go, but I don't know how I'm going to get there. I do a certain amount of planning, but for the most part, I enjoy being surprised by the twists and turns that occur during the act of writing.

Mike: Are there any of your characters that you dislike?

Me: I've definitely written unlikable characters, but that doesn't mean that I, the author, don't like them. Or maybe it would be better to say that I identify with them--I know what makes them tick, I get where they're coming from. I believe it's important for authors to know all their characters through and through, which often means recognizing qualities in them, even negative qualities, that are part of one's own make-up.

Madison: What's the most important struggle in SURVIVAL COLONY 9--the internal one or the external one?

Me: Wow, fascinating question. I tried to make Querry's internal struggle--to accept himself and grow into a confident leader--connect with his external struggle--to defeat the Skaldi. That's not to say he needed to defeat them to prove himself. It's to say he needed to learn to take risks, to get outside himself and act for the good of others, and to overcome his own insecurities and doubts. The Skaldi, as creatures that steal identity, became important antagonists in Querry's quest to discover who he is.

Santiago: Is there anything you'd tell your younger writing self?

Me: I'd tell him to calm down, to take his time, to not worry so much about the future. When I was a teenage writer, I was so desperate to be published I don't think I enjoyed the journey as much as I should have. I know it's relatively easy for me to give this advice now, since the journey did end in publication. But even if it hadn't, I would have wanted the younger me to be less hard on himself and to feel better about who he was, without worrying so much about who he wanted to be.

YA Guy Wants You to... Sketch a Skaldi!

The e-ARC for my forthcoming YA science fiction novel FREEFALL is newly available on NetGalley, and physical ARCs have arrived as well, which means the published book will be out in a matter of months. (September 26, to be precise.) Which further means I'll soon be running out of space on my bookshelves.

So from now until the end of June, I'll be giving away a signed copy of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 or SCAVENGER of SOULS, free of charge, to anyone who asks.

But there's a catch: to get your signed copy, you have to draw a picture of a Skaldi and send it to me (electronically). I'm calling this the "Sketch a Skaldi" giveaway, and here's how it works:

• The giveaway runs from this instant until June 30, 2017.
• Each entrant can receive no more than one book (either SURVIVAL COLONY 9 or SCAVENGER OF SOULS, not both). If you want to send me multiple drawings, that's fine, but you won't get extra books.
• Your drawing can be hand drawn or computer drawn, but it MUST be your own artwork. Grabbing an image off the internet and passing it off as yours is a big no-no.
• You don't need to be Picasso--any drawing of a Skaldi, so long as it's your own, is fine with me.
• Drawings must be of a Skaldi as described in Chapter 17 of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 or Chapter 6 of SCAVENGER OF SOULS. No fair drawing a picture of a regular person and saying, "Well, s/he was taken over by a Skaldi!" (For an example of an awesome Skaldi illustration, see the picture above, by fan Desiree Schreiner.)
• Submitting your drawing gives me the right to feature it on my website, on this blog, or on any of my social media. However, I will never sell your artwork, and I will always give the artist proper credit.
• Signed books will be sent to U.S. addresses only. I will honor international entrants, but books will be delivered via Book Depository (and thus won't be signed).
• You should send your drawing (in jpg format) to: joshuadavidbellin@gmail.com. In the body of the message, please include your name, your complete mailing address, and the title of the book (SURVIVAL COLONY 9 or SCAVENGER OF SOULS) that you want.

Okay, I think that's it! Now start drawing!

YA Guy... Gives Away the SURVIVAL COLONY series!

So here's something fun YA Guy just discovered: a student made a pillow out of my SURVIVAL COLONY 9 cover image.

As Joe Walsh says, it's tough to handle this fortune and fame. Everybody's so different, I haven't changed.

But seriously, this is a nice tribute. It's good to know somebody likes my book enough to want to sleep with it every night!

And here's another nice thing: you can win a signed copy of the two-part Survival Colony series, including SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS, right here at YA Series Insiders.

You won't be able to sleep on them--they're hardcovers--but you can stay up late reading them!

YA Guy... Takes a Break!

YA Guy's been writing novels for over forty years.

Well, that's not entirely true. I started writing novels when I was a bit under ten, and I'm a bit over fifty now, but I didn't complete a novel until I was sixteen, and I took a major break from novel-writing between graduate school (when I was in my early twenties) and my mid-forties. Plus, you know, I take the occasional break to eat, sleep, spend time with my kids, and so forth.

