tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75798002588988249412024-03-14T07:18:50.381-07:00 The Literary Lily CateBlog of Middle Grade Author Lindsey Becker Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-75938236945232677962018-12-29T20:13:00.001-08:002018-12-29T20:13:25.050-08:00More Writing = More Reading + Kittens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So it's the last cold, cruddy days of 2018, and it was a wild year. We ended up doing a bunch of home repairs/improvements over the summer and fall, then it was Etsy store season for me, and now we're almost ready to wrap this up and dig into a fresh new year. </div>
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But first, there was one more surprise in store for us this year, and a nice one this time. Meet Kevin! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charmed, I'm sure</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best thing besides scratching posts is Christmas Trees!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can't find this cat, check the tub. He likes to ambush unsuspecting bathroom visitors</td></tr>
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Kevin came to join the family at the beginning of December, when he was just 10 weeks old. He was a very scared and shy little fellow when we first met him, but with a lot of patience from my teenage son, he started to open up a little, and has become a regular 'ol rambunctious baby cat. He likes to cuddle, he loves his big cat brothers, and he LOVES food. So he should be nice and big and fluffy in no time! As for me, I have a lot of writing to do in the next few months, which means I also have a lot of reading to do - and little Kevin here is already learning that the laptop or a book, especially with a mug of coffee, means a nice warm lap to rest on for at least an hour or two. </div>
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Being a writer's cat really is the best of all 9 lives. </div>
<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-41455770555799248792018-03-20T23:56:00.002-07:002018-03-20T23:56:56.106-07:00A Few Thoughts on Getting PublishedTHE STAR THIEF will be out in paperback in just a few weeks now! <div>
As my debut year comes to a close, and we reach the birthday, or perhaps bookiversary of Honorine and her constellations launching into the world, I have some thoughts about how I got here, that I thought I should share. </div>
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At one point during this past year, I found myself at a book event, discussing the long, grueling publishing process with a fellow writer. They knew I was traditionally published, and asked how I had found my agent. It was pretty simple, actually. Querying. </div>
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My fellow writer was surprised. </div>
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They told me they had never heard of any writer actually finding representation that way. To them, it sounded impossible. </div>
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But reader, it is not. It is difficult. It can be slow. But it is definitely possible. In fact, I would have to say most of the published writers I've met found their agents with cold queries and patience. </div>
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My query process started years ago. At the time, just learning how to write a query letter, and that I even needed to look for an agent seemed overwhelming. </div>
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I did what I was comfortable with and able to do. I queried, and worked on my writing while I waited for replies. That and time was really all it took. I would have loved to spend time getting my MFA, attending conferences, going to the big book conventions, but I had neither the time nor the funds as a baby writer. I spent my time on craft.<br /><br />This is all to say that I see writers worry that they need to do things beyond writing to eventually reach publication. While these things might be fun, and might help you improve your craft, they aren't requirements.<br /><br />If you can't get to conferences, you can still get published.<br />If you can't spend time in an MFA program, you can still get published.<br />If you didn't study creative writing in college, you can still get published.<br />If you don't attend conventions, you can still get published.<br />If you don't have any idea how online pitch contests work, you can still get published.<br /><br />What you must do to get your book published is finish it. What you must do to get your book finished is write it. What you must do to improve your writing is read widely and write consistently, however that works for you. There are no other requirements. Read, write, submit. It is possible. </div>
Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-16725021578159182412018-02-17T15:16:00.000-08:002018-02-17T15:16:12.341-08:00New Year New ProjectsHere I am at the start of a three day writing weekend, and realizing I haven't updated in way too long.<br />
<br />The Star Thief will be out in paperback in April. Very cool, more to come on that as we get closer.<br />
I did not finish NaNo last year. Boo. November was the middle of heavy work on another project, which took up most of my writing time. I did however get a great start on another project, which I hope to dive back into soon.<br />
I find myself in a weird stage as an author, one I hadn't really anticipated pre-publication. It's a land of submitting work on proposal, so instead of writing and revising whole novels, I'm working on sample chapters and synopses. Lots of synopses.<br />
As a panster, I find this challenging. I like to figure out where my story is going during the very first experimental drafting phase. Now I have to work it all out before I really get started on the body of the novel. Ah well. It's a great problem to have. Challenges create growth, and the most important thing I want to accomplish as a writer is to keep moving, keep growing, keep improving. There's never a finish line, just the next leg of the race.<br />
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So right now I'm working on about six WIPs at the same time. Here's hoping some of those bottles floating out to sea find a home out there in the wider world.Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-83918394244354592262017-10-14T17:33:00.002-07:002017-10-14T17:33:51.951-07:00Mid October, You Know What That MeansJust a couple of weeks to decide if you're jumping into NaNo this year!<br />
I've participated before and both succeeded and failed. This year I'd really like to give it a try again, and I'm in the unique position of having no idea what I'd like to work on.<br />
I have a few WIPs that are past drafting stage, and a few ideas that will take more research and planning than the thousand-words-a-day writing blitz that makes NaNo fun.<br />But I do love drafting, and I really love working on something fresh and new, so I think I might give it a real try this year.<br />
Which means I have to finish another project first... with only about 2 weeks to go!Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-53220434875023873822017-08-19T22:15:00.003-07:002017-08-23T15:21:42.849-07:00Summer UpdateSo, THE STAR THIEF has been out in the world for a little over 4 months now.<br />
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It was an Indies Introduce pick, and also an Indie Next selection, a Junior Library Guild selection, was featured in B&N's spring preview and has been on two B&N fixtures since it's debut. It's gotten just about as much support as a little book can get, especially with a brand new author like me.<br />
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All of this has been overwhelming, exciting, unexpected and greatly appreciated.<br />
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One of the coolest surprises has been photos from libraries and bookshops, sent to me from all across the country. It's always delightful to stop in and visit my little book in person, and just as fun to see it out there in the world, being a good little book all on its own!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75EZsqL7IhgW_9s2mNtYU3IKG7Xrh9gD6b7WFQc1IaCVfI0GTB-lMX0UIv2t7q72PBpPjYrKGgAUdCELpkpg8Lp4yZ05lKbZ_0QbIK1O_xPqBurnsu-fTZ4MjZNQkl7GAH2V4xoXUUt4/s1600/sauk+city+library.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75EZsqL7IhgW_9s2mNtYU3IKG7Xrh9gD6b7WFQc1IaCVfI0GTB-lMX0UIv2t7q72PBpPjYrKGgAUdCELpkpg8Lp4yZ05lKbZ_0QbIK1O_xPqBurnsu-fTZ4MjZNQkl7GAH2V4xoXUUt4/s320/sauk+city+library.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Sauk City WI Library! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaONht1uep8Ox6LnZmcR5jDwMdRTsbQ8tpOU8fmf0gGOiN3JI4cAG-n5uBIWBDrZMKwhej1EZmoYiv2L7MNJPmTtV3ahWC_q7dfR3LTNZNYSpCExM3x5zaam7w9_nABMLnvjw8JkZS9I/s1600/park+city+UT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1009" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTaONht1uep8Ox6LnZmcR5jDwMdRTsbQ8tpOU8fmf0gGOiN3JI4cAG-n5uBIWBDrZMKwhej1EZmoYiv2L7MNJPmTtV3ahWC_q7dfR3LTNZNYSpCExM3x5zaam7w9_nABMLnvjw8JkZS9I/s320/park+city+UT.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park City, UT top shelf! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3-386YR68JJCr7Knzf4wxa5jf_HCzYhSmzXiSJjvnf31BaLGLLsypL3TXNt1zPDm-fUvUQ4vm3ecvy3HxMZwIXnepjsbFZMuQ3JgE0B-baB7T5V3V5wGTwezCFSkOyiePIVXjTm8Nag/s1600/B%2526N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3-386YR68JJCr7Knzf4wxa5jf_HCzYhSmzXiSJjvnf31BaLGLLsypL3TXNt1zPDm-fUvUQ4vm3ecvy3HxMZwIXnepjsbFZMuQ3JgE0B-baB7T5V3V5wGTwezCFSkOyiePIVXjTm8Nag/s320/B%2526N.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the big wall at B&N </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portland OR, face out!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">B&N again, before moving to the big wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGnJ0VyPyGc_QZt69OkvTiPothhWonm7WWC6gtYFYqdfWVqHXCCiADaz57QRqJXu7yiLarCwIJn1gIXzPsn_EAJP-hOH0Ey_3N36EGZVz8IamCsILXtt7cpPhbt-sPg9pb0p2hspFmsk/s1600/IMG_1980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGnJ0VyPyGc_QZt69OkvTiPothhWonm7WWC6gtYFYqdfWVqHXCCiADaz57QRqJXu7yiLarCwIJn1gIXzPsn_EAJP-hOH0Ey_3N36EGZVz8IamCsILXtt7cpPhbt-sPg9pb0p2hspFmsk/s320/IMG_1980.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anderson's in Naperville IL, day of my signing! </td></tr>
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That's just a sampling. It's all still so new and fresh, even though these moments were 15 years in the making. Even though it took 2 years from contract to finished book, which was 1&1/2 years after submitting to my eventual editor, which was 3&1/2 years after starting to look for an agent, which was 1 year after writing the first draft of what would become THE STAR THIEF, which was 6 years after I decided I wanted to write something for publication, years in which I scraped two other manuscripts before even querying them.<br />
