Interview with "Dancing With the Pen II" Contributor Arham Habib

Today we continue our Dancing With The Pen II blog tour with an interview with young writer Arham Habib, whose essay "Dear Mr. Bradbury" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

What would you like readers to know about you as an introduction? 

Hi, my name is Arham Habib. I am fourteen years old, living in town of Danville, California. I love reading books, enjoy playing badminton and my favorite subject is Organic Chemistry.

Describe your piece that was published in Dancing With The Pen II. 

I wrote this essay as part of the "Letters About Literature" contest to the author who, beyond death, still guides me in how I write and how I live my life: Ray Bradbury.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing?

No, I have not been writing for a long time, but it is enjoyable. I find it an extremely relaxing activity.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book? 

It was amazing to realize that I would be in a publish work. It’s both gratifying and a form of motivation for me better my writing.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

No matter how difficult it is to fail, it’s a a thousand times harder to live with knowing you could have tried anything.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors? 

The Harry Potter series, Animal Farm, Lord of the Flies, and pieces penned by Ray Bradbury.

What inspires you?  

I’m personally inspired by brilliant minds of the past: Aristotle, Socrates, Archimedes, and countless other writers, scientists, and philosophers.

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Arham Habib is a middle school student with varying degrees of interest for anything but homework. An avid reader, he seeks to transfer the characteristics of his favorite authors’ writings into his own texts. Sometimes, he can even be persuaded into writing about himself in the third person. When he isn’t reading or writing, he is known to participate in speech and debate tournaments, math competitions, and science fairs.

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

Please take a few seconds to "follow" Dallas on Amazon! And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org.

Interview with "Dancing With The Pen II" Contributor Katie Wagman

Today we are kicking off our special Dancing With The Pen II blog tour with an interview with young writer Katie Wagman, whose story "Bobby" is featured in the book. Order a personalized copy of Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's youth writing here or on Amazon here.

What would you like readers to know about you as an introduction? 

My name is Katie Wagman and I am twelve years old. I'm in seventh grade and I live in Camarillo, California. Besides writing, I like to read, do gymnastics, and hang out with friends. I'm on a gymnastics team and have been for about three years now.

Describe your piece that was published in Dancing With The Pen II.

My piece is called "Bobby." It tells about a troublemaker student who overhears one of her teachers talking suspiciously. Believing he was up to no good, she convinces her friend to break into his house. What she finds surprises her. Her teacher has been teaching under a fake name. He's looking for a student. His son. But his intentions, surprisingly, were not to do harm. When her principal catches her, things take a turn. But the question is, will it be for better or worse?

I got my idea for this piece after seeing a commercial about families being split up. Parents and children never to see each other again. I didn't know what to think of it. So I got out a pencil and wrote.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing? 

I've been writing for about five years, though I've only recently begun sharing my writing with others. I love many things about writing. One thing is that I'm in charge. I can create a world of my own. I'm in control. Because life is like a roller coaster. And sometimes it feels like someone else is operating. But when I'm writing, it's like I'm the one behind the controls.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book?  

When I found out my story was going to be published in this book, I had just gotten into the car after school. When my dad told me, I was a bit shocked. Especially because I had forgotten I'd sent Dallas the story in the first place. That night, my dad cooked. I know it doesn't sound like much but he is amazing with food. In my opinion, better than most restaurants.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

My advice to other writers or people following their dreams is: don't be afraid. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it (though it would be wise to listen to advice.) Try your best. You're going to make mistakes, it's how you learn from them that matters. Never give up. Do what you love.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors? 

Some of my favorite books are:
- The Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- The Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling
- Wonder by R.J Palacio
- The Hunger Games series by Susan Collins
- The Matched series by Ally Condie
- I also read MANY stories on an app called Wattpad.

What inspires you? 

People. People inspire me. You don't have to be a super hero to do great things. War veterans, cancer survivors, Special Ed students. All these people. They're the extraordinary ones.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you? 