But my point is, I've been writing for a long time. And particularly in the past five years, from the completion of the first draft of Survival Colony 9 in 2011 to the publication of Scavenger of Souls just last week, it sometimes feels as if I've been writing nonstop. No sooner have I completed one project than I've moved on to another. That's the writing life: you're either working on one thing or promoting something else (usually both at the same time). It's relatively easy work physically, but it can be exhausting mentally and emotionally.

So I've decided to take a little break. Roughly four months, to be precise. From now until the beginning of 2017, I won't be writing anything new.

The timing is actually quite good. My daughter's a high school senior, so we'll be driving her around to visit colleges and so forth this semester. I'm teaching five classes (one more than usual), so there'll be a bit of a time crunch there. Plus I'm traveling some to promote Scavenger of Souls, so that's another time commitment. I've heard back from my editor about my forthcoming YA science fiction novel, Freefall, and she wants only minor changes, not any major rewriting. And I'm scheduled to have a sabbatical this coming spring, so for a solid four months I'll be able to devote the full workday to my current work in progress, the YA historical horror novel I'm calling Polar.

When I resumed writing novels five years ago, I had no idea how much work it would be. How could I? Like many novice authors, I had the illusion that I'd write a book, it would become an instant bestseller, and I'd be able to sit back and collect royalty checks while leisurely producing my next classic.

Well, live and learn.

When I told my agent, with some trepidation, that I'd be taking a little break from writing, she had this to say:

I support this 100% and am here whenever you are ready. Writing ebbs and flows and I totally respect that you need time to revitalize. Do what you want to do – take your time – write when the mood strikes and know I am always here!

So now you know, for one, why she's my agent. But you also know why I needed this break. Writing does ebb and flow; authors do need time to revitalize. Much as I respect those writers who seem able to work pretty much nonstop, I'm not one of them. Each writer needs to recognize his/her own strengths and needs and limitations; otherwise, you run the risk of burning out for good.

I'll still be blogging from time to time--when the mood strikes--and you'll probably see me around on Twitter or Facebook or live and in person. I hope you'll read Scavenger of Souls, and I hope you're looking forward to Freefall. Down the road, I'm sure you can expect more from me, starting with Polar and moving on from there.

But for now, YA Guy's taking a break.

YA Guy Announces... The Official SCAVENGER OF SOULS Cover Reveal (plus a giveaway)!

YA Guy's over the moon about today's SCAVENGER OF SOULS cover reveal on YA Books Central. If you bop on over there, you'll not only have a chance to see the drop-dead awesome cover the folks at Margaret K. McElderry Books designed, but you'll be able to enter a giveaway to win the complete Survival Colony series! What could be better than that?

Well, other than world peace, I mean....

YA Guy Gives Away... Free Copies of SURVIVAL COLONY 9!

The title of this post says it all: I'm giving away free signed copies of SURVIVAL COLONY 9!

Why? Two reasons. First, I've been thinking of ways to thank everyone who's supported my book, and this seems like a good way (and a good time of year) to do it. Second, copies of SCAVENGER OF SOULS will be coming in before I know it, and I've got to start clearing my shelves to make room for them.

So here's the deal: if you want a free, signed paperback copy of SC9, just leave your name and mailing address in the comments section--or, if you'd prefer that not everyone on earth had your address, email it to me at joshuadavidbellin@gmail.com. (I'm afraid I can ship only to U.S. mailing addresses. I apologize for that, but the costs of international mailing on this scale are simply too high.) If you want your copy inscribed, tell me who I should make it out to. As the orders come in, I'll put them in the mail. If you want your book by Christmas, you should get the order to me soon. But the giveaway will keep running until I'm out of copies. 

So that's it, folks. Free copies, no strings attached. (A review on Goodreads and/or Amazon would be nice, but it's not a condition of getting the book.) Just my way of saying thanks.

Have a great holiday season, and I'll see you in 2016!

Best,

YA Guy

YA Guy Participates in... The Fall 2015 YA Scavenger Hunt!

Once again, YA Guy's taking part in the YA Scavenger Hunt! Just like this past spring, I'm on the Blue Team, along with the other fabulous authors you see below:

This bi-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...and a chance to win some awesome prizes! Add up the clues on each blue team page, and you can enter for our prize--one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in our team! There are EIGHT contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!

HOW IT WORKS

Directions: In the author biography below, you'll notice I've listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don't worry, you can use a calculator!). 

