Interview with Suri Rosen, author of Playing with Matches

September 28, 2014September 30, 2014beccakinla authors, Jewish, Jewish writing, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: author, chick lit, clean, critique, fiction, group, high school, interview, jewish, kosher, matchmaking, novel, playing with matches, reading, recommended, suri rosen, teen, tween, writer, writing, writing group, writing process, ya 4 Comments

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing with my readers an interview with Suri Rosen, the author of a new YA novel, Playing with Matches. (You can find my review of the highly-entertaining Playing with Matches here.)

Suri piqued my interest in part because she has published her first book — a book with universal themes but with distinctively Orthodox characters and setting — with a mainstream, secular publisher. Most books with Orthodox themes tend to be published by Jewish publishers. I conducted this interview last week via email.

RK: This is your first novel, but as many of the reviewers have noted, you write with real skill. In particular, you handle Rain’s voice with humor and confidence. Have you published other genres before, taken classes, or to what else do you attribute your success?

SR: I’ve always been writing. (I cover this in detail on this website,’Dear Teen Me.’)

I read numerous books and blogs about writing and spent countless hours discussing technique with other novelists. But the most important aspect of becoming a publishable author – to me – is getting feedback. Giving a critique also sharpens your craft but getting a critique to me is the single most important factor in developing yourself as a writer.

And it can be brutal! Continue reading →

Clean your file cabinets for Passover: Yet another piece of wacky advice from yours truly

March 30, 2014April 4, 2014beccakinla advice, authors, revision, submissions, submit, success, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: clean, discard, discover, discovery, file, file cabinet, finish, hunt, improve, lost, marketable, metzia, missing, Passover, passover cleaning, Pesach, pesach cleaning, purge, revise, revisit, sale, submission, success, writer, writing Leave a comment

So, in the Klempner household, preparations for Pesach — Passover — are in full swing. We’re vacuuming and scrubbing the house, the car, and the van like crazy. I’m muttering things like, “Why do I let them eat in carpool?” and “How do you get cookie crumbs in sock drawers?” under my breath.

Photo by Pptudela and available through Wikipedia Commons

One of my favorite parts of Pesach cleaning is finding things you’ve lost: the missing token from a game you’ve been wanting to play on rainy days, spare change, receipts for purchases you’ve been meaning to return, missing socks.

I’m not suggesting you pull out the 409 and start scrubbing down your file cabinets (although, if a toddler has access to its drawers, it might be a good idea). I’m suggesting that you flip through some old stories — ones you discarded incomplete, or complete but not yet ready for prime time viewing — and revisit them.

Continue reading →

Struggling to pick out books for your Jewish children or students?

August 29, 2013August 29, 2013beccakinla advice, book, books, children, children's books, clean, frum, Jewish, Judaism, kids, Orthodox Tags: acceptable, books, children, clean, endorse, jewish, kids, kosher, librarian, library, list, orthodox, parenting, recommmended, religious, selection, yeshiva Leave a comment

So many Orthodox parents and teachers have asked me for help finding books for their kids and students that I’ve decided to help them out. Please see the newest page on my author site for a book list and more information about picking out the perfect book for your kosher kid. And don’t forget to list your favorite “kosher” books in the comments to the page.

Coming clean: sometimes you’re supposed to do housework instead of writing

January 15, 2013January 16, 2013beccakinla advice, authors, family, frustration, how to write, mother, writer, writing, writing process Tags: author, awareness, break, clean, cleaning, dishes, family, friend, God, housework, idea, laundry, mess, mom, mother, motherhood, no housekeeper, opportunity cost, space, stay-at-home, stuck, time management, visit, work, work from home, write, writer, writer's block, writing Leave a comment

G-d wanted me to do the dishes this morning.

I finished a large-ish writing project yesterday, then pulled open another document to begin the next assignment. I got the first paragraph written, and then every ounce of creativity in my brain dried up. Okay, I had a couple ideas, but they weren’t RIPE. More like literary fetal tissue than the next baby ready to be birthed.

Those who know me or who regularly read my blog know that I rarely get writer’s block. I usually have more ideas in my mind than really is good for me. Sometimes I can’t sleep at night, because my mind is so busy that the ideas are dripping out my ears.

See this immaculate kitchen? Clearly not mine.

I spent the rest of yesterday taking care of my kids, feeding them and hubby (not to mention myself), and finishing Bird by Bird. (More on that later this week.) Then I had a Tiferes meeting, but before I left, I checked my email. A girlfriend would be dropping by Tuesday morning.

Oh, no.

You see, my back had been out, and then there had been Shabbos, and then I was writing on a “finish ASAP–please!” type deadline. Result–my house was a wreck. Continue reading →

Rebecca Klempner

Author page of Rebecca Klempner

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Clean your file cabinets for Passover: Yet another piece of wacky advice from yours truly

Coming clean: sometimes you’re supposed to do housework instead of writing

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