jb70 wrote:
I'm afraid I am one of the guilty readers who read the book in two days, once I start enjoying a book I don't want to put it down. I also keep telling people about it because I enjoyed it so much. Trixie Beldon was so much fun, I remember collecting and reading all the books in elementary school. Currently they are in my attic in a box because I just can't get rid of them. As a writer how hard was the process to get the book published and did you ever feel so discouraged that you wanted to quit?
Hi, jb!
Yay - another Trixie fan! And I can completely relate - I have boxes of books from my childhood sitting in the basement!
Every author is going to answer your question differently. Some will tell you getting published was fairly easy. Other will tell you it took them twenty years. I'm probably somewhere in the middle - from the time I started writing Hush, Hush to the time it sold was five years. It definitely felt hard at times, especially when I received heartbreaking rejections from agents. But all the hard times were sprinkled with happy moments, like when I felt the story was headed in the right direction, or when an agent would see a lot of promise and offer to read a rewrite. Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing about my journey. I learned so much!
Hopefully that helps a little 
isa_bly wrote:
I don't know if this has been asked already or not. I remember reading in the book; that the name Patch is a nickname. My question is: Will Patch's real name be revealed in the next book or not?
Hi, isa_bly!
Everyone wants to know Patch's real name 
I'd like to reveal it in Crescendo, but I don't want to make any promises until I know if my editor agrees with my decision. I guess that means you'll have to wait and see!
Becca
Reading_Seductress wrote:
Love Patches last name Cipriano where did you come up w/this name? I've only ever heard this name 2x... The 1st time when my grandfather passed (it was his middle name, spelled slightly diff) and 2nd time when I gave birth to my oldest son who is now 12 (also spelled slightly diff). I never though I would see that name in a book.
I loved the book and also wanted to know if its going to be a sequel? I could definitely see Dabria out for revenge in a future book....
~M~
Hi, M!
Oh, very cool! When I was a little girl, I always wanted to read a book with a character named Becca
Yes, there is going to be a sequel! It's entitled Crescendo and will be out October 2010. Thanks for asking!
Becca
Booksx3 wrote:
First off Becca the story line was amazing and your wrtting style was incredible, i will be buy alot more of your books when they come out. My question is whats patchs real name? Because Rixon said he got that nickname from being patched up after fights. and with patch as an angel again and still loveing nora doesnt that count as lust and will fall again?
Hi, Booksx3
I haven't revealed Patch's real name yet, though I plan to in Crescendo, the sequel. And I love your last question - very insightful. All I can say is you've hinted at an important conflict in Crescendo
Becca
liisa22 wrote:
Becca-Fitzpatrick wrote:
....
Yay - I also love hearing that the book was unputdownable! I'm glad you read it in one night, but hopefully you didn't lose too much sleep
Becca
Unputdownable? Is that a word? LMAO - - I like it! It works! I thought it was 'unputdownable', even though I had to, because this old body NEEDS sleep!
PS: LOVE the playlist! My daughter, when she was 2 years old and couldn't see it, used to be able to push the right button on my parent's old jukebox for "Wake Up Little Suzie" ( she's 28 now- oh the horrors)
PPS: LOVE the new ending as well!
More..... *sigh*
Hey, Lisa!
We'll have to come up with a few more creative words
I'm glad you like the new ending, and I love the story of your daughter playing Wake Up Little Suzie on the jukebox!
Becca
tato wrote:
Hi, Becca!!
My name is Tatiana, and maybe you won't remember me but I replied to one of the first posts about Hush, Hush on facebook and told you I couldn't wait to buy it and read it. Thank God, I found the B&N First Look club and joined to have an ARC. And what an amazing experience it has been! I devoured the book in less than a day. The chemistry between Patch and Nora sizzles in this book, and with the mysteriousness and twists snaking through the story, you have a winner, Becca. You wrote a wonderful book. I am so happy to hear that there's going to be a second one, Crescendo. There are still a few things that remained unsolved, so it's a relief to know we have our answers coming to us next year--and that we'll have more of Patch, of course. Yay!
I only have one question (a lot have been answered already), since we didn't have the chance to really get to know Blythe, and since you're planning to explain more about Nora's father mysterious death on Crescendo, are you going to digg more on Blythe's past, too? Oh, and, are we going to have more of Elliot? (Dabria's comeback, I think, is more than obvious)
By the way, now that I think about it, do your character's names (besides Patch's, of course) have a double meaning? Blythe and Dabria sound like they do. lol
Sorry, that was more than one question. It happens when you get excited
P.S: I LOVE Vee!! The hospital scene when she's high was a blast! I couldn't stop smiling.
