Interview with Judith Graves, Young Adult Author

Judith Graves writes 'young adult fiction to die for,' is a screenwriter, musician, dog-lover and so much more! When not co-writing a series for Orca Book Publishers, she's co-publisher and acquisitions editor for Leap Books, LLC.

Despite knowing how busy she is, I had the nerve to ask her for an interview, and she agreed! I am so glad she took the time to answer a few questions about her life and writing, as well as what ELSE she's up to! (And I thought I was busy!)

Read on.....

About Judith's writing...

Lisa: Thank you so much for visiting me here, Judith. What do you write?

Judith: I’m published in young adult and middle grade fiction, as well as a crossover between young adult / new adult fiction (under the pen name, Judith Tewes). I also write scripts for film, TV, and the stage, as well as freelance articles for writing magazine and library blogs / journals. I’m just getting a feel for composing picture books. I guess you could say I dabble in a bit of everything.

Lisa: Why do you write what you do?

Judith: Other than my script work, which is more mature and features adult characters, I’ve settled in YA/MG and those voices are the ones that seem to come quite naturally. Does that mean I’m stuck in adolescence forever? Lol. Maybe, but it’s also likely because my husband is a high school social studies teacher and basketball coach, and I work in an elementary school library. We don’t have kids of our own – we have three fur babies! – but we’re surrounded by tweens / teens - their stories, hopes, struggles, and dreams. It’s quite helpful to be on the frontlines with my target audiences.

Lisa: Do you get the munchies while writing and if so what do you crave/eat?

Judith: I do! I’m known to have a secret stash of Smarties in my desk drawer. They’re perfect for picking away at during revisions. This is also why I have to get on my treadmill at least three days a week.

Lisa: What are you working on?

Judith: I have several projects on the go at any given time. Some lead to publication, some get set aside for future development. I’m waiting to get revision notes on INFILTRATE, my second book in the Retribution series published by Orca Book Publishers and am excited for that one to get born. The Retribution series is unique in that it’s written by myself and two other authors, Natasha Deen and Sigmund Brouwer Our characters are an unlikely team of teens who band together to take down adults in their lives who have done them wrong, which in turn leads them into taking on “cases” for other kids in need of their specialized skills. I should mention, our characters are anti-heroes: a car thief, a boxer, a hacker, and an art forger. Such a fun series to write and plan and plot – all with two additional creative minds and talents to bounce ideas off of. The initial three stories, EXPOSED by Judith Graves, BURNED by Natasha Deen, and UNLEASHED by Sigmund Brouwer, launched last year and the second batch are set to go this spring (TERMINATE by Natasha Deen), fall (INFILTRATE by Judith Graves), and then spring of 2018 (ESCALATE by Sigmund Brouwer). Each of us pen individual volumes in the series, taking the characters on different adventures. We have a nifty website that features the books if you want to check them out: http://retributiontheseries.com/ And here are a few pics of us hamming it up during a young writers conference.

I’m thrilled that EXPOSED has been nominated for a 2017 Golden Oak Award through the Ontario Library Association’s Forest of Reading program. As both a library technician and an author – it’s a huge honour to be noticed by such an authoritative organization.

A bit about Judith....

Lisa: Do you have any hobbies outside of writing?

Judith: I love hanging out with my husband and our three crazy mutts (two Labrador Retrievers and an English Mastiff), trying to capture cool moments via photography, and I play bass / sing backup vocals in a two or three gigs a year folk-rock band.

Lisa: Have you travelled – even if in your own province or state – and what was your most memorable/favorite destination?

Judith: Travel – ah, that’s pretty much my thing. My dad was in the military and I grew up on the move. I have itchy feet, as they say. Although we’re pretty much settled in Alberta, thankfully my hankering for the road is well met, as my husband also loves to travel. We’ve seen much of Canada, Europe, the UK, and the US. But there are always more places and worlds to discover. We’re gearing up for an Italy trip and I’m forever researching sites to add to our itinerary.

My special interest is in tracking down abandoned structures, ghost towns, graveyards, tombs, crypts, and catacombs at the various locations we visit. I know, I know...even my last name is “Graves”...lol...but I’ve always loved walking through graveyards and reading the headstones, imagining the lives of the people and the times in which they lived. Even if I visit a small town, I’ve likely checked out the dead folk before the living. Ireland has some of the most visually striking tombstones / burial sites I’ve seen thus far. But for emotional impact - I’d have to say our time spent at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial in Poland hit me the hardest. I’m still haunted by the things we saw there.

Here’s a pic of an abandoned old truck we discovered during a road trip in rural Alberta...

Book excerpt: EXPOSED (Retribution Series)

The trouble with most people? They never look up.

