Interview with Teen Eyes, part deux

Aaaaannnndd, we're back with another edition of the Teen Eyes interview, part deux. Yesterday we learned the reading habits of the lovely Kate and Taryn, their ambitions and whatnot. Today we're delving ever deeper into their tortured writerly lives to discover what critique services they offer and their sterling credentials. Oh, and also how to survive on a desert island with just a monkey and a ball.


8. Tell us more about Teen Eyes - why you think you're qualified and what you offer. (Obviously, this is all on your site but a quick bullet list is helpful.)
Taryn: As a lit agency intern, voracious reader, and critique partner of writers with book deals and agents, something about the way I critique is working. But Teen Eyes is about more than a critique--it's about something only a teen can give: what your future reader would like to see. Obviously teen tastes vary, so I try to look at manuscripts with a general teen view rather than my preferences.
Here are the services we offer:
-Reader Report: We read straight through the MS without leaving in-text notes. On a separate document, I write my thoughts as I go as a sort of "live reaction" thing. Then, after I'm done, I write a couple pages about plot, pacing, characters, premise, writing, and any other thoughts.
-In-depth critique: This means in-text comments about everything in the reader report, just more specific.
-Line edits: Grammar, word flow, etc. The mechanics.
-Query/synopsis help: this is free :)
-Double Teen'd: Kate and I will both critique your manuscript for a discount of our combined prices.

Kate: Although you initially have to impress editors and agents, your ultimate goal is for your story to resonate with teenagers. The ability to connect with your audience will determine whether or not your book will sell once published.

Good point, mes amies. (snuck a bit of HS French in there, as I am wont to do when excited.)

9. Do you offer a time guarantee with Teen Eyes - ie, you promise to respond a week out, etc. (OR - brain flash - you could charge MORE money for a faster crit. Hmmm. I'm a marketing genius.)
Taryn: We do! If you purchase our services, you will receive your critique in 5-7 days (depending on the service).

Kate: What she said.

10. Explain WHY we elderly folk should choose you to critique our MS.
Taryn: While there may be more experienced editors out there, Kate and I have the most valuable commodity in YA: the right age, in addition to publishing and writing experience. It comes down to two things: you're writing for a market of teens, and your characters are teens. To have the most realistic story which can speak to the most readers, you need to have a teen tell you if it works.

Kate: Since Taryn already went over the packages we offer, I’ll just state my credentials. Like Taryn, I’m a critique partner of writers with book deals and agents. In May 2011 I signed with Edward Necarsulmer IV of McIntosh and Otis. My debut YA novel, currently untitled, is undergoing revisions at Scholastic Press and I spent the summer as an intern at Scholastic in NYC. My experience at Scholastic has given me a unique insight into the publication/editorial process. And lastly, I’m a teenager. Taryn and I offer a dual perspective - we are both strong writers/critiquers, yet we are also part of your future audience.

Not to mention inexpensive. At least for now! *stares creepily into distance* I see greeeaat futures for these young females.

Fun, fluffy questions of no particular purpose to which you give witty, optionally truthful and erudite answers - pick as many as you want. Except 7. That one's mandatory bc I need suggestions for my Netflix queue. :)


1. If you were a vampire, which celebrity would you sink your teeth into?
Taryn: I hate vampires. And I don't do celebrities.

Kate: I’m also not a huge vampire fan, but if I had to choose I’d say Orlando Bloom.

2. What's your middle name? Your REAL middle name.
Taryn: Amelia. After Amelia Earhart.
Kate: Marie.

Well, those are better than my middle name. Which I'm not telling. But it rhymes with marmalade.

3. You're stranded on an island. You have a monkey and a ball. A ship passes by. How will you attract attention?
Taryn: Swim out to it. Says the swimmer.
Kate: Swim out to it. Drown.

But you have a monkey and a BALL. No flippers. The ship isn't going to see your tiny head bobbing in the ocean before a shark eats you. Make the MONKEY swim out to the ship. If it dies, at least you still have Wilson the ball.


4. What secretly scares you?
Taryn: Falling. And sharks. So maybe that swim-to-ship thing wouldn't be so smart.
Kate: Failing, serial killers, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. I’m a somewhat irrationally anxious person.

Talking balls scare me. Wait...did I write that out loud?