Entry Form: Once you've added up all the numbers, make sure you fill out the form to qualify for the grand prize. Only entries that have the correct number will qualify.

Rules: Open internationally. Anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian's permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, October 4, at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered. For more information, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page.

Personal Giveaway: In addition to the prizes named above, readers who enter my personal giveaway via the Rafflecopter form below will be entered in a drawing to win one of two prizes: a signed copy of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 plus swag (bookmarks, postcards, and if I'm feeling really good on that day, T-shirt) or, for those of you who are writers, a query critique (1-2 pages, YA only, any genre). When you enter my giveaway, just indicate in the comments which prize you'd like, and I'll choose one winner for each!

Okay, got all that? Then let's meet the author I'm hosting, SHARON HUSS ROAT!

Sharon Huss Roat lives in Delaware with her husband and two children. She worked in public relations for 20 years--not, as some believe, 22--before deciding what she really wanted to be when she grew up. BETWEEN THE NOTES is her debut novel. When she’s not writing (or reading) books for young adults, you might find her planting vegetables in her backyard garden or sewing costumes for a school musical. Find out more about Sharon at: http://sharonwrote.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html

About BETWEEN THE NOTES: When Ivy Emerson's family loses their house--complete with her beloved piano--the fear of what's to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Forced to give up her allowance, her cell phone, and the window seat in her lilac-colored bedroom, Ivy moves with her family from her affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, aka "the wrong side of the tracks." Hiding the truth from her friends--and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own--seems like a good idea at first. But when the bad boy next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy's carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them. Once things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some surprising new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. And she may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.

To buy BETWEEN THE NOTES, follow this link!

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

The Scavenger Hunt is over! I hope you had fun, and I'll see you again next spring!

SURVIVAL COLONY 9 + swag/query critique giveaway

To enter my personal giveaway, use the Rafflecopter form below:

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YA Guy Celebrates... September 23 Debuts!

September 23, 2014 will always hold a special place in YA Guy's heart. That's because that was the date of my debut, SURVIVAL COLONY 9. I expect to have other release dates in the future--in fact, as I've mentioned, the sequel, SCAVENGER OF SOULS, comes out next summer--but there really is nothing like your first time!

So to celebrate the one-year anniversary of my debut, I've teamed up with other 9/23/14 debuts to offer a great giveaway. (United States only.) The winner receives one signed copy of each of our books, as described below:

YA Guy: signed copy of SURVIVAL COLONY 9

Christina Farley: signed copy of winner's choice in the GILDED series (GILDED, SILVERN, or BRAZEN)

Darlene Beck Jacobson: signed copy of WHEELS OF CHANGE

Kendall Kulper: signed copy of SALT & STORM

Kristen Lippert-Martin: signed copy of TABULA RASA

The contest runs for one week, starting today. Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. And good luck!

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YA Guy Looks Forward to... Fall!

YA Guy's a fall fan. The colors, the camping trips, the trick-or-treating (yes, I still dress up for Halloween and go out with my kids; see photo below). Fall just has a great feel for me, you know? Sometimes I get a rush of excitement just thinking about it.

Plus, lots of cool things are happening this fall: bookstore and bookshop appearances, NaNoWriMo, the YA Scavenger Hunt, a YA writers panel at a local library, and (to top it off) the Who in concert in late October! Plus SURVIVAL COLONY 9 turns one year old on September 23; keep an eye out for a big giveaway on that date. And (unless I miss my guess) I should be hearing some interesting things about SCAVENGER OF SOULS too. (A cover reveal, maybe? Here's hoping.) So I'm definitely gearing up for Fall 2015 in a big way!

But before I leave summer behind, I wanted to look back at some of the events and excitement that took place over the warm months. It's been a great summer, and here are some highlights to share!

VACATIONS!

My family and I went to Utah, which looks a lot like the landscape I imagined in SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and SCAVENGER OF SOULS. Then I traveled to Concord, Massachusetts for a two-week summer seminar, where I researched a historical novel I'm planning. Great times and great environments for a writer to be in!

WRITING!

In addition to finishing SCAVENGER OF SOULS and shipping it off to my editor, I've had a very active summer, writing-wise. A new group of Pittsburgh authors of children's literature has formed (with monthly meet-ups at local hangouts), and I've also hooked into a larger collective of Pittsburgh-area authors. (Pittsburgh, the literary epicenter of the world? Who knew?) I was also invited to be the keynote speaker at the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English (WPCTE) annual English Festival, where students in middle and high schools compete in trivia and writing contests based on works of literature they've read. (That won't take place until next May, but the invitation came this summer.) And finally, on Labor Day, traditionally seen as the end of summer, SURVIVAL COLONY 9 came out in paperback! So it's definitely been a summer filled with writing milestones!

