The Crossroads Tour: Day 4 Joy Preble

Thanks for meeting us at The Crossroads! Today we're featuring YA paranormal author, Joy Preble. Joy is a joy. Seriously. She's been our mentor through the Class of 2k10, as she was a member of the Class of 2k9....I think she's the only author who ended up with TWO mentees. But, that's just like Joy, willing to help out fellow authors and not scared of a bit of work. She comes by it honestly, this writer is also a high school English teacher (just think of the marking on top of her own writing!). Wowza. We're hoping to someday meet in person and ply her with buckets of java and chocolate.

1. What have you enjoyed the most about being a part of the Class of 2k9?

I would never be as far as I am in this crazy wonderful profession if not for my fellow 2k9 classmates. Together we learned the ropes – how to promote, how to handle the ups and downs of the publishing world, how to say sane while transitioning to being a much more public person. Every single one of us dealt with hardships along the way – illness, changes of agents and editors, second book journeys that were different than planned. I loved being able to have people I trusted, who were going through the same things as I was. Mostly I loved getting to call 21 new people my true friends. My world has broadened and expanded and I am very much the better for having the 2k9ers in my life. When we see each other at events it’s like seeing my very best of friends. That is a rare and wonderful thing indeed.

2. Best marketing advice for a new author?

Do what works for you. But do it. I don’t care how shy you are or how busy. If you don’t market yourself, chances are, no one will find your wonderful book. Let us know you’re out there! But don’t be obnoxious about it; don’t forget the social in social networking.

3. How to you balance writing with your career as a teacher?

Well, the real answer is that I don’t. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it’s wickedly difficult some days. The thing you don’t know about writing until you’re published is that once book one is out there, you’re writing other books while simultaneously promoting the heck out of the first book. So add 175 students (my load last school year) into the mix and it’s crazy chaos. Mostly, I try to use my time as wisely as I can. (often – shhh, don’t tell my principal – there was a fair amount of emailing done during my conference periods. Most of last year I was in CST, my agent in PST and my editor in EST. So it was kind of nuts) I watch a lot less tv and honestly, last year I socialized a lot less; there simply wasn’t time. But this year, I’ve got a much lower student load…

4. Can you give us a sneak peek at Haunted?

I’d love to! Here’s a blurb: Anne Michaelson’s world turned upside down last year when handsome, blue-eyed and temporarily immortal Russian Ethan Kozninsky showed up. Now six months later, Anne still has powers she doesn’t fully understand. She’s still dreaming about Baba Yaga’s forest. And she’s definitely still got feelings for Ethan, even though she’s got a new boyfriend—the very normal and very sweet lifeguard Ben Logan. But things are about to get even more complicated. There’s a wicked Russian folklore mermaid stalking Anne. With her heart torn between Ben and Ethan, Anne’s search for the rusalka’s identity reveals deep and startling secrets -- including the true source of Anne’s powers. As the romance heats up, so does the danger. Will Anne’s powers be enough to help the rusalka get what she wants? Or will the longings of her own heart get in the way?

5. One of the things we loved about Dreaming Anastasia, was the formal language / tone of Anastasia’s letters. List five words you wished were used more today:

persnickety, lambasted, flummoxed, cruller, aplomb. And chum. As in I adore my bosom chums except when they are persnickety and don’t share their crullers. Then I have to lambaste them and tell them to act with more aplomb. Sometimes I am totally flummoxed by human behaviour. (and do you know that you’re Canadian spell check is on and I can only type honour not honor and favourite not favorite? This has been the most fascinating part of this process!

Thanks so much, Joy - can't wait to read Haunted! Find out more about Joy at her website: http://www.joypreble.com/