Latest Blog Posts

When the Cloud Descends, by Guest Blogger Jeanne Doyon

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By Vonda Skelton | October 30, 2012

Today is a 5th Tuesday, which means it’s Guest Blogger Day. What a joy to have Jeanne Doyon here at the Christian Writer’s Den! I’ve known Jeanne for many years in the writing world, but it’s been a real joy to get to know her as a speaker when she attended the 2011 Christian Communicators Conference. God has truly been blessing her ministry, but as you’ll see, blessings don’t always come in the way we envision.

When the Cloud Descends, by Jeanne Doyon

Ministry is all about discerning the open doors and invitations to use our gifts to share the message of Christ. So, how do we handle those times of lull, when not much is happening and we are unsure of what to do next?

This is a question I’ve asked myself recently, after breaking my foot while speaking at a women’s retreat. My plan to leave my job and pursue writing and speaking full-time seemed to have a huge YIELD sign descend from above. Because of the fracture, I wasn’t able to finish my last week at the office, leaving without any goodbyes; I had to cancel the second weekend of speaking at the women’s retreat. What did it all mean? His plan obviously altered mine, but for what purpose?

My thoughts, rather than planning my next step of ministry, labored over every faltering step with my crutches. I submitted my heart, mind and will for my next move because I had no other choice. I know everything happens for a reason—and for some reason my broken foot was part of His plan.

Everything I’ve learned in Scripture tells me that when the cloud descends, to wait. I gained this principle from reading about the Israelite journey through the desert. When they left Egypt, God’s presence led them as a cloud by day and a fire by night. When the cloud descended, they made camp.

So, I’ve been ‘making camp’ for the last six weeks. I don’t want to move forward without Him, while the details of my destination are obscured by a misty haze. Something I’ve discovered in past clouds is to continue doing the last thing I received instruction about—so I am praying, listening, posting my blog, writing in my journal, and polishing some messages I have presented this year. I am ‘being faithful’ while I ask God to clarify the 5W’s:

  • WHO is my audience?
  • WHAT is my passion?
  • WHEN is it time?
  • WHERE is God leading?
  • WHY does it matter?

As I seek to know whether this season is meant to slow me down long enough to reassess or clarify my next step, I am listening intently to Him. I know the work He’s planned for me was planned from the beginning (Ephesians 2:10). If I hadn’t broken my foot, I would have sprinted off in a direction as soon as I left my job. The cloud’s presence and my being a captive audience in my living room recliner help me to be still and know He is God: LORD over my broken foot; LORD over my life; LORD over my ministry.

It will be interesting to see HOW all things work together for good. This wasn’t part of my plans, but He has a way of orchestrating unique circumstances for His glory and it’s part of the adventure in following His presence. I am praying to know how to proceed next, as soon as the cloud moves.

How is He leading you?

Bio: Jeanne Doyon encourages others to love God’s Word and to draw nearer to the Lover of their souls. She is a graduate of Christian Communicators. She writes, teaches and is available to speak at your event or writer’s workshop. Jeanne is a contributing author to Fighting Fear, Winning the War At Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle, and Kisses of Sunshine for Women, as well as Crosswalk.com and OpentheWord.org. Her articles appear in Evangel, Live, Proverbs 31 and Living Magazine. She shares her reflections on her blog at Email Jeanne at and find out more about her speaking topics at

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Parting Words From The WORD…

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By Vonda Skelton | October 26, 2012

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

(I apologize that I inadvertently posted this last week and some of you read it before I could pull it from publication. I hope you don’t mind that it’s here again this week. Perhaps we all needed it more than we realize!)

Waiting is hard, but it’s something we must learn to embrace…or we’ll never do what we’re created to do.

We wait for the right words, the right agent, the right publisher. We hurry to get the submission in on time, only to wait long past the expected response time. Two months, three months, six months, a year. How long are we supposed to wait for their answer?

If our goal is to write for publication, we must wait as long as it takes.

If we want to have a deeper relationship with the Father, we have to learn to wait for Him, too. While we’re waiting, we might try to find the right church, the right Bible study, the right prayer. We hurry to do all the right things, only to wait long past the expected response time. Two months, three months, six months, a year. How long are we supposed to wait for His answer?

If our goal is to hear His voice, we must wait as long as it takes.

Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalm 27:14 NLT

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

(Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net)

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Writer’s Headlines: Writers Conferences, Christian Communicators, and MoGo7000

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By Vonda Skelton | October 25, 2012

Today is the 4th Thursday, so it’s time to prepare for writers conferences, Christian Communicators Conference, and MoGo7000. They’re fun ways to learn!

1.  C. S. Lewis Southwest Regional Retreat and Writers Workshop: October 27-30, 2012, Navasota, TX

2.  CLASS Christian Writers Conference: October 31-November 4, 2012, Ghost Ranch, NM

3.  Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference: November 2-3, 2012, Fishers, IN

4. Heart of American Christian Writers Conference: November 8-10, Overland Park, KS

5. Writer’s Workshop with Vonda Skelton: November 10, 2012, Life Community Church, Jamestown, NC–I’d love to see you there!

6. Upstate South Carolina American Christian Writers Seminar: November 10, 2012, Anderson, SC

7.  East Atlanta Metro Christian Writers Workshop: November 10, 2012, Atlanta, GA

8.  Writer’s ADVANCE! Boot Camp 2013: February 1-3, 2013, The Cove, Asheville, NC–I’d love to see you there!

9.  Writing for the Soul Conference: February 14-17, 2013, Colorado Springs, CO

10. Write2Ignite: March 15-16, 2013, Tigerville, SC

11. Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference: March 22-26, 2013, Mt. Hermon, CA

12. Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, May 19-23, 2013, Ridgecrest, NC–I’d love to see you there!

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Save the Date! The 2013 Christian Communicators Conference is Coming!


It’s official! The 2013 Christian Communicators Conference will be held at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville August 28-September 1, 2013. Carolyn Knefely and I can’t wait to see what God has next for CCC!

We’ll have details up in the next month or two, but we wanted to go ahead and nail down the date. If you feel called to speak or are already speaking, this is the conference you’ve been looking for.

But don’t listen to us…just ask the graduates. 🙂

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There’s Still Time to MoGo in October!


Yep, keep working on your book project and you could win $100. We’ll be announcing the call next Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you’ve been doing this month!

Don’t have a clue what I’m talking about? Check out the details MoGo7000 details here. It’s easy–and FREE!

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Well, those are the headlines for this week. Write on!

Vonda

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The Best Discipline I Ever Followed: One Hard Thing a Day

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By Vonda Skelton | October 23, 2012

(Vonda here: As I post this, I’m packing for a week away. A huge thank you to Dr. Joseph Bentz for stepping in to share his technique for fighting procrastination. As most of you know, I’m the one who needs it most!)

On any given day, certain tasks loom before me that I really don’t want to do. I’m not referring to bothersome but routine chores that are merely unpleasant. I’m talking instead about things I dread doing. These are actions that I know I can’t put off forever but that I can delay for a good long while. They linger on my To Do list day after day, sometimes month after month. I can never quite get away from them, as they niggle at my brain and make me feel guilty for neglecting them.

I call these tasks Hard Things. They circle around me like deadly predators, and the more I try to stay away from them, the more of them lurk at the edge of my consciousness. As they accumulate, I feel besieged and defeated.

A few years ago I started a discipline that has helped me get these paralyzing duties under control. Very simply, I do one Hard Thing a day.

I don’t try to do three hard things, or ten. Taking on that many would quickly lead to defeat in the form of procrastination, rationalization, or discouragement. I do ONE Hard Thing. That is plenty. One keeps things moving well enough, and it keeps me from abandoning this approach after only a few tries.

First, I have to identify the Hard Thing. I don’t do this in some vague way, but I say specifically, this is the Hard Thing for today. I will not let this day end without taking care of it. What I define as a Hard Thing may be an easy thing for someone else. For me, it is the thing I least want to do. It may be a phone call I dread making. It may be an email I don’t want to send. It may be a confrontation with someone I’ve been avoiding. For me as a writer, it may be a chapter I’ve been afraid to write, or a scene that feels too tough for me to take on. You’ll know what your own Hard Thing is. It’s the thing that makes you squirm.

