AUTHOR INTERVIEW

There's an interview up about my path to becoming an author on: http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/


Also I share a lot of news with fans on MySpace: www.myspace.com/lindajoysingleton


COUNTDOWN TO FATAL CHARM:

113 DAYS

(from May 10 till August 1st)

THE SEER 5 BOOK COVER!

THE SEER #5 is called FATAL CHARM and will be out summer 07.

You can see the cover and read a blurb at:
www.LindaJoySingleton.com
click on the BOOKS link

Hope you enjoy the new cover! I love it!

LJS

THE SEER #5 COMING IN 2007

Llewellyn is contracting a 5th THE SEER and I'm currently writing this book which may be titled FATAL CHARM or FINAL CHARM. The title I chose was KISS N' KILL, but the publisher want "charm" in the title.

I update more often on Live Journal and I also have a blog at MySpace under my full name. Links on my website at: www.LindaJoySingleton.com

Have fun reading!! I sure do (g).

Linda

To Fans of The Seer

I've been getting some questions from fans about the next The Seer book and wanted to let anyone interested know what's going on.

Sword Play just came out and I'm happy to hear that many readers have enjoyed it.

No news yet on a 5th book, but I've been in touch with my editor who is trying to convince the publishers to contract another book. The title would probably be KISS AND KILL and solve Nona's problems plus heat up the growing romance between Dominic and Sabine. Lots of favorite characters will be back, adding to conflict on a weekend horseback camping trip. I just hope Llewellyn asks me to write this book.

Fans can let Llewellyn Worldwide in Minnesota know they'd like anotherbook -- that might help.

While you're waiting look for my cloning mysteries, Regeneration and my alternate-world mystery DOUBLE VISION. Most of my books can be ordered online or ask your local bookstore.

Linda Joy Singleton
www.lindajoysingleton.com
www.livejournal.com/users/lindajsingleton

SWORD PLAY IS OUT!

The fourth THE SEER is out early! SWORD PLAY opens with a ghost and ends with a deadly battle. Check out Amazon or B/N to see the cover and description.

By the way, I post more often on my Live Journal site at www.LiveJournal.com/users/LindaJSingleton

See you there. Linda

RULES FOR WRITING FOR KIDS

Want to know the secret of writing middle-grade novels?

Here's advice from over a dozen published authors:
http://www.cynthialord.com/pdf/author_writing_rules.pdf

Magic Under the Sea contest results

My 2nd essay contest for kids has ended. The topic was MAGIC UNDER THE SEA and 8-12 year olds were invited to mail in essays 250 words or less. The entries were all very creative! Magical mermaids, sea turtle riding and dangerous sharks. I was very impressed with all the essays and wish to thank everyone who entered for your hard work. I was only going to award five Honorable Mentions, but they were so good I added two more.
Here are the results:
$100 First Place: The Adventures of Porpoise Pete by John-Paul Heil (PA)$50
Second Place: Sparkels Are Forever by Niveditha Raghavan (CA)
$25 Third Place: Cassie and Roxi Find the Most Beautiful Treasure of All! by Cassandra Rozinsky (TX)

Honorable Mentions (free autographed book prizes):The Finding by William Kikoski (Arizona)
Trouble Underwater by Adam Calindo (TX)
A Dream Under the Sea, or Not by Trinity Noble (NE)
The Day I Traveled Under Water by Johnathan Graves (SC)
Elephant Heaven by Drake Winn (SC)
Under Water Magic by Margaret Anne Christie (SC)
The Magical Sand Dollar by Jonathan Melchiorre (NJ)

Congratulations! I'll mail prizes soon.
www.LindaJoySingleton.com

MAGIC CONTEST RESULTS COMING SOON

MAGIC UNDER THE SEA essay contest for kids has ended and results will be posted to this blog and my LiveJournal blog this week. So stay tuned!

Also, the 3rd THE SEER book, WITCH BALL, is out. I haven't seen it in stores yet. If you see it in a store, post where and how many copies. Thanks!

THE SEER #4 is finished!

