
Did I ever! I loved the idea, and once again, as soon as I got into it, enthusiasm hit, and inspiration for the mysteries, characters, and everything else followed.
What Inspires Me...?
Coffee Inspires me to wake up.
Legos Inspire me to build.
The wordless cartoons of Quino Inspire me to make cartoons.
The Art of David Shrigley Inspires me to make art.
Showers don’t Inspire me to shower but Elephants do.
The xx’s debut album inspires me to draw when I’m too tired to draw...
The Art of Henri Rousseau inspires me to paint places I’ve never been to...
The 1957 Movie Version of 12 Angry Men Inspires me to make a movie...
Chickens Inspire me to lay eggs...
Or is it eggs Inspire me to lay chickens?
Edward Gorey Inspires me to get my pen and ink on...
Boring stuff Inspires me to write...
Exciting stuff Inspires me to write...
Check marks Inspire me to make lists...
Hamsters Inspire me to stick food in my cheeks...
Wagner Inspires me to drink whiskey...
My being tired has Inspired me to bring this Inspirational list to an end...
Or is it the Wagner...?
Either way...
The End...
Michael Townsend
Category #1: Their writing energizes me, fills me with possibilities, and makes me want to run to my keyboard RIGHT NOW to realize my own stories.
And Category #2: Their writing shakes me on a sub-atomic level to a point where I realize I’ll never, ever be able to write as beautifully, eloquently, and poignantly and so I should probably never write again.
Sometimes I can articulate why an author falls into one category or another. Other times I can’t (it’s mostly if they fall into Category #2 that definition fails me). Here’s a short excerpt from my already short list of Authors Who Inspire Me and my attempt to explain why.
Jonathan Stroud—Everyone I know who loves the Bartimaeus books typically points to one overriding factor: Bartimaeus’s voice. And it’s true that this is probably what first drew me into the series. But it’s Stroud’s command of language that excites me whenever I enter his work. I’m a lover of words and the more sesquipedalian, the better. Not only does he use beautiful language, but he finds a way to make them flow in a way that makes you think those words were always meant to be in just that order. Add to that the aforementioned sense of voice and I can hardly wait to sit at my own keyboard the second I’m done read. Category #1
David Almond—I’m always astounded by people who can do things that I can’t. Acrobats. Triathletes. Almond resonates with me so deeply because he has a skill I deeply admire and envy. His tendencies towards minimalism never fail to take my breath away (often, quite literally). It takes me a long time to read an Almond book because I spend hours trying to figure out how he can evoke such a strong sense of place, character, and atmosphere with so little. In my own writing, I tend to be a bit more…shall we say, verbose. I look at what he does, in books like Kit’s Wilderness and Clay and say, “I can never do that. I should just stop now.” Category #2
A.S. King—There is a dynamic simplicity to Amy’s writing. There are only a handful of people writing YA today who spring to mind when I think of writing that is at once immediately accessible and also wicked smart. Amy’s one of those people. Anyone who wants a master class in writing with layers and symbols without being hoity-toity needs to race out and pick up Everybody Sees the Ants. It is stunning. (Full disclosure: Amy’s debut YA, The Dust of 100 Dogs, was published by the house for which I acquire, although I did not acquire that book and haven’t acquired anything by Amy since, to my sadness.) Unlike the first two authors I mentioned, Amy is harder to categorize. She’s scary smart, which should put her in Category #2. But her carefully chosen syntax and vocabulary that sneak up and force a gamut of emotions from me gets me jazzed so I want to put her in Category #1. For now, let’s say the verdict is out. Category ???
I’ve been a fan of puzzles and codes since I was a kid. I used to talk to my friends in Pig Latin, write the secret notes in Alpha-Numeric Code (each alphabet letter matches a number), and learned the American Sign Language Manual Alphabet so I could communicate with my friends in class without the teacher knowing.