Even after all that time, I couldn't really prepare for the last 5 months. There was a launch party, book signings at local indie and B&N stores, dinners with bookseller and librarians, school visits, and in June, an appearance at ALA, including the absolute honor of being invited to the Newbery and Caldecott awards banquet in Chicago.<br />
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It's been unreal, and of course, during all the work of getting THE STAR THIEF launched into the world, I've been spending my time working on the next thing. Well, lots of "next things" because hopefully, all fingers and toes crossed, this is just the beginning. I have so many more stories I'd like to tell, books I have to write, whether they make it to publication or not. There are characters wandering around in half built worlds getting very impatient with me for not getting their stories out onto the page yet.<br />
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Because that's what writing is. This whole process just never ends, which is really the best part. As long as you want to keep going, as long as you have pages to write, you are a writer. The best part of getting my first book published and out into the world has been the reviews and responses from young readers. The next best has been the added momentum to keep writing, to keep going, to make the next thing. Writing brings me joy.Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-19516013822048886592017-04-30T12:00:00.001-07:002017-04-30T12:02:08.891-07:00The Star Thief & OwlCrateJr! Wow, it's been a wild couple of weeks!<br />
THE STAR THIEF is officially out in the world, finding readers and making appearances (with me)at bookstores!<br />
And in other amazing news, THE STAR THIEF is the April OwlCrateJr. box book! This was such an honor and a surprise! Owl Crate has been doing a YA book subscription box for a while now, with really amazing books and surprises. They just added the OwlCrateJr for middle grade starting in March. My book was the second ever Jr box!<br /><br />
Of course I love knowing my book is getting to readers, but the bonus is getting to see pictures and videos of THE STAR THIEF out in the world, in the hands of kids and adults alike, and getting to see their reactions! It is a total heart melter. And there are some really talented photographers out there, making some amazing images with the book and all the cool themed treats!<br />
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Check them out at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/owlcratejr/">#owlcratejr</a> page :)<br />
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BTWpdewD9S2/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">✨APRIL OWLCRATE JR UNBOXING🌙 • This month's @owlcratejr theme was Written in the Stars, and guys. I LOVED this box. 😭 I'm currently reading the book and.. asdghjk. Such a lovely middle grade read so far. Let's take a look at what was inside: ✨Pocket Star Finder from @toysmithtoys 🌙 Lenticular Constellation notebook by @mudpuppykids ⭐️ Exclusive star pen by OwlCrate Jr 🌌 Planet zipper pull by @foxville_art 💫 THE STAR THIEF by Lindsey Becker ✨ This book sounds so amazing, and it came with a signed bookplate, a letter from the author (that doubles as the gorgeous poster you see in the picture) and a gorgeous bookmark. You guys should definitely check out the book on GoodReads! (And how gorgeous is the cover 😍) • The May theme is ON THE CASE, and is for all the little detectives out there! 🔍 #owlcratejr • Thank you so much @owlcratejr for sending me this awesome box!</a></div>
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A post shared by emilie › xix › denmark (@thebookranter) on <time datetime="2017-04-26T15:38:19+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Apr 26, 2017 at 8:38am PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-49335019233445442482017-03-21T15:03:00.000-07:002017-03-21T15:03:25.858-07:00Three Weeks to STAR THIEF! More Star Crafts, and a Peek at My Debut Novel! <div style="text-align: center;">
Today is exactly three weeks from the debut of THE STAR THIEF!! </div>
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First, here's a sneak peek at the real, finished, official book! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwyKfEPgPvNnKgXPMxIonb4xMBB6Eercv1qsdYM4Pm2LfoJ6u7aOk25glymdaUEz2UybsBUwGNWVum2h60O4hLfL5lhHcJgxI-Us1VahtRs9CPYTntncJCw4e1N3_rpqeqIw4L0vnUY4/s1600/IMG_9705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwyKfEPgPvNnKgXPMxIonb4xMBB6Eercv1qsdYM4Pm2LfoJ6u7aOk25glymdaUEz2UybsBUwGNWVum2h60O4hLfL5lhHcJgxI-Us1VahtRs9CPYTntncJCw4e1N3_rpqeqIw4L0vnUY4/s320/IMG_9705.JPG" width="320" /></a> </div>
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I couldn't love this more. The colors, the layout, the characters - the gold lettering is embossed, too!<br />Seriously, this is a dream cover. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzlmINOPIoBdkJWI_tRSRPVKA1fGPKRqZs-JzwgNWCdM7q876bgpzWIvHxTVetBkYPz2KoSZE0MfwE0h9DXIlSVC4rPE45uv-liz331irjIdaIsXkEoTHQxIgU9bHxId_IBRTMoQ7dX4/s1600/IMG_9708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzlmINOPIoBdkJWI_tRSRPVKA1fGPKRqZs-JzwgNWCdM7q876bgpzWIvHxTVetBkYPz2KoSZE0MfwE0h9DXIlSVC4rPE45uv-liz331irjIdaIsXkEoTHQxIgU9bHxId_IBRTMoQ7dX4/s320/IMG_9708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And it just keeps going! This is the back, with an excerpt, AND planets and Scorpio floating in the background! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXTe6eZ7iPyL19cmHqUsWJzAoEEXyKptHwcxZf3EiC2WCcB6zHU-0gWgVXJv1TlO9UL3vEKKPm1cGQFeC7CoQFMC3BY5lUDScD2DYrX5kAgYT-pVVmO0i6QLU57VxPdHpOx08p8ceQJU/s1600/IMG_9709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXTe6eZ7iPyL19cmHqUsWJzAoEEXyKptHwcxZf3EiC2WCcB6zHU-0gWgVXJv1TlO9UL3vEKKPm1cGQFeC7CoQFMC3BY5lUDScD2DYrX5kAgYT-pVVmO0i6QLU57VxPdHpOx08p8ceQJU/s320/IMG_9709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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One more peek! The chapters each begin with a gorgeous drawing! Eeek!<br />The whole thing is really amazing. So much work went into this after it left my hands. I'm incredibly proud of the finished product, and I can't wait for the world to see it! </div>
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In the meantime, let's make a few fun, really easy crafts! </div>
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First up, the star garland! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErF5O6YfB5g9IggVrZh7mOQlObHC5VJe1bF_u7vjOakFx5fKxxZmf_37dfyB-FZYKn4EVXd9sWaVCae9IIwZe3_2TshVK7PM3F0leM2TGCzQEuGPe0Lk1gTmWw4dZ587ODz0FYN3hWFY/s1600/IMG_9714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErF5O6YfB5g9IggVrZh7mOQlObHC5VJe1bF_u7vjOakFx5fKxxZmf_37dfyB-FZYKn4EVXd9sWaVCae9IIwZe3_2TshVK7PM3F0leM2TGCzQEuGPe0Lk1gTmWw4dZ587ODz0FYN3hWFY/s320/IMG_9714.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This one is a snap to make, and the stars are double sided, so you can hang it against a wall, as I did here, or string them in the open so the stars can spin freely! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJo8ZinLaKFnt4SxgiofjL68fWHtYJ08hK4gB0eHLWCZwSEkwD2uZLddd2I7NxMBBnxeTmvxK5zMAcFdfnX2FqSvYfjI4fceoQPbexBjDJ4tCncc6A3l72DDg9II5MGUOpg2rAMazW1U/s1600/IMG_9692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJo8ZinLaKFnt4SxgiofjL68fWHtYJ08hK4gB0eHLWCZwSEkwD2uZLddd2I7NxMBBnxeTmvxK5zMAcFdfnX2FqSvYfjI4fceoQPbexBjDJ4tCncc6A3l72DDg9II5MGUOpg2rAMazW1U/s320/IMG_9692.JPG" width="310" /></a></div>
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Here are the basic supplies - gold string, and die cut adhesive stars*. This was all at Micheal's craft store, for $2-$5. I used two packages of silver stars, and one of gold. </div>
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*The stars seemed like a good shortcut, but that did not turn out exactly as planned. You can also cut out stars from glitter cardstock, or paper and apply glitter as needed. (It's always needed)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7ztMemDSMMYDekc4LUy9mV_1n0D2mvqF6t2eSqpecIo4Q0yZs4ybRDu2g2wLngX85t0H_KokQfUCWwzsB6WaMtuM-mnV8SGFUJHhNJH3RoCz_To0qbuSkkFUEPsy_snz4OkTLHdyxNc/s1600/IMG_9695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7ztMemDSMMYDekc4LUy9mV_1n0D2mvqF6t2eSqpecIo4Q0yZs4ybRDu2g2wLngX85t0H_KokQfUCWwzsB6WaMtuM-mnV8SGFUJHhNJH3RoCz_To0qbuSkkFUEPsy_snz4OkTLHdyxNc/s320/IMG_9695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To begin, unspool a few feet of the string. </div>
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I left approximately 2 feet of string at the end, then started tying my string off every 6 inches. I made loops alternating in 12" lengths and 6" lengths, measuring with a ruler. To make the knots, I tied the loop off the main string like tying a bunny ear shoelace. </div>
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The 12" loops will hold 3 stars and the 6" loops hold 2. </div>
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For the number of stars I had, I made 5 12" loops, and 4 6" loops, starting and ending with the 12" length. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUmitRV0RH-FW-LjHoKGAX42VBgyNX8AAycUWU4KnieaL-tSYWZv5yEnlPWcyLnPVeOAwNHIR36XeFUweuMoIZvt75tjEcHWQpXZGiJcZjK6ZpN9bBt2yllyU0EqCk9lerMI3fQJKnxE/s1600/IMG_9698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUmitRV0RH-FW-LjHoKGAX42VBgyNX8AAycUWU4KnieaL-tSYWZv5yEnlPWcyLnPVeOAwNHIR36XeFUweuMoIZvt75tjEcHWQpXZGiJcZjK6ZpN9bBt2yllyU0EqCk9lerMI3fQJKnxE/s320/IMG_9698.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Since these were adhesive, I planned to just stick them together over the string. </div>
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But... </div>
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Turns out they weren't especially sticky, and they were made of a pretty sturdy cardboard. </div>
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So I added some glue to the back of each star, and held them together with mini clothespins until they dried. </div>
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The little clothespins were actually also at Michael's for about $2. I picked them up for something else, but they worked out well for me in a pinch. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oKr8lDScsrYn9mjVZZJJ2iFF4kyHDcYCWd7ga1xx2ZI6ux9mRM1BQ_b7uZzSsOnVxXtZ3XRtkjTGzJRfk7umB7Gmq3Sa43K6p_beDRh6ct22h_c-MsiXQGTg8jjLyJh74UpBfLCZpFM/s1600/IMG_9715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oKr8lDScsrYn9mjVZZJJ2iFF4kyHDcYCWd7ga1xx2ZI6ux9mRM1BQ_b7uZzSsOnVxXtZ3XRtkjTGzJRfk7umB7Gmq3Sa43K6p_beDRh6ct22h_c-MsiXQGTg8jjLyJh74UpBfLCZpFM/s320/IMG_9715.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For the longer strings, I hung the stars silver-gold-sliver. </div>
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For the shorter strings, I hung a gold on top, and a silver below.</div>
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My finished garland is about 5 feet long. </div>
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And that's it! Garland complete! </div>