Currently, I am working on a novella and (hopefully) a full-blown novel. I also write other short stories and poems on the side. I am hoping to publish the novel if possible.

-----

Katie Wagman is an eleven-year-old seventh-grader. She enjoys writing and gymnastics. School fascinates her; she loves learning new and interesting things. Additionally, she enjoys hanging out with friends and family. She particularly likes the stars. They take her to a world beyond our own and get her thinking!

Links: 

Order Dancing With The Pen I & Dancing With The Pen II directly (personalized copies available!) or via Amazon.

If you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook. We're featured on Goodreads, too!

Dancing With The Pen II: a collection of today's best youth writing

Video games. Television. Computers. The Internet. With so many electronic distractions, how can a parent get their child or teenager to pick up a book and read this summer?

Write On! Books has the answer: a series of book written by young writers geared specifically for young audiences. The second volume of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today’s best youth writing has just been released! The book features stories, poems, and essays by more than fifty young writers in elementary school, middle school and high school, from all across the United States. Their work explores everything from travel to friendship, love to loss, fear to hope—themes that both celebrate diversity and transcend hometowns, backgrounds and cultures.

I founded Write On! Books in 2011 with the simple question: Who knows what kids want to read better than kids themselves? Not only do I want to empower the next generation of writers, I also hope to get young people excited about reading by publishing a variety of dynamic, creative work written by their peers.

I am passionate about nurturing confidence in today’s youth through writing and reading; to be sure, creativity has made a profound impact on my life. I published my first book, a collection of short stories and poems titled There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose, when I was in fifth grade, and the experience was a turbo-boost to my self-esteem. For the first time, I saw myself as a writer. I felt like I could pursue any dream, as long as I worked hard and believed in myself.

I hope that the young writers published in Dancing With The Pen find renewed joy, deep pride, and lasting confidence. I have no doubt they will go on to do many wonderful things, and feel honored to be part of making a dream come true for them. As contributor Sofia Felino wrote me in an email, "This really means so much and it's amazing -- I've been dreaming of being published since birth!"

This past Saturday, we had a special book launch pizza party for young writers in the Bay Area. It was a magical evening celebrating seven young writers, who read their work out loud to the audience. Among the young writers in attendance were Rosalie Chiang, a Fremont homeschooler, who penned two fictional stories about animals teaching humans lessons in bravery and friendship. Vivek Bellam, from Danville, wrote about a robot battle and Jennifer Huang, from San Ramon, wrote about a young artist trying to “make it big” in New York City. Arham Habib, a high school student from Danville (pictured below) read his essay: a letter to legendary author Ray Bradbury about Fahrenheit 451.

A Southern California book launch party will take place at Mrs. Figs' Bookworm in Camarillo on Thursday, July 21 at 5pm. Young writers will read their pieces and autograph books. It will be an exciting event for the entire community. We would love to see you there!

The response to the Dancing With The Pen series has been overwhelmingly positive. In its debut week of release, the first volume of Dancing With The Pen rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category. One Amazon reviewer praised, “This stunning anthology is a testament to the fact that magic can flow through the pens of writers of any age.” Another gave the book five stars and wrote, “From short stories to poetry, fantasy to realistic fiction, there's something in here for everyone of all ages to enjoy.”

Indeed, while the book series was originally aimed at young people, adult readers are raving as well. Randy Robertson, parent of three, remarked, "It is a treat for us adult readers to gain an insight into what this upcoming generation is thinking and feeling." And LA Parent reviewer Debbie Glade wrote, "Some of the stories and poems are so wisely penned, I had to double check the ages of the writers in their short bios."

Parents and teachers who are concerned about youth illiteracy can feel doubly good about purchasing Dancing With The Pen. For every copy sold, a new book will be donated to Write On’s Holiday Book Drive to benefit disadvantaged and at-risk youth. Since 2001, we have donated more than 14,000 new books to underprivileged kids across the U.S.