After writing several mystery series for adults, I wanted to write a mystery for middle-grade kids, and thought it might be fun to include a code for the readers to solve in every chapter. THE CODE BUSTERS CLUB: SECRET OF THE SKELETON KEY was just published last week and it’s full codes for fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-graders to solve, such as Morse Code, Braille, Fingerspelling, Alpha-Numeric, Caesar’s Cipher, and even Semaphore. Each reader I meet gets a code-busting kit to go with the book.
The story revolves around thirteen-year-old Cody Jone’s odd neighbor, “Skeleton Man.” The old man has always been a little strange, spying on them from his upstairs bedroom window. But when the Code Busters notice something mysterious going on at his house, they think he’s sending them a message about a hidden treasure. They’re right—the codes are Semaphores that spell out “HELP.”
While most codes have been around for centuries, one of my favorite codes is called the LEET Code, also known as 1337 Code. It’s a recent high-tech creation based on computer keyboard symbols—and it’s just as challenging for adults as it is for kids!
Try to decode the following message in LEET Code. If you can’t, read hints below. If you can solve it, then you’re welcome to join the Code Busters Club, where you’ll find more codes to solve (www.codebustersclub.com).
Here goes:
( 4 /\/ \|/ () (_) ( |2 4 ( I< + # 3 ( () I) 3 ?
For some people, this is as easy as ABC to decipher the code, but for others, it looks like nonsense. If you’re having trouble reading the sentence above, here’s a hint: Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a keyboard symbol that resembles the letter. For example, the parenthesis ( becomes the letter C. Now can you see what’s right before your eyes?
Still stuck? All right, here’s the key:
A = 4 B = 8 C = ( D = |) E = 3 F = |= G = 6 H = # I = ! J = _|
K = |< L= |_ M= /\/\ N = /\/ O= () P = |* Q = (,) R= |2 S = $ T = +
U=(_) V = \/ W= \/\/ X = * Y = \|/ Z = 2
I hope that was fun. Now you can communicate with your friends via email, using the LEET Code—and all you need is a computer keyboard!
Penny Warner is the author of the new middle-grade series, THE CODE BUSTERS CLUB: SECRET OF THE SKELETON KEY, and the adult mystery series, HOW TO HOST A KILLER PARTY. Her latest is HOW TO PARTY WITH A KILLER VAMPIRE, set in a cemetery and featuring a Vampire-themed party. She can be reached at www.pennywarner.com or pennywarnerink@yahoo.com
Penny is also willing to give a copy of her book and a Code-Busting kit! To enter, email Penny directly at: pennywarnerink (at) yahoo (dot) com. Entries will be accepted through October 26th!
Welcome, Jason! First off, please tell us the full name of your publishing house/imprint, and your official title (just so I don't get it wrong).
I work for ABRAMS, The Art of Books Since 1945. Specifically, the imprints I work on are: Abrams Books for Young Readers, Amulet Books, and the new Abrams Appleseed, which will debut this spring and is dedicated to publishing the best books for readers below age five. My title is Executive Director, Publicity and Marketing.
What is a typical day like for you?
I’m a morning person so I’m usually up at 6 and at my desk by 8. My days are filled with pitching media, planning tours and conferences, working closely with my staff, talking to authors, illustrators, editors, booksellers, librarians, and checking in with my wonderful boss for frequent reality checks, budget questions, and, on more stressful days, she helps me keep my sanity.
Did you always plan to work in marketing and publicity? What was your career path?
I started
in publishing in 1997 at age 16, weekends after high school. It was love at first sight. After college I got an internship, which led to a full time job almost immediately. After some company changes, promotions, and almost 15 years of hard yet fun work, I’m running a department of three at Abrams and we’re leading the market for middle-grade books with Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Origami Yoda books, and the NERDS series.
What sorts of books do you typically work on, and how (if at all) does publicizing a middle-grade book differ from publicizing any other type of book?
With the addition of the new Abrams Appleseed imprint, I now work on all types of books, from board and concept books for the youngest readers, to teen novels. Middle-grade books have been a sweet spot for Abrams. The company’s biggest success to date is Dairy of a Wimpy Kid. I believe with middle-grade books it is as much about the format as it is about the marketing. Package a good story and get it out there and the kids will do the rest if they like it.