They keep their eyes dead ahead, fixated as they march forward and go about getting the day done. And like ants, they don’t notice that the darkness creeping over them isn’t just another storm cloud. It’s a freaking shoe. No. It’s a steel-toed boot on the foot of some beer-guzzling, asbestos-lunged construction worker, and the thing is going to stomp their lights out.

I thought I wasn’t most people.

Guess I was wrong.

I shifted my grip on the crumbled concrete, the pull of my weight stretching the tendons in my fingers like the string on a crossbow threatening to snap. Toes digging into the brick, I managed to snag an edge and relieve some of the pressure. I’d completed this route more times than I could count and that was the problem. I’d been using this building for training for weeks, its brick façade perfect for an easy climb. But I’d become complacent. Forgotten my own rule. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Just like those dead-ahead ants I promised myself I’d never be.

If I had simply looked up while I’d made the climb, I would have noticed the awning I decided to rest my feet on was missing a bolt, or had rusted out, or whatever had made the metal bar pop from under me. Leaving me dangling by my fingertips fifteen feet above a major street.

Thank you again for the interview, Judith.

For more about Judith, I hope you'll check her out at:

Website/blog: http://judithgraves.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judithgraveswrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/judithgraves
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gravesjudith/

Interview with Laura Langston, Young Adult Author

Today I welcome Laura Langston, multi-published author of picture books and novels for kids and teens. I met Laura through the Romance Writer's of America many years ago (I think almost 12 years ago!) and our paths have criss-crossed over the years bringing us to what we are today - writing colleagues and friends.

I interviewed Laura about what she's doing these days. Here's what she had to say.....

What do you write?

I write books for teens and kids as Laura Langston and books for adults as Laura Tobias.

Why do you write what you do?

I’ve always written and I decided to be a writer when I was in Grade Four. But I didn’t know any writers and wasn’t sure exactly how to turn writing into a career that would pay the bills so I became a journalist. I wrote news articles and radio documentaries and did a lot of reporting, but when my first child was born everything changed and I decided to follow my passion for storytelling. In terms of what I write, I gravitate to subjects I feel strongly about or that mean something to me, whether it’s a theme or subject or even a setting. Sometimes I’m inspired by a person I meet or an event that happens to someone I love. In a lot of ways, my career trajectory has followed my children’s growing up years. When they were tiny I tended to write more picture book manuscripts because I was immersed in the concerns of pre-schoolers. As they grew, my books got longer and more complex. Part of that was my personal growth as a writer but some of that was undoubtedly influenced by my children.

What is your writing process?

I go by the JDI process. Just do it. Writing is my full time job and I treat it as such which means I’m at my desk five days a week with occasional stints of night shifts if things are percolating or if I’m on deadline and need to catch up. On days I work out of the office (usually one day a week) I definitely put in more hours at night or on the weekend. I have both a treadmill desk and sit down desk in my office and I go back and forth between the two. Walking and writing work well for me. It seems to free the muse.

Do you have a favorite background noise you like to have going while you write (TV, Music, kids playing)?

I like quiet when I write! And I don’t often get it these days because I have two Shelties (Team Sheltie) who like to be in the office with me and I haven’t the heart (or backbone) to lock them out. They’re very vocal. As well, our house is on the small side and my office, by necessity, is in the middle of the action which I find distracting. So the more quiet I get, the better.

Do you have a favorite snack you have while writing?

I guess I’m boring because I never eat when I’m working. I drink a cup of coffee in the morning while I check email and I usually have herbal tea after lunch. That’s it.

What are you working on?

I generally juggle multiple projects in varying stages of completion. Right now, I’m writing my next Laura Tobias title in the Girls Who Dish Series and I’m plotting a YA novel tentatively titled A Lesson in Song.

Do you have a new release – immediate past or upcoming?

In Plain Sight releases on February 7, 2017. Here’s what it’s about:
Fifteen-year-old Megan Caliente prides herself on rallying for causes and standing up for the underdog. She’s the president of the school’s political science club and she likes to make her voice heard. But when she learns the father she thought was dead is actually a convicted terrorist responsible for more than two hundred deaths, Megan is forced to examine everything she believes about being an activist. As she wrestles with her values, Megan faces humiliation and betrayal from friends, struggles with the guilt of knowing she carries her father’s DNA, and ultimately comes to accept that her father’s sins are not her own.
www.lauralangston.com
https://www.orcabook.com

What is one thing you would love to learn ‘one day’?

It would have to be something to do with dance. To belly dance, to flamenco dance, to dance the tango. Maybe all three!

What is your least favorite ‘adult’ task, and why?

Washing the mashed potato pot. I mean, really! That stuff turns into cement before you even finish dinner. Who has an hour to scrub a dirty pot? Maybe that’s why we eat so much brown rice.

Do you have any hobbies outside of writing?

So many it’s hard to know where to start. I’m an obsessive reader (I read 2-3 books a week). I practice yoga and in the summer I cycle. I’m a dedicated gardener and lucky enough to live in a mild climate where I can get outside 8 or 9 months of the year. Our yard is crammed with hundreds of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, and many of the plants I’ve started myself from seed. The garden is not only restorative but practical too. I’m also hugely interested in mystical arts so at least once a month I’ll attend lectures on everything from crystal healing to animal communication.

Have you travelled – even if in your own province or state – and what was your most memorable/favorite destination?

Travel is hugely important to me. I think seeing the world is one of the best educations you can have. It’s impossible to pick one favorite or memorable destination. Before we had our kids, we traveled for five months in Europe and Russia. That was incredibly memorable and something we’ll do again when family and work obligations lessen. After the kids came along, we spent a lot of years camping at Long Beach and Saratoga Beach and those memories still make me smile. I also took my daughter to New York when she graduated from high school. I had to be in Toronto for a family event so she came with me and we took the train to New York for 4 days. We had a lot of adventures, including narrowly missing a hostage taking!

Do you have a ‘keeper shelf’ of books? What is your most re-read book and why?

I have a keeper shelf and I sometimes re-read books but my existing ‘to be read’ pile is so huge that I rarely have time to go back to a book I’ve already read, unless it’s a writing craft

book. I re-read those fairly often. But that doesn’t stop me from keeping my favorite novels!

Do you have any pets, currently or in the past? Did you have a favorite?

I’ve had a pet since I became an adult, often two at a time. When we were first married we rescued two Pekingese puppies and they were with us for almost fifteen years. When our kids came along, we welcomed a Beagle and a feral cat into our house (the cat was in charge). And now we have Luna and Trace, our two shelties. I can’t pick a favorite. I honestly can’t. Interestingly enough, I’m not a cat person; I’m actually quite allergic to them (which made having a cat problematic, believe me). But I became quite attached to our lovely cat and really grieved when she died. Sometimes early in the morning as I’m just waking up I’m convinced I feel her jump up on the bed to greet me like she did when she was alive.

If you had a ‘spirit animal’ what would it be?

I have one! The owl. Owls seem to be appearing all around me lately, including in our back yard. I’m convinced he’s trying to tell me something.

Do you have a special trick or talent?

Reading people’s minds. It’s my super power!


Thank you so much for letting us into your world, Laura. I wish you much continued success in your writing, and when I see an owl I'll think of you!

To find out more about Laura Langston and what she's up to, be sure to visit:

Website/blog:www.lauralangston.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraLangston.Author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauraLangston


Book excerpt of In Plain Sight (Orca Book Publishers - February 2017)

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You’re saying Mom lied to me? That she’s not Rochelle Caliente? She’s somebody named Alice Farnsworth? That all these years she’s been hiding in plain sight?”

Bev nods. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Her dark eyes are grave and unblinking.

I think of Mom’s paranoia every time she saw a cop. Her unease around my friend in sixth grade whose parents were both lawyers. The way that lieutenant looked at her earlier today. The guilty flush on her cheeks when she told me everything would be fine. And, like toxic smoke slowly rising in a house fire, the truth starts seeping through the cracks of my disbelief.

“Really?” I finally ask.

“Really.”

I stare around the kitchen, looking for a sign that I’ve somehow stepped into the wrong life. But everything is familiar—the box of cereal on the counter where I left it this morning, the gravy splatter on the front of the microwave that Mom asked me to wipe off days ago. “Why would Mom disappear? Innocent people don’t do that.”

“To protect you,” Bev says simply.

My stomach flips, a nasty mix of coffee and nerves. “From what?”

“Your mother got caught up with the Dodger Five.”

The Dodger Five. We learned about them in school. The terrorists, five guys, were responsible for a massive bombing at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles that killed over two hundred people in 2002. The fifteenth anniversary of the attack is only weeks away. The local paper ran a big story about them last weekend. “What do you mean she got caught up with them?”

Bev sips her wine. “Your mother was in a relationship with one of the members,” she says after putting her glass down. “She didn’t know who they were or what they were about. They weren’t a group or anything. At least, not as far as she knew. They were just friends of—” She hesitates. “Of the man she was involved with. And then the bombing happened, and the police showed up at her door and her laptop was seized and her life went to hell.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Evidence of the plot was on her laptop.”

I clench my coffee so hard my knuckles hurt. “But she was innocent, right?”

“Yes, but—.”

I interrupt her. “She should have told the police that.”

“She did. She was questioned and released, but she knew she’d have to testify in court. She panicked, and she ran.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

Bev won’t meet my gaze. “She was afraid of…of one of the bombers.”

“I thought they all died in the bombing.”

“One didn’t.” Bev takes a breath. “And the one who survived is your father.”

Blood rushes to my head. “No way.”

“Yes.” Bev nods. “Your mother isn’t a terrorist, Megan, but your father is. Your father is Sal Gaber, the ringleader of the Dodger Five.”