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Make these as long or short as you want, and hang anywhere you'd like a little more sparkle! </div>
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And because that was so easy, let's do one more. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dEvAqaCJQFJXVc_FVAnqCHj2q1oLVynKBnEd5AYYFzmh123oaPGqR3VE-szEJ49xAffJO9kdE5DfxKLoYVuBIRpfUg5II7aRMdf_3wkop6b53z9ovysyiuSvf74OvxBa4p_POkMs02M/s1600/IMG_9720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dEvAqaCJQFJXVc_FVAnqCHj2q1oLVynKBnEd5AYYFzmh123oaPGqR3VE-szEJ49xAffJO9kdE5DfxKLoYVuBIRpfUg5II7aRMdf_3wkop6b53z9ovysyiuSvf74OvxBa4p_POkMs02M/s320/IMG_9720.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: center;">Star pins! </span><div>
<span style="text-align: center;">These are made with the same felt, glue, and glitter from the bookmarks in my last post. </span><div>
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For these, you'll also need some pin backs. </div>
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You could also use a magnet or a hair clip, to make stars that will stick to the fridge, or to wear in your hair!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmJLinOI1f35bi03oFa6bjuclYD6Vvu7zO1LXwI3eciPWdB88PCyYKeFR1SBuCJlnElmRuMvNY0YXTG3kl-LBpEiaDusx0-YcKrQsNzCh-MEORdWVibHQIucUNIh0K5jfICJN_VWUyFI/s1600/IMG_9638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmJLinOI1f35bi03oFa6bjuclYD6Vvu7zO1LXwI3eciPWdB88PCyYKeFR1SBuCJlnElmRuMvNY0YXTG3kl-LBpEiaDusx0-YcKrQsNzCh-MEORdWVibHQIucUNIh0K5jfICJN_VWUyFI/s320/IMG_9638.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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To start, cut two stars from a piece of felt. Make sure the body of the star is wider than the pin back. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9c4WytftClcB55_bmhJOcnPkPcM3Km-EEP8CCakrO8O4ts0YoMJRBHu8B3xt62CSlquvKH_urWcXbMvQXmJK_SriZSOrat_YmDJhLZDzlmx8yA_SpSedRaL1_vJn5Jy4s5-Ut1I9Ba9k/s1600/IMG_9640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9c4WytftClcB55_bmhJOcnPkPcM3Km-EEP8CCakrO8O4ts0YoMJRBHu8B3xt62CSlquvKH_urWcXbMvQXmJK_SriZSOrat_YmDJhLZDzlmx8yA_SpSedRaL1_vJn5Jy4s5-Ut1I9Ba9k/s320/IMG_9640.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Measure the pin back against one of the felt stars. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT_j1JHAUS_81RAG7OP_XidSSXJrF3s-JmCpoCZ3drqJPa1if8raLbEpvxRmx6GozCOa5H7xYuaCPUlJSjlFrpbqrXj_XoYpRZxigqJBzJELjvEpB9vsF0M0isT5FGD1N9fxXtZm80xE/s1600/IMG_9642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIT_j1JHAUS_81RAG7OP_XidSSXJrF3s-JmCpoCZ3drqJPa1if8raLbEpvxRmx6GozCOa5H7xYuaCPUlJSjlFrpbqrXj_XoYpRZxigqJBzJELjvEpB9vsF0M0isT5FGD1N9fxXtZm80xE/s320/IMG_9642.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Snip a little hole in the star for each end of the pin back, open the pin, and slip it through the felt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnpBQLxfhvNydS95iEjxdu3zLoXMtSaahpzrFHseLNxd_G9EKn2IbR84UZV6VdKCoqXzjZnZreInWTxp0fRF-ATaNoeTIHEoeAX_j5WFpmVYABgJCMIH-CogusEccWZmSe3Cv9Umz2Z8/s1600/IMG_9643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnpBQLxfhvNydS95iEjxdu3zLoXMtSaahpzrFHseLNxd_G9EKn2IbR84UZV6VdKCoqXzjZnZreInWTxp0fRF-ATaNoeTIHEoeAX_j5WFpmVYABgJCMIH-CogusEccWZmSe3Cv9Umz2Z8/s320/IMG_9643.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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It should look something like this on the other side at this point. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM9s0RX-pJqxz7yv4RBd3ZISOMrk8pFlldHVpMldwx_GMekH1J7v2OMrtbxkisfMvRA2ZW4wrp4Q7m3A5vN7G9cfqofEHIVNVoPpd0w16nXPLsmCZwPEknVkJ_231YNyrWVWgnj_bshU/s1600/IMG_9645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjM9s0RX-pJqxz7yv4RBd3ZISOMrk8pFlldHVpMldwx_GMekH1J7v2OMrtbxkisfMvRA2ZW4wrp4Q7m3A5vN7G9cfqofEHIVNVoPpd0w16nXPLsmCZwPEknVkJ_231YNyrWVWgnj_bshU/s320/IMG_9645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now glue the star with the pin to the other star from the first step. </div>
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If you are making magnets, skip the pin steps, and put the magnet in between the stars before gluing them together. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aUHEMfwpRyzl8acJQiStbvrTZmJUO4tRwgCJ7XQR8gL8KQm5zJXuScUSM8Uaajdeq9F4EHMmEVXpX8hD7pN2SjPrDwwbAwz8WnKdQ-dWBLL_czafHH9ufAmuUdwLwGRQlvlUPI0nOaU/s1600/IMG_9646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aUHEMfwpRyzl8acJQiStbvrTZmJUO4tRwgCJ7XQR8gL8KQm5zJXuScUSM8Uaajdeq9F4EHMmEVXpX8hD7pN2SjPrDwwbAwz8WnKdQ-dWBLL_czafHH9ufAmuUdwLwGRQlvlUPI0nOaU/s320/IMG_9646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the finished pin back. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5JZdnOBAIEErDJ4JmzGLWAN14vy-dia8mdS1JCmpkfYMPeCW7_GQonwTcZG8fXsInlp6gh6Mb_o4ayCCOBz2y3ezHCiKhl6kA_mx8CHjw_jyolPNr_RExdUdfc3ncMYqRAYLD8g81VM/s1600/IMG_9647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5JZdnOBAIEErDJ4JmzGLWAN14vy-dia8mdS1JCmpkfYMPeCW7_GQonwTcZG8fXsInlp6gh6Mb_o4ayCCOBz2y3ezHCiKhl6kA_mx8CHjw_jyolPNr_RExdUdfc3ncMYqRAYLD8g81VM/s320/IMG_9647.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then flip the star over, and apply glue to the front side. </div>
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(If you have a magnet in the middle of your star, make sure the grippy side is down. Test the star on the fridge to be sure :)</div>
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I suggest placing the pin on wax paper or a piece of scrap paper for this step. </div>
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Glitter!!!!</div>
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And done. Let this dry at least overnight, and then, make a bunch more! </div>
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Use more than one color of glitter, add some rhinestones, make them as fancy as you want! </div>
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And now that we've made bookmarks, garlands, and pins, here's a sneak peek at something for the next project... this one will be delicious! </div>
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Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-7500486411928778992017-03-13T14:15:00.001-07:002017-03-13T14:15:55.532-07:00Getting Ready For THE STAR THIEF with Bookmarks! It's just under one month until the debut of THE STAR THIEF!<br />
To get ready, I'm sharing some kid friendly craft tutorials to make some fun, star themed goodies. Up first, a ribbon bookmark with sparkly stars!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdrCUFM9o_Nfishc0t6iAg_T0qqAL5RbIICsKgwXTbVEr-j_DfqgWfUUe7iwxdreBjj62yfQWzZ-Lwu5Nh1gA9fqUyRGJgnVjdwqsZS6CaR-CTXEyyvI_VII-E6TPYkJMMv6SQyT85aE/s1600/IMG_9653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPdrCUFM9o_Nfishc0t6iAg_T0qqAL5RbIICsKgwXTbVEr-j_DfqgWfUUe7iwxdreBjj62yfQWzZ-Lwu5Nh1gA9fqUyRGJgnVjdwqsZS6CaR-CTXEyyvI_VII-E6TPYkJMMv6SQyT85aE/s320/IMG_9653.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glittery! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2bQlIoGt-2AR3bVrZd-9v_mwlx1s-QMV5y34Ih-YrJA9-V3IJFBmjHNPZJQfGzk_aC0x_1ShP8486UOVyt9umDshnODT4x7LqmMCyU84SDEK7eEkIs8JG4edN43Gq82ttuS0In7sLfo/s1600/IMG_9637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2bQlIoGt-2AR3bVrZd-9v_mwlx1s-QMV5y34Ih-YrJA9-V3IJFBmjHNPZJQfGzk_aC0x_1ShP8486UOVyt9umDshnODT4x7LqmMCyU84SDEK7eEkIs8JG4edN43Gq82ttuS0In7sLfo/s320/IMG_9637.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gems!</td></tr>
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To make a bookmark, you will need:<br />Ribbon, felt, glitter, rhinestones, felt glue, scissors, measuring tape or ruler, star stencil, wax paper or scrap paper to catch glitter :) </div>
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To make my stars, I used star cookie cutters to trace the shape on paper, then pinned the paper pattern to the felt to cut out the stars. You can use any star shaped item or stencil, or draw a star freehand :) You can also use a fabric pen or a fine tipped marker to trace the shape directly onto your felt. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqPORaZKI7AruvweTqQVpfW0V7sywL_cCUNHCWaGNKUj5vb5pYVWD3ZFaXtUMr40F5ff__85_T3tCAomZXZTo2WNbqTps3HXQXBE66UFhrI15aY2yFRYJdhRjEHnk0hQECL8JYn4gjX4/s1600/IMG_9614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqPORaZKI7AruvweTqQVpfW0V7sywL_cCUNHCWaGNKUj5vb5pYVWD3ZFaXtUMr40F5ff__85_T3tCAomZXZTo2WNbqTps3HXQXBE66UFhrI15aY2yFRYJdhRjEHnk0hQECL8JYn4gjX4/s320/IMG_9614.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cut a 14" length of ribbon, four larger stars, and four smaller stars. I stacked my felt and cut two stars at a time, so they matched up nicely in the next step. I also rounded the corners so they are less pointy. You can leave them pointy if you prefer.<br />- for the ribbon, I suggest one without wire in the edges. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZTptJgXYqD_oV6rrK_5fKWKZ1NtmKmdGb4qJVbD-tuGkG2aKenmCbjC0g8loHNr7aU-owftUl8Rh3iFnJvLgjfJbwd5uXM5t4vC5Joeycgr41gFB5rLeohGJqeGRQkRbPU4FiQwk17Y/s1600/IMG_9616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZTptJgXYqD_oV6rrK_5fKWKZ1NtmKmdGb4qJVbD-tuGkG2aKenmCbjC0g8loHNr7aU-owftUl8Rh3iFnJvLgjfJbwd5uXM5t4vC5Joeycgr41gFB5rLeohGJqeGRQkRbPU4FiQwk17Y/s320/IMG_9616.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Time to assemble! Spread glue on one large star, around the edge. I recommend a felt glue, to make sure it will hold well. </div>
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Put an extra spot of glue to secure the ribbon. </div>
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Tiny bit more glue on top of the ribbon. (Put another dot of glue on top of the ribbon as well.)</div>
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Place the other large star on top of the glue, press together firmly. Repeat with smaller star, spreading glue around the edge. </div>
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Then place the smaller star inside the big one.</div>
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Repeat on the other end of the ribbon :) </div>
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Decorate! Add gems as needed, with a dot of glue. </div>
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If a little glue seeps out around the gems, don't worry. It will dry clear. </div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJPh8LV_zCRLxu6_ZjXCsZs4ryZuAab7gVOs9OGP9pdmg9cTH-ZE0AlocsKxLAUFilZ97H-b5-H7xGD403AxFCooWKQRyIwWy9JsGcE12Ls7zYLt3gLiHNMf171kq1PQDr2T7uZ_a90s/s1600/IMG_9661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJPh8LV_zCRLxu6_ZjXCsZs4ryZuAab7gVOs9OGP9pdmg9cTH-ZE0AlocsKxLAUFilZ97H-b5-H7xGD403AxFCooWKQRyIwWy9JsGcE12Ls7zYLt3gLiHNMf171kq1PQDr2T7uZ_a90s/s320/IMG_9661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let them dry overnight, then start reading! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSRS8JIQKe5WP2FMHscUf6wjrYlp_1xheICQWRHk8NLotYSUcZTErLgbzqhyphenhyphenvc9zDiFNPqTK5QcMs_vxnULfx6FrtDVD7pJ1r8oMFB2smm8v2YdyVGf3vfkgZ-nA-LwIk1sg8qBCfxDs/s1600/IMG_9627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSRS8JIQKe5WP2FMHscUf6wjrYlp_1xheICQWRHk8NLotYSUcZTErLgbzqhyphenhyphenvc9zDiFNPqTK5QcMs_vxnULfx6FrtDVD7pJ1r8oMFB2smm8v2YdyVGf3vfkgZ-nA-LwIk1sg8qBCfxDs/s320/IMG_9627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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For glittery stars, assemble as in the previous steps, until you have one star on each end of the ribbon. </div>
