Erin Dealey

When my pal Naomi Kinsman invited me on this blog hop, my brain reacted the way it had several invitations before: Do NOT do this Blog Hop. You are way too busy already. Plus you are still waiting for 99 out of the 100 Hair Bows From Around the World, promised in that 2006 chain letter–remember?

I remember–although my six year old did receive one very sweet, velour hair bow from Slovenia. Hvala! (Thank you!) And yes, I am crazy-busy with the any-day-now launch of my new holiday book,

Click here to watch the trailer!

Deck the Walls (Sleeping Bear Press) ** Goodreads giveaway here** and my new blog series WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING–a BOOK! , but still…

I am not good at heeding warnings…   

So here are my answers to the four blog hop questions:

1. What are you working on right now?

Aside from DECK THE WALLS lesson plans, getting the book trailer out there, and a “Party Packet” for my Skype parties coming up, I’m working on something entirely new for me: a picture book biography.

I’ve written non-fiction before as works-for-hire, but this idea grabbed me a few years ago and won’t leave me alone. Actually, I don’t know what it is yet. After a slew of research, it began as a picture book biography–in rhyme. Then a few writer friends suggested I try a prose approach, which has allowed me to add more details, and now it sounds more novel-ish. We shall see. I’ve learned to get the whole first draft out first and then figure out what story I’m telling.

2. How does it differ from other works in the genre?

Again, it’s still evolving. Right now, I’d venture to say (at the risk of sounding very presumptuous), it feels like a cross between Minette’s Feast  (a biography of Julia Child, by Susanna Reich & Amy Bates/ Abrams) and The One and Only Ivan (Katherine Applegate/ Harper Collins). Stay tuned.

3. Why do you write what you do?

I seem to recall a few of my teachers asking me this same thing… (Kidding!) If you mean why do I write the stories I do, most of the time they pop into my head so I pay attention to them. If you mean, why do I write #kidlit, it’s because a part of me never grew up, and I LOVE playing with words.

4. What is the hardest part about writing? 

Hmmmm…the hardest part used to be making writing a priority in my life. Nowadays, it’s probably the waiting:

• —waiting for Deck The Walls‘ official book birthday, and practicing my Happy Dance.  *Deck the Walls was originally set to launch Sept. 1st but got rescheduled and now I hear it may be in the warehouse THIS WEEK! You will know by the cheers and huzzahs coming your way… Cue music!

• —waiting for the perfect editor to fall in love with the manuscripts currently out there looking for a home…

• —waiting for the other 99 hair bows to arrive in my mail box–haha.

As for my three Blog Hop invitations, may I introduce: (Warning–they are AWESOME.)

Scott Blagden: Scott and I are both repped by EastWestLiterary  but that’s not why I’ve invited him along here. I am a huge fan. Voice and real teen characters are important to me in YA and Scott’s debut novel, DEAR LIFE YOU SUCK hooked me from the very first page.

If you’re planning on getting something done today–(or you’re yearning for a ho-hum “guy book” with Leave It To Beaver dialog: “Golly-gee you look swell, Mrs. Cleaver.” ) do NOT read DEAR LIFE YOU SUCK!

Adam Lehrhaupt : Adam and I met on Twitter through my  #NerdyAriesAuthor pal, Ame Dyckman–which should have been a warning of sorts, but as previously stated, I tend to ignore warnings. I like to think that’s why Adam titled his book: WARNING: DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOK!  but you know what they say: Delusion is not just a river in Egypt. (Hmmm–that’s not right…) Speaking of Egypt (and illusions?), Adam traveled the world working for David Copperfield, performed on Broadway, and lived on a communal farm. If you do not like wild humor –or monkeys–I am warning you: do NOT read WARNING: DO NOT OPEN THIS BOOK!

Lori Mortensen: Lori and I are members of the California North/Central regional chapter of SCBWI. The author of over three dozen books, she’s a go-getter who looks for story-ideas everywhere and doesn’t take NO for an answer. So when I warned her about this blog tour–NO Lori, don’t do it!–of course she hopped on. Come to think of it, if you don’t want to read a book that “stands out for its clever heroine who just won’t give up” (CINDY-MOO/ Kirkus) or a “plumb funny”(Kirkus starred review), persistent COWPOKE CLYDE AND DIRTY DAWG, do NOT read Lori’s books!

Seriously. I warned you…