I know that publicity and marketing campaigns differ vastly from book to book, by sheer necessity, but is there anything you can think of that, in your opinion, NEVER works to successfully promote a book?
If an author is not involved in the promotion in some way, it is harder to get attention, especially for first timers.
What moment in your career thus far are you most proud of?
Working to get the Wimpy Kid giant helium balloon into the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. And then walking with it in 2010---and again this year!
What kinds of things, when reading a new title at Abrams, make you sit up in your chair and say, “Now this is going to be a hit!”? (I like to imagine you sitting up in your chair and talking to yourself a lot at work…)
Ah, sometimes you just read something and know it is going to find its home. Nobody can predict success. Sometimes stories I love don’t do what we want them to do. Yes, I do tend to talk to myself at least a few times a day. My staff sits so close to me that it often ends up being a conversation.
What are some of your favorite non-book-related activities?
Biking, traveling, wine, studying new and old cars, going the beach, and seeing my nephews.
What was the book that made you fall in love with reading?
The Tim and Sandy books by Edward Ardizzone, and Coma by Robin Cook. I spotted a paperback copy of it at a garage sale for 10 cents when I was 11. My mother refused to buy it for me. Fortunately, I had a dime in my pocket. I still have it.
Lastly (and most important), if you could be the love-child mash-up of any two superheroes (e.g. SuperBatMan), who would you choose to be and why?
I have no idea. So I’m going to be silly and say WonderHornet.
When a mysterious man arrives one day on Orange Street, the children who live on the block try to find out who he is and why he’s there. Little do they know that his story—and the story of a very old orange tree—connects to each of their personal worries in ways they never could have imagined.
The book received starred reviews from both Kirkus and Booklist, so snap this giveaway up or I'm going to take all five copies for myself! :)
To be one of the five winners, simply email me at graff [dot] lisa [at] yahoo [dot] com with the subject line "ORANGE STREET." The winners will be chosen at random on November 1st.
How often do you hear people say, “All the good ideas out there are already taken”?
Nonsense! Inspiration for something original and exciting is all around us. It simply takes a certain way of viewing the world with a creative eye to capture it. Here’s my take on how to do it.
I think the most wildly imaginative ideas are when two things are put together in ways not seen before. When Reese’s put together chocolate and peanut butter, that was pure genius. How about when E.B. White saw that spider web and imagined writing in it? Or when Roald Dahl ate that peach and thought “What if a kid went on a journey in a dirigible fruit?” J.K. Rowling might not have been the first to put together magic and schools, but for many young readers that was their first encounter with that inventive and appealing idea.
So you’ve got all this stuff in your head. Background knowledge, as they say. That stuff you learned in school. All those experiences you’ve had. All those books you read and fascinating things you’ve encountered. That’s the “compost heap” of your imagination. Some of it breaks down forgotten. But much of it grows and synthesizes with other memories, ideas, and information in your brain into a rich field for growing great story ideas.
Then you encounter something new. Maybe you see some funny bumper sticker while driving in your car. Maybe you’re wandering around a flea market and spot something intriguing. Maybe you’re watching the news or reading a magazine or listening to your child talking to a friend. Your brain suddenly latches on some new information and makes a wild and crazy connection to something in the “compost heap” of your imagination. The light bulb goes off. An idea is born!
This is the heart of inspiration. Everyday encounters can cause a connection between something you already know with something new. Try to put things together in ways you hadn’t considered before.
When I was writing The Nine Pound Hammer, the first book in my Clockwork Dark series, I remember inventing this character name Peter Hobnob who was chained to a tree in the forest. I didn’t know how he was going to escape. I knew I wanted him to have a magical touch, something that would introduce my protagonist Ray to a world that was magical and wondrous. Then, while walking around my yard in mid-summer, I kicked a dandelion. What if Hobnob had a dandelion hat that when placed on his head allowed him to turn into a million little dandelion petals that float away on the breeze?
So look around you. There’s inspiration everywhere. Simply try to make a connection between something new and unexpected you encounter and something already percolating in your imagination. I guarantee something creative and wildly original will emerge.