I find getting the first draft down to be the biggest challenge. Every word, every punctuation mark, every plot point is a decision. It's much more fun to play with something that already exists. Cynthia Leitich Smith More Quotes by Cynthia Leitich Smith More Quotes From Cynthia Leitich Smith Love isn’t only passion and joy. It’s also sacrifice. Cynthia Leitich Smith sacrifice passion love-is In the end, I'd loved him enough to let go. From afar, I would love him forever. Cynthia Leitich Smith afar letting-go forever Besides, humans aren't prey. They are our natural enemies. They are to be avoided. Cynthia Leitich Smith prey natural enemy Bridget adds, "Did Anyone bring a weapon?" "Confiscated," Zach admits for both of us. Vesper holds up her metal fingernail file. "They didn't take this." We're dealing with the forces of evil," I point out. "Not the TSA. Cynthia Leitich Smith tsa evil add I may be heaven-sent, but I'm not perfect. Cynthia Leitich Smith heaven-sent perfect may Men suck. - Not all men. Just the really good ones. Cynthia Leitich Smith men That's when it happens. Maybe it was my argument. Maybe it was my scary zeal. Whatever the reason, as soon as Megan whistles, the crowd is on its feet. They're blowing bubbles. They're raising their lighters high. They're cheering through their fangs... For Dawn Summers, for themselves and each other, for every sibling who got tossed into a situation beyond her control. For me. And for my sister, who whistles again... Once more with feeling. Cynthia Leitich Smith sibling cheer summer Forget what you might have heard. There are no separate corps of angels for agnostics, atheists, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Buddhists, Unitarians, Hindus, Druids, Shintoists, Wiccans, and so on. To put a spin on the old saying, it's okay if you don't believe in angels. We believe in you. Cynthia Leitich Smith buddhist atheist believe Vampires don't live at all," she points out, "neither do we." She has me there. "Fine, I'll go. But when Kurt leads his minions in a march around the cemetary with our heads on sticks, don't say I didn't warn you. Cynthia Leitich Smith march vampire sticks It was funny, though, the things you didn't learn about people until after they died. Cynthia Leitich Smith died people But adulthood," continued the barely twentysomething, "doesn't give you power over what matters most. It doesn't protect you from pain, loss, fate. That's part of being human. Cynthia Leitich Smith fate pain loss Beginning authors often get in their own way … They forget that they’ve been telling stories since they could talk. … The important thing to remember is, you know how to do this. You’ve been doing this your whole life. Cynthia Leitich Smith important stories way My stories include realistic fiction and fantasy. Cynthia Leitich Smith realistic fantasy stories fiction Children and teens take in stories to the deepest imaginable level. What we put on the page can change the people they'll become and the course of their lives. Cynthia Leitich Smith deepest change children people For me, it's been a treat to interact with authors who were publishing when I was a young reader. Judy Blume once gave me a pep talk at a writing conference. I had a short story featured in the same anthology as Beverly Cleary. Magic. Cynthia Leitich Smith short treat me magic In terms of graphic versus prose, I could probably do a lecture on that topic. But what stood out most was the difference in pacing the language and resulting scenes. One illustration can do so much for the reader. Cynthia Leitich Smith lecture out difference language I'm fond of my werecats, if only because I have four real-world felines staring at me as I type. Cynthia Leitich Smith only because me staring I've always been fond of Tim Drake/Robin. I suppose it's the YA writer in me. I enjoy the intensity of young, smart heroes. I'd love to write him in either graphic or prose form. Cynthia Leitich Smith me smart enjoy love Big picture, it's amazing to create characters and see them brought to life in the art. And to love that art. But I especially enjoy writing a character with heightened powers that aren't especially useful to him. Cynthia Leitich Smith love character life art
