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It's NaNoWriMo time again!

A couple of years ago, we were all about NaNoWriMo, all through November (we called it "NaNovember" - ha!). This year, November has crept up on me and so, we're mentioning it a bit late.

In case you haven't heard of it before, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, you challenge yourself to write 50,000 words. So that's 1,666 per day for 30 days.

I know it sounds completely insane, but when it's going well it seems magical (as for when it's going badly... that's why caffeine was invented).

It's not too late to start (although you've got a leetle bit of catching up to do), so read more about it here.

Oh and, in case you need any more of an incentive, Meg Cabot's doing it, so you'll be in good company. (And, in case you care, I'm doing it too. My user name is half_squirrel if you want to "buddy" me.)

Good luck!

NaNoWriMo - I, er, missed it

So tomorrow is the last day of November and NaNoWriMo has completely passed me by. Thank goodness I wasn't trying to compete this year because no doubt I'd only have a couple of thousand words. Seriously (and I know I say this every year) where did November go?

So how did you all get on with National Novel Writing Month? Are you on course to type "The End" tomorrow? Have you finished already? Did you give up? Will you do it again next year? (I think I will. At least when I've got 1667 words to type each day, I actually *notice* November!)

Let us know.

Related posts: Kay Sexton's NaNoWriMo | Jenny Gardiner does NaNo | And they're off! NaNo starts today

Kay Sexton's NaNoWriMo

How's this for a biography?

Kay Sexton writes for the UK's premier sustainability journal, Green Futures. In the four years she has been writing, Kay’s fiction has been chosen for over twenty anthologies.  She was a finalist in the 2007 University of Hertfordshire Writing Award and was runner-up in the 2004 Guardian short fiction contest judged by Dave Eggers. Her novel, Gatekeeper, is currently with an agent and she is working on a second novel about pornography and rivers in 1920s Hampshire.

"Pornography and rivers in 1920s Hampshire"? This is a book I need to read! Read what Kay's writing for NaNoWriMo over the cut (it's even more interesting than her bio).

This is my fifth year of NaNo which I do entirely for fun – I’ve hit the target every year and last year’s erotic novel was serialised at the online erotica site, Ruthie’s Club!  This year I’m writing a science fiction novel: The Jayne Project

Imagine a world where we our minds are being read - by a middle-aged woman from Beckenham who is kept in a dome in Texas by a combined US/UK task force.  She is Jayne and she finds terrorists and criminals who are picked off by SWAT teams. Around her is The Jayne Project - the people whose minds she fills with the knowledge she pulls from the heads of America's most wanted - and around them is the security that keeps Jayne safe.

But something has gone wrong. A terrorist infiltrates the dome and The Jayne Project is wiped out by a lethal bacterium - all except Donny who was outside the dome, looking for his cat. So he goes home to England, and tries to work out what happened.

But all is not as it seems; there’s a twelve year old girl who keeps finding needles and knives in the strangest places and Donny can’t help feeling that Jayne is still out there, infiltrating. And one day he realises that Jayne was never in the dome at all …”

If you'd like to tell us what you're writing for NaNoWriMo, drop us an email at the usual address.

Jenny Gardiner does NaNoWriMo

Thanks in part to Trashionista readers (or, at least, I like to think so!), Jenny Gardiner won the American Title-III contest and, as a result, her novel, Sleeping With Ward Cleaver will be published early next year (and features a cover quote from Meg Cabot, no less!). Jenny's working on her next book during NaNoWriMo.

Called Mary Kate Goes Over the Falls, its about a woman trapped in an abusive marriage who goes out to pick up her husband's dry cleaning and instead picks up a hitchhiker (the lure of whom reminds her of the lip of Niagara Falls, which is said to tempt people to jump in) and they impulsively set off on a road trip of self-discovery, peeling away layers of their dark pasts, en route to Niagara Falls.

Read more about Jenny Gardiner at her own site or at The Debutante Ball, a blog dedicated to first time authors (hence the name).

If you'd like to share what you're writing for NaNo, just drop us an email at the usual address (which you'll find over there on the right).

Related: NaNovember archives

And they're off! NaNoWriMo starts today!

How can it be November already? I'm not ready!

For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. During the month of November, thousands of demented individuals (and I can say that because, for the last three years, I've been one of them) undertake a challenge to write 50,000 words in just 30 days. It's not too late to start and you can find out all about it by clicking the link above.

Last year we had a NaNovember Extravaganza here at Trashi and while we won't be quite so NaNo focussed this year (mainly because I haven't been organised enough to sort anything out) we will be keeping you updated with how people are getting on. Carry on over the cut to find out how you can let us know all about your NaNo experience.

If you're taking part and you'd like to tell us all about it, either leave a comment or email us and we'll feature you here on Trashionista!

As for me, I'm doing a modified NaNo this year, i.e. I'm not following the rules. I don't want to start another book when I've got so many unfinished manuscripts, so I'm using this month and applying the NaNo rules to finishing an old book rather than starting a new one. Yes, I know that's cheating, but I'm only cheating myself (so that's okay, isn't it?).

Good luck, have fun and write fast!

NaNoWriMo's "Celebrity Pep Talkers"

Only two months to go until this year's National Novel Writing Month - how can that be?

One of the exciting developments this year is that each weekly email pep talk will be done by a famous novelist. The first will be crime writer Sue Grafton.

In case you're unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, you can find all you need to know here or here. (It's much more fun than it sounds - honest!)

Related: NaNoWriMo sale

NaNoWriMo sale

Remember last November's National Novel Writing Month special? Well, you may not want to hear this, but November's not actually *that* far away...

In preparation for another year of finger-splitting typing, the NaNoWriMo site is having a sale on merchandise including this cool poster (right), which is designed by Jason Munn, bears the slogan "Thirty Days and Nights of Literary Abandon", and would look gorgeous in my office. (US$35)

Also on offer is the No Plot? No Problem kit which, while not including the (excellent) book, does include daily pep talk cards, a book of "magical prose-producing coupons", a progress chart, stickers, and other goodies to help get you through those gruelling 30 days. A bargain at ten bucks.

