Young Adult novel, revising critique & never ending revision

Okay, couldn’t fool you on that last post. Tonight my Middle Grade novel became a Young Adult Novel. I have read the definitive reason on deciding how, The Difference Between Middle Grade & Young Adult, when it is meant for an 11/12 year old age group.

My book does have the subject of child abuse as a part of the story and this will probably put it into a more advanced Middle Grade category. With everything else I am fretting over, including yet another opening, I am not too concerned about this. It's for my agent/editor to decide.

A third draft of my query letter states: "When Alex and his two brothers decide they have had enough, they run away from home with the help of a half man/half black dragon and a deteriorating house fairy. But, that is only the start of Alex’ battle as he must learn to accept help from others and learn what being a friend means." This battle, for Alex, is due to his past neglect and abuse.

Now, if I could just find that perfect opening for my story. I just recently began revising my opening again after entering it in Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent's first paragraph contest. His comments about what an agent use to judge that all important paragraph, opened my eyes to the deficiencies in mine. I'm sure my personal editor will be just soooooo happy.

New Blog Look & More about my Young Adult Novel

This is my new look for marketing my perpetually "in edit" Young Adult Novel.

I am simplifying the process of updating my web page with 'room to grow' written in. This happens to coincide with the attempt to declutter and simplify my life. Both processes are a bit slow at this point.

A bit about my new banner and my book:

Alex lived a feral life in his home until he and his brothers had enough of it, and with the help of a half black dragon, half fairy man, and a tiny deteriorating fairy, they have gone to live in Yellowwood Forest.

Deep in a neglected area of the forest resides a Moon Tree and five offspring trees, where Alex and his brothers take up residence. Alex must grow to trust others and learn the good from the bad, and learn that being a friend means accepting help from others.

Textural quality in web design

My apologies, if you follow both this blog and Savanvleck’s Weblog on WordPress. This is the third post I have published on both sites. I did it for WordPress first and decided it was a fit for my marketing blogs here. I need to create my brand first, on my web page, I feel, in order to fit the rest of the net-world to it for my book. I am talking the blogs, MySpace and whatever else is out there waiting to challenge me.

I have designed my own web page for years and, believe it or not, I HAVE redesigned it several times. When I was creating eight inch fairies, and selling them on eBay, I realized it was time to again redesign my page. However, that web page, the one that was up there then and is still up now, has not been redesigned yet. I created it mainly for my painting, pottery and sculpture. pottery, painting, drawings, fairy, doll sculptures, by Sheryl Adair VanVleck

I use Coffee Cup Web Design and I could show you at least two dozen starts at a new web page for my site. And, now, like the paperwork in the Rubbermaids, it is time to again redesign my redesign I never did. My new focus is on my YA Fantasy Novel, and I am here to tell you exactly why this has become such a problem for me.

In fact, I will do better than that. If you click on this link, you will see just exactly why nothing I do lives up to this designer, in California: Welcome to Avalon Arts Studio!. If the textural quality of these web pages don't blow you away, nothing is going to impress you.

Just click on the Web Design tab about avalon arts web design and then click on their Porfolio. portfolio Some of my favorites are Enchants - faery sculptures by Christine Ruggle and The Faery Crossing-All Faeries, Sidhes, and Elfins Welcome! These sites present the true art of the miniature fairy artist and designing a web page, at its best. And, if I was still designing my web page for miniature fairys, I would be working on a design even half as rich as that forever, I am afraid.

So, it's a good thing I'm going for a site for my YA Fantasy Novel. I have finally confirmed the design in my head and am gathering my own graphics to do it. I'll keep you informed.

Waiting for Snow to fall

Okay, I have tackled, and not quite conquered ‘MySpace.’ www.myspace.com/savanvleck

Coffeee Cup for my web page is a breeze, WordPress was easy. Blogger was not bad. Then, there is MySpace.

I go to the Help button, after about six hours of searching, and find a message that says, “We do not help you with that, or that, or that.” In other words, ‘The heck with all of you.” Or “that’s what our subscribers are for” as they tell me that there are sites/people out there that you can get help from.

My sister has a niece who does it all for her. She just tells her what she wants and the niece does it. Perhaps it is just that our ‘older’ brains do not think in the same circle as younger brains. I am sure I will get used to it, eventually. I would be working on redoing my website, as I finally have the design I want pretty much figured out, but I need photos. I’m waiting for snow to fall in Indiana. Never thought I would say that!

So, when Gaffer gets here and it snows, we will make a trek out to Yellowwood State Forest and work on the trailer, for my YA Fantasy, as well as photos for my web page. I have the trailer written out but not drawn, scene by scene.

Then, I’m on my own again. Out of three boys, none of them is really involved in anything computer or internet related. I tried. I really did. Every semester it’s, “Aren’t you going to take web design or programming?” "Nope, not interested." They tell me.

However, I have not seen EMT’s full face, looking at me, since he bought a pay per use phone that has free unlimited text messaging.

Anyway, the status of my YA Fantasy Fiction is:

1. Chapter six edit off to Master’s Daughter, after Thanksgiving.
We decided to work on one chapter at a time, that way, if we find something that will affect the plot line, etc, we are not going over what we have already edited. I send her a chapter, she sends me back comments (I love WORD), I edit her comments and send her back the corrections, she emails me back notes. During that time, I am line editing the next chapter and beyond.
2. I need to work on the last two chapters more. They are very sketchy, but I think it will wait until we are at least in the middle of the book.
3. I want to brand my WebPage, my writing blog and MySpace when it snows and I have the photos I need.
4. I now need to learn, well actually, I still need to learn MySpace but it’s a start, but I need to check out Face Book or UTube, Twitter and everything else out there, I guess.
5. And, as far as Thanksgiving: We are putting the tree up today, for Mom to enjoy and Gaffer, when he gets home. I actually, also have my butter filling ready for Aunt Sally’s butter knot bread and my eggs boiled for deviled eggs. This year is a request Thanksgiving. Mom gets her ham and gravy. Boys get mashed potatoes and corn (don’t even ask), We all get Guacamole and chips and deviled eggs, and us adults get less work and less food to throw out. No one was eating dressing and sweet potatoes, but me and I don’t need them.

So, I wish you all a Great Thanksgiving. Travel safe and enjoy the company of relatives and friends. Mom emailed me this morning: “Life is too short, so why do people argue with their relatives?” I pointed out that we do not get to choose our relatives, but even if we did, we would probably still occasionally argue with them, just about different things.