Once I have identified the Hard Thing, I try to do it as early in the day as possible. That way I feel a sense of triumph for the rest of the day. Doing a Hard Thing today gives me even more confidence to do another one tomorrow. The number of Hard Things on the list steadily decreases. I no longer feel surrounded and outnumbered. Instead, I know that since I was able to conquer that horrible Hard Thing yesterday, by the grace of God I’ll be able to eliminate another one today.

Bio: Joseph Bentz‘s books span a variety of genres, including a fantasy novel, three contemporary novels, four non-fiction books on Christian living, and one book/DVD package. His most recent release is Pieces of Heaven: Recognizing the Presence of God (Beacon Hill Press, 2012). Bentz is a frequent speaker at writers conferences, churches, and other venues. He is a professor of English at Azusa Pacific University. He earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in American literature from Purdue University and a B.A. in English from Olivet Nazarene University. He lives with his wife and two children in Southern California. More information on his writing and speaking is available at his website, His blog, Life of the Mind and Soul, also appears at that site.

Vonda here: Thanks for joining us today, Joseph. It’s a valuable discipline I need to adopt–when I get home from vacation. But while I’m in the mountains, I can procrastinate all I want to! 🙂

Readers, be sure to check out Joseph’s books. He has something for everyone!

Blessings, friends!

Vonda

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Parting Words From The WORD…

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By Vonda Skelton | October 19, 2012

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

It’s no secret Jesus was tempted. Thanks to the gospels, we know about His forty days with Satan in the desert. We know the evil one’s greatest glory would be to entice our blessed Savior into sin.

But did you know Jesus’ temptation didn’t end in the desert?

When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came. Luke 4:13 (NLT)

Yes, Satan left Christ in the desert, but he didn’t leave Him forever. The scriptures say he left only because he thought he would have a better chance at another time, a future time when Jesus was tired or weary or facing a cross.

Christian writers and speakers are not immune to temptation. If anything, Satan tends to work doubly hard on those of us who claim the Name of Christ. After all, what could be better than exposing, humiliating, and condemning His followers?

Each of us is a prime target, complete with a bull’s eye circle positioned squarely over our hearts. And just like Jesus, our weapon is the Word of God, boldly proclaimed for all—especially Satan—to hear.

Do you know your weakness? Do you recognize those times you’re most likely to fall into sin? Whether you’re aware of them or not, you can be sure of one thing: Satan is.

I’ve discovered my weakest moments are when I’m rushed and stressed and trying to get things done in a hurry. Satan knows, too. That’s exactly why he’ll do his best to see that I can’t find my keys, choose the slowest grocery line, and get behind the little old lady who could have made it through the yellow light.

So now I’m learning to monitor my thoughts and attitudes when those rushed, stressed, overwhelming days come. And when that temptation is over, I remind myself that Satan is just around the corner, simply waiting for a more opportune time.

Praise God I have the scriptures to help me have the mind and heart of Christ…so I can be the hands and feet of Him.

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

(Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net)

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Writer’s Headlines: Writing Opportunities

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By Vonda Skelton | October 18, 2012

Yes, it’s the 3rd Thursday, which means it’s time to share these writing opportunities I found just for you!

1.  Inspirational Woman Magazine is looking for 365 Real Life Stories! Deadline December 1, 2012.

2.  Focus on Mom is looking for inspirational stories about your chaotic life as a mother. But you must hurry–deadline is November 1, 2012.

3.  The Heart’s Cry: Surviving Domestic Abuse is a contracted book with New Hope Publishers. Authors Jeenie Gordon, Karen Kosman, and Susan Osborn are still looking for stories, but you must hurry–deadline is November 1, 2012. You can get The Hearts Cry Guidelines here.

4.  Alton Gansky, Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, is looking for blog posts from previous conferees and faculty members. Check out his call-out at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog.

5.  AARP, the Magazine, is always looking for writers. AARP writing guidelines here.

6.  Youth Worker Journal has posted their 2013 editorial themes. Check out YouthWorker Journal writing guidelines and themes here.

7.  Okay, you Vermont-lovers. Vermont Life Magazine writing guidelines are here.

8.  Treasure Valley Family Magazine is looking for articles for parents of children up to 12-years-old. Here are Treasure Valley Family Magazine writing guidelines.

9.  The Secret Place Devotions is open to submissions. Be sure to follow the Secret Place writing guidelines carefully.

10. Mystery writers, Over My Dead Body online magazine is looking for fiction and non-fiction. Over My Dead Body writers guidelines here.