Roll on November ... in about three months.

BOOK REVIEW: The Salem Witch Tryouts by Kelly McClymer

Another of the books I’d hoped to review during NaNovember - Kelly McClymer wrote The Salem Witch Tryouts for National Novel Writing Month. A young adult paranormal, it's a departure from Kelly’s usual style (she’s previously written historical romance).

Prudence is half witch (on her mother’s side) and half mortal (on her father’s side). Growing up in Beverly Hills and encouraged by her mother, she has lived as a mortal and neglected her magical side, concentrating instead of becoming captain of the cheerleading squal as well as, of course, being popular and “kewl”.

But then Pru’s parents decide to move the family to Salem, Massachusetts, where Pru will begin her magical education at Agatha’s Day School for Witches. Pru is desperate to retain her popular status at her new school, but finds that her magic just isn’t up to scratch. She’s just not cool either, lunching with the “fringies” - the kids that don’t belong to any one particular group - and being tormented by the school’s bad boy.

Plus she’s just not getting enough time and attention from her best friend back in California, who’s grounded so she can only text and doesn’t seem to have that much time for Pru anymore anyway.

I enjoyed The Salem Witch Tryouts to a point. I liked the premise and Pru is a fun character, but basically this book reads almost entirely as set-up for the series. There’s very little plot or action and the ending - a summary of what’s gone before, which literally begins with the words, "So, to recap ..." - is anti-climactic. A disappointment (but I’ll probably read the next book in the hope that things really get going).

Rating: 2 out of 5

Like this? Try I Was a Teenage Popsicle by Bev Katz Rosenbaum

The end of NaNovember .. sniff

In case you hadn't noticed, today's the 1st December, which means two things: 1) I've got to come out of denial about Christmas and actually do some shopping; and 2) NaNovember and NaNoWriMo are OVER!

So how did you do? I hope everyone who took part managed the 50,000 words or at least got a good start on a book that we'll one day be reviewing here on Trashionista. (If you took part, let us know how you got on.)

We'd like to say a big thanks to all of the wonderful published NaNo-ers we spent last month getting to know better: Francesca Segre, Lani Diane Rich, Sara Gruen, Karen Quintiere, Rebecca Agiewich, Jenna Bayley Burke, and Kelly McClymer. (And, yes, the competitions are now closed.) Also to the brave people who shared their NaNo projects with us: Lisa Clark, Kathleen O'Leary, Kate Madison, Bay Area Blogger, Iva-Marie Palmer and Liane Gentry Skye (let us know how you got on, ladies!).

This is starting to feel like an Oscars speech, so I'll wind it up before the music starts ! We hope you enjoyed our NaNovember Extravaganza. Don't worry, December's going to be even more exciting. Yes, really!

BOOK REVIEW: Daughter of the Bride by Francesca Segre

Just managed to sneak another NaNovember author review in! Francesca Segre's Daughter of the Bride features Daniella, a financial reporter on Wall Street who, unlike many chick lit heroines, is actually good at her job. She's intelligent and articulate - no Bridget Jones style snafus for Daniella. But. She's single and she really doesn't want to be, so when her mother announces she's getting married, Daniella's not sure how she feels about it. Basically, she doesn't think it's right that her mother should be getting married before her.

Daniella's family lives in San Francisco and so she finds herself flying back and forth to help her mother choose a dress and a caterer and a florist, etc. Back in New York, Daniella dates various men, always looking for her idealistic IB (Imaginary Boyfriend). At one point, one of her boyfriends tells her that she's holding back in the relationship and that he's not sure she's ready to get settle down and get serious, that she doesn't really want it, she's too busy being herself and "chasing dreams of perfection." I would have preferred to see more of this insight from Daniella instead of her immediately thinking every man she meets could be "the one" and then constantly being disappointed. I was actually quite disappointed that, although Daniella states she doesn't need a man to validate her in her work, in her personal life she definitely seems to feel like she's less valuable because she's single.

The book doesn't really have much in the way of plot and I'm afraid I was bored by all the marriage plans. (I found planning my own wedding tedious, so I was bound to lose interest in planning a fictional wedding.) There are some lovely characters though. I particularly liked Daniella's brothers, Max and Enrico, and would have liked to see more of them. In fact, I enjoyed the book more whenever Daniella was in San Francisco. There was something I found almost claustrophobic about the New York scenes.

The main problem I think I had with Daughter of the Bride was that it was strangely humourless. Searching for a man may not be a comedy topic in reality, but reading about it without the relief of laughter is actually quite hard work and I found myself scanning quite often.

That said, Francesca Segre writes beautifully so I'll definitely check out her next book and if you're planning a wedding - either for yourself or your mother! - you'll probably enjoy Daughter of the Bride more than I did.

Rating 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Why Girls Are Weird by Pamela Ribon

Francesca's guest blog / Francesca's author interview

NaNovember competitions - you'd better be quick!

I don't know if you've noticed, but tomorrow is the last day in November! Not only does that mean that Christmas panic officially starts on Friday, but also that you've only got just over 24 hours to enter all our fabulous NaNovember competitions: Just One Spark, Designing Bitches, The Salem Witch Tryouts, BreakupBabe, Daughter of the Bride, Time Off for Good Behavior, The Vanishing Point, and finally, all three of Sara Gruen's books!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Kelly McClymer

Kelly McClymer is the last of our NaNovember authors to be interviewed. Don't forget there's still time to enter our competition to win Kelly's book, The Salem Witch Tryouts - read on to find out how.

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

A cheerleading witch has to switch schools, learn magic, and rebuild her kewl status.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

Anywhere but at my computer (I get distracted by email, reading great blogs, and Sudoku). I have a chair in the corner of my bedroom that is wonderful on sunny days. The Starbucks people know my order by heart, and I know all the great quiet seating places in three nearby libraries.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

Bridget Jones.

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

Bridget again. She's so real. And that's what I like about many chick-lit books--the protagonists are people I feel like I know, have known, or have been in my life. Imperfect, interesting, and slightly obsessed over something or other at all times.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

Write. Read. Rewrite. Cry, if you have to. Submit (interesting word, isn't it? submit...but if you don't get into the habit of sending things out, you're going to have a much harder time getting readers for your writing).