Hi, Tatiana!
Yes! I remember you! I'm glad you got an ARC - go B&N
Since most of Crescendo is about Nora's father, I don't talk about Blythe's past, but that would make for interesting stuff in book 3 (if I'm lucky enough to get to write a book 3).
Elliot does not return in book 2, but I promise you there will be more shady characters entering Nora's life (I think there always will be, whether or not she likes it!)
Some of my character's names do have double meanings. For example, DABRIA is Latin and means name of an angel. BLYTHE is English and means joyous (later you'll learn why she had reason for so much joy.) I actually picked Nora's name because it sounded so much like "noir" but, in fact, it means light
The rest of the characters' names don't have double meanings, or at least I didn't intend for it to be that way.
Great questions, thanks!
Becca
P.S. Glad you loved Vee! She's my favorite character
greenbeanteenqueen wrote:
Yay-I feel so special you remember me!
I remember reading on your site (although now I can't find it) that your husband got you writing classes for a gift. (Or am I totally making that up?) So if that's true, my question is what was that like to write with other writers? What was your favorite part about a writing group? And also, any suggestions for online writing groups-I'd love to get the same present for my husband!
Sarah
Hey, Sarah!
Yes, my husband signed me up for a writing class for my 24th birthday
I took an online class from a man named Caleb Warnock, but I believe Ginger Churchill teaches now (incidentally, Ginger is one of my critique partners). Here is the link: http://www.writingindepth.com/
Okay, so I just scrolled down the webpage and noticed that a woman named Marcie Molnar gave a little blurb about the class. One night, while I was trying to come up with the name of the mean girl in Hush, Hush, I went over to our class writing board and saw that a woman named Marcie Molnar had registered for class. Right then and there, I knew I wanted to name the mean girl Marcie Molnar. I kept her name as Marcie Molnar for a while, and then decided it was mean to name the mean girl after someone I didn't even know, so I changed her last name to Millar
Back on topic now - I LOVED the writing class. It was really hard, and my teacher kept telling me I was too melodramatic, and that I could do better, but because of that, I kept working to improve. In fact, I was once asked if I'm ready for all the negative reviews that come with writing a book, but all I could think was that my teacher, Caleb, had torn my writing apart enough times that negative reviews probably wouldn't hurt...too much
If your husband enjoys writing, I would definitely recommend a class. The nice thing about an online class is you don't have to humiliate yourself in public, and you can hop on any time, day or night, just like this board. After class, several of the students and I joined together to form our writers' group. I love them! They talked me off the edge so many times. But I've heard horror stories about writers' groups, so I think the key is finding the right one for you (or in this case, your husband). My group was always honest with me, but never negative or mean. Now they're some of my best friends, and it's sad that we're all spread out - from North Carolina to Vermont to Utah to Colorado. 
Becca
kshipp_08 wrote:
Hi Becca!
I just wanted to say that I love your book, and couldn't put it down once I started it. I was very honored to get the chance to read it.
I have one question and I don't know if it has been asked, but what made you decide to use angles?
Hi, kshipp!
Thanks for the nice words about Hush, Hush!
I have answered the question, but no worries, I'll post my answer again
<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->
When I started writing Hush, Hush, I knew I wanted Patch to be the ultimate bad boy...but with a twist. He hadn't always been bad. In fact, at one point, he'd been really good, and something had caused this big change. While pondering what had caused Patch's fall from grace, the metaphor of “falling” that I was carrying around in my head became something quite literal – a fallen angel. Since I already knew Patch was going to be the ultimate bad boy, this revelation seemed perfect – after all, fallen angels are the original bad boys!
Becca
Dana_Wright wrote:
Hi Becca. I just finished reading the new ending and I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed Hush Hush. It is one of my new favorite books, and I am telling everyone about it, from customers to booksellers.
I am an aspiring writer for YA and wondered what your writing day is like. Do you work outside the home and juggle writing into your day or do you write full time? Do you outline your stories first, or just write straight through? What advice do you have for aspiring writers out there to keep them focused on their goal?
Congrats on the wonderful book. I can't wait for the next installment.
Hi, Dana!