BASEBALL!

It's no secret (or it shouldn't be, anyway) that I'm a huge baseball fan. (Remember the scene where Laman and Querry play catch? That was me and my son.) This summer, my family and I took in quite a variety of ball games--not only our hometown Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Pirates' AA affiliate in Altoona, PA and the Washington Nationals during a weekend trip to DC. Next summer, my son and I plan to travel throughout Pennsylvania watching as many Major League and Minor League games as we can!

I'm sure there was more stuff, but that'll do for now. Here's to a great summer, and here's looking forward to an even greater fall!

YA Guy Celebrates... SURVIVAL COLONY 9 in paperback (plus a giveaway!)

The paperback edition of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 comes out September 1, and to celebrate, YA Guy’s offering some goodies to readers. Here’s how it works:

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Provide me your mailing address in the free entry tab, and I’ll send you signed SC9 swag (bookmarks, postcards, and bookplate)!

But wait! It gets better. You’ll also be entered in a grand prize drawing to win one of three signed copies of the SC9 sequel, SCAVENGER OF SOULS, which releases in summer 2016!

And it gets even better! For each of the next three Rafflecopter options that you select (following me on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog), you’ll get an additional entry for the grand prize drawing!

Okay, now you’re saying, “it couldn’t get any better,” right? But you’d be wrong! If you preorder a paperback copy of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 before the September 1 release date (from Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, or any other retailer), you’ll get FIVE additional entries for the grand prize drawing! All I need you to do is select that option on the Rafflecopter giveaway and then send proof of purchase (screen capture, jpeg, etc.) to joshuadavidbellin@gmail.com, and you’ll get the extra five entries.

So, to sum up:

• Leave me your address for signed swag and one entry in the grand prize drawing.
• Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog for additional entries.
• Preorder the paperback of SURVIVAL COLONY 9 and email me proof of purchase for an additional five grand prize entries.

The contest runs from today until the day before the paperback release date: August 31, 2015.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s only a month left!

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YA Guy Reveals... My SCAVENGER OF SOULS Playlist!

YA Guy has a confession: I don't actually do playlists.

Many writers do. They create music mixes, usually containing songs that have something to do with the book they're writing or the mood they want to be in while writing it, and listen to the music on their MP3 players or smart phones or whatever as they write.

Me, I don't have an MP3 player or smart phone or whatever. More importantly, I need a distraction-free environment to write; too much noise from outside my head--and even worse, lyrics--makes it impossible for me to concentrate. So in my case, playlists would actually prevent me from writing anything.

That being said, I do sometimes think of songs that connect to my stories in one way or another, and I thought it would be fun to share a few of them. I've chosen 9 (you know, for Survival Colony 9 and all); though I didn't listen to any of these songs while writing SC9 or its sequel, Scavenger of Souls, they're part of the soundtrack I would have chosen if I could.

Midnight Oil, "Beds Are Burning." When people think of a post-apocalyptic song, they mostly go for "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons. I like that song fine, but for me, this beauty from the eighties will always epitomize the post-apocalyptic landscape I tried to capture in the Querry Genn series.

Band of Horses, "Is There a Ghost." Something about this crazy song reminds me of the Skaldi. Maybe because it asks the question of whether we're haunted without knowing it.

Family of the Year, "Hero." A great song for reluctant heroes. From the "Boyhood" soundtrack.

Talking Heads, "Life During Wartime." If you're looking for a funky war song, you can't beat this one. I considered using The Clash's "London Calling," but the reference to Pittsburgh in the Talking Heads tune tipped the scales.

Ben Lee, "Love Me Like the World Is Ending." My books aren't really love stories, but I think it's safe to say that Querry's always looking for love. So one end-of-the-world love song seemed appropriate.

America, "A Horse with No Name." "In the desert, you can't remember your name." I wish I'd written that.

Kansas, "Dust in the Wind." Another great desert/end-of-the-world song. I saw Kansas when they toured last year, and though Robby Steinhardt wasn't there to play the violin solo, this song was every bit as great as it's ever been.

Led Zeppelin, "Kashmir." If you don't know what this song is doing on my list, listen to the lyrics carefully. Then you'll get it.