What are you reading at the moment?

I'd tell you I love you, but then I'd have to kill you by Ally Carter (good, but I'm only reading a few pages a day because I'm doing NaNo and under deadline).

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

The third book of my teen witch trilogy. Loose ends tied up, secrets revealed, and Pru's new team comes up against her old team in a finals cheering competition!

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!)

Q: If you could go live in a book, which book would you pick to live in?
A: Connie Willis's Doomsday Book because it has a time machine in it, and I'd love to be a historian doing my research in the actual time periods I love to read about so much (although I'd avoid the Black Plague if I could :-)

Thanks, Kelly (great final question - and answer - by the way!). If you'd like a chance to win a copy of Kelly's book, just email us your name and address with "Salem" in the subject line. But hurry, because the competition ends tomorrow!

Read Kelly's guest blog!

BOOK REVIEW: BreakupBabe by Rebecca Agiewich

At last, a review of one of NaNovember authors' books!  Rebecca Agiewich's BreakupBabe started out as a blog, which Rebecca then fictionalised both to add a plot and - I'm conjecturing here - to avoid getting sued.  Because I am so incredibly nosey, books like this drive me mad.  I want to know which parts are true and which are made up, dammit!

Rebecca Rachel works for a software company as a technical editor.  She's just had a horrendous break-up with a guy she works with.  She's not handling it well and she starts a blog to try and process her feelings.  And the blog, as blogs are wont to do, starts to really help.  But then it's discovered by her colleagues and things fall apart.  Plus Rachel starts writing a book based on her blog.  This book, in fact.  You can see how this is confusing.   

Along with the story of Rachel's break-up (or "The Great Unpleasantness", as Rachel calls it) and her problems at work, we also hear all about Rachel's dating escapades.  These aren't the kind of so-bad-they're-funny dating stories you sometimes get; they're more real and hopeful and painful.  With each new man I was rooting for Rachel and hated seeing her disappointed over and over again. 

(If anyone has read Jennifer Crusie's Anyone But You, the BreakupBabe story reminds me a lot of the book Nina's friend is writing about her dating experiences.  Remember the publisher suggests she fictionalise it to include a more hopeful ending?)

Although I think Rebecca Agiewich is a really talented writer, I sometimes found her style a bit affected.  I also could have done with less about the medications Rachel was on, but that's probably personal preference. 

As for which parts are true, it doesn't matter, of course.  BreakupBabe feels true, and that's the most important thing. 

Rating 4 out of 5

Like this? Try I'm Celibate, Get Me Out of Here by Jo Elliott

Did you know? Rebecca is still writing the Breakup Babe blog

Don't forget! It's not too late to enter our competition to win a copy of BreakupBabe

GUEST BLOG & GIVEAWAY: Jenna Bayley-Burke

Jenna Bayley-Burke is the last of our NaNovember guest bloggers (all together: ahhhh). Her book Just One Spark was written for NaNoWriMo and Jenna's been kind enough to give us a copy to give to a lucky Trashionista reader. Keep reading to find out how to win.

Just One Spark by Jenna Bayley-Burke

A fire fighter fit for a calendar caught me in the grocery store checkout line, two tantrum-prone toddlers ready to bolt. The man was a dream, both because of how he looked and because he stopped his day to talk with my boys, giving them stickers and a distraction so I could pay for seven gallons of milk. These are big toddlers, people.

Carry on over the cut for more from Jenna and to find out how to win a copy of Just One Spark.

Safely securing my beasts into the only thing that can hold them down – a five point harness car seat – I turned the radio up and headed for home, thinking that maybe that fire fighter should play a role in the novel I was starting the next day as part of my first NaNoWriMo, if only he hadn’t had a ring on his finger. No matter, I work in fiction and I had almost twelve hours to come up with a reason for the ring. Quite proud of myself I turned the radio up, Mindy McCready’s Maybe, Maybe Not coming across the front speakers (don’t want to damage the delicate eardrums of the screachers in the back) of my compact sedan.
 
What if … Mr. Hunk-of-the-Month had to explain the ring to a woman sitting on a washing machine in a Laundromat? Instantly, I was dying to write the scene. I stayed up until midnight (unheard of when you have a child who routinely wakes at four-twenty to begin his day) just to get the scene out. I didn't care about what came next, didn't plot a character arc or layer in symbolism. The story unfolded as I imagined what I would want to read if I picked the book up at the store and shelled out the change from my last trip through the Coffee People drive-thru.
 
The way I wrote False Alarm, my NaNo 2004 ‘winner’ that vaguely resembles Just One Spark, the book of the same characters now published by Mills & Boon, defies everything I’ve learned about novel writing since. If I’d known you never sell your first book, character motivation is the driving force of any story, and this is a hard business to break into, I never would have tried. Thank goodness for naivete.

Thanks, Jenna. To win a copy of Just One Spark, email us your name and address and put "Spark" in the subject line by 30th November 2006 (yes, that's the end of this week, so be quick!).

Read our interview with Jenna

Mediabistro's 12-week novelist courses

NaNoWrimo is reaching its end - how are you all doing? Close to hitting 50,000 words, I hope? (My arms ache just thinking about it!) If you haven't quite made it, or you think three months is a much more sensible amount of time to write a novel in, you might be interested in the Media Bistro course, 12 Week Novelist: Chick Lit Edition. Nano specialist and friend of Trashionista Francesca Segre is teaching it, and it runs from January 10 - April 16. The only downside? You have to be living (or staying) in LA... There is a general 12-week novelist course which is available online, though.

Related posts: Introduction to NaNovember / The Three-Day novel / A Novel in a Year  / Novels that take a long time!

NaNovember archives.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Karen Quintiere

We're in the enviable position of having more NaNo author interviews than there are Wednesdays in NaNovember, so today's bonus interview day!

If you read Karen Quintiere's guest blog, you'll know that her book, Designing Bitches, is out next month. Read on for Karen's interview and then carry on over the cut to find out how you can with a copy of her book.

