Author: Katie L. Carroll (Page 40 of 142)

March #InkRipples: Tropes Are All In The Execution

March 8, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Join Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll (that’s me!) for March #InkRipples, which is all about tropes.

Love ’em or hate ’em, tropes are an integral part of storytelling. Even if you’ve never heard the word before, you’re sure to have come across them in books, movies, or television as they are a useful and ubiquitous part of storytelling. For my intents and purposes, here is a link to a good definition of trope (though there are other meanings to the word, this is the definition I’m working with here). If you know the saying about there not being any new stories to tell, only new ways to tell them, this is largely referring tropes.

Some common ones include love triangles, the chosen one, star-crossed lovers, good vs. evil, and instalove. You can get really specific when it comes to tropes, but these are very common ones you’ll see all the time. They are definitely eye-roll inducing when they are super obvious, but I would argue that it’s almost impossible to avoid them in storytelling. There really are only so many basic stories out there to tell.

For me, it’s all about the execution. Think about Harry Potter. On a really basic level, it’s a chosen-one story, which has been done a million times before. So what about the Harry Potter books makes them so special? It’s the way they are told, it’s the characters, it’s the details, it’s the magic (both literal and figurative). All those things elevate it beyond the trope and make it unique. The Harry Potter stories are a chosen-one story, but they are a chosen-one story as only J.K. Rowling could have told it.

Which brings me to another saying we have in writing…write the story only you can tell. It doesn’t so much matter if at its surface, it’s a story we’ve all heard before, it’s about the way you tell it. And you are the only one who can tell that particular story. Tropes exist because they help inform a reader (or watcher, etc…) about what to expect in a story. Use that to subvert those expectations; or take that trope and add a unique bend to it; or embrace the tried-and-true aspects of the trope but use beautiful, lyrical language in doing so.

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (March is all about tropes), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.

Middle Grade Adventure PIRATE ISLAND Is Going To Be A Book!

March 1, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Last week brought you my big baby news, and as promised, this week I’m bringing you book news. I’ve decided to jump into self-publishing, starting with my middle grade adventure PIRATE ISLAND in the fall. So this year I’ll be bringing a human baby and a book baby into the world!

This is a move I’ve been considering for awhile now, and I’m really excited about the level of control I have over the process. I’m not setting an exact release date yet because I’m working on a bit of a learning curve and doing much of it myself. And with the (human) baby coming in July, I want to make sure I give myself enough time to get everything done right.

I did hire illustrator Susan Tait Porcaro to do an original piece of artwork for the cover. (No way I was tackling that myself!) She’s a fellow contributor to THE GREAT CONNECTICUT CAPER, and her illustration was a household favorite. It’s been very exciting working with her on a concept and seeing a few early sketches.

How can you help, you ask? (And even if you haven’t asked, I’m going to tell you ;).) Well, I’ll be looking for bloggers/readers/writers/anyone to help with the cover reveal in a few months and of course to help spread the word when the book releases. I’m working on getting ARCs (advanced review copies) set up, so I’ll be looking for reviews as well. I’ll be doing a pre-sale for PIRATE ISLAND, so, ya know, you can pre-order the book when that happens. And I’m going to finally put together an author newsletter, so you can subscribe to that soon for my latest book news.

I’ll have a lot more details about PIRATE ISLAND and the self-publishing process in the coming weeks and months. I’ll leave you with a little teaser from the book.

Baby News: Meet The Gentleman!

February 23, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

One can hardly compete with Beyonce’s Instagram announcement that set the Internet on fire earlier this month, so it is with much humbler origins that I announce my own baby news! Baby boy #3 is on the way, expected delivery in July, though my boys never seem to arrive as expected (see The Boy’s hurricane birth story and The Prince’s precipitous one).

We haven’t decided on a name yet (The Boy has made many suggestions thus far), and we generally don’t share the kiddos’ actual names here, but we do have an Internet nickname: The Gentleman.

So far this pregnancy has consisted of too many days of colds (whose idea was it to get pregnant when your oldest is in kindergarten and being exposed to all those wonderful germs?) and lots of morning sickness. But *knocks on wood* I think we’re finally past the morning sickness at least, and despite the illnesses, everything seems to be going well.