The Toadies, "Possum Kingdom." I have no idea what this song is about--some say it's a vampire song, others some kind of twisted love song. Whatever, it totally creeps me out, and makes me think about the Skaldi. And the music video is pretty damn freaky too.

So there you have it. Any other songs I should add to the list? Please make suggestions--though of course, I won't actually be listening to them while I write!

YA Guy Talks about... Sequels!

YA Guy hasn't posted in a while, and there's a simple reason for that: I'm working on revisions to my sequel. (The title of which is no longer Skaldi City, but I'm not ready yet to tell you what the new title is.) Chances are I won't be posting much throughout the month of May.

Sequels are weird. Everyone says they're harder to write than the first book, and everyone is right.

I can think of lots of great sequels, books (and movies) that matched or surpassed their originals: The Lord of the Rings, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Tombs of Atuan, The Illearth War. I can also think of plenty of sequels that disappointed me for one reason or another.

But until you write one, you don't really realize what you're getting into. You've got to extend the story that started in the first book, keeping things consistent yet taking the narrator and other characters into entirely new places. You've got to expand and enrich the world, revealing information that wasn't evident in the first book (but that appears to unfold naturally from what was provided in that book). You've got to find the right balance between filling in what came before (for new readers) and assuming a certain familiarity (for returning readers). You've got to up the stakes, complicate the situations, heighten the tension, and pretty much blow every reader's mind, new or returning.

Oh, yeah, and you've got to tell a good story while you're at it.

Maybe this is why my sequel has gone through three distinct phases. In the first phase, it was a mess. I didn't know what the heck I was doing, and I went in a direction that simply wasn't workable. I basically had to jettison 80% of that manuscript and try again almost from scratch.

In the second phase, things were moving in the right direction, but there were significant issues with plot and character that needed to be resolved, not to mention significant dead spots in the manuscript that needed to be removed. Maybe 40% of that manuscript ended up on the cutting room floor.

And now we're on to phase three, which contains the 20% from phase one and the 60% from phase two. But it's not as if I could just stick those two chunks together and add another 20% to produce the 100% I need to have a complete manuscript. No, I'm having to rethink the whole thing yet again--not only to reconcile the disparate parts but to transcend them, to produce something better than either of the previous two attempts.

Survival Colony 9 went through multiple revisions too. But though some of those revisions were substantial--chapters moved around, character relationships altered, and so forth--none was as substantial as each of the major revisions I've undertaken with book two.

I'm happy with where the manuscript is going right now (though I still have lots more to do). I not only hope but believe it'll be at least as strong a book as its predecessor.

But after I'm done, I'm going to stick with stand-alones for a while. YA Guy needs a break.

YA Guy Announces... SKALDI CITY, the Sequel to SURVIVAL COLONY 9!

YA Guy is thrilled to announce the following (from today's Publishers Marketplace):

Joshua David Bellin's SKALDI CITY, the sequel to SURVIVAL COLONY NINE, chronicling the further adventures of a fifteen-year-old boy fighting to unravel the secrets in his past in a hostile desert world, as he and the other colony members band together to eradicate the monstrous threat of an alien, again to Karen Wojtyla at Margaret K. McElderry Books, by Liza Fleissig at Liza Royce Agency (World).

That's right, I have a sequel! (Publication date TBA.)

To celebrate, I'm giving away 5 signed copies of SURVIVAL COLONY 9. Just use the Rafflecopter form below to enter. (U.S./U.K. only.)

Good luck! And thanks for supporting me and my writing!

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YA Guy Celebrates... the Little Things!

When you publish your first novel, you don't know what to expect. (At least, YA Guy didn't.) If I had any expectations at all, they were very modest: my book would be read by some people, get some nice reviews, maybe be taught in a school somewhere; I'd sign books at a few bookstores, maybe speak at a conference or two. That was about it, because, in all honesty, I had no clue what would happen.

Well, it's been six months to the day since SURVIVAL COLONY 9 hit the shelves, and I'm happy to report that the reality has exceeded my expectations.

No, I don't mean the book's become an international bestseller or scored a six-figure movie deal. Sales are fine but not breathtaking. The things I expected to happen have happened, but not in any spectacular way; I didn't pack Madison Square Garden for a public reading.

What I mean is that many little things have happened that I couldn't have imagined before the book came out. Though there have been many such small delights--fan emails, speaking requests, invitations to blurb other people's books--here are five particular highlights:

1. At my launch party in Pittsburgh, I had two surprise guests: a close friend from high school who lives in California, and a beloved cousin who lives in Massachusetts. I was blown away when one of them walked through the door. I was speechless when the other did. (That's my cousin on the right.)