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Designing Bitches is coming in December from Triskelion Publishing. It's my first novel and I couldn't be more excited or terrified.

My main character, Peyton Doucet, is a middle school Art teacher whose dreams of being a fashion designer were cut short when her best friend ripped the couture rug out from under her. Now married and living in Washington, DC, she gets a second chance to make her dreams come true.

(That's more than 15, Karen, but I'll let you off cos it's Friday!)

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

I write on my Sony Vaio - it's Raspberry Red and totally cute. I don't really have a preference as far as where I write - my notebook travels wherever I do.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

I adore Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series. Becky Bloomwood and I have a lot in common, which is both good and bad, I suppose!

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

As much as I love Becky Bloomwood, I have to say Scarlett O'Hara, who, in my opinion, is the original Chick Lit heroine. 

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

I started a few years ago on a fan fiction site, which opened up a whole world for me that I never knew existed.  Through the site, I was able to create my own characters, invent storylines for them, and put my work out there for a lot of people to see. I also met a wonderfully talented group of writers who support and encourage me at every turn. I think it's a great place for any writer to start because it is an anonymous forum for lots of people to see your writing and give you feedback.  The first time I got an email from a stranger who'd read and loved my writing was one of the best days of my life.  My only other advice is to read, read, read, from as many different styles and genres as you can.

What are you reading at the moment?

I tend to read several books at once - I'm a voracious reader and my tastes are fairly eclectic.  Let's see..

Echoes of a Distant Summer by Guy Johnson (Maya Angelou's son)
Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

I think I'll stop at three, otherwise I may give the impression that I don't have a life!

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

Right now, I'm working on the follow-up to Designing Bitches, which is tentatively titled, Bitches in Bikinis.

I'm having lots of fun with it so far - the girls are on vacation in Morella, a very cool spot I found in the lyrics of a U2 song and promptly Googled. I'm about 7,500 words in so far and have most of the scenes plotted out. 

What question have you never been asked, but wish you had (you can answer it too, if you want.)

What superhero power would you like to have, and why?

I would love to have the power to turn invisible - I am super nosy and the chance to spy on others is too good to pass up. Of course, if there is any sort of superhero hyperspeed metabolism available, then I'll just have to be nosy in the usual way.  Being able to eat whatever I want and have it burn right up? That would be the best thing ever. 

Thanks, Karen! For your chance to win a hot-off-the-press copy of Designing Bitches, just email us with "Bitches" in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the email (so we can send you the book - we won't send you anything else, honest) before 30 November 2006.

And don't forget there's still time to enter our other NaNovember competitions: The Salem Witch Tryouts, BreakupBabe, Daughter of the Bride, Time Off For Good Behavior and Sara Gruen (three books!)

Liane Gentry Skye's NaNoWriMo

You know how NaNoWriMo is a challenge to write 50,000 words during November?  Well, Liane Gentry Skye has written 63,214 words so far and there are still 7 days of November left.  Amazing.  Her book is called It's (so not) A Barbie World and it sounds hilarious: 

Katya comes home from school one day to find that her angst-ridden, poetry-writing, uber cool goth mom has befallen a bizarre accident that has left her believing she is Barbie.

Worse, she thinks that her entire life went to Hell the day she chose Katya's father over Ken. She vows to save her happily geekish daughter from the same wretched love life she inflicted on herself.

While Katya only dreams of perfecting her operatic range so that she'll win a scholarship to Julliard, her mother has different aspirations for her child.

Using a battered version of "Barbie, Queen of the Prom" as her source book for outlining her daughter's new (blonde) life, she is determined to see that her daughter not only gets her guy, but is also crowned Queen of the Prom.

Or else.

Intro to NaNovember / Iva-Marie Palmer's NaNo / NaNovember archives

BOOK REVIEW: Will Write for Shoes by Cathy Yardley

In the midst of madness of NaNoWriMo, I'd bet my Versace specs that the chick-lit writers of tomorrow are going at it in their masses.

Writing, that is. What did you think I meant?

Being the not-so-proud owner of a feeble NaNo attempt myself, I'll admit that often, a guide book is required. It's not that the majority of us don't know our stuff (and personally I read and own so much chick-lit that I swear my cheapie Argos bookcase is about to explode and give me massive papercuts courtesy of the Shopaholic series) but hey, what's wrong with a bit of assistance?

Following Trashionista's recommendation of how-to chick-lit book See Jane Write, I must give credit to another title of similar nature: Will Write for Shoes - How to Write a Chick-Lit Novel, by Cathy Yardley.

It's pretty, it's pink, and more importantly, it's chock-full of writing tips for any aspiring chick-lit writer.

So, you want to write a girly masterpiece? Where to begin? Of course, those who read a lot of the genre obviously have a vague idea of where such a book should be heading. But if you're just starting out, Will Write for Shoes is a brilliant resource for your first-time writing needs. Yardley covers the brief history of the chick-lit genre, from its birth in the form of Bridget Jones to the recent bout of novels as the genre has burst forth with so much to offer.

There's also a handy 'Chick-Lit 101' detailing the traditional aspects of the chick-lit novel, along with advice on trends and the numerous cliches which get really old, really fast. So before you even THINK about putting that overly-camp gay hairdresser of a best friend into your novel for 'comic relief' - seriously reconsider. You have been warned.

Aside from the ever-so-handy tips on the genre itself: what it's all about, what to avoid and what can make one's novel prosper, the rest of this book reads quite like any other how-to writing guide, only with a sweet, candy-like covering. It doesn't go into immense detail but does provide some personal insights from the author, who has several published chick-lit books to her credit, and this made fascinating reading.

Topics such as agents, publishers and various steps of novel-writing are covered, each topic being well-written and fun to read. There's also a section covering various publishers, along with a handy contact list, though this is only a bonus if you're based in America. UK chicks will be forced to look elsewhere, I'm afraid! There's also a great FAQ chapter and a variety of samples (query letter, synopsis etc) to help you on your way to published success. (Although British readers beware! UK publishers usually want first three chapters, not a synopsis - so best to do your own research).

