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Sep 15, 2012 
In 2009 I completed a young adult paranormal romance. During those long days and nights of writing, revising, editing and rewriting, I learned one thing: the internet and blogosphere were filled with incredible resources for YA authors. It was a godsend to a new writer! I would have been lost without the plethora of information readily available at my fingertips.
[Hey, T.P. Jagger here, hijacking Amie’s stroll down memory lane! I worked with Amie to update the For Writers page, so I figured she wouldn’t mind if I interrupted her post. From here on out, if you see brackets and italics, that’s me, not Amie. Got it? Good. Pay attention so you don’t get confused.]
Ahem. Now…back to what I was saying. But then I decided to write a middle-grade book and suddenly that wonderful online world of sweets and goodies became nothing but an empty heart-shaped box of chocolates, complete with wadded up paper cups.
[I don’t care WHAT anyone says—I was NOT the one who ate all the chocolates!...Oh, Amie was just using a metaphor? In that case…missing chocolates? What chocolates? I know NOTHING about any chocolates. And I especially don’t know anything about missing chocolates with creamy mint filling that tingles as it hits your tongue….]
And all this time I thought my puppy had eaten those York Peppermint patties! Anyway, never before had I been so hard pressed to find any information to help me. I was stuck! I didn’t know where to go or what to do.
[Did you try getting more chocolate?]
No, I didn’t try more chocolate, but I’m sure if I had it would have helped! I suddenly felt very alone in my writing endeavors and wondered, with every word I typed, if my MG manuscript was any good. How would I ever know if I was doing this whole MG thing correctly?
Then Elissa—who at the time was barely an online acquaintance—put out an open call to MG writers.
[She did not offer chocolate, but we have since forgiven her.]
Maybe you’ve forgiven her…. 
She was looking to create a site specifically geared toward those people who loved middle-grade books—whether it be writing them, reading them, or anything in between!
*Insert chorus of angels*
I’d just found what I needed as a writer. Not only was it a resource I could use, but it was one I could be actively engaged in! What better way to learn about something than to be involved!
During my time working, blogging, and being involved with this Mixed-Up crew, I’ve learned so much. I’ve grown as a writer…
[I haven’t grown since I was fifteen. But I suppose that's unrelated.]
…and have found beneficial resources throughout the blogosphere. Middle-grade books have impacted my life in a way no other books ever have—and now I get to share that with an audience as an author! But I couldn’t have done any of it without learning from some of the best. I also know that the best gifts in life are those that are shared.
[Like boxes of chocolate.]
Sorry T.P. – chocolates are never for sharing! Unless you’re sharing with me, then fork it over!
So now, almost two years after we launched, I’ve had the privilege of working on the For Writers page with my Mixed-Up Files cohort T.P. Jagger.
[Italicized-Bracket-Man!]
Yes, you will henceforth and forever be known as Italicized-Bracket-Man. In fact I double dog dare you to sign all your posts that way! Anyway we’re paying it forward a bit. T.P. has got the mooo-ooovves for writing when it comes to creating awesome pages.
[massive overstatement]
So thanks to him,
[mostly Amie]
we’ve created quite the resource for you.
So stop by the For Writers page and see what we’re all about.
I promise I won’t dance, but T.P. will gladly show you his mooo-ooovves!
[I am living proof that a certain last name does not give an individual the right to claim to have "moves like Jagger." The last time I busted a move, it was more like the other way around—I moved . . . and I busted. Well, at the very least I pulled a muscle. Severely. I now stick to writing.]
C’mon T.P. don’t be so modest!
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