2. A couple of my ARCs went out on "tour" to members of the writers' groups to which I belong. Both of them came back with signatures and nice comments. One of them came back with original artwork inspired by the story.

3. Many friends (and some complete strangers) have sent me pictures of my book on bookstore or library shelves, or in their own hands or the hands of their children. But I didn't think people would actually go out and make SURVIVAL COLONY 9 T-shirts!

4. Thanks to my publicist and my own contacts, I spoke at a number of schools and libraries. Many of them had good-sized crowds; one of the schools had the entire eighth grade class, about 150 students, reading my book. At this same school, one of the students handed me a picture she'd drawn for me. I felt almost as good as I used to feel when my own children were little and gave me one of their special drawings.

5. Out of the blue, I received an email from a friend I haven't seen since high school (that's over thirty years, if anyone's counting). She attended a private all-girls high school, while I went to one of the public schools; she invited me to her prom, and we went as friends. In her email, she said she'd read my book and wanted to tell me how much she enjoyed it. It was a mind-boggling experience, and it reminded me how amazing it is to be an author.

Madison Square Garden would be nice. But it's the little things that are the very best.

YA Guy Talks about... Book Promotion (What Works and What Doesn't)!

You might be wondering why YA Guy is blogging two straight days, something I almost never do. The answer is weather: it's snowy and yucky here in Pittsburgh--as it is in much of the country--so to entertain myself while I'm cooped up at home, I'm spending my time blogging. I hope you're entertained too!

A while ago, I blogged about what I spent on promotion for SURVIVAL COLONY 9. (You can read that post right here.) Today, I thought I'd break it down in a different way and give you a sense of which promotional efforts worked for me and which didn't. I'm not going to get into the big stuff (such as hiring a freelance publicist); that's a major expenditure that deserves its own discussion. But little things add up quickly, and none of us has unlimited funds. So why not target those funds to the things that work?

One caveat: this advice is of course based on my own experience. Other writers may have had very different experiences, and if so, I urge you to check out their blogs!

1. Swag. With YA, the conventional wisdom is that you need a lot of this stuff to give away at signings, events, and random occasions. It's not super-costly, but when you add up the fee for the designer, the printing fee, and the delivery, it's not super-cheap either. And some of it is a complete waste of whatever it costs. Postcards, for example. Who wants them? No one. Unless you plan to mail them out to every librarian and bookstore in the world--and do you really plan to do that?--don't waste your money. Ditto with bookplates; they're not worth the cardstock they're printed on. (I ordered 1000. I have 975 in a box in my attic.) Unless you have some brilliant item that ties in to your book, stick with good old-fashioned bookmarks: attractive, functional, and in high demand wherever you go.

2. ARCs. This will likely be the first item you have an opportunity to give away to readers, and you might be tempted to give them away to anyone who asks. DON'T. Lots of people are ARC-collectors; they jump on them when they see them, but then they do absolutely nothing with them. Or maybe they do write a review on Goodreads, but only 5 people follow their reviews. Be selective with your ARCs; try to give them away to people who are likeliest to review them in widely-read venues (principally, book reviewers and bloggers with lots of followers).

3. Giveaways. I gave away a ton of books through Goodreads and other online contests. Some copies were supplied by the publisher; the vast majority, however, were supplied by me (which meant I had to cover mailing costs too). As with ARCs, you need to be very careful here; it's easy to lose track of just how many books you've offered as freebies, and it's also very tempting to give things away to just anyone. Again, DON'T. Focus on reviewers and bloggers. Some of them won't review the book either, but they're better bets than random strangers. Of all the books I gave away--and it was quite a few--all I have to show for it is twenty-seven reviews on Amazon and slightly more than twice that on Goodreads. Maybe this means my book bombed, but it definitely means I wasn't careful enough in who I was giving free copies away to.

4. Signings. Great, free publicity, right? Awesome ego-boost, right? Well, not exactly. First of all, you have to figure in travel costs. Second, you have to recognize that not all signings (at bookstores or elsewhere) are created equal. Some venues will promote the heck out of you and line people up outside the door; others will send a tweet or two and then wonder why no one showed up. (Which pretty much destroys the ego-boost.) Don't jump at any signing just because it's a signing. Research the venue, ask tough questions, and get the answers you want. If you don't get good answers, politely tell them you're unavailable.

