Charong Chow

GSA Network

2012-02-03T09:51:00.000-08:00

Being a teen hasn't changed all that much. I have been fortunate enough to read from and speak about my book Random at high school GSA, or Gay Straight Alliance, groups. I've shared by personal experiences and listened to their stories, sometimes shocking and all too real.

At the core of Random is the relationship between Tierney and Jeremy, which mimics my own relationship to my best friend Jeremy who died in 2001 when we were 26 years old. In real life, he was in the closet during high school and only truly came out while we studied abroad at university in Sydney, Australia.

Local GSA groups are organized by the national non-profit GSA Network, which was founded in 1998 to stop homophobia and support youth activists. Jeremy may have lived if this type of organization was around when we were in high school. Through the network, students can form a safe haven within their high schools to talk about issues that are important to them and make friends.

High schoolers I spoke with said that since it is a Gay Straight Alliance, joining didn't necessarily mean you are LGBT. You could be just supportive, which helps many teens find a way to participate.

I want to thank all the students I have met so far. I have been touched by their positive responses Random. After 11 years, I still find it difficult to speak about Jeremy's death. Meeting these amazing teens gives me hope for the future and proud to have written my book.

Come Celebrate Charong's Novel, Random - Friday January 27th

2012-01-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Charong Chow: photo by Alexander Chow-Stuart.

This Friday evening, January 27th, between 6pm - 8pm in the private room at theStarbucks at The Junction in Sonora, Charong Chow will be hosting her book launch party for her first novel, Random...and Alexander Stuart will be celebrating one thousand years on the planet (or something like that): my birthday!

Inspired by the death at 26 of our best friend, Jeremy, who first introduced us at one of my book readings in Miami's South Beach, Random is a Young Adult "teen noir" love story and thriller, set in contemporary Los Angeles.

Tierney is a sixteen year old high school co-ed who's neither the Bad Girl in school, nor exactly your average student, either. Excited by the arrival of Tom, a handsomely mysterious new kid, Tierney skips classes with her best friends, Jeremy (who's openly gay) and Maya, taking Tom along for a drug-fueled truancy that foreshadows darker things to come.

Written with an energy and razor-sharp dialogue that mixes teen angst and ennui with the shadows of a Hollywood long past - a Hollywood explored in a visit to Tom's grandparents and to the Griffith Observatory (famous for a key sequence in Rebel Without A Cause) - Random is powered by the sense of loss of the author's best friend, creating an energy that is part contemporary noir mystery and part emotional catharsis.

Charong will also be appearing tomorrow morning on KVML 1450AM in an interview by Mark Truppner that will be broadcast at 6:45am, 7:45am and 8:45am.

The cover of Charong Chow's Random, designed by Nancy Choe.

10% of all sales of Random between now and the end of the school year in June, will be donated to the Sierra Waldorf School in Jamestown - a progressive school that is dedicated to nurturing the individual capabilities of each child from pre-school to eighth grade, following the inclusive and inspirational teachings of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf Education.

Charong Chow's Random is available both as a paperback from Amazon, priced $8.88 (eight is the luckiest number in Chinese), and as a Kindle download, priced $5.99 (or free if you are an Amazon Prime member).

Please note that you do not need to own a Kindle to read a Kindle book. You can download a free Kindle app from Amazon for your Mac, PC or smartphone at this Free Kindle Reading Apps page.

Charong and I hope you can join us Friday night between 6pm - 8pm at theStarbucks at The Junction for a joint celebration.

Warmest wishes,

Alexander and Charong

Radio Interview on KVML Friday

2012-01-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Listen out Friday January 27, 2012 morning on Sonora's KVML 1450 AM for an interview about my YA novel, Random. Mark Truppner interviewed me just moments ago to ask me about the inspiration behind Random and how we made the move to northern California.

The interview will air 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 a.m.

10 % of RANDOM Sales to be Donated to Sierra Waldorf School

2012-01-14T16:55:00.000-08:00

From now until the end of the school year, 10 % of all book and Kindle sales of Random will be donated to the Sierra Waldorf School.

Dedicated to learning, the school was founded in 1989 by a group of local teachers and parents in Jamestown, California, who wanted to establish a high-quality and nurturing educational environment. Surrounded by cow pastures and views of Tabletop Mountain, the historic 1875 Rawhide Schoolhouse stands as the anchor to the campus.