Totally nearly 200 pages, with lots of danger, changing friendships, romance and ghosts, the 4th book in my psychic YA series, THE SEER, is finished! SWORD PLAY has a cool cover which can be seen at www.LindaJoySingleton.com .

Now I'm plotting the 5th book which I hope Llewellyn wants. I can't decide between these two titles: KISS AND KILL or SHADOW SPELL. What do you prefer?

More updates on my other site.

Link to a Katrina Refuge's Blog

Dianne de Las Casas, a friend of mine who is a talented storyteller and writer, has been sharing her Katrina refuge experiences on her blog www.storyconnection.blogspot.com/

People have been reaching out to her and her daughters with amazing kindness. I now read her blog every day. Check it out.

ANNOUNCING A NEW ESSAY CONTEST

My first contest for kids (ages 8-12) went so well, I'm starting a new one
with $100 for the first place winner. It's an essay contest with a 250
word maximum.

The first contest's topic was ALIEN PETS to celebrate my midgrade
adventure OH, NO! UFO. This time the topic is magic under the sea to
celebrate my just released mermaid mixup, SEA SWITCH.

For more information go to my website and click on essay contest:
www.LindaJoySingleton.com

Look for SEA SWITCH soon!

My publisher sent an advance copy of the third STRANGE ENCOUNTERS book, SEA SWITCH, and I read through it right away. It's about a wicked mermaid who tricks Cassie and switches places with her - leaving Cassie in trouble under water and sentenced to a mermaid jail. Lots of fun and surprises.

I'm still writing the 4th THE SEER book, SWORD PLAY. Should hit the 100 page mark today if I get busy writing.

A week ago I had a great time at an annual children's writing conference in Los Angeles. I talked to many writers and attended workshops with editors, agents and a few famous authors (like Rosemary Wells and Bruce Coville). They had an American Idol type competition where instead of singing, entrants performed their book-related school talks -- and my own roommate Verla Kay was a finalist. A new friend Dianne de Las Casas was also a finalist.

Next month I'll announce a new writing contest for kids titled "Magic Under the Sea" because SEA SWITCH takes place in a magical world under the sea. I may allow 250 words instead of 200 this time, and I plan to add a 3rd place award also. It'll run from Sept. to January, so there will be plenty of time to send in entries.

Check back here for more contest news.

ALIEN PET ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

Before I announce the winners, I want to say that choosing them was SO difficult because there were around 300 entries.

The essays were well-written, funny and wonderful. If you didn't win this time, enter my "MAGIC UNDER THE SEA" essay contest in the Fall to celebrate the release of Strange Encounters #3: SEA SWITCH, where a wicked mermaid turns Cassie Strange into a mermaid. Check www.LindaJoySingleton.com in August for details.

I'd like to thank my co-judges, picture book authors Verla Kay and Dana Kessimakis Smith. It was a big job to choose winners among so many fantastic essays. In fact, choosing was so difficult, instead of 5 third place winners, I picked 12. Also there was a tie for second place, so two entrants will receive $50. I plan to contact the winners by mail or phone soon. Then with their permission, I'll post a few here.

Here are the winning essays:
FIRST PlACE: My Alien Week by Kimberly Paquette

SECOND PLACE: (A tie!) My Alien Pet by Jori Silber & My Astonishing Alien by Michelle Vaisman

THIRD PLACE:
Chub by Erin Anderson
The Adventures of a Boy and His Pet Max by Kortney Walton
My Alien Pet by Sydney Ippolito
Morpha Ova by Maria L. Hodge
My New Alien Pet by Rachael Eberle
My Alien Adventures by Jackie Thelen
Star Surfer by Emily Ann Smith
Describe an Alien Pet by Kayla Gibbs
Jig My Alien Pet by Rebecca Tracy,
My Alien Pet by Timothy Brown Jr.
Koalaroo by Amriz Molina
Alien Pet by Jonathan Melchiorre

Congratulations to everyone who entered! You're amazing writers!

Alien Essay Contest Update

Hi!

I've now had a chance to read all the (approx. 300) entries and am waiting on the final judging decision of my two assistant judges, Verla Kay and Dana Kessimakis Smith. The entries were ALL so creative and wonderful, picking a few dozen for this final round was very difficult. I am very impressed with the writing of all entrants. Amazing!