Publishing the Dancing With The Pen series has reaffirmed for me the power of books and reading. I am blown away by the insightful, daring, thought-provoking work being produced by young writers today! I know you will be, too.

Personalized copies of Dancing With The Pen are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org.

Poem by Sidney Hirschman

I am thrilled to present to you today a new poem by Sidney Hirschman, a young author featured in the Write On! Books anthology Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing.  

 
Sidney Hirschman is 12 years old and is going into 7th grade this fall at the Nueva School in California. She enjoys writing, singing, playing guitar, and Minecraft. This is a poem she wrote for her poetry unit at school. You can read more of her work and thoughts at her blog, The Bird’s Word, at https://www.littlebirdsword.blogspot.com.

I’ve Got a Horse 

by Sidney Hirschman

Rhythm 

Of the beat

Of the trail so slow,

Clippin’

And a-cloppin’

Lis’tnin’ to the world grow.

Singin’

And a-songin’

To the heartbeat of the earth,

Thinkin’

And a-pond’rin’

Wondering what my life is worth.

Creakin’

And a-crackin’

From the bones in my back,

Weepin’

And a-warpin’

Is the sky so black.

Clearin’

And a-cloudin’

Is the attic of my mind,

I’ll ride

And keep on riding,

And I’ll see what I can find.

Interview with Anna Geare

Anna Geare is an 18-year-old recent graduate of Foothill Technology High School in Ventura, California. She has been writing poetry since the 7th grade and is also in love with the theatre -- she has written a one-act play and multiple scenes and monologues for her acting class, and is currently working on her second one-act play. In addition to theatre, she has an interest in science and engineering. At Foothill she was on the school robotics team and is planning to major in chemistry in college. She plans to become a chemical engineer while continuing to be involved in acting and writing.

Anna's poem "Through Open Eyes" is featured in Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing, available on Amazon here.


How did you get your idea for "Through Open Eyes"?

"Through Open Eyes" is a poem about the different problems that the world is facing and how so few people seem to really care or are passionate about helping. They include, among other things: Global Warming, child soldiers in Africa, terrorism, and poverty. I volunteer for a variety of different organizations and grew up with social worker parents. I’ve become real passionate about helping the world in as many ways as I can. This poem was a way for me to express my message and hopefully inspire others to help the world as well. My personal inspiration for the poem was the Black Eyed Peas' song “Where is the Love?” I wrote my poem with a rhyme scheme and beat that reminds me of rap and comes off as a little angry. I was inspired by the idea and just sat down and wrote a bunch of different couplets, each about a different problem, then rearranged them in a multitude of different ways until it just felt right.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing?

I wrote some as a kid, but not much. When I truly took on writing as a hobby was in the 7th grade when we had a huge unit on poetry that I loved. I entered a local poetry contest that year with a poem I wrote entitled “The Color of Peace.” I went to the Santa Barbara Writers Conference the summer after 8th grade where I was inspired to pursue writing a bit more. My love of theatre then lead me to playwriting, which seemed to come fairly naturally to me. When I see a story, I naturally see it on the stage. Writing, especially poetry, gives me a way to express myself, but only when I write personally. Then there are times when I write from a view completely different from my own, about things I may have never even experienced. This type of writing attracts me the same way acting does. It gives me an opportunity to take on a character completely different from myself and explore emotions I don’t feel on a daily basis. This fascinates me.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book?