Celebrate Random's publication on January 27, 2012, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Starbucks at the Junction in Sonora, CA. Paperback books will be available, and help us raise money to support the Sierra Waldorf School.

Random Launch Party and Giveaway January 26 at 6 p.m.PST

2012-01-11T15:21:00.000-08:00

Paperback of Random

Please join me for a virtual book launch party here on Charong.com, Twitter and Random on Facebook January 26, 2012 at 6 to 7 p.m. PST.

Like Random on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @Charong. Be sure to add #RandomYA to your tweets to participate.

I'll answer any questions, talk more about why I wrote the book and I will be giving away a free paperback copy of Random. There are two ways of winning, either leave a comment on this post or participate in the Twitter conversation January 26. I will randomly choose the winning comment or tweet.

Thank you for your support and see you January 26 at 6 to 7 p.m. PST.

First Review for my novel Random

2011-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

5.0 out of 5 stars More Than Zero...Teen Love and Loss in Contemporary LA,December 20, 2011

Alexander Chow-Stuart "Also known as: Alexand... (Los Angeles, California) -See all my reviews

This review is from: Random (Kindle Edition)

Charong Chow's Random is a thrilling read: a dark noir-influenced mature teen love story that captures adolescent disenchantment and danger in the midst of LA's suburban landscape, with a precision that echoes the raw unfettered vision of Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero, thirty years on.

Tierney is a sixteen year old high school co-ed who's neither the Bad Girl in school, nor exactly your average student, either. Excited by the arrival of Tom, a handsomely mysterious new kid, Tierney skips classes with her best friends, Jeremy (who's openly gay) and Maya, taking Tom along for a drug-fueled truancy that foreshadows darker things to come.

Written with an energy and razor-sharp dialogue that mixes teen angst and ennui with the shadows of a Hollywood long past - a Hollywood explored in a visit to Tom's grandparents and to the Griffith Observatory (famous for a key sequence in Rebel Without A Cause) - Random perfectly captures the lifestyle of kids on the verge of adulthood but not quite understanding the responsibilities they face, in the decade that is itself the teens of the 21st Century.

A compelling read that takes you on an emotional roller coaster, Random is hugely influenced by the drug-related death at a young age of Charong Chow's closest high school friend. The sense of loss of the author's friend powers the pages of Random with an energy that is both part contemporary noir mystery and part emotional catharsis.

Random is edgy, funny at times, totally authentic in its picture of teen life - but more than anything, it is moving: a tribute to the senseless loss of a young life, the kind of event you read about in the news or hear about in a chance encounter with an old schoolfriend.

Life can seem random enough at times, but death at an early age throws the universe itself off-course. Charong Chow's Random plumbs friendship, flirtation, sexual identity and threat to create a world in which love and loss color a landscape that is at once familiar and frighteningly new.

Random by Charong Chow

2011-12-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to announce the publication of my debut YA novel, Random.

After falling for the new guy at school, sixteen-year-old Tierney uncovers the truth surrounding the drug-fueled death of her best friend, Jeremy. Random, a contemporary expose of teenage life in Los Angeles, begins with a not-so-innocent truancy and builds - through complex, interwoven relationships - to a shock ending that sets Tierney up as a young female noir protagonist.

Read the first chapter of the book:

I knew he would be desperate to meet me. As I approach from Pacific Coast Highway, a crescent moon frowns over the glow of the Ferris Wheel and other amusements on the pier. Tom is standing outside his truck, as I park my mom’s car.

He lays out his pleas against our breakup as we walk past the rides.

“We’re too good together. You’re not the type to listen to what others say. I was angry when I said those things. I never meant them. I’ve never loved anyone like you before, even if I am only seventeen.”

I nod without much beyond my poker face. He stops walking and faces me.

“Are you going to say anything to me?”

“Can we have a hug?” I ask, causing a tender smile to break across his face.

He immediately clasps his long arms around me, almost taking my breath away. I hope for an emotional sense of anything. I feel nothing, no sadness, no happiness. He understands he doesn’t have a girlfriend anymore.

“Why did you ask me to meet you here?” he says.

“I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to know if it was really over.”

