tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post6283085923850043614..comments2024-03-27T05:15:13.440-04:00Comments on * Author Karen Amanda Hooper*: RIDING THE WAVE OF A TRENDkahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-76710544926106826542011-09-12T16:25:53.648-04:002011-09-12T16:25:53.648-04:00Alison, aww thank you! I can't wait to hear wh...Alison, aww thank you! I can't wait to hear what you and your students think of it. :)<br /><br />Fresh Garden, and a cute mermaid at that!;)<br /><br />Hannah, thanks for the encouraging words. I've always believed in following your heart--I apply it to my writing too. :)<br /><br />Zoraida, Mermaid Power! Looking forward to reading yours.kahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-62328721394839328172011-09-12T14:11:33.339-04:002011-09-12T14:11:33.339-04:00I've been writing my Coney Island mermaid stor...I've been writing my Coney Island mermaid story since college. When I first started writing it, there was only Donna Jo Napoli's Sirena. When we started pitching it, I kept seeing announcements on PM and had the same feeling as you. <br /><br />PS, I have a very similar blog post coming up! <br /><br />Thanks for sharing. There are plenty of books in the sea ;) <br /><br />~ZoraidaZoraida Cordovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16469617007989909356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-48703499605428984422011-09-12T09:04:54.898-04:002011-09-12T09:04:54.898-04:00I do worry about trends, but then I ignore them. L...I do worry about trends, but then I ignore them. LOL! You have to, otherwise whatever story idea you come up you'll never write. I feel like a lot of people are jumping on the YA bandwagon and just using that as an excuse to get published. So whenever I have an idea that could be YA, I immediately push it aside, because I don't want to be seen as a follower. Then I realize how silly all these thoughts are and know that we write what we love. And those who are taking advantage of the trends, well it will show in their writing. But if they've written a story with love and put everything they have into it, I hope they go very far. Keep your head up. Like all trends, they all come around again and again and again...Hannahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16915603693944523761noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-75255261903952227862011-09-10T10:04:46.923-04:002011-09-10T10:04:46.923-04:00I'm a mermaid myself. ;DI'm a mermaid myself. ;DFresh Gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07321496696487687435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-4751690835645483942011-09-09T17:51:40.337-04:002011-09-09T17:51:40.337-04:00I love my stories and I try to keep the faith.
An...I love my stories and I try to keep the faith.<br /><br />And I will read your story, fall in love with it, and brag about you to all my students.Alison Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12179538085536841348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-87074064154492674522011-09-09T08:46:30.412-04:002011-09-09T08:46:30.412-04:00Sherrie, you should self-pub yours and we can go o...Sherrie, you should self-pub yours and we can go on a mermaid book tour together. :)<br /><br />Lynn, I'm sad too. I still say you rewrite it and go for it! I love my cover too. Thanks so much. <3<br /><br />Christa, thanks! Yes, a whole sea of readers. That's what I keep telling myself.:)kahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-5217194451626379602011-09-08T20:01:41.977-04:002011-09-08T20:01:41.977-04:00This is great. Not to worry. There are many, many ...This is great. Not to worry. There are many, many readers out there. And having faith in your story is essential.Christa Desirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15614441465633549710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-29687185716506949592011-09-08T09:19:11.269-04:002011-09-08T09:19:11.269-04:00I'm still sad the mermaid story I wrote (it wa...I'm still sad the mermaid story I wrote (it was the second book I wrote) didn't make it, but I wasn't a good enough writer at the time. I could have completely rewritten it, but by then it seemed like everyone was writing about mermaids! But for the ones coming out nowish, I think the trend/wave is still fresh enough that anyone who is remotely interested in mermaids will devour lots of the books :) Love your cover, btw!Andrea Coulterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13478845861604754432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-84486048553936217702011-09-08T07:33:51.920-04:002011-09-08T07:33:51.920-04:00I was subbing a MG mermaid story back in 2009 as w...I was subbing a MG mermaid story back in 2009 as well. It's so funny how we think we've come up with something unique, only to find out someone beat us there. I'm so glad that yours is going to be published!Sherrie Petersenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11670339498152684137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-33499505046707934422011-09-08T06:48:45.406-04:002011-09-08T06:48:45.406-04:00Nat, thank you! <3 You loved this one since the...Nat, thank you! <3 You loved this one since the beginning so that gives me hope. Those editors better realize how awesome your stories are and snatch you up soon. <br /><br />J Griffin, *runs out to get voo doo doll* :)<br /><br />Stina, I think I know which ones you have from RWA (since I was there) and mine are very different. Yay for selkies! I'm gonna email you to find out who it is so we can be sea creature writer friends. <br /><br />Bethany, you're so right. I've read a couple mermaid books and I'm always relieved that they sound and feel nothing like mine. It's true that one concept can take on an infinite number of versions and styles. <br /><br />Julie, I love angels. The first line of my book is "I had to choose between the angel and the mermaid." It has double meaning in the book, but in reality I did choose between writing my mermaid idea or my angel idea first. The mermaid obviously won. Angels will always be well loved. Have no fear!kahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-40567592505892227172011-09-08T01:10:05.809-04:002011-09-08T01:10:05.809-04:00I actually have an angel story...I came up with it...I actually have an angel story...I came up with it years before it became trendy but it's still not ready, even to this day. And I DO worry that it will never make it out there. I guess all I can do is hope that my voice makes it different and a must-read!Juliehttp://juliedorris.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-34096771408356148012011-09-07T23:55:07.320-04:002011-09-07T23:55:07.320-04:00I think when similar ideas come into different boo...I think when similar ideas come into different books the plot and the voice of each book really make the difference. I know a lot of readers enjoy reading about a single entity through different books, like vampires or witches and wizards. The differences make the books unique and interesting.BK Mattinglyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13758638245846622284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-22190966710016889022011-09-07T23:12:40.719-04:002011-09-07T23:12:40.719-04:00I have a couple from the RWA conference, but I hav...I have a couple from the RWA conference, but I haven't read them yet. <br /><br />Hopefully the trend isn't coming to an end. A friend of mine wrote a selkie book that is awesome. I'd hate for her to miss out because the trend is considered over. <br /><br />Either way, I'm still going to buy your book, Karen. :DStinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-58565737688818704992011-09-07T22:10:27.785-04:002011-09-07T22:10:27.785-04:00Just keep doing that voodoo that you do, all the r...Just keep doing that voodoo that you do, all the rest is mere hoodoo.Griffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07365172490610500537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-56073736978580505192011-09-07T20:32:17.508-04:002011-09-07T20:32:17.508-04:00People are going to LOVE it! No worries allowed.
