My thoughts are much filled with villains and antagonists this week as I work on revising the middle section of my YA, DARK MERCY (whose title may once again change here in the near future.) The middle of a book is always the diciest. If things don’t escalate and ramp up, if there isn’t a distinct sense of forward momentum and tightening tension, ( Read more... )

I was very excited when, a few months ago, a reflexology place decided to hang its shingle in our little town. It is a very hip, forward thinking type of establishment for us. It also has to have some of the best deals ever. Only $20 for a 30 min reflexology treatment. About a month ago, I decided to give it a try, and my feet were very, very happy ( Read more... )

I was reading an interview with one of my all time favorite authors, Lois McMaster Bujold, and she said something that really made me sit up and think. In the interview, she said:

Jim [Baen] also once told me, when I was whinging about my books not selling as well as someone else's (a favorite pastime among writers, alas - we are a green-eyed ( Read more... )

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I have an article up over on GeekMom today, discussing the Seven Different Intelligences; what they are and how to use them to help kids connect with areas they don't have strength in.

As it explains in the article, I usually discuss this with kids during school visits.

At long last I can share my good news. And just in time, too, because I'm pretty sure I was going to explode with glee!

As per Publisher's Lunch:

THEODOSIA and NATHANIEL FLUDD  author R. L. LaFevers' trio of YA romantic historical fantasies focusing on teen girl assassins in 15th century France--starting with DARK MERCY in spring 2012 and ( Read more... )

Boy, it's not every day you get to combine all those subjects in one tiny sentence ( Read more... )

Well, I am positively fizzing with good news, only I can't share it yet. It is a bit like sitting on a giant champagne cork, waiting for it explode.

However, I am now able to officially reveal the cover of Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh, which is almost as exciting!


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Okay, it took me longer than I thought, but I’ve been stewing on it, plus the whole Junkyard Brain syndrome kind of interfered for a day or two.

The archetype of The Innocent strikes me as being particularly well suited to kids books, especially picture books, early chapter books, and middle grade stories. The innocent lives in a perfect world ( Read more... )

You know how every kitchen has a junk drawer? And most houses have an entire junk closet? Well, my brain has one of those. I’d like to think it was small, like a drawer, but the truth is it is much more like one of those giant closets in cartoons. The ones where you open them and forty years worth of odds and ends and collectibles and, well, JUNK, ( Read more... )