11. Fun for Kidz is a magazine of wholesome fun with family values. Check out the Fun for Kidz writing guidelines here.

12. Chicken Soup is currently looking for stories about Lemons to Lemonade, Holidays, Wives, and more! Chicken Soup’s call for stories here.

13.  Writers Advance! Boot Camp “Badge of Honor” Writing Contest–You could win a book contract! Open to all participants of Christian Devotions’ Writers Advance! Boot Camp February 1-3, 2013 at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove! You don’t want to miss this opportunity!

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Do you want to win $100? If so, you need to be MoGo-ing!


The MoGo7000 Challenge is the opportunity to write and win! All you have to do is write at least 7000 NEW words on a book project and you’re in the running. And it’s free!

Check out the MoGo7000 Challenge guidelines here and then get to work. There’s still time to qualify for October.

Well, that should keep you busy this month. Hope to see your kudos published here soon!

Write on!

Vonda

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Two Writing Tips to Help You Avoid First Sentence Mistakes

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By Vonda Skelton | October 16, 2012

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you’ve been a student of writing a while you know that first sentences are critical to the success of your work. I’ve actually heard an editor say she reads the first sentence, and if it grabs her interest and doesn’t have any glaring errors, she’ll move to the second.

She will then read the second sentence and decide if she wants to read the third. The process continues until she comes to the end of the first paragraph. At that point she’ll have a pretty good idea whether she has any interest in the story or not.

But did you know the first sentences of the remaining paragraphs are equally critical?

Once you leave that first paragraph to begin the second, the real struggle begins. Here are two common problems to look for as you work on your rewrites.

1.  Take a look at the opening sentences of the following paragraphs. Do you see a problem?

I remember the first time I bought a pair of designer shoes. Money was tight, even though we’d always had enough for our needs. But between the mortgage, the Christian school, and the grocery bill, there wasn’t much left at the end of the month.

I decided that bargain shopping and yard sales would clothe my family. But one day I decided the time had come—I deserved better. And in those days, “better” meant a pair of Aigner shoes.
I headed to the mall and made my selection. I wrote the check for $52 (at least four times my usual shoe allotment) and wore the blue fashion statements out the door.

I walked across the parking lot and proudly glanced around for anyone who might want to smile at me and my shoes. No one smiled.

I drove to the grocery store, anticipating the envious looks from shoppers wearing their dirty old sneakers. But no one noticed. No one except me. By the time I’d selected the apples and thumped the cantaloupe, the left shoe had begun to rub my big toe.

I knew fashion came with a price so I forged ahead, waiting for the admiring glances of moms who wanted to wear—but couldn’t afford—Aigner.

I finished my shopping and hobbled out the door. Then reality hit. Not one person had acknowledged my shoes and the message they carried. Not one person cared that I had just spent half my grocery money on a pair of hard, uncomfortable status symbols. Not one person gave a rip about me and my designer shoes.

I got what I deserved.

Okay, what do you think? If you said all the first sentences started with the same word, you’re correct.

A good writer will vary the first word of the paragraphs.

2.  Now take a look at the first sentences of these paragraphs. Do you see a problem?

As a bona fide, card-carrying daddy’s girl, I grew up feeling beautiful. It didn’t matter if I sported blue-ribboned ponytails or a wet head full of bright pink curlers, Daddy never missed an opportunity to pull me onto his lap, wrap his arms around me, and tell me I was beautiful. It was a great feeling, but it didn’t last.

Before long, I was like every other female in America—I believed the lie. The lie that says we must be beautiful or young or sexy to be worthy of love.

If you’re aware of today’s culture, you may realize airbrushed models, Botoxed movie stars, and ready access to plastic surgery has fueled this lie. And we’re falling for it.

As you know, sex and beauty sell. They sell everything from cars to toothpaste and lawn mowers to furniture polish. But the world’s beauty is a false reality, one manipulated through technique . . . and presented as truth.

And because our culture and its web of deceit are never satisfied with us, we’re never satisfied with ourselves.

Well, what do you think? Did you see a problem?

If you said all the first sentences are similarly constructed, you’re right. The opening sentence of each paragraph begins with a phrase or clause, followed by a comma.

A good writer will vary the structure of the first sentences in a page of paragraphs (and the other sentences throughout the piece).