When I think about being published in this book, I’m reminded of my first attendance to the Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference. I talked to an agent, simply for the experience, knowing very well I was not going to get far with the poems I had written at 13. The agent told me poetry was incredibly hard to get published, and others have also been discouraging. Well, here I am, with a poem published in a book! I was ecstatic when I was notified that my poem was chosen to win honorable mention and be published in Dancing With The Pen.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

Don’t give up and don’t put your true dreams aside for more “practical” ones. Especially with writing, it’s easy to put your more artsy or impractical dreams aside to concentrate on school or related interests. I didn’t always spend much time on writing, or even acting for that matter. Science was my more practical interest, so once I got into high school, that pursuit came first. I can tell you that I have never once regretted taking the time to attend a writers conference or write a play, but I do sometimes regret not putting time aside each week to work on my play or write a poem. Life is just going to get more and more busy as you get older. Take advantage of the time you have and follow any dreams you may have.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors?

I will give the “cliché” answer of J.K. Rowling and Tolkien. Growing up, those were definitely my favorites as well as Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become a pretty big Ray Bradbury fan. I’ve had the opportunity to hear him speak at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference a few times, which were priceless experiences. Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone has also been a very inspirational book for me. The autobiographical story of a child soldier from Africa is what inspired my senior project to build a school in Sierra Leone, which has lead to my desire to join the Peace Corps after I get my Bachelor's degree.

What inspires you?

Lots of things actually. I have an array of interests, so I find interesting things to write about from many different places. I’ve written about my family, about problems in the world that interest me, about my emotions, and about experiences I have never had. In fact, the original poem I won Honorable Mention for was not suitable for a book for young students, but was inspired by a random set of words pulled from a magazine. The play I’m currently writing was inspired by a lesson on WWI I learned in school. The world is full of inspiration, it just takes someone to recognize it and write it down.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you?

I haven’t been working on as much poetry lately, but I have been doing more stage writing. It can be pretty hard finding scenes and monologues for youth to perform, so I’ve been writing some stuff for my acting class. I just wrote a scene that everyone seemed to love. I’m also trying to work on my one-act play. It’s still in the planning stages, but I’m getting pretty close to being ready to write it out.

Links:

• Order Dancing With The Pen on Amazon. (It rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category in its first week of release!
• Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!
• And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic! 
• You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter. We're now featured on Goodreads, too!
• Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org. 

Interview with Lucia Chen

Today we continue our Dancing With The Pen blog tour with an interview with young writer Lucia Chen, whose story "Take My Hand" is featured in the book. Order your copy of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's youth writing on Amazon here.

What would you like readers to know about you as an introduction?

My name is Lucia (pronounced Lu-See-Ah…the Spanish way, not the Italian way!) and I’m a 17-year-old girl from Beijing. Now I live in the suburbs of Detroit, where I run cross country, watch soccer matches religiously, and read way too many historical romances. (They’re my guilty pleasure!)

Describe your story that were published in Dancing With The Pen. How did you get your idea for the piece? Take us through your writing process.

More often than not, I write what I read. When I wrote my short story Take My Hand, I had been going through a medieval phase, devouring novels about knights and battles and grisly conflicts between the English and the Scots. One day I asked myself, “What if an Englishman and a Scotman became friends…and then were pitted against each other?” The idea just lodged in my brain and refused to leave until it became a full-fledged story.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing?

My writing career “officially” began with a memorable 6th grade assignment – a pourquoi story about how the pig got its curly tail. Since then, my pencil (and now, keyboard) has been an extension of my hand. What I love most about writing is that wonderful moment after you sit and stare at a awkward sentence for ages, and then – from out of the blue – you find a word that fits perfectly.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book?

I am ecstatic! Deliriously happy! Eternally grateful! It just means so much to me that people across the nation – perhaps even across the world – are reading and enjoying what I wrote.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

To steal the words of Henry David Thoreau: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” A writer’s life may be rife with rejection and disappointment, but it is also bursting with satisfaction and success. And if you truly enjoy the act of putting pen to paper, then that is a victory in itself.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors?

An absolute favorite of mine (as in, I reread it every few months or so) is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine…which says something, because I’m not even a fantasy fan. Just a snapshot of my other favorites: The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper, The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Pride and Prejudice (Mr. Darcy!!! Enough said) by the incomparable Jane Austen.