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Put wax paper or a spare sheet of plain paper under your star for the next steps.<br />One at a time, spread glue over each side of each star. It may be helpful to use a toothpick for this step. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T_9ArI3dm5IFoY8Ma9C5DVxuldXF4OujwMRoSfvElvtzUsnqMHvvqt5h5ItVPLx_sqgE1gJjJ-agWflaCaSzMZs7yKYbmTNtVOFRofVyQq0NSNO4WEetNzlGra-KJ3nLeOsSWtDLswQ/s1600/IMG_9630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3T_9ArI3dm5IFoY8Ma9C5DVxuldXF4OujwMRoSfvElvtzUsnqMHvvqt5h5ItVPLx_sqgE1gJjJ-agWflaCaSzMZs7yKYbmTNtVOFRofVyQq0NSNO4WEetNzlGra-KJ3nLeOsSWtDLswQ/s320/IMG_9630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sprinkle glitter over wet glue, covering completely. </div>
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(This is the funnest step)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YUWSwk_ddQC_VXSCHWgvd2OnZuB1xtaYwwD9IDsMjA0HZFsXU1L7A6Zb2MYx7-4IFPvZT9z2z-0FHx-eswuR0nppDG68Uptzng2KKBNJRpGXqicA4hldfOmhhTqir3vV-zY3j9s6L6g/s1600/IMG_9631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YUWSwk_ddQC_VXSCHWgvd2OnZuB1xtaYwwD9IDsMjA0HZFsXU1L7A6Zb2MYx7-4IFPvZT9z2z-0FHx-eswuR0nppDG68Uptzng2KKBNJRpGXqicA4hldfOmhhTqir3vV-zY3j9s6L6g/s320/IMG_9631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I chose purple and gold - use any colors you like!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj79AziobRa_bq0nwyGHV2QztC180OO_UIB-amFpg_yzKcngoVv7K0jO0iWwVrg1sbFp-yR6PbRbQqc3yay6fBcOsgiXJsS6XaiOY8BFD78dfXvucPynkZKTaQNfb-fHTcKr0gWSQ7oQ/s1600/IMG_9660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj79AziobRa_bq0nwyGHV2QztC180OO_UIB-amFpg_yzKcngoVv7K0jO0iWwVrg1sbFp-yR6PbRbQqc3yay6fBcOsgiXJsS6XaiOY8BFD78dfXvucPynkZKTaQNfb-fHTcKr0gWSQ7oQ/s320/IMG_9660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let glitter stars dry at least overnight. </div>
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Ta-da! Finished bookmarks! Try some different colors, or glitter decorations.<br />Maybe use some fabric pens, beads, sequins, get creative! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5P-WLu07B6lRb2UVat_ejMAeGBZfv1HFvcTju7X12GAsnYEy-0RsL9LS4RLsax_HcmMD9joQrWGG_IrY2_cHJN9Aro_0Nb9tcgluePKdxwdorgQRTDElcR86w6unuoIyZMANamFV0sE/s1600/IMG_9658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5P-WLu07B6lRb2UVat_ejMAeGBZfv1HFvcTju7X12GAsnYEy-0RsL9LS4RLsax_HcmMD9joQrWGG_IrY2_cHJN9Aro_0Nb9tcgluePKdxwdorgQRTDElcR86w6unuoIyZMANamFV0sE/s320/IMG_9658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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You're all ready to read THE STAR THIEF!<br />(This handy bookmark will work on any book you choose :)<br /><br />Have fun making some dazzling star bookmarks, and stay tuned for more fun ideas as we get ready for a star themed adventure! </div>
<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-63497967910736118552017-03-06T19:26:00.002-08:002017-03-06T19:26:22.838-08:00Reviews are In! So, with just about a month to go before pub date for THE STAR THIEF, trade reviews are starting to come in!<br />
You'd think years of rejection during the query/sub process would toughen a writer up for this part, but no. It's still a nailbiter every time someone mentions my title.<br />
Luckily, it's been very good so far!<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">From <i>School Library Connection</i><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Honorine has worked for the Vidalias for as long as she can remember. Lord Vidalia has been mysteriously missing for ten years, but his journals, treasured objects, and relics from his studies abroad fill the home. When Honorine begins to notice strange disturbances around the house, her explorations reveal that there is something not of this world at work. Soon Honorine is whisked away by the Mapmaker and the stars known as Mordants—Leo the lion, Lux the wolf, Virgo, and others. Together with Lord Vidalia, the group travels on a magical vessel in a space pursued by The Nautilus, a submarine captained by Lord Vidalia’s former partner, Nautilus Olyphant, who is searching for the Mordants. As Honorine learns more about each group, her understanding of who is right or wrong becomes muddied. This uncertainty will enthrall readers as they too try to decipher just which character is really there to help. <b>Featuring both cannonballs and magic, the story will appeal to fantasy and adventure readers alike. A strong heroine will draw in female readers, but the book is perfect for any young reader.</b> </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">From Kirkus,</span></span></div>
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<i style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A debut middle-grade adventure involving constellations that come to life, airships, friendships, revenge, and the fight for survival.In the years just before the turn of the 20th century, Honorine—a white girl with gray eyes and a knack for artifacts and machinery—has lived on the Vidalia Estate for as long as she remembers. For the first years her best friend and playmate was Francis Vidalia, but now he's in school and her days are filled with household chores. When strangers come looking for a book, her world is turned on its head. Honorine is swept up into a world where living constellations—here known as Mordant—are in a fight for their very survival. Before the book is over Honorine will have been on a fantastical flying island that is really a ship; met the scheming white Capt. Nautilus Olyphant and seen the ingenious device with which he has been capturing the Mordant; dealt with the mysterious and somewhat sinister Mapmaker; found out who her parents are; seen monsters emerge from Hades; and made important decisions involving friendship, family, and loyalty. <b>The pace is fast, the characters believable, and the setting original. </b>Though there are some holes in the story, such as exactly what motivates Nautilus, the breakneck pace will not give readers time to ponder such questions. And they probably won't mind a bit. <b>Readers enjoying a mix of fantasy, adventure, and a clever heroine will fall for this one.</b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif;">From<i> School Library Journal</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Honorine’s boring life tending fires at Vidalia mansion is disrupted when she discovers strangers invading long-lost Lord Vidalia’s study. Before she knows what’s happening, she finds herself swept up in the ongoing battle between two powerful men: the Mapmaker and Captain Nautilus. The Mapmaker is the leader of the Mordant, who are physical manifestations of the constellations whose powers help guide humanity. Captain Nautilus leads a crew of scientists who are trying to capture the Mordant and harness their powers—he also happens to be Honorine’s father. After Honorine learns she is half-Mordant, she understands that her powers could shift the battle, but it is difficult to tell which side is good and which is bad, especially since her best friend Francis has sided with Nautilus. In the end, saving the world means seeking out one of the last remaining Mordant, Andromeda, who is Honorine’s mother. <b>Readers will find it easy to connect emotionally with Honorine as she tries to navigate a world with no clear answers, while fantasy lovers will appreciate the mythological underpinnings of this imaginative new world.</b></span><b style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="m_5944062397509402686Verdict" style="color: #7b8c96; letter-spacing: 0pt;"><span style="line-height: 16px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 16px;">A fine addition to large fantasy collections.</span></b></i></div>
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It's getting close now! </div>
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Stay tuned for more updates, and some fun stuff as we count down the weeks, and pretty soon the days, until THE STAR THIEF soars into the world! </div>
Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-51933634736118873762017-02-18T11:50:00.002-08:002017-02-18T11:50:36.334-08:00On a Sunny February AfternoonThe gentlemen of the house are away at the movies.<br />
The day job tasks are finished until Monday, and I finally have a whole afternoon to write. I have been agonizing over the early chapters of a new project for weeks now. It's time to get them DONE.<br />
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But first I'm sneaking a few minutes to check in with my blog.<br />We're just under 2 months from the debut of THE STAR THIEF. No more counting down the years, or the months, we're down to WEEKS people! The cover is finished, the text has been edited, revised, copyedited, proofread, formatted, and covered in sprinkles. It's a book, and it's out there, in the hands of readers and reviewers. They get it now. In a few more weeks, it will be out there for everyone to find. I imagine this a little bit what sending a kid off to college feels like. My little book gets to go off into the world and meet new people, and become part of other people's experiences, hopefully good ones!<br /><br />
<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-67640228448096222722017-01-23T19:51:00.002-08:002017-01-23T19:51:48.794-08:00Final, Official Cover! After a few minor revisions, I'm delighted to reveal the new, final cover for THE STAR THIEF!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-Z2x6zaATK9LRrt6fCCWHj0u74EfGhbnmXUwXJj-kuJmbWtLm89aZIk9cojlydNGFE-4kXQ-_3FXbvEYgAohY19WIWBPVAyM-Oh-N5XlyH9dmLpgpy_GoSJhhlE_rYutDqL2DioREcw/s1600/StarThiefFinalCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-Z2x6zaATK9LRrt6fCCWHj0u74EfGhbnmXUwXJj-kuJmbWtLm89aZIk9cojlydNGFE-4kXQ-_3FXbvEYgAohY19WIWBPVAyM-Oh-N5XlyH9dmLpgpy_GoSJhhlE_rYutDqL2DioREcw/s320/StarThiefFinalCover.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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This is the front :D </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeEbJPx5yQahBy2v9NN4IcM3qZ_653lSnI2STutnU71GfIAAgEMgHnh4D_-DEoIAKmSQun3BJZJ05PmQ-FLK-zNKGoDV278cG7mUx_Bk_oychcGcD1z1S_mBwsB_06BGquFndHHYaTM8/s1600/StarThiefFullCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeEbJPx5yQahBy2v9NN4IcM3qZ_653lSnI2STutnU71GfIAAgEMgHnh4D_-DEoIAKmSQun3BJZJ05PmQ-FLK-zNKGoDV278cG7mUx_Bk_oychcGcD1z1S_mBwsB_06BGquFndHHYaTM8/s640/StarThiefFullCover.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />And this is the full cover, with all text & bells & whistles!<br />From how it's been described, the final, printed version is going to be amazing! </div>
