Courtney Summers lives and writes in Canada where she divides her time between a piano, a camera, and word-processing program when she’s not planning for the impending zombie apocalypse. She enjoys Archie comics, Trailer Park Boys, and other fine art. Pierre Trudeau is her hero and if you are a volcano, she would like to know you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
I’ve always enjoyed telling stories in some form or other (acting, writing, photography). Writing novels was the medium that really ‘fit.’
Because young adult novels are AWESOME and so are the people who read them. I’m very drawn to the immediacy of YA fiction, which you don’t see–as much–in other genres. I love the young adult genre and have great respect for it.
I wrote four completed novels. The fourth–Cracked Up to Be–was the one that got me my agent and will be my first published novel. This is the blog entry I wrote when I got my amazing agent and this is the one I wrote when she sold my book. And yes, I got rejected. A LOT. It’s a guaranteed part of the process but that’s okay because I really believe the saying that every ‘no’ brings you that much closer to a ‘yes.’
Advice? I like the Nike slogan. Just Do It. Read, read, read, write, write, write. And don’t lose heart–writing is a highly subjective business.
Resources: Verla Kay’s Blueboards is THE place to be if you’re interested in writing for children and young adults (though much of the information there is for every writer). If you have a question about the writing and publication process, that’s definitely the place to ask it. Try the search bar at the top of the page. If you’ve got a finished novel and you’re ready to query agents, agentquery.com not only features a large database of agents to help you find the best match for your work, they also give you the low down on how to write a query letter and how to avoid scammers (avoid scammers!).
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, Beyond the Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, Fade by Robert Cormier, Skin Deep by EM Crane, Tenderness by Robert Cormier (I’m sensing a theme here, are you?).
A Nikon D80. If you’re going for a digital SLR, go Nikon. Seriously.
Because they’re scary and they eat your brains. If I may wax poetic about zombies for a moment, there is something about those undead chuckleheads that lend themselves to the search for greater meaning in life. To watch a zombie movie where people get stripped of the things that make their lives worth living, and yet still want to live in spite of it, is very inspirational. Yes, zombies inspire me every day.
It’s pretty much a tie between Ricky and Julian. They’re both pretty sexy, so there’s no clear winner in that regard. The edge goes to Ricky for his Rickyisms. Bubbles is a pretty good anchor for the boys, but he’s just not my favourite (sorry, Bubbles).
What ISN’T great about volcanoes?