In any case, Will Write for Shoes is a fabulous addition to the bookshelf of any upcoming chick-lit writer. It can't guarantee you instant literary fame and a spot on the bestseller list, but it will certainly guide you on your way to creating a decent plot and - hopefully - a well-written first novel.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs; No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Francesca Segre

Our NaNovember celebrations continue with this week's interview with American author Francesca Segre. Francesca wrote her book Daughter of the Bride for NaNoWriMo and the film rights have been optioned for Goldie Hawn.

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

29 year-old Daniella watches her mother get hitched while her own ring finger is bare.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

I work at libraries or cafes on my laptop. I usually ride my bicycle to The Cow’s End, a café at Venice Beach, a mile from my house. Working at the Cow’s End is good for three reasons: 1) It has no internet access (aka most dangerous procrastination tool.) 2. There are other “regular writers” at The Cow’s End, which can be good for camaraderie. 3. A break from writing means a nap on the sand. Nice! I’d like to work at home, but I get so distracted (read internet.)

Your favourite chick-lit book?

This is not original, but I do think Good in Bed takes the cake. It was so funny, from the first scene of Cannie wolfing down M&Ms to the later scenes where she grows up and moves past the ex-boyfriend. The character was likable and fresh. The story was unpredictable and different from the generic skinny girl goes shopping and looks for boyfriend.

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

While Calliope Helen Stephanides in Middlesex isn’t strictly a heroine because she is also a he, I thought s/he was a fascinating, warm, and genuine character. I wanted her/him to have an okay life and find an end to the torture and confusion of having an unidentifiable sex.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

Don’t write for fame, glory, or money. Write because you have a story to tell and it will drive you (and everyone else around you) bonkers unless you get it out. Beyond that, stop procrastinating! Sit down, shut up and write.

What are you reading at the moment?

An Anthropologist on Mars, by Oliver Sacks. This is a fascinating collection of true stories about idiot savants.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

She’s a TV reporter in a small town. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.

Thanks, Francesca!

If you haven't read Francesca's guest blog - what are you waiting for?

And don't forget that you can win a copy of Daughter of the Bride simply by emailing us your name and address (subject: "Bride") before 30th November 2006.

And as if all that wasn't enough, a review of Daughter of the Bride is coming up next week!

Iva-Marie Palmer's NaNo

Iva-Marie Palmer has done NaNoWriMo for the last three years and all three of her books sound fantastic.

This year, I'm writing "Ennui" (working title) -- a young adult book and an update of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" -- about Ennui Jacobs, a comics and classics-reading, school activity-hating sophomore who thought she'd never take an interest in anything, until she meets Cy Rochester. Now she's listening to her Cosmo Girl-toting sister and trying not to daydream about Cy's crooked grin.

But Cy's cocky and arrogant -- not to mention full of secrets, including a mother who disappeared after becoming the biggest soap opera star of her era. Does Ennui want to pull her head out of a book long enough to learn what he's hiding?

You can read an excerpt here.

Don't forget, if you want your NaNo masterpiece-in-progress to appear on Trashionista, just email us the details.

Introduction to NaNovember / Bay Area Blogger's NaNo /NaNovember archives

I don't normally do this, but Iva-Marie's other two books sound equally great, so you can read about them over the cut.

In 2004, I wrote, "The Chronicles of Marnie: Lyin', a Bitch and My Wardrobe." This chick lit tale is about Marnie Miller, a Midwest transplant to L.A. who finds herself embroiled in love triangles and tabloid scandals after she takes a job as the Web site alterego of Hill Valley, a ditsy, implant-laden sci-fi series star.

All Marnie wanted was a writing job; but now Hill Valley might be named Celebrity of the Year and she gets an intriguing secret admirer from Marnie's expert wordsmithery. All's fair in love and war -- so why's Hollywood exempt?

"Seat Filler" was my 2005 Chick Lit about Delilah Samson, a former member of the New York intellectual elite/architecture critic who -- after caught in flagrante with the wrong "artiste" -- is fired and has to begin again on the West Coast as the "nostaglia pirate" for Sam Dee's, a chain of cheesy family restaurants that pride themselves on tacky decor.

When Delilah starts "seat filling" -- going to awards shows to fill up seats to make the audience look full on camera -- she meets Matthew Lock, an up and coming actor who represents everything Delilah didn't want in her old life. The question is, does she want it in her new one?

Novels that take a long time!

To write, rather than read, that is- although in some cases it might be both! It seems that while the frenzied atmosphere of Nanovember is great inspiration for some authors, others need a lot more time to hone their craft...

Mary Sharratt told us last week that researching and writing her tour de force novel (review coming soon!) The Vanishing Point took ten years, a real labour of love. Bestselling author Donna Tartt also took ten years between smash hit The Secret History and its follow-up, The Little Friend (meaning the so-so reviews for the latter must have been especially galling- that's the sophomore slump for you!)

Meanwhile, in the latest issue of Mslexia, Jane Harris explains why her debut novel The Observations took a massive thirteen years to come to fruition. So if you're a budding novelist, I  guess it doesn't really matter how long it takes... as long as you get there in the end.

Kelly McClymer Guest Blog & Giveaway

Kelly McClymer wrote her most recent book, The Salem Witch Tryouts for NaNoWriMo "on a lark". It's Young Adult chick lit, and Kelly was previously published in historical romance so it was a bit of a departure. Kelly is writing the third book in the Salem Witch Tryouts series for NaNo this year. Well, that was the plan anyway, but as you'll see from her guest blog, sometimes life gets in the way.

NANO BLUES by Kelly McClymer

I signed up for NaNoWriMo again this year. I thought I cleared the decks, ready to do nothing but write up a storm all through November. After all, I have a book due on December 15th--I need to finish my draft by the end of November so I can spend the first weeks of December revising and polishing. Unfortunately, I've run into the problem of the perpetually-filling decks.

So far, when I should be halfway through (25,000 words), I'm at a meager 5,000. Sure, I have my story chart filled in, and my collage in a place of prominence. But the actual writing...eke is the work that comes to mind (a close cousin of eek!). What have I done instead? Hmmm.

Carry on over the cut for more from Kelly and to find out how you can win a copy of The Salem Witch Tryouts.