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Everyone's questions involve if/how much input I had in the cover design.<br />Answer is, not much :D<br />My editor did suggest this for the cover image while we were working on the manuscript, which I thought was a fantastic idea - when I was a kid, I would have gone for the book with the pegasus on the cover first thing - and when I saw the first draft and there were Honorine and Francis soaring across the night sky on Pegasus, well, I never thought this little story would ever get this far. It's amazing and humbling.<br /></div>
Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-11268307064895847132017-01-21T22:44:00.000-08:002017-01-21T22:44:32.257-08:00When you're not at ALA MidWinter but your book is! So, tragically, I am not at the amazing ALA MidWinter conference that is happening Right Now in Atlana. Boo.<br />
But I will be at the ABA Winter Institute next week! Yay!<br />
While I couldn't make it to ATL, however, THE STAR THIEF did, and looks like it got a prime spot up on the Little Brown banner!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ctrWfkyN0GcD2jm3mz-_uOUosmTyV8XYHKVjJnOW3BxOaMdkFMaa-D9SbWZZ__y3y_kk6izzumc0ABrvMSGmxNinc9GCj_WsDlT_C1XsHChXgTBH-QyxtkM5bto7-pjXzvTHtmWvMrc/s1600/ALA+booth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ctrWfkyN0GcD2jm3mz-_uOUosmTyV8XYHKVjJnOW3BxOaMdkFMaa-D9SbWZZ__y3y_kk6izzumc0ABrvMSGmxNinc9GCj_WsDlT_C1XsHChXgTBH-QyxtkM5bto7-pjXzvTHtmWvMrc/s320/ALA+booth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/r_busse/status/822571911347666945">Many thanks to @r-busse for the pic! </a></div>
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That's the brand new cover, which I have a copy of, and tried to load into this post, but I am having a spot of technical difficulty with that at the moment. But it will be up soon! It's a slight revision of the first version, same image, but a little bit more dynamic. I love it. </div>
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In the meantime, I think I'm officially allowed to say that THE STAR THIEF is a Junior Library Guild selection! And there is more to come, but it is top secret at the moment :D<br />We're getting close though. Just over 11 weeks until Pub Day!!<br /> </div>
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Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-40811788436843567902017-01-09T21:49:00.000-08:002017-01-09T21:49:30.237-08:00How Long Does It Take To Write A Book?By far the #1 question I've been asked by non-writer friends and family since they heard I was publishing my first novel, even more than "What is it about?" is - how long did it take to write?<br />
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Well.<br />
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One year.<br />
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And then four years to find an agent.<br />
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And then one and a half years to sell the manuscript.<br />
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And then the standard two years from accepted offer to final, published book.<br />
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During this time I was constantly revising and rewriting, from the work I chose to do on my own to improve the manuscript to the requested revisions that came in from the first round of queries to the editor that eventually bought the book.<br />
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And this was for my third solid attempt at a novel length work of fiction.<br />
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So, all in all, it took a year to write a book, but when I count up all the years between when I first decided to write seriously for publication, and when my first novel will be out on shelves, the grand total is<br />
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14.<br />
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One year to write a book, but 14 to make it from aspiring writer to published author.<br />
Some writers, many writers in fact, take far less time to get there. But I don't begrudge the time it took. I loved those years. Many wonderful, amazing things happened to me in those years. All of that time, and all of that writing, and all of those rejections resulted in a book I really, truly love, and the opportunity to work with some wonderful people. I hope I can continue. I have many more books in me. (I didn't spend that entire time writing just the one book, after all.) I would love to get the chance to bring at least a few of them into the world to stand alongside THE STAR THIEF.<br />So if you aren't quite there yet, if you're still just working on that first draft of your first book, or in the querying process or wondering if you've been at this too long and you're never going to get there, here's a little reminder that there is no time limit. As long as you are willing to keep working, every wonderful outcome is still a possibility.<br />
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And now I have to get back to revising chapters on a new project. Hopefully I will one day get to share more about this one with the world, too!Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-61264260567237712462017-01-01T13:39:00.001-08:002017-01-01T13:39:33.250-08:00Welcome to 2017! Hello! We made it! We're here! And I get to say the words I've been waiting for my whole life - <div>
my book debuts this year! </div>
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In a little over 3 months, on April 11, THE STAR THIEF will officially be a real book out in the wild. </div>
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Just before Christmas I found out that THE STAR THIEF is a Junior Library Guild selection, so it will be in thousands of libraries in the US and around the world, too!<br /></div>
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The cover is also getting a few tweaks - I've seen the updated version, and it's beautiful. Hopefully I have something to share soon, so the rest of the world can see it! </div>
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For now, there are already brand new 2017 books hitting the shelves today. This week other writers out there will get offers for their own debut novels. There will be new book deals signed for titles to debut in the coming years. Something wonderful about publishing is that there will always be new, amazing, exciting books appearing on shelves. And now it's becoming real - I'll be part of it all. </div>
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I look forward to writing more, reading more, and sharing some other fantastic debuts this year. </div>
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In the meantime, I raise my coffee mug (the one my dear old scoundrel Ben got me for Christmas) in cheers to a wonderfully bookish new year. </div>
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Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-66051198303025980722016-11-20T10:56:00.002-08:002016-11-20T10:56:29.994-08:00Star Thief News! I have a book debuting in a little under 5 months! A book I poured years of time, effort, and love into, and now I've reached the home stretch towards seeing it out in the world, in the hands of readers big and small.<br />
That was enough of an honor, to have all my work acknowledged with publication, but there's more!<br />
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THE STAR THIEF was selected as an ABA Indies Introduce title for winter '17! It's one of 5 middle grade titles selected, and it is a fantastic group - I am amazed to be included! <br /><br />
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<a href="http://www.bookweb.org/indies-introduce-winter-spring-2017">Click here to see the full list!</a> </div>
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THE STAR THIEF is also now available for pre-order just about everywhere. </div>
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<a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780316348560">Click here to pre-order from an independent bookstore, and find indie stores in your area! </a></div>
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The cover for THE STAR THIEF is also getting a slight upgrade. I've seen the revised version, and it is even more gorgeous than the original cover. I'll be back soon with a cover re-reveal as soon as I have the final version! </div>
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<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-79261168247723902282016-08-05T10:58:00.002-07:002016-08-05T10:58:42.522-07:00The Star Thief Cover Reveal! <div style="text-align: center;">
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It's finally here! The cover for my debut novel, The Star Thief! </div>
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I love this so much! Illustrated by Antonio Caparo, who has done covers for some amazing authors, and now me! There will be a few interior spreads as well, in the finished book, and they are just as gorgeous as this one. (I've gotten a few peeks!)<br />The Star Thief will be out in April 2017 from Little Brown. It's going to be an incredible spring!Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-32765572056590292412016-07-31T15:00:00.001-07:002016-07-31T15:01:36.862-07:00A Tale of Publishing, Part II This was supposed to be a short, straightforward entry about the query process, and then something very important, and interesting for bad reasons, came to my attention.<br />
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The query process can be frustrating. It is sort of universally acknowledged as awful, terrible, degrading, deflating, and discouraging. It can be all those things. But it doesn't have to be. </div>
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I found the query process to be exciting and encouraging. It took me years to find my agent, but along the way I had enough requests and interest to let me know that I had solid ideas, and writing that could be polished into something publishable, if I just kept working. Of course, I got many more nos than yeses. Way, way more. But every request for a full or a partial, every "please send more" was enough of a boost to keep me going through all the polite declines. </div>
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EVERYONE gets nos. </div>
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In fact, I wore my first No as a badge of honor. I printed it out and tacked it over my desk. Every writer in the bookshop has been rejected. Even the published hear nos. The nos never end. </div>
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It's just part of the business. </div>
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How you respond to the nos is entirely up to you. </div>
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Be a little peeved, consider it part of the process, and shake it off. </div>
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Or, take a moment to be understandably disappointed, have a cookie, or a glass of wine, or a stiff shot of whiskey, fire up the laptop and find another agent to query. </div>
