Notes from the Energizer Bunny

Okay, I admit it, some people tease me and call me the Energizer Bunny. And I don't even have long pointy ears! I'm thinking of the bunny business because I am extra-energetic today. I don't know about you, but I find that doing interesting things and meeting interesting people GIVES me energy.

Last night, my friend and fellow YA author Lori Weber and I began team-teaching a course called Writing for Teens -- it's offered through the Quebec Writers' Federation. I thought I might feel tired afterwards, but instead I was all revved up. People went around the table and introduced themselves -- and later, they shared memories of what it was like to be a teen. There are so many interesting people in our group -- and so many interesting stories. I'm thinking YIPPEE -- this is going to be FUN!!

I did my usual pep talk about how the only writers who succeed are the ones who don't give up. Lori had some interesting things to say about immediacy and BASEMENTS!!! She said how one of the characteristics of YA books is that they are immediate. Often, they are told in the present tense, from the first person point of view. To use Lori's words, these stories are "in the zone." Now you must be wondering what Lori had to say about basements ... the subject came up because one of the workshop participants shared a memory about being in a friend's basement -- then Lori said basements had featured in one of her novels, too. Hmm... basements are interesting places, aren't they? Located in the bowels of a house, they are a place where kids play or hide... or if they were like me, round up all the neighbour kids, and force them to be your students so you could play school. Might you have any interesting basement tales to tell?