Electricity went out to half the house, so spent a few days panicking and reminding the kids what to do if the smoke alarms sounded in the middle of the night. Worried about thousands of dollars to rewire the house that was creatively wired in the 70s by a previous owner. Status: after one week, electrician found the problem, rewired the house...two hours, under$200, a million gray hairs.

Youngest needed to get college application ready, do campus visit and have daily lectures on not slacking off senior year. Status: campus visit completed, application essay still stuck in craw (after all, there is no one around with writing experience to help him...sigh). Lectures seeming to have some small effect.

Signed up for advanced level course for tutoring students with dyslexia in reading (got my certificate for the initial level this month...yay!). Status: reading, more reading, and then some writing. I also tutor four hours a week (each hour of tutoring takes about two hours of prep).

In short--nothing major, just life. So, I'm recommitting to NaNo today. I can reach my goal (50,000-5,000=45,000; 45,000/16=2,812 words per day). Wait! Make that I'm going to reach my goal. I'll start checking in every night, too (I've been avoiding the NaNo community out of shame).

So what if my decks are never really going to be empty? That's what caffeine is for!

Thanks, Kelly! So if you'd like to win a copy of The Salem Witch Tryouts, just email us with your name and address and "Salem" in the subject line, before 30 November 2006. The winner will be picked at random.

Introduction to NaNovember / Rebecca Agiewich guest blog & giveaway / NaNovember archives

GUEST BLOG AND GIVEAWAY: Rebecca Agiewich

Written for NaNoWriMo, Rebecca's first novel, BreakupBabe is summed up as "How I got over the worst, most humiliating breakup in web-recorded history – and became stronger, smarter, and better off without the biggest Loser on the face of the earth."

As part of our NaNovember Extravaganza, Rebecca's not only written us a guest blog but has also kindly offered a copy of BreakupBabe for you. Yes, you! If you enter the competition, that is. Read on to find out how to enter.

How to become a rich, famous and fabulous author by Rebecca Agiewich

Hear ye, hear ye, Trashionista fans, I have been asked to write a guest blog about how NaNoWrimo will make you a rich, famous, and fabulous author, just like it has made me! Now if you’ve missed me on Oprah – don’t worry – I haven’t actually been on yet, and if you didn’t see that front page review in the New York Times Review of Books, uh, well, they haven’t done one yet, but my novel BreakupBabe (which came out this past May) is out there and selling slowly but surely!
 
Carry on over the cut for more from Rebecca and how to enter the competition.

Without NaNoWrimo, I don’t think I ever would have gotten it done. That’s because writing a first draft is a painful, horrible process, and unless you get through it as quickly as possible, commando-style, you won’t get it done (or at least I won’t). Before I wrote the first draft of BreakupBabe during the 2003 NaNoWrimo, I’d been working on another book-writing the same four chapters over and over again! That’s because, as founder of NaNoWrimo, Chris Baty points out, a writer’s most important tool is a deadline.

And since most of us don’t have the luxury of a deadline imposed by a fancy publishing house, artificial deadlines must do, and NaNoWrimo provides that, along with the pressure of sixty thousand other people trying to do the same thing.
 
Besides helping me get my first draft done, a miracle in itself, NaNoWrimo also instilled in me one of the most important writing habits I have: writing every single day. In order to keep up your NaNo wordcount, you pretty much have to write every single day. I learned that morning was my best time to write, and now three years later, I still at least five mornings a week – even though I still have a full-time job (grr). It’s gotten to be like a good workout for me; if I don’t do it, I feel off for the entire day.
 
So, while NaNoWrimo is a grueling, demanding, and some might say masochistic to do, take it from this almost-famous, almost-bestselling author – it will be the one of the best thing you can do for your fledgling novelist career. It was for mine.

Thanks, Rebecca. If you'd like to win a copy of BreakupBabe just email us your name and address, put "Babe" in the subject line, and we'll pick a winner at random after 30 November 2006. Easy as that.

Rebecca Agiewich interview / Introduction to NaNovember / Francesca Segre's guest blog / Karen Quintiere's guest blog / Lani Diane Rich guest blog and giveaway / Mary Sharratt guest blog

FRANCESCA SEGRE GIVEAWAY!

Francesca was our first NaNovember guest blogger and she has kindly donated a copy of her novel Daughter of the Bride to a lucky Trashionista reader.

When her mom calls to say she's getting married, Daniella is both thrilled and devastated. Mom, who's pushing sixty, is about to walk down the aisle for the second time, and Daniella, at twenty-nine, hasn't come close to saying "I do" once. Even worse, Mom insists Daniella help plan the big bash: white gown, band, caterer, the works.

Between cake tastings, dress fittings, and ring shopping, Daniella struggles to make sense of her own frustrating love life-all while juggling her high-pressure TV job and hectic dating adventures. And it isn't long before she realizes she's going to have to make some changes in her own life-or never walk down the aisle herself. [via Amazon.com]

Carry on over the cut to find out how you can win a copy.

To be in with a chance of winning, just do the usual - that's email us your name and address and put "Bride" in the subject line. We'll pick a winner after 30 November 2006. Good luck! (And don't forget you can still enter our Sara Gruen and Lani Diane Rich giveaways.)

Intro to NaNovember / NaNovember archives

TRASHIONISTA AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jenna Bayley-Burke

Jenna Bayley-Burke is the author of Just One Spark which she wrote as part of NaNoWrimo. Here, she talks to us (and coming soon- a guest blog from Jenna!)

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Mr. Buttoned Uptight needs a girlfriend and a caterer, so decides to multi-task.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

I like to write at coffee shops with my favorite coffee-of-the-month (maple latte, try it!), however, I do most of my writing in bed with my laptop, and my kidlets sleeping down the hall.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

Hmmm. Favourites are overrated. Kristin Lobe's Paris Hangover for the setting and her use of description, Jane Porter's The Frog Prince for the way she layers in emotion, and Saralee Rosenberg's Fate and Ms. Fortune for the humor. You didn't really expect me to pick one? Please, that's like eating one M&M. No one does that!