So there you have it, two things to look for as you rewrite your work. Vary your first word choice and your first sentence structure in your paragraphs, and you’ll increase your chances of seeing your work in print.

(Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Parting Words From The WORD…

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By Vonda Skelton | October 12, 2012

Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net

Nothing more need be said…

You show that you are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
2 Corinthians 3:3

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

(Photo courtesy of ChristianPhotos.net)

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Writer’s Headlines: Celebrating Your Writing Kudos and MoGo7000 Results

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By Vonda Skelton | October 11, 2012

Happy 2nd Thursday to YOU. Time to celebrate your successes with the family!

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Kudos to these dear friends who have some good news to share…


1.  Eddie Snipes (GA): Just released–The Promise of a Sound Mind: God’s Plan for Emotional and Mental Health. In Kindle and Paperback.

2.  Cindy Jones (AL): My first anthology! Story is called “The Plan,” included in OakTara’s My Love to You Always.

3.  Sandy Quandt (TX): My story, “The Friday Night Dateless Club,” can be found in OakTara’s newly released anthology, Falling in Love With You.

4.  Tracy Crump (MS): (Tracy has THREE things to share!) My article, “All God’s Creature’s,” appears in Mature Living this month. 2)I will conduct a workshop on “Putting Your Best Foot Forward: The Submission Process” at the Bartlett Christian Writers Retreat in Bartlett, TN. 3)On November 10, Marylane Wade Koch and I will present an all-day workshop on “Stirring the Pot: Writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul” in Hernando, MS.

5.  Johnnie Alexander Donley (FL): I recently signed a contract with Tyndale. My debut novel, currently
titled Where Treasure Hides, will be published as an ebook in January 2013. The manuscript also won the 2011 ACFW Genesis contest in Historical Fiction. (Whoo hoo!) Vonda here: BTW, Johnnie said she MoGo’d part of this novel last year! 🙂

6.  Andrea Merrell (SC): I will be leading a workshop at the CLASS Christian
Writers’ Conference in NM at the end of October.

7.  Julie Garmon (GA): I’ll be leading a Ladies Retreat November 2-4, 2012, Bethel Christian Church, Conyers, GA.

8.  Kelli Wommack (GA): Good news! My devotional submission was published in a recent devotional book for women by Group Publishing. Title: If I Can Do All Things Through Christ, then Why Can’t I Find My Car Keys?

Congratulations to all these great writers and speakers. Readers, need help finding places to submit your work? Be sure to check back next week when I’ll have some writing opportunities collected just for you!

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Only ONE MoGo-er in September!

Yep, that’s right, only one person qualified to receive another entry into the end-of-the-year drawing for $100.

And the September entry is:

#21: Cindy Patterson – 7026 words

Hey, readers, it’s easy to get a chance for $100 in cold, hard cash. All you have to do is write at least 7000 new words on a new book project. For each month that you reach the minimum goal, you’ll receive an entry. Reach the goal one month and you receive one entry. Reach it four months and you’ll have four entries!

Check out the MoGo7000 Challenge guidelines here. It’s FREE and there’s still plenty of time to reach the goal in October. So what are you waiting for?

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Well, I think that does it for this month’s celebrations. I hope you’re all hard at work so we can celebrate with YOU next month!

Write on!

Vonda

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Writing for Children: Are You Writing MG or YA?

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By Vonda Skelton | October 9, 2012

MG? YA? Adult? What do they mean? What are you writing? The rules and guidelines have changed in recent years, so I called on literary agent Sally Apokedak to give us the proverbial bottom line.

(First of all, let me clarify that YA means Young Adult and MG stands for Middle Grade.)

Writing for Children: Are You Writing MG or YA?

In a recent interview on Mike Duran’s blog, RJ Anderson summed up the differences between YA and adult novels this way:

What makes a book YA rather than adult is that it contains characters teen readers can identify with, explores issues that are relevant to teens, and tells the story in a way that teens will find interesting.

That’s a great answer. YA books are books that interest teens and they explore issues that are relevant to teens. So YA books may be “peopled” by dragons or hobbits or robots, as long as teens can relate to the characters and the problem. Teens find many adult books interesting. They may love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, for instance, but that story is not exploring issues specifically relevant to teens, so the books are not YA. Young adult books must also be about teen issues.

