Exciting News!

I promised some exciting news, and I can finally share it:

New World Library (my publisher for FAST FICTION) will also be publishing my newest nonfiction book for writers: STORY SPARKS: FINDING YOUR BEST STORY IDEAS, AND TURNING THEM INTO COMPELLING FICTION!

This has been a few years in the writing. It will make a great companion book to FAST FICTION, and so I am thrilled that New World Library is interested in publishing it. There will be more to come, in terms of what sorts of things it will include, but for now I can tell you that it is being fast-tracked to be out this fall. Very exciting!

Anyone who has been hamster-wheeling a story idea for years or has hundreds of pages exploring various approaches on their hard drive knows there must be a better way. There is. Successful young adult novelist Denise Jaden shows exactly how to create the captivating stories that prevent dispiriting wasted time. Busting the “visitation from the muses” myth, she shows that inspiration is a skill that can be learned by understanding how story ideas work (or don’t), fertilizing the ground for fresh and sound ideas, and moving swiftly through stuck points. Practical and inspiring, Jaden’s approach celebrates the imaginative sparks that make innovations of all kinds possible while pinpointing the precise tools writers need to fan their unique creative flames.


And to help celebrate this exciting news, my generous publisher has offered a giveaway of a book that I'm sure any writer would love to have on their bookshelves:



Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents:
Who They Are, What They Want, How to Win Them Over
By Jeff Herman

Still the Best Guide for Getting Published - If you want to get published, read this book!

Comprehensive index lists dozens of subjects and categories to help you find the perfect publisher or agent.

Jeff Herman’s Guide unmasks nonsense, clears confusion, and unlocks secret doorways to success for new and veteran writers! This highly respected resource is used by publishing insiders everywhere and has been read by millions all over the world.

Jeff Herman’s Guide is the writer’s best friend. It reveals the names, interests, and contact information of thousands of agents and editors. It presents invaluable information about more than 350 publishers and imprints (including Canadian and university presses), lists independent book editors who can help you make your work more publisher-friendly, and helps you spot scams. Jeff Herman’s Guide unseals the truth about how to outsmart the gatekeepers, break through the barriers, and decipher the hidden codes to getting your book published.

Countless writers have achieved their highest aspirations by following Herman’s outside-the-box strategies. If you want to reach the top of your game and transform rejections into contracts, you need this book!

“When you get to the ‘finding the agent’ stage, check out Jeff Herman’s Guide. I found it very useful because it gives more background on agents. Keep in mind that publishing is very personality driven.”
— Emily Giffin, New York Times–bestselling author of First Comes Love

“I got my agent by using this guide!”
— Meg Cabot, New York Times–bestselling author of The Princess Diaries

“I highly recommend Jeff Herman’s Guide. It was the most helpful book I bought about how to get published.”
— Nicholas Sparks, New York Times–bestselling author of The Notebook

This contest is for a hard copy of this huge resource, and is open to anyone with a US or Canadian mailing address. Simply leave a comment below to be entered, or enter on my Facebook Fan Page. 

Even if you're not a writer, and not interested in this prize, I hope you'll raise a glass of virtual champagne with me :)