What inspires you?

The World Cup. No, seriously! As K’naan sang in the 2010 World Cup anthem, it’s a time when “every nation is around us,” when souls from every corner of the world “sing forever young…sing songs underneath the sun.” When you think about it, every one of those souls has his or her own story to tell. A world of stories coming together under one sun…there is nothing more inspiring to me than that.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you?

Other than really bad poetry and cheesy stories? My first novel, actually! To put it concisely, it’s a time-travel romance set in Napoleonic Europe…complete with villainous French agents and hot British spies. ☺ The manuscript is complete and in the editing stages, and I hope to one day publish it.

Anything else you’d like to add?

How about two truths and a lie?
1. I am an excellent seamstress.
2. When I was little, I was allergic to sand.
3. I have a passionate hatred of cheese.

(Just for the record, I can’t sew to save my life).

Links:

• Order Dancing With The Pen on Amazon. (It rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category in its first week of release!
• Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!
• And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic! 
• You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter. We're now featured on Goodreads, too!
• Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org. 

Interview with April Ball

Today we are delighted to continue our Dancing With The Pen blog tour with an interview with young writer April Ball. April is an eleven-year-old sixth grader from Thousand Oaks, California. In addition to writing, she loves to sing and act. She has three cats, who she says she "absolutely adores." Order your copy of Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing on Amazon here.

 

April reads her story at the Dancing With The Pen 

panel at last summer's Ventura Book Festival.

Can you tell us a bit about your piece that appears in the book?

My piece is a short story titled "The Explosion." I actually wrote it in the 4th grade. I had just finished reading The Series of Unfortunate Events and I was inspired by its plot and theme.

What do you love about writing?

I have been writing since the 4th grade. So, in some words, yes, I have been writing a long time. I like being able to make up the characters and what they do. They are all my invention. I love being able to do what I want with them.

What does it feel like to have your piece published in the book?

It's very exciting to have my piece included. When I got the news I was so surprised! I didn't think I had a chance because I was up against people much older (I was only 9 at the time). To celebrate, I called my Grandpa. He's my biggest supporter.

What is your advice to other young writers?

My advice is to never stop. Personally, when I start writing the ideas just spill out. Take something ordinary, like an "F" on a science test, and turn it into a maze of ideas to write about. That way you're able to create your own realities and escape the real world.

What are some of your favorite books?

Harry Potter (JK Rowling). Wanderer (Sharon Creech). Bloomability (Sharon Creech). Year of the Hangman (Gary Blackwood). The Giver (Lois Lowry). Anything by Jerry Spinelli, Patricia Polacco, and Sharon Creech.

What are you up to now?

Working on finishing a story. I always seem to write a strong beginning, but I fizzle out by the end.


Links:

• Order Dancing With The Pen on Amazon. (It rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category in its first week of release!
• Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!
• And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic! 
• You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter. We're now featured on Goodreads, too!
• Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org. 

Interview with Ninad Mahajan

Ninad Mahajan is a 12-year-old sixth grader who lives in Morrisville, Pennsylvania. His essay "The Fantastic Trip" is featured in the Write On! Books debut anthology, Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing, which is available on Amazon here. In addition to writing, Ninad likes to play football and cricket, swim, and create games like "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" in PowerPoint. He has also been playing the piano for 6½ years. Read on for Ninad's thoughts and advice about writing, reading, the creative process, and more! 

Describe your piece or pieces that were published in Dancing with the Pen. How did you get your idea for the piece? Take us through your writing process.

My piece is called "The Fantastic Trip" and is about my trip to India in the summer of 2009. I got the idea when I realized that I could write about a wonderful memory. I wrote a long, 14-page rough draft, shortened it and revised/edited the piece, and then typed it up.


Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing?

Yes. I actually was selected to read an essay about veterans of America in 4th grade. What I like about writing is that you can express what you’re thinking about and change it as you go along. You can’t change what you say out loud.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book?