“I don’t want it to be, Tierney.”

I walk to the end of the pier past the Mexican restaurant and a lone fisherman gazing at the crashing waves. Tom follows silently. It’s dark and deserted. I walk down the farthest deck, three steps below the rest of the pier.

“My dad used to bring me here all the time when I was a girl,” I start. “We tried fishing a few times… I know this place like the back of my hand.”

“Catch anything?” Tom asks.

“No, just some seaweed once,” I reply.

“It’s nice here.”

“Maybe I wanted closure?” I say, looking over at him. I put my arms on the railing just above the rough murky water.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“For what?” I ask, with an intense look.

“I don’t know. That it turned out this way.”

“The moon looks beautiful tonight,” I say, pointing up.

“It’s not as beautiful as you, you’re glowing in it’s light,” Tom says to me.

“When I was little, I would call that kind of moon a banana moon. My parents thought that was so cute.”

His dark brown eyes look pitiful and sad, full of desire and longing, completely opposite to when we first met on that fateful morning, his first day of school.

***

I remember that Friday. My mom saw Jeremy’s fancy birthday present when she dropped me off. We had just arrived at school as Jeremy was getting out of his new red Audi station wagon.

“Mom, stop over there, to the right. I see Jeremy.”

“Great car he has there.”

“He just got it for his sixteenth birthday from his dad.”

“Nice dad.”

She stopped the car and I jumped out with my school things.

“Yeah, but he’s never here for him. He didn’t even give the car to him. He had the dealership drop it off at J’s mom’s place with a big red ribbon. Bye”

“Bye, dear.”

I walked over to Jeremy, who immediately smiled.

“Hey there!”

“Hello, I need to ask you something.”

“Whether or not we should bail today?” Jeremy laughed.

“No, not today, we have a math test.”

“When did that ever stop you?”

I gave him my disapproving look. “I was going to ask what have we been doing in class lately?”

“Yes, Miss Tierney, I’ll give you some notes.”

We walked towards school, watching a black pickup truck pull up to the student parking lot. Jeremy pulled me back, and I stopped in my tracks. Then I saw him.

“Is he new?” I whispered to Jeremy.

“I don’t know,” Jeremy said, staring just as intently as I was. “We should ask him. Let’s go.”

“No, I don’t…”

But it was too late. Jeremy walked right over to him. The new boy’s chocolate brown hair and guilty smile seemed to beckon me. He was wearing the uniform of all the guys I knew, cargo pants, Undefeated T-shirt, and a black hoodie. He had a strong build that looked as if it would be good at any sport, if he cared. The features in his face changed from every angle, but he was definitely someone you could spend your days dreaming about. Jeremy, of course, practically drooled as we approached.

“Hey, there. New to school?”

“Yes, actually I am.”

Standing behind Jeremy, I was embarrassed and somehow intimidated by this stranger. I didn’t fully understand our destiny yet. He looked at me, almost reading my mind.

“I don’t bite,” he said, smiling. “I’m Tom.”

Jeremy cut in, “Well Tom, I’m Jeremy and this is Tierney.”

“What’s your name again?” Tom asked me, obviously puzzled.

“It’s Tierney… I’m named after Gene Tierney,” I said.

“The Hollywood actress?” he asked.

“Yeah, my parents were fans.”

“It’s nice. I like that.”

“Thanks.”

We were standing there…and Jeremy busted out: “We’re thinking of ditching today. Wanna come?”

“We can’t, Jeremy. We have a math test, remember?” I reminded him.

“It doesn’t matter. We can make it up.”

“Well, it is my first day,” Tom said. “Maybe I should go to school today.”

“Okay, you are both goody-goodies,” Jeremy pouted. “We’ll stay.”

I laughed and pulled Jeremy to the main building, wanting our conversation to end. Tom followed us, causing Jeremy to continue with the twenty questions.

“Where did you come from?” he began.

“New York.”

“East Coast, huh?” Jeremy chuckled.

“My parents got divorced and my mom’s from here. So we moved to my grandparents’ house,” explained Tom.

As we approached the main door and all the other plebs at school, Maya dashed out. She grabbed Jeremy’s and my arms.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.”

“What’s the hurry?” I asked.

“It’s Friday, why does there have to be a reason?” she replied.