We could say the same for MG books: They are books that interest middle grade readers. But which issues are relevant to teens and which are relevant to pre-teens? And which characters and plots are of interest to which group?

The Basics

MG books: 

  • are for children 8 to 12
  • usually have a protagonist who is 11 -13
  • have traditionally been from 25,000 to 45,000 words. Harry Potter blew that rule out, with some of those books coming in at 175,000 to 200,000 words, but most MG books are still under 200 pages (50,000 words)

YA books:

  • are aimed at children who are aged 12 to 19
  • usually have protagonists that are aged 15-19
  • have traditionally been about 45,000 to 60,000. See note above about on Harry Potter. Still, the norm for YA books is under 300 pages (75,000 words), though fantasy books may run longer

The Finer Points 

According to Mary Kole, with Andrea Brown Literary Agency…

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

MG books:

  • are shorter than YA
  • deal with any “issues” or “content” (edgy stuff) but only secondhand (like the kid’s mom is an alcoholic, not the kid herself)
  • have less darkness and often a sweeter ending than most books for older readers

YA books:

  • are longer
  • are darker
  • are edgier

Babette Reeves, The Passionate Librarian, thinks…

MG books have characters who are:

  • concerned with the concreteness of life–friends, siblings, the mean teacher, the lost dog,  fairly ordinary (to an adult eye) daily difficulties.
  • wanting to please, and they worry about being wrong or doing it wrong

YA books have characters who are: 

  • trying to figure out who they are
  • looking for a set of values one can call one’s own
  • questioning the family’s and especially parent’s value–just because
  • full of  an “I gotta be me” mentality that shapes choices for years

I would add that both middle-grade and young adult readers tend to be idealistic. They are all still young enough to want to shout out that the the emperor has no clothes. They want people to be honest and they want the world to be fair, but these desires play out differently for the two groups.

The middle grade hero wants to free Willy or to save the hoot owls or to stand up for his friends who are being bullied at school. He may even, in the course of trying to save his chums, end up saving a lot more (Harry Potter), but he doesn’t set out to save the world. He’s trying to survive without being too dorky, and he’s fighting the battles that take place in school and in his family. Meg Murry battles the darkness taking over entire planets, but she only means to protect her little brother and to save her father.

Photo courtesy of Photostock/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

YA heroes, on the other hand, are looking for their purpose in the wider world. They have accepted that pets and people die, but they still want to right wrongs. They march in war protests, they get involved in short-term missions, and many of them experiment with religion and sexuality. They choose sides on hot-button issues, such as gay rights and abortion and illegal aliens. They get involved in politics.

Middle grade children are, perhaps, more fearful than teens. They have less power. They can’t drive. They don’t have much control over their lives.

Teens, as they get older, have more and more control, and by the time they are driving, they are often feeling optimistic about life, and invincible. They are young and full of energy and they have their whole lives in front of them.

Still confused? I’d recommend that you check out some YA and MG books. Awards lists are a good place to start:

  • The Newbery is awarded to MG books
  • The Prinz is awarded to YA books (With a very little bit of bleed-over between the two lists.)

Read ten books off of each list and you’ll know the difference between YA and MG.

What am I missing? Leave a comment to let me know what you think the differences are between middle grade and teen readers.

BIO: Sally Apokedak is an agent with the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency. She is the YA contributor for  Novel Rocket and is the Local Liaison of the  Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in Cobb County Georgia. You can find her online at Sally.Apokedak.Literary.Agent, and Twitter at

Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Vonda here: Thanks for stopping by and clarifying this for us, Sally. You’ve been a great help!

And readers, since we’re talking about writing for children today, I’m going to offer a special price of Buy-One-and-Get-One-At-Half-Price on my MG books for children 8-12yo. Bitsy and the Mystery at Hilton Head Island, Bitsy and the Mystery at Amelia Island, and Bitsy and the Mystery at Tybee Island are all included in this special offer!

You can check out all the Bitsy Mysteries at my store, but in order to receive this special pricing, you must Contact Me with your order!

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner? You could get a head start on your shopping!

Be sure to check out all the Bitsy Mysteries at my store, but in order to receive this special pricing, you must Contact Me with your order! I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Write on!

Vonda

(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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