Abandon Changes

YARN Goes to Japan with “Abandon Changes”

So this is cool.“Tokyo tower” courtesy of apple 94 (flickr.com).

As you may know, the awesome website YARN (YA Review Network) occasionally publishes short stories of mine. Last month they did my timey-wimey anti-love story, 700 Years in Heaven.

In addition to short-fiction and interviews, YARN also creates lesson plans around their publications. This month, their Japan-themed curriculum features Abandon Changes: A Girl Parts Story, originally-posted in 2011.

It’s super neat, as a writer, to see your stuff used to teach. I’m flattered to be included. The lesson plan looks super cool (I wish we had stuff like this when I was in high school). Check it out.

Thanks YARN!

 

Cynsations New Voices Interview

I’m honored to be back at Cynsations with the inestimably wonderful Cynthia Leitich Smith with a New Voices Interview. This time around I’m talking about story, the work-a-day writing life, and building robot brains with the help of Sigmund Freud.

Remember, GIRL PARTS paperback drops this Valentine’s Day. In the meantime check out the free short story ABANDON CHANGES available now from Candlewick Press. (You can also read my previous agent-themed interview with Cynthia here.)

Girl Parts Short Story on YARN!

Check out my short story, Abandon Changes, which takes place a few months after the events of GIRL PARTS. Live now on YARN!

“The recipient is an American girl, your age. A club kid. Tonight she’s at the Purple Flower Room. She calls herself Iris, and she’s got bottle-blue hair.”

So it was drugs . X or ketamine or that new one, Path, the “empathy drug.” It didn’t matter what the package was. In four hundred runs she’d never opened one or asked what was inside. “That’s what makes you a good runner,” Joe always said. “Light feet and no curiosity.”

“Where’s the pick up?”

“No package,” said Joe. “Just a message. Make sure you get it right. I need you focused, Rei.”

Read the whole thing on Yarn aka YAReview.net

Seven Things I Discussed with my Editor About the Girl Part’s Short Story, Abandon Changes
  1. The proper font for text messages.
  2. Whether Japanese Keitai can be disposable.
  3. The abbreviation of Ecstasy (E or X)
  4. The difference between X and MDMA
  5. Whether streets are numbered or lettered in Japan.
  6. The real-life location of Okawa Bridge.
  7. Whether to capitalize terms of endearment.
  8. The awesome new cover!
Girl Parts: Abandon Changes, a free e-book from Candlewick Press (which will also include an excerpt from the book Girl Parts) is coming this January!