Tom reluctantly waved goodbye, not really understanding what was going on. Jeremy stopped Maya and curled his finger at Tom with a come-hither gesture.

“You’re coming with us. No choice in the matter.”

“Who’s this?” asked Maya. “J’s new boyfriend?”

Tom looked affronted. “Maybe,” smiled Jeremy.

“No,” said Tom, a little too sharply.

“Let’s go before anyone sees us,” I told them all firmly.

***

We returned to the student parking lot. When we saw Jeremy’s car, we ran towards it laughing.

“Shotgun,” screamed Maya, as she sat in the front passenger seat. Tom and I took the back seat. As Jeremy started his engine, Maya turned to Tom and me.

“Okay, so I saw Christy, that dumb blond cheerleader chick, wearing silver Uggs today.”

“That’s why we’re bailing?” I exclaimed.

“Why is she wearing them?”

“Because you’ve had them for about a month already, and you’re cool and she’s not,” I said.

She grinned.

“I told you those things were over. Don’t wear them anymore.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

I turned to Tom. “Is this how it is in New York?”

“I was at an all boys’ school with uniforms.”

Jeremy looked through his rear view mirror. “I love a man in uniform.” We all laughed.

“Who are you?” asked Maya.

“He’s the new guy,” Jeremy said. “We found him in the parking lot.”

“Like a stray dog?” Maya asked.

“Something like that,” said Jeremy.

“Sorry, they’re always this annoying. Sometimes I don’t know why I hang out with them,” I told Tom.

“It’s not annoying me,” he said. “This is fun.”

“Oh, damn,” Jeremy shouted. He looked serious. “Bosco is out of town this weekend.”

“Don’t worry, I can call English Dave,” I told Jeremy calmly. “But it’s a little early.”

“Perfect. We have to show Tom here a good time.”

“It’s my talent, one of my many skills,” I said to Tom.

“What’s your talent?” he asked, with smile.

He knew, but he wanted me to say it out loud.

“I can score anywhere in the world.”

“I am sure you can.”

“Last year in Tokyo, with Jeremy, we found plenty of fun from some Dutch guy. It was really expensive, but I met some people at this club...”

“So this is the kind of fun we’re going to have today?”

“Is that okay?” I smiled.

“Don’t act all innocent, Tom,” yelled Jeremy.

“I’ll manage,” Tom said.

***

I look at him now on the pier.

“Can I ask you something?” I say. “Why did you do it?”

“What?”

“All those bad things?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tom says, with a glimmer in his eyes that scares me.

“I know about New York, and…” I can’t stop the tears. “I know what you did to my best friend!”

***

Based in California, Charong Chow is an internationally exhibited artist, author and mother of two. Her debut novel Random, was inspired by her best friend’s death. A food lover, she writes a recipe and lifestyle blog with her children, www.EatingWithHudson.com. She also writes for various publications when not caring for her family and menagerie of animals.

Random Novel

2011-10-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce the publication of my mature teen novel, Random, on Kindle. Details to come shortly!

New Year

2011-07-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

I planned on writing a new post for New Years celebrating 2011 and here it is seven months later. Paradise celebrated her second birthday half a year ago and it's almost Hudson's birthday. We've just moved to northern California after 14 years as Angelenos.

It has been a crazy year and we are extremely happy to have found such as great town. I don't think we were ready before for small town life, but with children and the beautiful surroundings we are extremely happy.

Happy 2011!

Monetize me

2010-08-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

I've been researching websites that claim to pay for articles and web content. They encourage writers to write whatever subjects they choose and earn big money. I applied to Suite 101, after a friend's recommendation. It basically pays you when someone clicks on a Google ad from your article.

The writers must put in their own links and pictures too. A lot of work for a few bucks a month, if even. I'll try one and see what happens. I decided to monetize my own blogs and try to claim any ad money available. It's sad but these are the days we live in. If it doesn't bring in anything, I'll get rid of them. They already seem to spoil the blogs.

Summer

2010-07-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

It's the middle of Summer. The weather has been so mild that we are wondering if it's really Summer. So far, my daughter has gotten stitches on her chin, our son turned six and then got an ear infection, we all had lice, and we put together a trampoline.

The economy still sucks and everyday I sense uncertainty. It's hard for everyone and our son is feeling our stress. But I know we are at a turning point. Yes, there's confusion and bad news for many people, but we can only grow stronger from all of this. We can only look for that silver lining. Hope is all we have. Staying positive is my current mantra.

The important things in life aren't fancy electronic devices and addresses. It's family, health, and love. Everyday when we wake up, our children are so happy with the new morning. We must remember to believe and be joyful over what really matters.

Now we are six

2010-07-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Six years ago, I was yelling at my doctor. "He's not going to come out!"

I pushed for two hours for my little cone-headed 8lb 10 oz baby boy. Now he is a person with his own preferences, ideas, and iron will. We are lying to ourselves if we think we are the perfect parents in raising our children, but we do the best we can. We must always love them for who they are. We can't relive our childhoods through them, and we need to listen to their individual needs.

We started with the Waldorf educational philosophy, but we have become a little flexible now with DVDs and computers. Our son is thriving and we are so thrilled to announce:

HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY!!

Farewell Cottonball

2010-06-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

Our worst fears were realized when we were woken up bright and early to Cottonball's newly found voice, a male voice. We had our suspicions when he grew a pronounced wattle and comb. We had to to say goodbye and I immediately placed an ad for a beautiful Chinese Silkie Rooster. Nobody responded.

Luckily our neighbors happily took him in. They have 27 acres behind their home with goats and chickens. Cottonball will be missed but the early wake-up crows and the crowing all day long won't be.

No More School

2010-06-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Today we officially withdrew our son, H, from his charter elementary school. It has been a disappointing episode in his life. It is true the school was not our first choice for kindergarten, but we made the best of it. We needed to save money, and we decided going to a public charter school was the right decision, even though we were following a Waldorf educational philosophy. The charter school was basically a traditional public school, though it had some great progressive ideas. We especially liked its sense of community.

In the beginning, H was so happy and proud of his new school. He wanted his baby sister to attend, and he loved all the events there. But after the new year when the workload increased, he started changing. We were always concerned there was too much academics in his kindergarten class. However, it is difficult to escape it. Everywhere, schools and parents are pushing for reading, writing, and math, earlier and earlier. Perschoolers are now doing homework. This trend is alarming to us, but we hoped that since H was in a developmental kindergarten for younger children, he would be spared.

In the new year, the homework and classwork increased. H complained there was no free time anymore. He got sick a few times and didn't want to go back. We asked the teacher if he could do the makeup work later, but she would give him his extra work in class and tell him to hurry up.

H, who had loved writing, started to hate it all. He no longer wanted playdates with school friends. When planning his 6th birthday party, he didn't want to invite anyone from school. He only wanted children from last year. We were worried when he was acting strangely. He never complained outright. He said the drive to school was exhausting. He no longer wanted to drive that road. School was work. He couldn't write anymore. He also said there was no more free play inside the classroom. This was worrying to us.

When we received homework and an email about the school's Too Good For Drugs Program, we were not happy. We didn't want him exposed to anti-drugs rhetoric at five. Instead of acknowledging our concerns, his teacher told us she was hurt by our comments. She said we didn't trust her and a couple other parents backed her. She has bombarded us with emails about everything, and she demands us to check her website on a regular basis for homework updates and other events. She could easily further informed us with this California mandated program. To this day, we have heard back from the principal in any of our questions.

Finally, we found out a comment from his teacher during his last class share completely eroded his self-confidence. H is usually a very good speaker, but she told him his voice was too low. He started asking me questions, why was his voice so low, why were boys voices lower than girls, was his voice scratchy, etc. Then he constructed a speaker to make it louder. We confronted him, and we realized that we could no longer force him to attend that school. He was now being damaged by it. We were saddened that he was suffering.

Pulling him and homeschooling is the right thing to do. He had been excited about school and now he's unsure about it. He's worried that in the fall his new school will be the same. We are hopeful it will help reignite his love of learning and school.