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But what any querying writer definitely doesn't want to do is create a blog and then write extensive, snarky dissections of each agent that rejects the work. Last week, it came to the attention of the Twitterverse that someone was doing just this thing. I'm sure there are others.<br />
Just - don't do this. </div>
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Maybe the best advice for writers just setting out on their journey is to plan their response to rejection. Have a comforting ritual all lined up for when the inevitable happens. Because there's no use getting angry and mean. It does no good. It can't help the process, or the writing, or the eventual career of the writer in question. </div>
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Agents aren't in the business to be big 'ol meanies. They are not the dentist from Little Shop of Horrors. They're in the business because they love books, and writers, and are willing to help you with your career for free for possibly years before you might sell a book. They are on our side, fellow writers. We're all in this together. </div>
Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-55363517682743741112016-07-14T20:23:00.001-07:002016-07-14T20:23:53.961-07:00A Tale of Publishing, Part I This morning, an enormous padded envelope arrived on my doorstep, containing the first printed pages of The Star Thief. For those who don't know (as I didn't, until just a few months ago) at some point before your manuscript becomes a book, all the pages are formatted, printed out, and sent to the writer for a proofread. I don't print out working drafts of my manuscripts. I've only done it once, at the request of the agent. So to see the work as a physical thing, rather than just a file on a computer, is super exciting!<br />
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As I get closer to The Star Thief being a real live book, I've decided to go back and do a few posts about how I got here, from the beginning.<br />
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I'm one of those writers who's been crafting stories since I could hold a pencil. But when it came time for college, I picked theater and fine art instead of English as a major. Still, by the time graduation rolled around, I was starting to think I really wanted to try writing something for publication.<br />
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But... what???<br /><br />
I did very little writing in college, simply because I didn't know what I wanted to write about. So I did what you should do when you want to write, I started reading as much as I could. I graduated in spring 2002, and then got married at the end of the summer. On the way home from my honeymoon, I picked up a few books in the airport. One was the paperback of Prisoner of Azkaban. By the time I got through the first chapter, I already knew. I was going to write for kids. I started to recall all the wonderful fantasy stories I had loved as a kid, but had left behind when I became Serious about Art. But once I rediscovered children's books, and middle grade in particular, I suddenly had All The Ideas. I had characters and plots and settings and adventures, and I went home, got a job at a Barnes & Noble, and started trying to write a novel.<br />
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And yes, that was quite a few years ago. There was a bit of a learning curve!<br /><br />
How about you? Did you always know what you wanted to write? Did you find your niche? Or are you still looking?<br />
<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-14306267706565135912016-07-08T22:57:00.000-07:002016-07-08T22:57:36.749-07:00Love Stories vs. Not Love StoriesSo, I'm in the middle of my pre - publication year. My debut novel, The Star Thief, is still many months away from it's big premiere. There is plenty to do to prepare, but in writing life, it's time to get into new projects. <div>
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One of these potential new projects involves a love story. I've been ruminating on what kinds of love stories I find interesting, and what I do not, paying attention to anything that stands out as wow or eeewww. These all apply equally to books as well, but for this post, I've given some examples from films. </div>
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What's Wow?<br /></div>
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<b>Genuine connection</b>. Two characters with enough in common that you can see the bond growing between them even before they realize it? And not just matched-on-paper, but with fully realized personalities that would (or already do) compliment each other? Yes. I'm on board. I will cheer for this couple.<br />See: Drinking Buddies, The Drop, Before Sunrise, Sideways, Defending Your Life</div>
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<b>Longtime love</b>. This one is hard to find, because Falling in Love stories are just so much more exciting than Staying in Love stories, but there's something wonderful about a deep connection that has survived a real duration of time. I love a pair with enough history together that they really know each other, and accept one another, even through conflict. </div>
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See: Only Lovers Left Alive, Before Midnight</div>
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<b>Mutual attraction</b>. When a pair is really right for each other, and they <i>both</i> feel it, however long it takes for their feelings to be revealed, even if they don't end up together. </div>
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See: Before Sunset, Tin Cup, 10 Things I Hate About You (even though it treads dangerously close to many of the Eewws, but we can blame that on Shakespeare. Once they spend time together, they do really like each other)</div>
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<b>Authenticity</b>. Do these seem like real people? Can the reader or viewer relate? Are they experiencing real human emotions, instead of pantomiming chemistry and connection that isn't there? If an on-page or on-screen couple has a moment I can relate too, or that reminds me of something I've experienced, I'm that much more invested in their story. </div>
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See: Adventureland, Last Night, and Drinking Buddies (again)</div>
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What's Eeww? </div>
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<b>Insta-Love</b>. Sigh, boo, shrug. Especially with underdeveloped characters. Instant Attraction or Instant Interest, sure. Absolutely. But to portray that as True Love before the characters even know each other is lazy and kind of gross, if you try to apply that idea to real life. </div>
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<b>Relationships as the Defining Character Trait</b>. Does the hero/heroine ultimately exist only to be In Love or part of the central couple? Booooooring. Not fun. Even pretend people need to be a little complex, or why are we bothering to watch their story?<br /><br /><b>Stalking, Coercion, Ignoring the Concept of Consent</b> - basically most things that go on in Romantic Comedies. When one person A is in love, and person B is not or doesn't know how A feels, but B's feelings and what they want is completely ignored for the sake of the plot. For instance, when the girl is with a gigantic jerk, but doesn't know it until Hero Guy explains this to her? Hate this. When girl and guy clearly don't like each other, but just don't realize they're destined to be in love? Hate This Too. When protagonist hears a firm "No." from Love Interest, but proceeds anyway, sometimes aggressively, sometimes at Love Interest's expense, this is once again gross. "Convincing" someone to be in love with a speech or a Grand Romantic Gesture? Equally gross. Breaking up someone's wedding? Go to Romance Jail until you learn to act like a person.<br /></div>
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<b>Surgically Sterile Breakups</b>. This is one of the overlooked deadly sins of romantic entanglements in fiction, which is weird, considering how often the Love Triangle dynamic is invoked. When character A spends an entire narrative torn between B and C, but then the alternate graciously steps aside at the last minute, so that the True Lovers can be together? This may be the biggest fantasy of all. Breaking up is often hard. The only reason to make it painless is to avoid making the protagonist look bad. But this is also avoiding a way to make a character complex and real. </div>
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<b>Petty Misunderstandings</b>. I have a hard, nigh on impossible time caring about a couple if they are so terrible at communicating that they are kept apart for long stretches by something that could have been resolved with one conversation. (Single exception being Jane Austen, as rules of social etiquette from the 18th century are about the only legitimate reason for these kinds of misunderstandings.)</div>
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Anything else? What makes a good love story for you? Any you'd love to recommend? </div>
Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-38802118861320834002016-06-30T12:24:00.000-07:002016-06-30T12:24:33.276-07:00The Good, the Bad, and the PublishedGood Afternoon, whomever happens upon my badly tended blog!<br />
I've been busy finishing edits, trying to be a runner again, and finally learning how Twitter works.<br />
@lcatebecker, if you're over there. I have to re-find all my scattered writer people again!<br />
<br />So, back in May, I turned in my final, official draft of The Star Thief. The first 6 months of this year were devoted to edits, more edits, and then, after editing, a few quick edits. It's now been through copyediting, and is off somewhere in NY getting formatted into an actual book. So, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the whole process so far, and look at the Good and the Bad when it comes to this publishing thing.<br />
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First, the Bad.<br />
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Writing a book is hard.<br />
It just is.<br />
Shortcuts are not really a thing. You will probably find/develop/steal some kind of process that helps you work, that makes you feel more productive, but the actual work of sitting down, writing the book, and then taking the time to revise and polish is always going to be hard.<br />
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And that's just the beginning.<br />
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Every step of the process is hard.<br />
Revising is hard.<br />
Querying is hard.<br />
Revising and resubmitting is hard.<br />
Revising on editorial notes is hard.<br />
Copyediting is hard.<br />