5. Describe your best friend in five words.
Taryn: Too independent / no time for one. (That's six. Oops.)

Kate: Skinny dipping caffeinated dance parties.

6. What's your current fav song? And the one stuck in your head most often?
Taryn: I don't really care about music. I'll listen to whatever's on. That said, I like country b/c most songs tell a story.

Kate: Similarly, I’m not a huge music person, nor am I picky about what I listen to. But I’d have to say a Disney song (Mulan, Hercules) or a song from my mom’s band, Stonecircle, which is Celtic fusion (Celtic music mixed with contemporary/jazz/classical styles).

Hmmmm..so if someone wrote a country-style Disney song in a Celtic-fusion style, you guys would listen?

7. What's the best movie you've watched this summer?
Taryn: CAPTAIN AMERICA. I went because my parents made me and OMG IT WAS AMAZING.

Kate: I’m going to have to go with Harry Potter on this one. End of an era.

Oh, HP. We mourn thee.

So be sure to stop by the blogs of Taryn and Kate to see what awesomeness they can inject into your MS!

Interview with Taryn and Kate of Teen Eyes

I found a reference to Teen Eyes at Authoress's website and was instantly hooked. Taryn and Kate, two book-hungry/edit worthy teens are offering their services to kidlit authors for extremely reasonable prices. So I hopped on over to Taryn's page and lo and behold, they were launching their service with a contest. Great idea, thought I, entering my pitch and also asking for an interview-pretty-please.
Despite being crazy/super busy with the start of a new school year, the young ladies graciously acquiesced. They're open for business, folks, so after you discover their wondrousness, head over to their site and have a look-see. Ask your questions in the comments OR, if you're very brave,
post your query. Taryn and Kate may have questions about it to help out the process!

1. So you're 18 and you want to critique. Please explain from whence this crazy notion came.
In other words, tell us about yourself.

Taryn: Well, I've always loved books, writing, reading, whatever. As I became more involved in the writer blogosphere, I noticed how many adults wanted to know What Teens Liked. They'd ask me to read their manuscripts, and since I loved reading, I acquiesced. After the Help Write Now auction during which some teens and I gave a teen critique, I realized people were willing to pay for such a service. Since it's something I love, I thought Teen Eyes would be the best way to help out (and get money for my book-buying addiction, lol).

Kate: Like Taryn, I’ve always loved books and reading and writing and blog-stalking. Teen Eyes actually started out as two separate companies....I created my own critique service because I felt like older writers might benefit from a teen’s perspective on their YA novel. Taryn and I ended up combining our companies, and thus Teen Eyes was born.

2. You're majoring in creative writing with an eye to being employed in publishing. What made you choose this career field?

Taryn: Same as the above--I love, love, love books. Being involved in the whole journey is a really exciting option. Interestingly, I've always pictured my main career as a swim coach, but I keep that info away from my writing-centered blog.

Kate: I’m not majoring in creative writing, as the university I’m attending this fall only has a regular English major. I’ve thought about being an editor...it’s a position I’m sure I would enjoy, but I find it rather difficult to switch from editing to writing on a daily basis.

Speaking as a former English major...nah, don't want to rain on your parades. It's all good!

3. How many books do you read a week?
Taryn: Oh gosh. It totally depends on the week. One week in the end of July, I read 16. Too many. Usually it's around 5-8, depending on what I have around, plus a couple manuscripts.

Kate: Not nearly as many as Taryn.

I was with Taryn on the 5-8 books a week but 16 is a lot. Seriously. *jealous of Taryn's amount of free time*

4. Fav authors, genres, etc?
Taryn: All time favorite book is ENDER'S GAME. I also love A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY, and ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, and all sorts of stuff. If I had to pick one genre to read forever, it would be mysteries.

Kate: I pretty much love all genres. Some of my favorites would have to be HIS DARK MATERIALS, THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY, MILES FROM ORDINARY, CORALINE, and (like Taryn) MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN.

I saw Miss Peregrine's while shopping for bargains at Borders. Looked spooky!

5. *taps chin and looks earnest* So what really makes you tick reading-wise? Are you a character girl? All about the action? Or *blinks eyes rapidly* are you into romance?
Taryn: I like action and a mystery. I used to not notice characters at all, but as I've started critiquing, that has changed. Still, I read more for the plot.

