Congratulations to Laura, winner of last week’s giveaway contest!
From the 2013 Debs…
Deb Kerry has received her very first ever blurb for BETWEEN from the ever-s0-talented Robin Owens. She’s also giving away an advanced reader copy in celebration of her brand new website.
Deb Dana recreated a dish she had at a restaurant – without a recipe – and is feeling pretty smug about it. (Oh, and she received another blurb for her book and is feeling pretty grateful for that!)
Deb Kelly’s son is officially an independent walker!
Deb Susan is delighted to reveal the cover art for CLAWS OF THE CAT! Check out the fantastic cover here!
Deb Amy has seen the inside pages of her novel, THE GLASS WIVES. You can see it too, and read the first three pages! Just click here: The Glass Wives-1 copy
Past Deb News
Deb Joanne Levy is hosting round 2 of the KidLitCares auction to benefit Red Cross relief efforts on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Please click through to Joanne’s website for all the details. Auction launches November 12!
Deb Joanne also has a signing today at noon at Chapters South London: details here!
Deb Sarah Jio‘s BLACKBERRY WINTER is #14 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Way to go Sarah!!
Deb Dish – What fictitious character (or novel) inspires you?
Deb Amy: I was always inspired by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Okay, she wasn’t fictional, but I think the books really skewed toward fiction. I mean, life on the prairie wasn’t really fodder for children’s books, now was it? Laura was determined, persistent, precocious, and geez, I just loved reading books with drawings in them. And the idea of a log cabin in the middle of nowhere still appeals to me. As long as it has Wifi.
Deb Dana: Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities always inspired me. I won’t give specifics, in case you haven’t read the book, but from a modern writer’s perspective, he is one of the only “modern” characters in that book — he’s dark and tortured and yet ends up being a hero. And then, at entirely the other end of the spectrum, there’s Bridget Jones. She is the everygirl, and I love that about her, and as a writer, I tried to impart that same “everygirl” quality to my main character, Hannah.
Deb Kelly: Generally, if I can’t find something inspiring about a novel, I quit reading it. Frankly, I find the brave act of writing a novel inspiring. But when my inspiration is really flagging I turn to the nonfiction works of Tracy Kidder. If you haven’t read Mountains Beyond Mountains or Strength in What Remains, please do. I love me some fiction, but sometimes the truth of human spirit is so beautiful that you wouldn’t even believe it if you read it in a novel.
Deb Kerry: I am inspired by so many fictional characters in so many different ways. I always hate the questions where I have to choose! The character who comes to mind right now is Frodo Baggins. Okay, make it two characters and add Samwise. Those two little hobbits believe they are on a hopeless quest, and that even if they succeed they will never live to tell about it. And yet they go on, simply because it is the right thing to do. THAT inspires me no end.
Deb Susan: When it comes to fiction and inspiration, I think the character that inspires me most is Ender Wiggin (from ENDER’S GAME, by Orson Scott Card). Not so much because of who Ender is, or even what he does, but because Card created characters so compelling that I’ve read the book six times (and will probably read it at least six more). While you’re turning the pages, Ender is real. He suffers. He overcomes. He suffers again – and the reader suffers with him. The vibrance of the world Card created, and the characters he chose to populate it, make ENDER’S GAME a book that inspires me to become a better writer every time I sit at the keys.
Your Turn!! Tell us about your favorite novel or fictitious character. Which one inspires you most?
Gorgeous covers, blurbs, recreated dishes and a new walker!! This has to be a banner news week, Debs! Congrats to EVERYONE!
I love that Kelly brought up Mountains Beyond Mountains–what a story. Kidder is amazing.
I love all the answers here – so much to think about. Geez, it’s true. But that really sounds like spam doesn’t it? Next thing you know I’ll be trying to sell you cheap designer watches. Well, now that I mention it… 😛