Since the entries were SO well-written, I'm increasing the number of third prizes from five to ten.

Also I've decided to offer another essay contest this Fall to celebrate the September release of my mermaid fantasy-adventure, SEA SWITCH, where Cassie Strange goes on a quest for mermaids and becomes one. The theme will be "Magic Under the Sea." I'll post the info on my website in August.

Don't forget I also have an ongoing contest on my website which only has about a dozen entrants for the July 4th book giveaway. All you have to do is send an email to enter this raffle contest.

Thanks again to everyone who entered. I'll post contest results as soon as I get them.

At long last .... LAST DANCE!

It's out!!!

Did I mention, it's out?!!

The second installment in the psychic saga of Sabine Rose, THE SEER series, has been published. If you liked DON'T DIE DRAGONFLY, you should enjoy LAST DANCE (at least I hope you do!)

LAST DANCE has lots of mystery, adventure, danger and romance. Readers will discover Thorn's real name and secrets about a 50-year old ghost. And when it's all over, someone may die....

THE SEER #2: LAST DANCE is available at booksellers everywhere. And if your local store doesn't have it, just ask them to order it. Or check Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.

Happy reading!

NEXT THE SEER

I'm close to being offered a contract for SWORD PLAY, #4 in THE SEER series.

If you want to read more about Sabine, Dominic, Josh, Penny-Love, Nona and Thorn, cross your fingers for me. I've had fun writing THE SEER series and hope to keep doing it for a long time.

Well I'm off to appear at Galt High's career day. I'm going to have a raffle for a free book and ask each entrant to write down their favorite word.

What's your favorite word??

WAITING FOR THE LAST DANCE

Just two months away before THE SEER #2 LAST DANCE comes out.

It's always so hard to wait. I want the book out yesterday. Or even tomorrow. But it's not scheduled until June. I don't even have an advance copy of it -- and my publisher sent some out to select reviewers. I had an email from a bookstore owner who had read one of these advance copies and she loved the book. I wanted to scream, "How come you have a copy and I don't?" But I restrained myself. "Be patient," I told myself.

Then I did an online search and found a copy of LAST DANCE for sale from a secondhand store. Quick as a keystroke, I dashed off my credit card and info and ordered the book....only to get an email a short while later that they didn't have the book after all.

So it's back to waiting. WAITING!! I really hate it!

Oh well...I'll be busy next week since I'm doing Galt High's career day on Friday. Next talk is June 15th at Lodi Writers. Then nothing in July except that on July 16th the Harry Potter #6 comes out. I can't wait! (Geez...I hate waiting).

Classroom Visit

Today I gave an author talk to a class of 4th graders. The class had just finished reading my book, OH, NO! UFO and they were full of questions about writing and aliens. I showed them overhead pictures and did a worksheet called CREATE YOUR OWN ALIEN PLANET.

In closing, I read two chapters from my upcoming third book in the STRANGE ENCOUNTERS series, SEA SWITCH, the part where Cassie discovers what pet her sister Amber has hidden and then later when Cassie meets a wicked mermaid. I can't wait for this book to come out in September!

SHE GETS IT

I just had an email from a writer friend, Kim R., who figured out some of the hidden meanings in my OH, NO! UFO book. Woo hoo, Kim!

Here's what she said-
I just finished reading Oh No UFO and Don't Die Dragonfly.
I thought they were great! I particularly liked the backwards
names hidden in Vee's alien language in Oh No UFO, and
Sabine's reluctance to use her gift in Dragonfly.

To undercover secrets behind STRANGE ENCOUNTERS and THE SEER series, read some of the articles at Llewellyn's site that they asked me to write to share some real stories that happened to me while writing.

Nothing Much

Today is my husband's birthday. We already celebrated last weekend with a small party, but I'm also going to bake him some Rice Crispie treats.

I've started a new blog more writing focused at www.LiveJournal.com/users/LindaJSingleton so if you're interested in writing, check it out. I didn't post today though because nothing much is going on. I didn't even write. Some days are like that.

The sun is shining. My heart is breaking. A favorite pet has died and I'm in mourning.