Arts Writing Grant

2010-05-25T14:45:00.001-07:00

Two weeks left to finish the Andy Warhol Foundation/ Creative Capital Arts Writer Grant http://www.artswriters.org

2010 GRANT APPLICATION NOW OPEN
Application Deadline — Monday, June 7, 2010

The Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program supports individual writers whose work addresses contemporary visual art through grants in the following categories:

• Articles
• Blogs
• Books
• New and Alternative Media
• Short-Form Writing

Grants range from $3,000 to $50,000 depending on the needs and scope of the project.
Designed to encourage and reward writing about contemporary art that is rigorous, passionate, eloquent and precise, as well as to create a broader audience for arts writing, the Arts Writers Grant Program aims to strengthen the field as a whole and to ensure that critical writing remains a valued mode of engaging the visual arts.

Sickies

2010-05-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

Our daughter was the next in line to get bronchitis like my husband and our son. Everyone is on the same meds except me. I'm trying to fight illness with orange juice and tea because I'm needed to drive my family to doctor appointments, pharmacies, and grocery stores.

Enjoying the new book about David Foster Wallace, Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself. Dialogue from someone who has died all sounds poignant and important.

New Novel

2010-05-06T17:34:00.001-07:00

Started on new novel about motherhood, parents, children, husbands, in all its craziness. But still hopeful for the three agents who are reading my teen novel. I'm using The Secret so they respond positively this afternoon. Also, trying to think of new ideas for 2010 Arts Writers Grant Program :

www.artswriters.org

Otherwise, nurturing my children and husband. Hoping this mother's day I can sleep in!

!!! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

ipad ibooks?

2010-04-28T16:21:00.000-07:00

There is so much talk how ebooks and Amazon price cutting has killed hardbacks. Will the newish ipad save publishing?

The ipad looks amazing and ibooks seems fun to use. Today, I read the New Yorker article how the six big publishers have cut a deal with Steve Jobs to bypass Amazon.com, who is now seen as a competitor rather than a retailer.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2010/01/ipad.html

What now?

2010-04-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

DECISIONS??

Big decision now is: what is my next project? Should I stick to the teen genre or write something more adult?

I had an idea for a male protagonist. He's the nice guy, senior in high school, and he can't get laid or even find a girlfriend. My other option was a story about Slacker Moms.

I'm leaning towards the mommy idea. I am currently living it, but I love writing about high school. I've got loads of memories and experiences to draw upon.

Transitions

2010-04-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

It was a gradual transition, my moving from art making to writing. Since the birth of our son, I produced less and less Video Art. I couldn't work with him around, and I began a series of watercolor paintings. One was included in Santa Monica Museum's annual Incognito benefit exhibition.

I was never an art star. I graduated from Cal Arts, and I attended the prestigious, Skowhegan. I went to the right places, but I was seeing more of my fellow classmates showing in the trendy galleries and in the Whitney Biennials than myself. I needed a new creative outlet.

With motherhood, I started writing screenplays. This is Los Angeles. Everyone here writes scripts, and I happened to be married to a screenwriter too. My first attempt was a derivative of 80s film, Heathers. It flowed easily, and I had a great time writing it. I whipped it out quickly and my husband, Alexander, even showed it around. It was premature but it was good to have some exposure and comments from professionals. I wrote another one larger in scope, a fantasy story. I knew it had major problems with the structure but it made it past the second round in that year's Slamdance Screenwriting Competition.

Seeing that I was serious about writing, my husband suggested I turn the fantasy script into a novel. My attempt gave me a new sense of respect towards novelists, and I only made it to page two. By this time, I was pregnant with child number two. I started on a new screenplay about moms, but it didn't get that far.

After the birth of our daughter, I decided to give novel writing another go. I have always been a reader, but now I was reading a few books a week with two young children. I started to become interested in teen fiction like everyone else. I thought I could change my first screenplay into a novel.

Inspired by the overdose death of my best friend, who died though some criminal negligence, I focused on a death among a tight group of teenagers. I put everything I had into it and this time, I felt successful. The voice was real, and I wrote it quickly and easily.

You would think having a successful writer husband I would be able to acquire an agent and a cash my six-figure deal. But I really think when an agent hears the words," my wife has written a wonderful novel," makes people run the other way. I've had quite a few rejections. I'm mostly querying literary agents myself, with the help of http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/

I know I'm in the right direction because I've had so many nice comments and replies to my emails. Currently, I am excited to announce that three agents are reading my debut YA novel. I am hopeful that I will find that perfect agent soon.