5. Book fairs. As with signings, I advise being selective and reflective about these. I've gone to library book fairs where all the attendees were parents with toddlers and octogenarians looking for books about relieving back pain--not exactly the audience for YA science fiction. But I've also gone to places where there was a specific YA focus, and the book sold like gangbusters.

6. Conferences. A mixed bag. It really depends on how prominently you're featured and how much you need to shell out for registration, membership, and so on. When I went to New York Comic Con and appeared on the same stage with James Dashner, Pierce Brown, and others--with a roomful of nearly three hundred rabid YA science fiction fans--the Megabus trip to NYC was definitely worth it. Other conferences, not so much. As with everything listed above, don't jump to do it just because it's there.

7. Curriculum guide. All I can say about this is that it's nice to have one; teachers seem to like them. But I'm not yet convinced it's a wise investment. One local school district is talking about incorporating my book into the eighth-grade curriculum--but that's because I know a teacher there, not because of my guide. They're costly, and arguably unnecessary. If you can design one yourself, all to the good. If not, ponder before you pay.

8. Website. You simply have to have this, of course. And it has to look gorgeous and professional, of course. Which means it has to cost you an arm and a leg, of course. Well, maybe. Some authors have nothing but their blog, and they're doing just fine. Others use cheap services ($5 per month or so) to host their site. I went all out, and while I'm certainly pleased with the result, I would not go so far as to say it's sold lots of books or given me name recognition. (Plus I wish I hadn't been talked into using Wordpress, which I absolutely HATE--it's so user-unfriendly and gives the supposed owner so little control.)

9. School and library visits. Unlike book fairs held at similar venues, here I'm talking about invited visits where you're the star, addressing the whole school or select classes. These are lots and lots of fun, and they're a wonderful way to interact with readers, schmooze teachers and librarians, and even sell some copies of your book. They also don't cost anything--except travel expenses--and they're very gratifying. All I would advise here is that you insist on being paid for them. Some writers, especially when they're just starting out, agree to do such visits for free; that's exactly what I did. The result is that you end up looking desperate, devaluing your precious time, and paying for whatever costs are associated with the visit out-of-pocket. Don't do this. Insist on a substantial fee (at least $250 per half-day visit). Many libraries won't have this money, and you can negotiate downward if you choose; most schools that host authors will have this money, but they'll be happy not to pay it if you let them. It's your job not to let them.

The bottom line in all of this is that you have to be smart about your promotional dollars. Most of us, no matter how hard we try, will not be best-sellers. Can you really afford to spend $12,000 (look at my previous marketing post if you don't believe me) on a book that will in all likelihood sell modestly? Wouldn't you rather save part of your advance (assuming you got one) or your retirement savings (assuming you have it) for, like, retirement? (Or a cruise, or a big-screen TV, or whatever?) By all means, go out and promote. But do it wisely.

And if anyone asks, tell 'em YA Guy told ya so.

YA Guy Has... 5 Requests for Non-Writers!

Like most people who write books, the majority of YA Guy's friends and family aren't writers. This is a very cool thing in at least two ways: first, because the non-writers in my life are genuinely thrilled (or even amazed) that I've published books; and second, because they like to read what I've written. (Maybe third, because they keep me sane and remind me there's more to life than writing.) I pity the writer who's surrounded solely by other writers; that would be hell.

But I have to confess, there are some things I wish my non-writer friends and family understood about writing. I'm sure they wish people understood their professions better too; I'm sure doctors are tired of dispensing free medical advice, plumbers of frantic late-night calls, and so forth. It's hard to understand another's profession, especially when it seems so glamorous and unusual as being an AUTHOR.

That being said, here are five things that I'd like to ask my non-writer friends (but that I'm basically too chicken to say to their faces). If you're a writer, maybe you'll sympathize. If you're not, I hope at least you'll understand.

1. Please stop asking me how my book is doing. This is the number-one question friends and family (as well as casual acquaintances) have been asking me ever since SURVIVAL COLONY 9 was published four months ago. I can't answer it. I probably won't see a royalty statement until March, maybe not until June. Until then, the only numbers I have are pretty much worthless: point-of-sales information that's demonstrably flawed, rankings on Amazon, etc. I wish I knew how my book was doing, but I genuinely don't.

And the other problem with asking this question is: what am I going to say if my book is doing really badly? If it's a best-seller, presumably I'll know that, and I'll tell them. But what about if it's tanking? I know that when people ask this question, they're both interested in the response and hopeful that it'll be a positive one. But it puts me (and all writers) in an uncomfortable position; it's like asking anyone to talk about the success of their fledgling business, and that's a tough thing to talk about.