It means so much to have my piece published in this book. It was great to get the news that I won this contest. We went out to eat that weekend. I was really happy to get the news, but I especially want to thank my mom and dad for motivating me.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

Be patient with your writing! Never give up if your writing is missing something. A good tip to use if you are stuck on what to write about is to list down all the important or interesting things you can think of in 2-5 minutes.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors?

I am an absolute die-hard fan of Harry Potter! I also like any realistic fiction books.

What inspires you?

It is mostly the support and motivation that I get from my family. Also, any books I read give me inspiration as well.

What are you working on now? What’s next for you?

I recently won 1st place in the VFW Patriot’s Pen contest for a post in my nearby area, and then got 3rd place in the district. I also just finished writing a poem for the Barnes & Noble "Favorite Teacher Contest." I look forward to participating in many more essay and poem contests.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I would like to thank Dallas and also let everyone know that Write On! For Literacy is a great project. Everyone should keep reading and writing as often as they can!

Links:

• Order Dancing With The Pen on Amazon. (It rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category in its first week of release!
• Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!
• And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic! 
• You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter. We're now featured on Goodreads, too!
• Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org. 

Summer Beauty Giveaway!

I had a great time putting together a basket of lovely pampering supplies for one lucky winner's summer beauty bliss.

For your chance to win, all you have to do is:

• Write a 5-star review of Dancing With The Pen or   3 a.m. and post it on Amazon.com. It doesn't have to be long -- even a couple sentences is great!
• Then email your name, address, and phone number to me at dallaswoodburn@aol.com and you'll be entered in the contest.

A winner's name will be randomly chosen out of a hat on Sunday, August 7. 

On behalf of all the young writers featured in the book, thanks in advance to everyone who writes a review and helps spread the word about Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing!

Interview with Korina Chilcoat

Korina Chilcoat is a 19-year-old full time college student from southwest Florida. In addition to writing, she also dabbles in the performing and fine arts, as well as fashion blogging and design in her spare time. Korina's poem "What Makes You Happy?" is featured in Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing. Read her guest post "A Young Writer's Journey to Success" here.

Describe your piece that was published in Dancing With The Pen. How did you get your idea for the piece? Take us through your writing process. 

My poem “What Makes You Happy?” basically was formulated from the idea of as we grow older our optimism fades and we forget the simple joys that made us happy as children. After I conceived that idea the words seemed to flow from there. That’s how most of my pieces start. I get a flash of an idea and I immediately have to put it to paper or it escapes me. So, usually I always carry around a notebook no matter where I go so if I suddenly get an idea I can write it down. I suffer from writer’s block when the ideas don’t come at all. But that’s rare, usually I can’t write the words down fast enough.

Have you been writing for a long time? What do you like about writing? 

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember but I originally hated to write, probably because I wasn’t very good. But, as I learned how to write better I discovered that it was actually quite enjoyable and another way to express myself, other than artistically. I love being able to convey stories, information, as well as to debate, discuss, and analyze current social and cultural issues and topics. Now writing is my vice, I can’t live without it and sometimes it controls and dictates my life. I’ve been known to write ideas in ink on the back of my hand before. People call me crazy but I would rather be crazy than normal.

What does it mean to you to have your piece included in this book? 

I was thrilled when I received news that I was going to be published in Dancing with the Pen. I know all too well the sting of rejection so it was not only an honor but a relief to be published, validating that I was doing the right thing by continuing to write. If you don’t get reaffirmation about your work, no matter what you do, it’s a struggle to continue because you question whether you have anything to offer the world. Is your work good enough? Should you keeping working at it or quit? All I have to say about that is don’t ever quit. If it’s your destiny to work for five years until you get your big break, contemplate whether you would be willing to wait and work that long. Then you will truly know that you’re doing the right thing.

Do you have any advice for other writers, or for other young people going after their dreams?