Kate: I think I focus equally on action and character. I love books that are high-concept in terms of plot but still character-driven (THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY is a perfect example of this). Although I love a good romance, sappy and/or unrealistic love affairs are a big turnoff.

Ooh, good reader mix between you two: one for plot, one for action/character.

6. What are your reading pet peeves? Or what will you NOT read, ever, no matter how cool the book jacket?
Taryn: I'll never say never! I hate lazy characters, or whiny characters, or characters who can't get over a boy. OMG MOVE ON. There have been two books I put down this year, two very acclaimed books. One for the lack of action (in a YA!) and one because I couldn't connect with the voice. Soooo, I don't really have pet peeve :) OH! I also hate vampires. Other than TWILIGHT (Which I read only because I had to see what the fuss was about), I've only read one vampire book, and that didn't count because she turned back into a human at the beginning.

Kate: Honestly, I don’t really like books set in outer-space, or any “hard” sci-fi for that matter. Like Taryn I’ll never say never, but I’m just not a fan of books with tons of science-y gadgets and whatnot. Also like Taryn (can you see why we get along?), I can’t stand a female heroine whose life centers around a guy. It’s hard for me to respect a character who has such an unhealthy emotional dependence on another person.

Preach it, sister! What is up with all these clingy, guy-crazy heroines? That is so last century.

7. What kind of stories do you want to see in YA?
Taryn: More mysteries and thrillers! YA is heading that way, though, so yay. I'm also still on the dystopian bandwagon. Dystopian offers a way to take an issue today, intensify it, and then explore consequences. I'd also like stronger characters, and less romance. Guys, every book does not need a love interest.

Kate: I agree, more mysteries and thrillers! There’s a lot of it on TV and I think it’s starting to carry over into commercial literature. In addition, I’d love to see more historical fantasy/historical magical realism, particularly set in countries we don’t often see (someplace in Africa or South America, for instance).

Oh, you are girls after my own heart! Not just sayin' that bc my latest WIP is a mystery.


Join us tomorrow for more about Teen Eyes, their credentials and tips for surviving on a deserted island with just a monkey and a ball! Hey, you never know what life's going to throw at you...

Best. Week. Ever.

I've been looking forward to this next week for MONTHS (okay, actually years. Five years and nine months to be exact) because three things happen. 1. My youngest goes to kindergarten. *dancing a jig while clacking castinets in one hand and swigging plastic cup of sparkly grape juice in the other* Words cannot convey my utter, complete, delirious sense of relief on that one but I'll sum up: he's a bonus baby. In every sense of the word. *sniff*

2. The WriteOnCon 2011 conference starts tomorrow. My so-far fav offering is the Ninja Agents forum, where we can all post our query letters and dozens of agents will randomly drop by and critique or request after reading. Seriously. Fabulous. There are a ton of other offerings - and a great recipe to quiet feed your starving kidlets while you are carrying around your laptop in a baby sling so you don't miss any virtual excitement. Be sure to sign up for the forums ahead of time. (Also follow them on Twitter bc that's where they're posting updates.) See you there!!

On Wednesday, I'm reviewing Little Princes: One man's promise to bring home the lost children of Nepal. Yes, this is a departure from my usual YA but this book literally brought me to my knees. All I can say about this one is a string of hyphenated words: life-checking, jaw-dropping, tear-inducing, attitude-changing. You. Must. Read.

Friday, I'm hoping the lovely Taryn of Teen Eyes, a teen critique service for all us

oldsters writing YA, will join me for a scintillating interview dissecting her life choices. Sounds fun, no? She's currently critiquing my WIP (because I won a FREE critique! ME! The eternal loser-of-all-contests!) and I can't wait to read how her comments line up with my other CPs.

Which brings me to the last reason I'm so excited about this week. I've been waiting to hear back from various CPs on Saving Andromeda and they're trickling in with all kinds of helpful comments and encouragement. I was a little worried I wouldn't be able to recapture my excitement about this MS since I've moved on to another creation but no! I LOVE this story. I want to dive into its world. That's a good sign...right?

So what are your tips for staying jazzed about your tattered, crying-out-for-revision MS? YA Muses has an awesome list I've been using but I'd love to hear your tips!