1. (BRINGING IT TO LIFE)

2. I have always loved to write. . .
Here’s my first book!

3. And read. . .

4. Speaking of reading. . . Do you know genres? Contemporary Humor
Historical Fiction
Magical Realism
Fantasy
Dystopian
Science Fiction
Horror
Mystery

5. CONTEMPORARY

6. HUMOR

7. HISTORICAL FICTION

8. MAGICAL REALISM

9. FANTASY

10. DYSTOPIAN

11. HORROR

12. ACTION/ADVENTURE

13. Mystery

14. What genre is Monsterville?
Humor
Action/Adventure
(Urban) Fantasy

15. In 2008, I wrote my first book for middle schoolers. . .
In 2009, I wrote another. . . In 2010, I wrote another. . . In 2011, I wrote another. . . In 2012, I wrote another. . . and I finally got a literary agent! We “went on submission” with three different books! (I’ll explain what that means. . .) In 2014, I wrote another and got a different literary agent! In 2015, my book sold.

16. How do you write a book? Here are my tips:

17. Outlines are awesome, and they don’t have to be in words!

18. Have a playlist

19. Find a space to write

20. Writing books are fun (and useful)

21. Don’t Worry about Your Beginning (Too Much)

22. Editing is just important as writing
“Murdering your darlings”
Critique Partners!

23. If you write a book, you have to find a literary agent.
These are people who know editors and publishers and will sell your book to them. You make a really long list of literary agents who might like your book, and you give them a letter called a “query.” (That’s like the description you read on the back of a book). THEN:

24. YOU WAIT!

25. If an agent loves your book. . .
They call you, and you sign a contract saying they’ll try to sell your book.

26. Then you go “on sub.”
This is the where your agent sends your book to editors at publishing houses, and tries to get a deal for you. Being on sub requires lots of this:

27. If you get a deal, when does your book get published?
Take a guess!

28. ONE TO TWO YEARS LATER!
Whoa! Why so long? It takes that long to edit your book, design the cover, promote it, and get reviews.

29. The Editorial Letter
This is like a big homework assignment. Your editor writes you a very long letter telling you all of the things they want you to change about your book.

30. Your Publisher Will Design the Cover!
Sometimes you’ll get to see it. . .

31. This was the first draft of my cover. . .

32. This was the second draft. . .

33. And this is how it turned out!

34. Sometimes You’ll Get a Film Agent!
Mine is Pouya Shahbazian (New Leaf Literary):

35. Fingers Crossed! (Rights Usually Sell After Pub)

36. So, What Inspired Monsterville?
People, Places and Things! It’s true that you should write what you know. .

37. Things!

38. Things!

39. Things!

40. Things!

41. Especially Goonies. . .

42. Things!
And Halloween. . . (because everyone loves Halloween)

43. Places!
Waterloo, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Red Bud Red Bud and Millstadt for Lissa’s World Waterloo for Down Below (Monsterville)

44. Places!
Most places in Monsterville are a mish-mash of Millstadt and Red Bud (but Down Below is the Waterloo Haunted Trail)

45. Places!
Lissa’s school is the old Millstadt Consolidated School

46. Places!
Zombie Town is really Millstadt’s main intersection (especially the old Gas ‘n Grab)

47. Places!
Lissa’s dad works at Chester County Hospital, but it’s really Red Bud Regional Hospital

48. Places!
Lissa’s woods (where the action happens at first!) is based on my family’s woods in Millstadt

49. Places!
I never had a playhouse (boxes are better); this rock inspired Haylie’s playhouse near the edge of the woods

50. Places!
Lissa lives off Route 154 (but her road is Mine Haul Road in Millstadt)

51. HOW TO FIND ME
Monsterville is on Amazon and Barnes and Noble!