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All of it, every step, is a challenge. There are ever more people out there willing to "help" with the process, for a fee. There seem to be a growing number of people trying to hang their professional shingle on the idea that publishing is an impossible system, one that you can never, ever break into without some kind of magic pass, or costly service they happen to be providing. There have been vanity publishers and scammy agents for a very long time, but lately I've started to see a different kind of pitch altogether, in which some ambitious yet misguided souls are trying to create a third tier between the publisher - agent - writer system, by offering services to find agents, for a cost, of course. Be wary, writer friends. There are legit reasons to hire a professional pre - publication. For instance, getting a good, pro editor to look over your work and give you notes can be well worth the cost.<br />
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But you don't NEED it.<br />
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Because here's the Good.<br />
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It's all up to you.<br />
You can do this on your own.<br />
There are plentiful resources out there now, full of great, reliable information on writing and publishing, and you can do it all on your own. Writing the book, getting reader feedback, editing, querying, revising, submitting. You can do most of this without paying anyone, without an "in" with the industry, without paying for an expensive service, or getting an expensive degree, or attending conferences.<br />
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Now, some of those might still be super helpful. I have a degree, just not in English, or any kind of creative writing. I would love to start attending conferences, but time and finances have been an issue for, well... always, so far. But hitting some conferences, and - especially - a writing retreat or two, is on my dream list for the immediate future.<br />
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In the mean time, I managed to find an agent without getting the coasts for one of the SCBWI's big awesome parties, or going back to school to focus on writing. And my agent managed to sell my debut novel without me having any credentials, or a great platform, or any connections to the business.<br />
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This is all Hollywood speak, btw. If you're a filmmaker or a screenwriter, you absolutely DO have to have ins, have to make connections, and network, and paying someone to get your scripts in front of studios is an actual thing. But that's film and TV. If you're in the novel writing game, you still just need one thing. Good writing.<br />
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The rest, you can do with a little research.<br />
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Here are some starter links,<br />
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For Querying any kind of novel.<br />
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<a href="http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/">Janet Reid's blog</a> is invaluable.<br />
Also, her <a href="http://queryshark.blogspot.com/">Query Shark blog</a>.<br />
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For finding an agent<br />
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<a href="http://www.literaryrambles.com/">Literary Rambles</a> is solid gold. Lots of agent interviews, and a comprehensive list of children's book agents all in one spot.<br />
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<a href="https://querytracker.net/">Querytracker</a> is very popular, though I never used it myself. Many fellow writers have found their agents through this route.<br />
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Also helpful, a plain old search for Literary Agency and the sub genre of your choice. There's plenty of ways to cross reference legit agencies with questionable ones.<br />
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For general writing talk and industry info<br />
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<a href="http://www.scbwi.org/">SCBWI</a> boards, (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) You can join, for a membership fee, but there is still also an open message board to commiserate with other writers even before you join.<br />
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<a href="http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forum.php">Absolute Write Water Cooler</a> is huge, but full of lots of general industry knowledge, and a fine place to ask questions.<br />
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Harold Underdowns' <a href="http://www.underdown.org/blog.htm">The Purple Crayon</a> has resources all over the board, from writing to querying.<br />
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Get on the FB and join a writer's group. I have to confess, I find this less useful than targeted writing only forums, but it is still a great resource for finding fellow writers, asking questions, and getting information.<br />
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I'll add to this list as I find things - It's been a while since I was querying.<br />
A future post will be devoted to the query process, and my personal experience.<br />
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So, to sum it up - the only things you need to become a published writer are a well written book, and a little bit of research. You can do it. It may take some time. It may take a lot of time. I think we all would love a guarantee that all the work and effort will somehow, someday, pay off. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, no matter what stage of process you are working through. But the good news, the very good news, is that the only thing you really MUST do to be a writer is... write.<br />
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<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-24826625877587420252016-01-10T13:00:00.000-08:002016-01-10T13:00:24.439-08:00Starting the New Year with - A Book Deal! So here it is, the reason this blog was created, back when I sent my very first queries into the world. Today it's all official. The word has gone out into the ether where Official Words live, and so now I can share it here, too!<br />
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My debut middle grade novel, The Star Thief, is scheduled for publication by Little, Brown, in Spring 2017!<br />
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<a href="http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/69067-rights-report-week-of-january-4-2015.html">Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired debut author <strong>Lindsey Becker</strong>'s<em>The Star Thief</em>, a middle grade fantasy adventure in which an orphaned girl is caught in the crossfire of a feud between a master of mythical constellations and the captain of a spectacular flying steamship – and doesn't know whose side to join. Publication is slated for spring 2017; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.</a></div>
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And if that wasn't awesome enough, the deal was finished by my fabulous agent Natalie Lakosil, while she was in labor with her first baby! That's dedication!<br />
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I'm now working with my editor, the brilliant Deirdre Jones, on the process of turning a manuscript into a book.<br />
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More news to follow, of course. For now, it's back to the very glamorous work of revising, more revising, and then a little revision to cap off all the revising.<br />
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Cheers to a happy 2016, and a million thanks to everyone who's helped along the way!Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-68771658334888388592016-01-05T16:27:00.001-08:002016-01-05T16:27:30.812-08:00In Which I Have Not Written The Wrong Year On Anything - YetFive days in, and I have remembered that it is a new year every one of them.<br />
Probably the first time in my adult life that has happened.<br />
This is the place for the obligatory end of the year wrap-up, and new year goal setting, so let's knock them out in one post, yeah?<br />
Last year, I did not read as many books as I wanted to. I did not write as much new material as I wanted to. I definitely did not put as many miles on the running shoes as I did in '14.<br />I did make some fantastic progress on my writing that already existed.<br />
I also spent much of the year with the company of my husband and little son, as both of the gainfully employed adults here are now working from home. I have to say, I love it. We might be turning into a collection of hermits, but we're happy little hermits, for the most part.<br />
We also got ourselves a shiny old dog. I highly recommend. He gets us out of the house and onto our feet every few hours, adds extra warmth to all snuggly locations during cold winter times, and dutifully alerts us to any knocks and doorbells, even if they are coming from the television or computer, because you just never know.<br />
Goals for the coming year include Finishing Many Started Writing Projects, breaking in my brand new running shoes, refinishing a few pieces of old furniture (for which I have all of the supplies, but none of the motivation...) <br />
I've already read 2 & 3/4 books. So just, keep that up.<br />
And that's about it. Things are going well over here. It would be lovely to have another year just like the last one.<br />
<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-33080076212160470672015-11-03T10:00:00.000-08:002015-11-03T10:00:08.942-08:00The Hardest Left Turn a Series Ever Took <br />
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Long ago, I was a horse crazy kid living in the suburbs, where horses were scarce, but books were abundant. I don't remember the exact moment I met The Black Stallion, but I know that somewhere between the end of the 80s and the first few years of the 90s, I read all 21 books in the collected stallion-related series by one Walter Farley, with help of his son Steven to finish the final installment. And I adored every one of them. <div>
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The first book deals with the titular stallion being stranded on a desert island, along with the only other survivor of a shipwreck, Alec Ramsey. Together they learn to survive, form a lifelong bond of friendship, and are eventually rescued and brought back to live in the suburbs of 1940s era New York, where the horse is discovered by a retired thoroughbred trainer named Henry Daily, trained up as a proper racehorse, and entered in a match race against the fictional racing stars Sun Raider and Cyclone. (Probably a take on the match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral, which took place just three years before The Black Stallion was published.) Spoilers - The Black Stallions wins. </div>
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It's a fantastic story, later adapted into one of the most beautiful films ever made, staring Kelly Reno as a much younger than the book version, but brilliantly cast Alec, Mickey Rooney as Henry, and Teri Garr, who I absolutely adore. With cinematography by Caleb Deschanel (yep. Zooey and Emily's dad.). Again, a great story, with distinctly fantastical elements. </div>
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The Black Stallion was followed up by 20 more installments in the series, mostly about The Black and a select few of his offspring, his sons Satan and Bonfire, and his daughter Black Minx, all, of course, following in their great sire's hoof prints and becoming world champion race horses. There is some broad artistic license throughout the series, starting with the Black's first son being trained as a racehorse, and entered in the Triple Crown (which he wins, off stage. A bold move for Farley, considering that at the time of writing and publication, thoroughbred racing was in the throes of the second longest dry spell between Triple Crown winners since the 37 years separating Affirmed and this year's American Pharoah.) Black Minx then goes on to win the Kentucky Derby. </div>
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You can't do that in real life. Maybe The Black would be allowed special exception to enter the one off match race, but to enter any of the traditional stakes races, including the Triple Crown, your horse is going to have to be a Jockey Club registered Thoroughbred, which The Black and any of his potential foals would simply never be. Not to mention Bonfire, the who is a harness racer in the series, which is, again, an entirely different breed, with very specific skills and traits. </div>
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But this is all curmudgeonly nit picking of the pickiest of nits. This is a fictional series about racehorses, after all. Readers want to read about champions wining races. Some smudging of the boundaries of reality makes it all the more fun, even into the sort-of companion series about The Island Stallion. </div>
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In The Island Stallion, Farley reworks the same basic elements of his first novel - boy, horse, hidden island - but instead of leaving, all the action takes place on the island itself. A kid named Steve finds a band of wild horses, descended from abandoned steeds of the Spanish Conquistadors, on a supposedly desolate rock of an island. And that's about it. He names the chestnut stallion on the island Flame, and he tames the horse just enough to ride him around inside the confines of the natural stone fortress that the horses call home. A little bit more fantasy, and 0 horse racing. Fine. Eventually, the reader assumes, Flame is going to become some sort of racing champion as well, and indeed that does happen, because </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">- wait for it - </span></div>
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Yeah. I'm absolutely not kidding. </div>
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In The Island Stallion Races, published in 1955, aliens visit earth. Aliens who are so obsessed with horse racing that they offer to whisk Steve and Flame away to Cuba to participate in an international competition against the best race horses in the world. Aliens who dress like Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls, no less. There is a scene where the horse is loaded onto a spaceship, and flown across the ocean to an international race track. </div>
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All the corners cut in the earlier tales of Farley's fictional horse racing dynasty are instantly erased by freaking ALIENS showing up to help some kid take some horse to some race in CUBA. If you're going to take a risk, why not? They'll read it. I did. I bought a copy, which still sits on a shelf above my desk, because I love that series, even with the bizarro alien horse racing element tossed so casually in. The very best part? If you read the copy on the back of the book, there is absolutely nothing so much as hinting at the insanity within. All that's mentioned on the cover copy is that Flame is going to race, and that's going to be dangerous, with him being an untamed wild stallion and all. The Aliens come screaming out of left field in the first 50 pages of the book. And... that's it. They take Steve and Flame to race. Flame wins race. Flame goes home. Steve shrugs and pouts about his horse being faster than the legendary black stallion, racing up north in the US. Yes, The Black exists in this world, and one day goes on to meet Flame both on his island home, and later on the track in a legitimate race. </div>
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So the next time you watch the movie, or just see the majestic image of the Black galloping down the beach, just remember that somewhere else in that same world, aliens are traveling to the Caribbean Sea to find Earth's Best Racehorse. </div>
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Actually, this is mildly disappointing, now that I think about it. Why wasn't there an intergalactic horse race for Flame to win? Why stop at racing the Black, when he could be pitted against the fastest horses IN THE GALAXY???</div>
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So, what about you? Ever read something that was just completely bonkers, based on the cannon of the series up to that point? </div>
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Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-81075284271095472612015-10-22T19:09:00.000-07:002015-10-22T19:09:27.735-07:00Old Dog, New Tricks, and Titles. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, Otis is officially the Best Dog Ever. </div>
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He highly recommends you consider adopting an older dog. They come with all Good Dog Software already installed. </div>
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Housebroken? check. Socialized? check. Gets along with household felines? check. Likes kids? check. Good manners when walking on a leash? check. Knows how to give high fives? check. Seriously, just bring him home and you have an Instant Best Friend, no additional hardware required.</div>
Here he is being all cute and relaxing on his blanket after a visit to the dog park.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You are not currently petting Otis, or feeding him treats. <br />Let's try to work on that." </td></tr>
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After a few months with us, he's very settled in. When he first arrived, he had a bit of anxiety during thunderstorms, but now even that seems to be relaxing. A few days ago we had a rather loud afternoon storm, and he just hung out on the couch, instead of trying to cram himself under my desk as he had on previous occasions. </div>
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The one thing he hasn't been very helpful with is picking out a title for my manuscript. </div>
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That is one of the most aggravating parts of writing, I find. </div>
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I walk through the book store reading spine after spine, thinking, "Wow, that's brilliant." and then I get back to my own project. I stare at my list of potential titles. And they are all somehow, in their own ways, completely terrible. </div>
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I was never especially intimidated by queries - condensing my manuscript down into a little less than a page is one thing. Coming up with five words or less that can grab a potential reader and make them want to read the jacket, or better yet, open to page one? Eeek. </div>
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So that's where I am in the writing world, fellow scribes. </div>
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<br />Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7579800258898824941.post-58284361986400903062015-09-23T08:05:00.000-07:002015-09-23T08:05:42.489-07:00The Equinox is as Good a Time as AnySummer is officially over. Dare I say, yay? I am an autumn person. A winter person, even. I'll take spring in a pinch, but summer. Ugh. I don't like heat, I don't like blazing sun. I don't like the sound of lawn care equipment raging through my neighborhood from dawn till dusk seven days a week.<br />
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Today summer is officially over.<br />
Now we get to put extra blankets on our beds, snuggle without sticking together, drink hot coffee outdoors, have peace and quiet while the children are off at school. And pumpkin flavored everything. Basically all that's good and right with the world.<br />
This summer was, as always, very eventful and over in a flash.<br />
To condense the accounts to a reasonable size,<br />
I've been hard at work on a top secret project* which will hopefully be revealed to the world very soon.<br />
Mr. Cate worked on almost a dozen films, from short to feature length, that are heading out into the festival circuit, and one television pilot that looks fantastic. Next year looks to be even busier for him.<br />
We lost a dear old friend, Lola the cat. She was with us from the beginning, when it was just me and Mr. Cate and one rascally cat in a little apartment in the city. That was nearly 16 years ago. She had a great run, and was a tough old bird to the end, but we had to see her off onto her next adventure in early August. She will always be missed, and always be remembered as a bright spot in our lives.<br />
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We also brought a new friend home to join the family, our very first official Cate family dog.<br />
Meet Otis.<br />
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He's an older fellow, a little bit of greyhound, a little bit of lab, and something else probably too, something that loves to track and dig, based on his favorite outdoor activities.<br />
He's spent the last few months with us now, sleeping on our sofas and beds, riding around with us in the car, enjoying snacks and walks in the neighborhood, and basically being the cutest, sweetest dog that ever was.<br />
My apologies for the grainy photo. His propensity to come trotting right up to you whenever you look at him, combined with my inability to frame a shot has made me as good a dog photographer as I am a cat photographer. Which is, terrible. It was sheer luck that he sat still long enough for this picture.<br />
We'll practice. We'll get there.<br />
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*Top secret project hint. A while ago I decided that if I ever sold a book, I would get a dog... to be continued :)Lily Catehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17732112345439595471noreply@blogger.com3