Never let a single person convince you of anything you don’t believe. If someone rejects you or tells you no keep going and working until you get what you want. The only way you can truly fail is if you stop working altogether.

Can you share a few of your favorite books or authors?

I absolutely love Jeanette Walls’ memoir The Glass Castle. I’m also a huge fan of the works The Catcher in the Rye, Wicked, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. One of my favorite authors is Gregory Maguire.

What inspires you? 

You inspire me, all of the different life stories of individuals all across the globe are such huge inspirations for stories, articles, poetry, and every other form of writing. I love getting to know people for that reason because everyone has a fascinating story, even if they don’t think so. Stories of love, loss, longing, and life in general. I’m also inspired by locations. Whenever I travel to someplace new, whether it’s local or international, my mind creates a story around the setting, whether it’s sitting in a city diner, getting inspired to write a story about a waiter turned underground rockstar, or strolling down a boulevard, picturing writing a poem about the cracked pavement beneath my feet.

What’s next for you? 

Currently, I’m working on several projects including a novel and a collection of poetry that I hope to complete within the next few months.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

Yes, please check out my literary blog “Louder Than Words” at http://korinachilcoat.blogspot.com or contact by email at korinachilcoat@yahoo.com.

Links:

• Order Dancing With The Pen on Amazon. (It rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category in its first week of release!
• Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!
• And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic! 
• You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter. We're now featured on Goodreads, too!
• Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org. 

Guest Post by Korina Chilcoat: A Young Writer's Journey to Success

Today we're kicking off the summer Dancing With The Pen blog tour with this beautiful essay by Korina Chilcoat, one of our contributing young writers. Come back tomorrow for an interview with Korina. You can read Korina's poem "What Makes You Happy?" in Dancing With The Pen.

A Young Writer's Journey to Success

by Korina Chilcoat

We are artists. Yes, we use the title “writer” to describe what we do but, in fact, we are artists who paint pictures with words. As artists, there is a far different connection with our work than individuals who perform a typical 9 to 5 job. Our work is an extension of our souls, so when we face rejection, are criticized, or don’t have our work accepted it’s not like someone is simply judging the quality of our work. They are judging and evaluating everything we are and who we stand for. It feels like they’re not saying the work isn’t good enough; they’re saying we’re not good enough.

As a fellow artist, I know as well as anyone the heartache that follows after a painful rejection. Like any breakup, the aftermath, for me, is usually marked by several tears shed and a bantering rage against the imbeciles who didn’t find my submission up to par, followed by cookie dough binge eating.

However, somehow I manage to pick myself up and dust myself off and continue on after each fall. To quote a line from the song “Moving Too Fast” from one of my favorite Broadway musicals The Last Five Years, the protagonist Jamie, also a budding author, utters, “Things might get bumpy but some people analyze every detail. Some people stall when they can’t see the trail. Some people freeze out of fear that they’ll fail, but I keep rolling on. Some people can’t get success with their art. Some people never feel love in their heart. Some people can’t tell the two things apart, but I keep rolling on.”

My writing journey started three years ago. Previously, I had written casually for fun and leisure but I thought to myself, maybe I have something important to share with others where they can read the words I write and feel the same way about the things I’m so passionate about. So, I began to research writing contests online. Amidst my busy schedule I would somehow find time to pen thought-provoking essays, emotional poetry, and scandalous short stories. Contest after contest after contest, I would eagerly mail in my carefully crafted literary pieces, ensuring each word rang out clear and vividly on the page.

Unfortunately, editors and judges weren’t as eager. My collection of rejection letters grew into medium-sized heap shoved into a shoebox under my bed, out of sight. But this only made me determined to prove them wrong, that my work was worthy.