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

Oh! I just read the Santa, Baby anthology, and loved Toni Larson from Carly Phillips' Naughty Under The Mistletoe. I'm always a big fan of heroines who know what they want, and take it. 

[Expect a Trashionista review of Santa, Baby, which also features a Jennifer Crusie novella, in December].

Carry on over the cut for the rest of our interview with Jenna...

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

Read your favorite authors as you would textbooks. Look to see from whom you can learn emotion, setting, humor, sensuality, action, etc. And write. That's the main thing.

What are you reading at the moment?

Well... Raising a Reader, YOU on a Diet and Off Her Rocker by Jennifer Archer. Just finished an advance reader's copy of Vicki Lewis Thompson's My Nerdy Valentine last night. Fantastic!

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

My NaNoWriMo, Sure Thing. It's difficult because it uses the characters and time line of Just One Spark. It's hard, but Kate & Derek needed their own story.

Thanks Jenna! Jenna's new novel Cooking Up a Storm is released on December 1st.

Jenna's blog / Interview Archives / Nanovember archives

Bay Area Blogger's NaNoWriMo

The Bay Area Blogger is the author of Bay Area Love Letters, a guide to the San Francisco Bay Area for residents and visitors. Here's her NaNo:

Up-and-coming model Ginger would do anything to be the new face of Brand X. When the hiring director drops hints about hiring Ginger for the job, her quest to secure it becomes all encompassing. Ginger's sure she's got the gig in the bag, but why wait for time to tell? She embarks on a mission to get the facts out of her boss--and anyone else who's got inside info.--and she learns a little more than she bargained for as she goes about her task.

Will her rival win the hiring director's favor and leave Ginger in the lurch? Or will Ginger do whatever it takes, even breaking confidences and destroying careers, to get the job? Is her boyfriend really supporting her on her way to the top, or is he involved with the hiring director is ways that are less than professional?
 
Part chick-lit, part chick-lit satire, The New Face of Brand X tells the story of what can go wrong when success is sought after at all costs, even at the expense  of romance and friendship. At what point is ambition a virtue and at what point a vice? And what's a girl to do when walking a mile in her dream Jimmy Choos ends up nothing like it was cracked up to be? 

Read an extract here.

If you'd like to see your NaNo project on Trashionista, just email us the details! You never know who might be reading (duh duh duuuuuh!) (that was supposed to be suspenseful music).

Intro to NaNovember / Lisa Clark's NaNo / Kathleen O'Leary's NaNo / Kate Madison's NaNo / NaNovember archives

SPOTLIGHT: Sara Gruen

Yep, another NaNo-centric Spotlight. I hadn't heard of Sara Gruen until quite recently and now I'm kind of fixated on her (a rumoured $5million advance will do that to me!).

Born in Vancouver, Canada, Sara went on to study English Literature at college in Ontario. In 1999 she moved to the US for a technical writing job and has subsequently become a citizen. After Sara was laid off from the tech writing job, she decided to try writing fiction full-time.

Her first novel, Riding Lessons, was published to critical and popular acclaim. Sara then wrote Water for Elephants, but her editor turned it down and asked for a sequel to Riding Lessons instead. The sequel, Flying Changes, was then followed by Water for Elephants. Her new novel, Ape House, is due in 2008.

Carry on over the cut for more about Sara and her bibliography.

Sara lives in Northern Illinois with her husband, three sons, two dogs, three cats, two goats, and horse in an idyllic-sounding environmentalist community (the residents live in energy-efficient homes and share an organic farm and a charter school).

Sara donates a portion of the earnings from all of her books to various animal charities. You can find links to some of the charities and info on how you can help here.

Don't forget you can win a copy of each of Sara's books by emailing us with your name and address and "Sara" in the subject line (before 30 November 2006).

Riding Lessons
Flying Changes
Water for Elephants

Read our interview with Sara / Introduction to NaNovember / NaNovember archives / Spotlight archives

GUEST BLOG: MARY SHARRATT

As part of our NaNovember celebrations, Mary Sharratt, a fave of Joshilyn Jackson and loyal friend of Trashionista, talks about how long it took her to write her book The Vanishing Point- and why she set it way back in the past...

Mary Sharratt on... why timing (and research!) is everything.

Back in the early 1990s, long before the whole NaNoWriMo phenomenon began, I wrote the first draft of my novel, The Vanishing Point, as a novella. The writing didn’t take long—the story itself flowed out of me in the form of a dark fairy tale. Full of love and longing, deception and betrayal, the narrative was informed as much by folklore and tragic ballads as historical research. The setting in the Maryland wilderness was in place, as was the skeleton plot, including the sleight of hand twist and revelation at the end.

Then it occurred to me that in order to do justice to this plot, the story had to be much bigger than a novella. To fully develop the characters and setting, I would have to do a significant amount of research. This proved daunting, as I was living in Germany at the time, in what for me, at least, was the pre-internet era. The old chestnut, “Write What You Know,” reverberated. But what did I know about 17th century Maryland tobacco plantations? I had no connection with that region. But my two 17th century sisters would not leave me in peace.

Abandoning my safety zone, I leapt into the void and researched the novel for over a decade. Why go to all this trouble when I could have made my life easier by writing something contemporary? Because writing is at its most addictive when it becomes as escape for the writer, as well as the reader. Historical fiction is my mode of time travel. By setting my story in the distant past, I hope to evoke the same sense of timeless wonder and “otherwhere” that is found in fairy tales. It’s my great challenge to make that historical world as real and alive for the reader as it is for me.

[I've just started the book and so far, it's fabulous, and seems brilliantly well-researched- but not boringly so!- Diane].

Thanks Mary!

Related:  Author Interview: Mary Sharratt / Mary Sharratt's dressed-up book tour / Mary's website.

GUEST BLOG & GIVEAWAY: Lani Diane Rich

As you should know by now (I've certainly mentioned it enough!) Lani Diane Rich wrote her first book Time Off for Good Behavior for NaNoWriMo and, to help celebrate NaNovember, she's written a guest blog for us about the experience.

Lani's also kindly offered a copy of Time Off for Good Behavior to two lucky Trashionista readers (that's a copy each, you don't have to share one!). To be in with a chance of winning just email us your name and address with "Lani" in the subject line by 30 November 2006.

