Pay It Forward Author Interviews - Amy Holder

Have you heard? This week is an Official Week of Awesomeness, because I'm participating in Pay It Forward Week! This little baby is the brainchild of Elana Johnson, she of the awesomesauce e-book, and LiLa Roecker, my future partners in the Midwest Writing and Armwrestling Awesomeness Tour. The concept is simple: all this week, 15 of us pre-pubbed author types are interviewing fellow debuts about Issues of Importance. I'm talking things like "Do you ever feel like giving up?" and "Do you like M&Ms?" That's right, baby, these are things that will help YOU in your writing.

BTW, were you aware that LiLa is supposed to put up an interview with moi today?!? Go! Visit! Bask in my geekness! Read the inevitable zombie reference!

Today's interview is with the lovely, talented Amy Holder, and I'm not just calling her lovely and talented because we're twins. Seriously, the resemblance is INSANE. We have all the important things in common, like our love for pickles. Not bread and butter, DILL. And Halloween. And other things you're not allowed to know about yet.

Trust me. I'd tell you if I could. But it's verboten for the moment.

Anyway! Amy's made of awesome! Don't believe me? Well, she's got an awesome cover! And read THIS!

1. Tell us about your book. (Notice how I'm royalty now? I'm not "me," I'm "us." I'm waving at you right now. Hand hand elbow elbow style, even. OoOoH!)
THE LIPSTICK LAWS will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the spring of 2011.

After April Bowers is befriended by queen bee Britney Taylor, she finds that popularity and Britney's friendship come with a price. How much is April willing to pay without losing herself in the process?

2. Can you tell us a little about your road to publication? (And by "us," this time I mean me and all my loyal subjects.)
I was very lucky to be picked up by the first and only publisher I submitted THE LIPSTICK LAWS to. Before you start booing at me, I should add that I tried to get published in both the picture book and middle-grade book markets for several years prior, resulting in lots of rejection letters. The quick sale of my first young adult novel was due partly to luck, studying the market, and honing my writing skills after a lot of practice. Also, I think changing the genre and age group I was writing for helped me get out of the dreaded rejection rut.

3. Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you?
Surprisingly, I never considered giving up an ultimate option. Sure, I may have said it through gritted teeth once or twice, but never truly meant it. Before beginning my journey, I prepared myself for blood, sweat, tears and rejections... so it wasn't a surprise or deterrence when all but bloodshed (thank goodness) happened. That's not to say that I didn't get frustrated, doubt my abilities, or question whether or not I'd ever make it in the publishing industry. I definitely did all of the above, as do most writers at some point. However, the nice thing about writing is you can still be a writer without being a published author. My goal was to get published, but my passion was to write... and I knew that even if there was a chance that I'd never reach my goal, I could still fulfill my passion as a hobby. I believe a true writer writes regardless of the outcome; getting published is icing on the cake. Rejections along the way make that icing taste even sweeter in the end.

*****

Thanks, sunshine! Sending you hugs and pickles.

Still cannot believe she was accepted by the first publisher she submitted to. I mean, now that I know her, I believe it, but I couldn't before. Anyway, visit Amy on the web at:

http://www.amyholder.com
htt.//amyholderbooks.blogspot.com

And you should totally check out the other interviewers this week. MORE questions! MORE awesomeness! MORE royal 'we'! How can you resist? Well, you can't.

Elana Johnson
LiLa Roecker
Beth Revis
Leah Clifford
Victoria Schwab
Kirsten Hubbard
Kim Harrington
Suzette Saxton/Bethany Wiggins
Amy Holder
Tiffany Schmidt
Susan Adrian
Dawn Metcalf
Kathy McCullough
Gretchen McNeil