Oh, wow, thank you! I'm so glad you liked the book enough to share it with others
Go, you! YA is the best! If I could recommend a genre, that would be it...of course I am a little biased
I'm a stay-at-home-mom, but having two little boys running around the house makes writing difficult, so most of my work gets done in the evenings and at night. My husband recently switched his work schedule so he goes in earlier and comes home around 4pm. He takes over Dad Duty and I go into the study and work. I take a break for dinner, and then keep at it until 9 or 10 at night. I used to only write at night, but it's getting to the point where that's just not enough.
I do outline, and I'm a huge fan of it. I used to write without one, and I think that's part of the reason why it took five years to write Hush, Hush (well, that and the fact that I only wrote for an hour a day )
My stories never end up following the outline, but at least I know how the story is going to end before I start. I also know who the villain is, and what the main conflict is. After that, I try to be flexible and not freak out if I veer away from the outline. What about you? Do you outline, or do you write by the seat of your pants? If you're the latter, I'm going to be jealous. I try not to be an envious person, but when I see authors create beautiful stories without planning...well, yeah. I get jealous!
As for advice, I recommend reading (especially reading the kinds of books you want to write) and writing as often as you can. I also recommend keeping a journal and writing in it daily, because you never know when something from your own life will inspire a story.
Hope this helps!
Becca
liisa22 wrote:
Hi Becca!
a few questions--
What ONE book would you recommend for everyone to read (other than your own , of course ;-) )?
The deserted island question; what 5 books would you want to have?
What book(s) would you recommend for writers?
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi, Lisa!
Ooh, good questions. My answers are probably going to always be changing, but I'll give you answers based on how I'm feeling today
What ONE book would you recommend for everyone to read (other than your own , of course ;-) )? Haha! You got me! I was going to recommend my own...okay, in all seriousness, I would recommend Pride and Prejudice. I know it's such a widely popular book, but you'd be amazed at how many people haven't actually read it. In fact, I think everyone should read ALL of Jane Austen's books!
The deserted island question; what 5 books would you want to have?
1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Gone With the Wind
1. Wilderness Survival
What book(s) would you recommend for writers?
Oh man, there are so many good books out there. Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card, Writers Market, Don't Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden, Publicize Your Book by Jacqueline Deval
Thanks for the Qs!
Becca
Becca-Fitzpatrick wrote:
liisa22 wrote:Hi Becca!
a few questions--
What ONE book would you recommend for everyone to read (other than your own , of course ;-) )?
The deserted island question; what 5 books would you want to have?
What book(s) would you recommend for writers?
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi, Lisa!
Ooh, good questions. My answers are probably going to always be changing, but I'll give you answers based on how I'm feeling today
What ONE book would you recommend for everyone to read (other than your own , of course ;-) )? Haha! You got me! I was going to recommend my own...okay, in all seriousness, I would recommend Pride and Prejudice. I know it's such a widely popular book, but you'd be amazed at how many people haven't actually read it. In fact, I think everyone should read ALL of Jane Austen's books!
The deserted island question; what 5 books would you want to have?
1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Gone With the Wind
1. Wilderness Survival
What book(s) would you recommend for writers?
Oh man, there are so many good books out there. Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card, Writers Market, Don't Murder Your Mystery by Chris Roerden, Publicize Your Book by Jacqueline Deval
Thanks for the Qs!
Becca
Pride and Prejudice is my all-time favorite book! I can remember the feeling I had reading; I SOOOOO wanted Elizabeth to end up with Mr. Darcy, I could hardly stand it!
I like your choice of books to have as well - the Outlander series is awesome! (come on UPS, deliver An Echo in the Bone already!!)
I have not looked in those writing books yet, but I will! Someday (hopefully), I will be a published author too!
Hi, Tatiana!
Yes! I remember you! I'm glad you got an ARC - go B&N 
Since most of Crescendo is about Nora's father, I don't talk about Blythe's past, but that would make for interesting stuff in book 3 (if I'm lucky enough to get to write a book 3).
Elliot does not return in book 2, but I promise you there will be more shady characters entering Nora's life (I think there always will be, whether or not she likes it!)
Some of my character's names do have double meanings. For example, DABRIA is Latin and means name of an angel. BLYTHE is English and means joyous (later you'll learn why she had reason for so much joy.) I actually picked Nora's name because it sounded so much like "noir" but, in fact, it means light
The rest of the characters' names don't have double meanings, or at least I didn't intend for it to be that way.
Great questions, thanks!
Becca
P.S. Glad you loved Vee! She's my favorite character
Yay! I am glad you remember me. Great memory, wow! I am sorry to say I am the opposite. It sucks...
Thanks a lot for your answers!
Tatiana