I will definitely not be sharing any bump pictures online, and all those sonogram pretty much look the same.

Trailer Reveal AS YOU LAY SLEEPING by Katlyn Duncan

February 15, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

My critique buddy Katlyn Duncan is here on the blog again today, this time to reveal the trailer for her YA thriller AS YOU LAY SLEEPING. Welcome, Katlyn!

Timeless with a Twist from Sharon Chriscoe Author of RACE CAR DREAMS

February 13, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very excited for today’s guest on the Observation Desk is the author of the picture book RACE CAR DREAMS. The boys got this one for Christmas and love it! Sharon is doing a one-day Amazon giveaway on Wednesday, so make sure to check out my Twitter (@katielcarroll) or author Facebook page on Wednesday for details on that. Welcome, Sharon!

Timeless with a Twist

by Sharon Chriscoe

Thanks for having me, Katie! When I think about my favorite children’s books, one simple word comes to mind:

Timeless.

A book that will not only hold up to reading after reading, but also generation after generation. A book that can be a treasured gift passed down through a family line or holds special memories of days gone by.

Some of my all-time favorite children’s books are: The Velveteen Rabbit, The Little Engine That Could, Corduroy, Little Bear (series) and Goodnight Moon. Each of these books has one special quality in common. They are timeless. No matter if they were read in the 1920’s or in 2017, their message is still important and needs to be shared, and loved.
Today’s market is in some ways very much the same as it has always been. Classics are still as popular as ever. Children or animals are the most common main characters. And friendship, love, perseverance, and bedtime routines are always hot topics.

However, like most other things, books are evolving. One example of how children’s books are evolving is when an author adds a twist to the story. By adding twists to their book, the author brings something fresh and new to their story and in return making it a timeless treasure that will enlighten children for decades.

Children’s book twists can take place in a classic plot, such as Mary Had A Little Glam by Tammi Sauer, or Goldilocks and The Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems, in where both authors use a familiar fairy tale but change the plot, setting, or point of view. These books are called fractured fairy tales.

Other examples of a twist can be by portraying unusual characters, such as Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast by Josh Funk, where the main characters are yes . . . just as the title suggests, a lady pancake and a sir French toast. Or The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, a story told from the point of view of a box of crayons.

Theme is also an effective way to add a twist to your book. In Be A Friend by Salina Yoon, the theme is friendship and acceptance. But the twist is that Salina uses a mime to tell her story. Dennis, her main character, never speaks a word, yet the ‘reader’ hears every one.

Another example of a twist can be seen in my picture book, Race Car Dreams. The twist combines both an unusual character and its theme, where a little race car does the same bedtime rituals as a child. This enables children to see themselves in the book’s little Race Car as he prepares to settle in for a good night’s sleep. By imagining that race cars also wind down their engines with a bath, a good story, and a full tummy, children are both soothed and entertained, and drift happily off to dreamland.

So, the next time you’re looking for a new picture book idea, let your mind wander and see where the twists take you–and you might find yourself writing a timeless book of your own!

RACE CAR DREAMS blurb:

After a day at the track of zipping and zooming, a race car is tired and ready for bed. He washes his rims, fills his tummy with oil, and chooses a book that is all about speed. All toasty and warm, he drifts off to sleep, he shifts into gear . . . and dreams of the race!

Find RACE CAR DREAMS at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:

Sharon Chriscoe may not vroom around a race track, but she does zip and zoom around in a bread truck with her husband, Ricky. Fueled with fresh bread, snacks, and writing tools, Sharon has made this her mobile office! She and her husband live in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. They have three children and one grandchild, as well as an assortment of dogs, cats, bunnies and occasionally a groundhog. In addition to RACE CAR DREAMS, she is the author of BULLDOZER DREAMS (Running Press Kids, 2017) and FIRE TRUCK DREAMS (Running Press Kids, 2018), and THE SPARROW AND THE TREES (Arbordale Publishing, 2015). She is also a contributor to several magazines such as Highlights High Five, Highlights Hello, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids. She is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature. She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. To learn more about Sharon, her books, and future events, visit her website: www.sharonchriscoebooks.com.