I soon doubled the amount of submissions I sent out, sending work to any publication house or contest which I was eligible. My work consisted on everything from the dancing pattern of honeybees to poetry about heart-broken, distant lovers. Still, I wasn’t getting the news I desired. My unbridled optimism began to fade with the passing days and increasing income of rejection letters and worst of all no news at all. I began to doubt myself. Was my work good enough? Why didn’t anybody see potential in what I was producing? Should I continue to create or choose a more sensible, rewarding hobby? My submissions slowed and eventually nearly came to a complete halt.

Then, one ordinary day, in one ordinary week, of an ordinary month, I logged into my email account, like I did several times a day, to find an email from a Dallas Woodburn. Dallas Woodburn? That name seemed familiar and I kept repeating it over and over in my head. I decided not to simply sit there and continue to guess like an imbecile so I clicked open the email. To my shock it was a writing contest I had entered several months back and I was thrilled to discover that I had placed honorable mention in this national contest for my poem!

This was the news I needed and had waited so long to hear. Two years spent sending submissions around the country and the world to finally have the gratification of finally knowing that I did something right. My stall ended and I went back into writing full force.

So now, as I recently celebrated my nineteenth birthday, I am proud to say that I have been published in the national youth magazine Teen Ink (which my article made the cover), in several national anthologies of writing (one of which I won first place in the nation and received a congratulatory letter from my state's Senator), and one of my poems is in the final round of submissions to be published in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book, hitting bookstores across the nation July 2011. Looking to the past is bittersweet, seeing that teenage girl furiously typing away at her computer, ignoring the rejection letters stuffed in a pile.

But this story isn’t just about me -- it’s about you, too. This is the message, the mantra, the manifesto of the wanna-be writer: failure isn’t fatal and those who fall are only failures if they stay sitting on the ground. You do not know which unsuccessful attempt is the last one right before your moment of glory, your big break, your time in the spotlight. So keep pressing forward, do what you do, and you just might find out that your dreams can come true.


Korina Chilcoat's poem "What Makes You Happy?" is featured in Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing, the debut anthology from Write On! Books. To contact Korina regarding writing inquires and speaking engagements you can email her at korinachilcoat@yahoo.com. To find out more about her, check out her literary blog “Louder Than Words” at http://korinachilcoat.blogspot.com

Dancing With The Pen is on a roll!

 

The debut book from Write On! Books publishing company, Dancing With The Pen: a collection of today's best youth writing, has been getting a whirlwind of positive response!

• "A massive variety of writings, each one bursting with youthful exuberance and wonderful imagination. If you're looking for a fun and creative read, this book comes highly recommended!"

• "It's great to see kids who are utilizing their creative side and helping to make the world a more magical place. The stories they have created transcend age, you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this collection!"

• "Publishing so many diverse and interesting stories is sure to spark a lifelong love affair with writing within these kids. It is also a treat for us as readers, to gain an insight into what this upcoming generation is thinking and feeling."

Here's an excerpt from a stellar review that recently appeared in LA Parent magazine. (Read the full review here.)

There’s just something so honest and pure about stories and poems from a child or teen’s point of view. But don’t be mistaken, these are not amateurish writings; rather they are high quality written pieces from some very talented young writers. While reading the book, you’ll experience a gamut of emotions from laughter to tears and from surprise to awe. Some of the stories and poems are so wisely penned, I had to double check the ages of the writers in their short bios.

-- Debbie Glade, LA Parent Magazine

Dancing With The Pen has also been featured on the following media outlets:

• Ink Slinger's Whimsey

• The Golden Pathway

• Author Exchange Blog

• The Writer's Hotspot

• The Desert News & Telegraph (March 2011)

Dancing With The Pen even rose to a #2 ranking on Amazon.com in the "literature anthologies" category! (Order the book on Amazon here.)

Please take a few seconds to "like" our Amazon page!

And, if you have a few minutes and could write a review on Amazon, that would be fantastic!

You can also follow Dancing With The Pen on Facebook and Twitter.

We're now featured on Goodreads, too!

Discounted bulk orders are available at the Write On! website: www.writeonbooks.org.