2. Please review my book where other people will see it. A lot of friends and family members have sent me personal notes or emails telling me they liked my book. Of course that's gratifying, and of course I'm thankful to them. But in terms of improving my book's prospects (see #1 above), it's not helpful. A single line on Amazon--"I loved this book!"--would be greatly appreciated, but it's very difficult to ask for. In fact, I have asked for it, on Facebook and via email and face-to-face, and only a tiny percentage of those I've asked have delivered it. I know it's not anyone else's job to promote my book, and I also know it's hard for non-writers to be asked to write. But it's one of the best ways to make sure that people beyond the writer's immediate circle of friends and family know about the book.

3. Please don't ask me when the next book's coming out. As with #1, this is something I simply don't know and over which I have minimal control. Thus, it's a question that's both difficult and a tad painful to answer. Yes, I've written other books since SURVIVAL COLONY 9; one of them is in an editor's hands, and I hope another will be soon. But I received a single-book offer the first time around, and there's no guarantee I'll receive another. Trust me, if/when I do, the entire universe will know; no need to ask.

4. Please understand that writing takes time and intense concentration. Which means that, sometimes, I'll be very busy and/or distracted. Because, for most writers, writing isn't a 9-to-5 job, it looks rather weird to people who are accustomed to shifting into non-work mode after quitting time. Depending on the phase of a project a writer's involved in, s/he might be completely unavailable for an extended period (for example, when her/his editor allows only a month for major revisions). Other times, it'll be more sporadic and unpredictable. But one way or another, the nature of writing as a profession requires very different rhythms and patterns than most people are accustomed to.

5. Please understand that though I'm a writer, I'm not ONLY a writer. Writing might be the most exciting thing happening in my life right now. (Or then again, it might not be.) And yes, I did just say in #4 that writing does to a large extent shape my life. But being a doctor shapes doctors' lives; being a cosmetician shapes cosmeticians' lives; being an anything shapes anyone's life. There will be times when I simply don't feel like talking about writing. Maybe that'll be because I'm struggling, or I've heard bad news, or whatever; maybe it'll be just because. Let me take a break from being a writer sometimes. Ask me about my children. Or my favorite movie. Or my opinion of fracking. (I think it's a really dangerous substitute for conventional fossil fuels that will lock us into a new fossil-fuel economy for another hundred years and thus forestall indefinitely a sustainable-energy future, thanks for asking.) I'm a writer, sure, but I'm also a person. Treat me like one, just as I treat you like one.

I fear that all of the above sounds whiny and ungrateful; it was merely meant to sound genuine. I hope non-writers don't take offense. And I hope that, the next time I see you, I can happily report on the sale of my next book, the movie option on the first, and the permanent defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Hey, it could happen, right?

YA Guy Looks Back on... His Debut Year!

The seventies rock group Boston wisely tells you, "Don't look back." (And Mark Twain or Satchel Paige or somebody like that says something similar.) But come on, this was YA Guy's debut year, and I can hardly avoid reviewing some of the highlights. No lowlights, though. I'm sure there were some, but they hardly matter next to how wonderful this year was for me as a writer!

Vanity plate!

ARCs!

Introducing James Dashner in Pittsburgh!

Finished books!

Launch party!

Day 1 at Barnes & Noble!

Book signing and display!

In libraries!

Meeting my agent, Liza Fleissig, at New York Comic Con!

On a panel with James Dashner, Scott Westerfeld, Pierce Brown, and others at the Con!

School and library visits!

Fans!

Christmas!

It's been an amazing year! See you all in 2015!

YA Guy Visits... Schools and Libraries!

YA Guy's discovered that one of the coolest things about writing books for young people is that you get to visit schools and libraries to talk about your book, the writing life, and lots of other things besides! (At a recent library visit, the middle schoolers I addressed were very interested in what I'd eaten for breakfast.) Here, for fun, are some pictures from recent events!

At Community Library of Allegheny Valley

At the new Teen Space in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh East Liberty branch

On a panel with other local YA authors at the Peters Township Public Library

And here's my book on a library shelf, next to books by friends in one of my author groups!

More events are coming up, so I hope to post more pictures soon! In the meantime, if you're a teacher or librarian looking for YA authors to address your students, drop me a line--I'm newly on Skype, so even if it's not local, we can make it happen!