Carry on over the cut to read Lani's guest blog.

The Power of Whim by Lani Diane Rich

I don't remember when I gave my first interview about Nano, but I'm sure it was sometime approaching November of 2004. My first book, TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR, had just released, and I was going on a small tour with Chris Baty (if you see him, ask him about the giant squash!) and there were interviews with television, radio and newspaper people. It was weird. Prior to this book, I'd always been the interviewer. It was odd being on the other side. One thing I didn't realize was how you say one thing once, and it will follow you forever. For me, it's whim. As in, "Lani Diane Rich decided to join on a whim in 2002, and now she's published! Dig her!"

I'm paraphrasing.

Despite the fact that it's really true - on Halloween night, 2002, my kids decided they didn't want to go trick-or-treating (they were 1 and 3, understandable) and I ended up getting online with a bunch of friends who were talking about Nano and I said, "What the hell?" - it always bugs me when I see it in print. I think because "whim" makes it all seem like it wasn't important, like my decision to do Nano that year didn't completely and powerfully change my life, which it did, in more ways than I can count. I went into Nano that year with no idea what I was getting into. I had no idea I'd even make it to 50,000 words, let alone write something that would become publishable. I think that may be part of the reason why it worked. I had no aspirations, so I dove into TIME OFF with the kind of gusto you can only get from "What the hell?" And I learned so much during that time, the most important lesson being this:

Craft is craft, and it's important, but the most important thing any writer can do for their book is to write about what matters to them. At the time I started writing TIME OFF, I had a good friend who was being put through her paces in an abusive relationship. A strong, wonderful, witty, powerful woman who, for no reason I could understand, was allowing a man to beat her. So, when I was writing TIME OFF, it sort of became an ode to her, it became the story I wanted for her. It sounds weird to have written a funny book about an abused woman, but it wasn't hard because I refused to define the character of Wanda through her abuse. It's not a burning bed story. It's a story about a woman who defined her existence by who she was, not by what had been done to her. And, when it came down to it, Wanda was an ornery wise-ass with a heart of gold, and she was harsh and bitter and smart and funny as hell. To this day, if I could pick a single character to make real, she'd be it. Hands down.

So, I guess what I'm saying is that, while there are tons of things in that book which, four years later, kinda make me cringe, the one thing I still love about it is Wanda, and I'm still really proud that I got the privilege of writing her. She made me a writer, and I've had three other books out since, with four more on the way. She taught me not how to do something perfectly, but how to do it with passion, which I think is far more important.

And she taught me the importance of whims. To this day, whenever anyone comes to me with a wild idea, I jump at it whenever possible, because the truth is... you just never know.

Time Off For Good Behavior review / Francesca Segre's guest blog / Karen Quintiere's guest blog

MORE ON MONDAY: No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty

Since it's NaNovember, I thought a NaNo related More on Monday may be appropriate. Chris Baty is the founder of NaNoWriMo and his book No Plot? No Problem! was written with the NaNo challenge in mind (it's subtitled A High-velocity, Low-stress Way to Write a Novel in 30 Days).

Even if the thought of writing 50,000 words in a month fills you with horror - but you've still got that novel idea in the back of your mind - this could still be the book for you.

What you get in No Plot? No Problem! is a more detailed (and hilarious) account of why NaNoWriMo works - your first draft is not meant to be great, in fact it's better if it isn't. What you need for a first draft is words on the page.

It's not about how to write (there are tons of books for that) but rather how to force your bum on to the seat, learn to ignore your inner critic (the one that tells you what you're writing is rubbish), stop procrastinating with endless cups of tea and chocolate digestives (oh, right, that's me) and actually get some work done.

It's motivational, inspirational and, like I said, very funny. You could use it to challenge yourself to write a novel in any month (it doesn't have to be November, you know!) or just as a practical and entertaining back-up to any sort of writing.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Intro to NaNovember / More on Monday archives

BOOK REVIEW: Day Shift Werewolf by Jan Underwood

We told you about the three-day novel earlier, now read our review of the 2005 winner...

Jan Underwood was the winner of the 28th Annual International 3 Day Novel Writing Contest in 2005 with this, her first novel Day Shift Werewolf. As you’ve probably guessed, the novel was written in three days and it weaves together eight stories that are connected by the town of Stevens’ Ferry.

Each story is about a supernatural being who has become disillusioned with their lot in life...

Warren, the werewolf of the title, realises he doesn’t like meat, but he does have an slight obsession with apostrophes (Steven’s Ferry? Stevens’ Ferry? Stevens Ferry? Don’t worry, Warren will sort it out...) A minor demon decides he’d rather be a four-year-old girl and a Norwegian Gnome tries to claim political asylum. My favourite story was the first in the book. Ms Underwood slowly unravels the story, revealing a little bit more of her characters with every page until the picture is complete. The humour is very subtle and giggle-to-yourself funny.

The novel is short (well, it was written in three days), but I really like the idea of such a short novel. It’s great for reading on a train or in a café because it’s just the right size for a handbag. Even a small handbag. [Nicola Pedley]

For further information check out www.3daynovel.com.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try the other winners of the 3 Day Novel Contest; Enchanted Inc by Shanna Swendson.

Supernatural archives.

How NaNoWriMo can pay big bucks

Well, maybe not. But Sara Gruen who wrote her second novel Flying Changes for NaNoWriMo has recently moved to a new publisher in a two-book deal worth an estimated $5.2million! [via MediaBistro]

Sara doesn't mention the figure on her website, but she does admit to having celebrated the deal by adopting ten infant bonobo apes (along with exceedingly cute pic).

You can read our interview with Sara here and don't forget to enter our competition to win all three of Sara's books here.

NaNovember archives

The Three Day Novel

The aim of National Novel Writing Month  is obviously to write a novel in a month, which is a big enough challenge, but how about writing one in three days? Impossible? Well every year since 1977, The 3 Day Novel Contest is  held in Vancouver, Canada. What started out as a drunken dare has become a proud tradition with between 300 and 500 entries each year.