...People are going to LOVE it! No worries allowed.<br /><br />And yeah, I have faith in my stories even though they are kind of off-beat. Now I just need editors to have faith in them too. ;)Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00861022355718378425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-50556881230613913932011-09-07T19:45:24.174-04:002011-09-07T19:45:24.174-04:00Elana, wait, what? What do you mean you don't ...Elana, wait, what? What do you mean you don't get to write what you want? :( And yes, Siren was good. Tangled Tides? Hmm, I think someone told me something about that one. Something about sexy and blue or something? ;)<br /><br />Laura, my heart is most definitely in my story. Thanks for the reminder of how important that is because you're right, books with heart always have such a good feel to them. <br /><br />Thanks, Jessilyn! I sure hope so. :)<br /><br />J.R., always have faith on your stories. Especially the Italian and German versions. ;)kahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-57362470943958095982011-09-07T19:38:39.928-04:002011-09-07T19:38:39.928-04:00Shannon, I HOPE it's well-timed. Only time wil...Shannon, I HOPE it's well-timed. Only time will tell. :)<br /><br />Lydia, isn't it odd how positive we can be when it comes to others, yet when it comes to ourselves...not so much. lol.<br /><br />Sarah, ooh I say you pull that werewolf/vampire MS back out. By the time it gets published the trend will circle back around. :)<br /><br />Nicole, thanks! I'm trying to keep the faith!kahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10789825860272178765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-475352417465375112011-09-07T16:50:19.526-04:002011-09-07T16:50:19.526-04:00Great post! No matter where in the process we are,...Great post! No matter where in the process we are, having faith in our books is so crucial. Thanks for the reminder!J.R. Johanssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02671109654769467131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-53005563403547501512011-09-07T15:59:06.360-04:002011-09-07T15:59:06.360-04:00I think that has to be the best advice ever. It...I think that has to be the best advice ever. It's hard not to get caught up in the tide but with faith I'm sure your story will reach far beyond those tides!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11322055251970439959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-84897248297239977632011-09-07T15:47:04.138-04:002011-09-07T15:47:04.138-04:00I think readers can tell when an author's hear...I think readers can tell when an author's heart isn't in it, when she or he wrote it strictly for money and sales. But your heart is clearly in it, Karen. You've always loved mermaids and wanted to write about them long before even vampires were the big thing. That passion will show in your story and it'll stand out from any other mermaid stories out there.<br /><br />Super excited to read Tangled Tides!!!Laura S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13934230198562773803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-28930780288144183122011-09-07T15:39:26.943-04:002011-09-07T15:39:26.943-04:00I don't worry about trends anymore. Mostly bec...I don't worry about trends anymore. Mostly because I don't get to write what I want anyway. So I focus on writing the kinds of books I'd like to read, and yes, I have faith in my stories. <br /><br />I've read a wicked mermaid tale. SIREN was good, and have you heard of TANGLED TIDES?? ;)Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-84742835238018477862011-09-07T15:13:59.802-04:002011-09-07T15:13:59.802-04:00Having faith is so important. All you can do is wr...Having faith is so important. All you can do is write the best book that you can and keep the faith in it.Nicole Zoltackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464800543376449290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-74031856012971677602011-09-07T14:33:07.069-04:002011-09-07T14:33:07.069-04:00this is why i set aside my vampire/werewolf story ...this is why i set aside my vampire/werewolf story from a decade ago. BUT, the goog thing about trends is they always change and they always circle back around.Sarah Ahiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02795455714801965956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-27031319374757087812011-09-07T14:13:57.917-04:002011-09-07T14:13:57.917-04:00A good story is a good story, trend or not. That b...A good story is a good story, trend or not. That being said, my ego is pretty fragile, and so I am nervous about trends. Easier for me to cheer others on than myself!Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3302980868146183599.post-89551027243324976142011-09-07T11:48:37.359-04:002011-09-07T11:48:37.359-04:00Karen, your book is WELL-TIMED and I think the wav...Karen, your book is WELL-TIMED and I think the wave right now can only help you. Ride it!! :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.com