FAQ
This page was getting way too long so I have divided it into four areas:
Personal
Writing
Magic or Madness Trilogy
How To Ditch Your Fairy
Feel free to ask more questions below. I can’t promise a quick response but I definitely will answer.
Blog
- January is writing advice month (sticky post) Updated
[UPDATE: I'll be answering questions about the process of writing only. No questions about publishing. Thanks!]
I am working on organising my writing process posts so that they’re more accessible. In so doing I discovered that there are several different writing posts I’ve promised, but haven’t gotten around to. Someone wanted me to write about …
- An amazing test
- JWAM Reader request no. 4: On getting published
- About those South African cricket quotas
- JWAM reader request no. 3: How to get unstuck
- Categories
- more...
Archives
Newsletter
Appearances
24 Feb 2009, 6:30PM
Australian launch of How To Ditch Your Fairy
Readings Carlton
309 Lygon St,
Carlton, Victoria
28 Feb-2 March 2009
Perth Writer’s Festival
Perth, Western Australia
Interviews
In which I am IMterviewed by my husband and silliness ensues (December 2008).
Cynthia Leitich Smith updates her 2006 interview with me (October 2008).
Bookpage interview (September 2008).
Mini Bio
I’m a Sydney girl what writes novels, is obsessed with cricket, and travels way too much.
My next novel, How To Ditch Your Fairy, will be out from Bloomsbury Books in September 2008.
For more info about me there’s a whole bunch of interviews here plus my FAQ.
Dess Says:
thank you! i loved magic’s child by the way. the magic or madness trilogy is tied for first with the midnighters and the twilight/new moon/eclipse series for my favorite books. i loved them so much.
June 1st, 2007 at 11:39 am
maiyri Says:
I feel kinda silly, as I just realised this, but I read all three of your Magic trilogy in, oh, a weekend. Now my library has only a couple of new books for me to read. Especially as I finished ‘Pretties’ last night. Love both series, and agree with Dess up above, Twilight rocked, and I’m about to start on NewMoon, which only just came out here. The lovely Librarian ladies, who try their best to get the books i request, are starting to get sick of me…grin.
Mai
June 16th, 2007 at 2:15 am
Dess Says:
same here only i had to rush out to buy them because my library, as much as i love it, never has any good young adult books (no mater how much i suggest. but this is reasonable seeing as its a free library so i’m sure they have to wait until they have money)
June 16th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
4. Justine Says:
Dess & Mai: Thank you! So pleased you enjoyed them.
June 24th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Kitty-chan Says:
Umm… kinda a random question. I was so surprised when Danny and Reason did… well you know. Why have that? (Not critisizing or anything, but I was just sooo surprised. I also realize that without that, there wouldn’t be any Magic’s Child at all.) Just something I pondered.
-Kitty
November 28th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
6. Justine Says:
Kitty-Chan: You know I think you’ve answered your own question. Also if you read it very carefully it’s clear that Raul Cansino totally influenced what happened. It definitely wouldn’t have happened without his interfering magic.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
Rosalie Says:
How exactly do you rewrite. I can never figure it out. Once, it’s written, it’s written. I can’t rewrite anything. When I try to rewrite, say, a poem, it feels as though I’m forging it because my poems are usually written ‘in the moment’ so if I try to add something, it changes the entire mood or it just seems off. I, as an aspiring writer, have heard and read that all authors do is rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. I just can’t figure it out. In English we are suppose to rewrite our essays, but I just add stuff and take stuff out to make it smoother. I’m not talking about essays, that was just an example. I’m talking about novels, poems, and stories. This is probably way over my head, anyway . . .
November 29th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
8. Justine Says:
Rosalie: I have (at long last) answered your question here:
http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=890
January 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
Kadie-Wa Says:
When I was reading magic lessons, i noticed that they ate spagbol…which I absolutely love. Well, I don’t mean eating it, because I’ve never seen it in any stores. I also saw it in the uglies series. I thought that it was really cool how it was in both books. But I guess i was wondering who’s book it started in??
January 4th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
10. Justine Says:
“Spag bol” short for spaghetti bolognese is pretty standard Aussie thus Scott stole it from me. Like much of the slang in Uglies actually.
January 4th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Kadie-Wa Says:
Ohhhh! Sweet! Is spag bol good? I live in the U.S.A, and that’s probably why I’ve never heard of it before.
yum….i want to try some now.
January 4th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
12. Justine Says:
it’s a very common dish both here and in Australia and elsewhere. Is from Italy originally. You’ve probably even had it. Here’s the wikipedia entry about spag bol.
January 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Kadie-Wa Says:
Wow, cool!! Thanks for all the awesome information!!
January 4th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Rosalie Says:
Why is ‘wettened’ not a word?
February 28th, 2008 at 8:26 am
15. Justine Says:
Rosalie: It is now!
August 27th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Nicolás Says:
Hi! I’ve read the “Magic or Madness” trilogy and i gotta tell ya CONGRATULATIONS! You got me hooked and i couldn’t leave those books down. Really, the rule “if you don’t use magic you’ll go nuts, but if you use it too much, you’ll die at you 20’s” how great was that? You put you characters in a really messy situation.
I’m from Argentina, so you’re books aren’t here so i had to buy ‘em at amazon.
I have a question: I’m writing my first novel and i think i have a good story to tell, somethin’ that hasn’t been written at least not in Argentina. Luckyly i fell in love with my characters and their world and i hope it can get published ’cause i’d really like to get my first novel out there.
But lately i got scared, likee “oh my god what if nobody will want my book? what if i’m being naive and i’m wasting my time?” Do you have any kind of advise for these feelings i’m getting?
I believe in my story but lately i’ve been having these feelings… this scary feelings…hehe
By the way, i’m looking forward for the fairy novel and i’m sure i’ll buy it.
Take care and keep the good work!
you’re already Argentinian fan
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:05 pm
17. Justine Says:
Nicolás: Thank you so much. I’m dead pleased you enjoyed my books. (I love Buenos Aires, by the way.)
Sorry to take so long answering your question.
The answer is: Yes. I get those feelings all the time. I worry that what I write is crap more often than I like to admit.
In fact, I wrote two novels that have never been published. But I don’t think I wasted my time on them. They taught me a lot about writing. I’m still very fond of my first novel and have hopes that one day it will find a publisher. You never know.
I suspect that doubt is a part of the creative process for many writers. (Not all, though. I know at least two happy doubt-free writers.) It seems to be for me. As long as you don’t let the doubt get in the way of actually writing—which you don’t seem to be—then I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
Good luck!
November 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm