Drenched in Words

Five Things on a Friday

2009-11-27T22:08:43Z

November in my neighborhood

Aren't these cute little peppers? I wonder if they're really spicy.

Thankful Thursday

2009-11-26T17:09:12Z

I am thankful for all the usual things*, of course, but also for these things:

Pie and coffee for breakfast (the most delicious pumpkin pie I’ve ever eaten, and no, I didn’t make it).

I got to sleep in this morning, instead of waking up early to bathe the half-frozen turkey. Yay, roast chicken!

Critique partners who read ugly first drafts and offer helpful feedback instead of running away screaming.

Local writer friends like Lisa Schroeder and Suzanne Young (with whom I enjoyed viewing ~~Taylor Lautner’s torso~~ New Moon – see Suzanne’s recap here), April Henry, Laini Taylor, Christine Fletcher, Emily Whitman, and Sara Ryan. I’m thrilled that Bridget Zinn sold her YA novel recently, and will be joining our ranks!

My book has been out in the world for almost two months now, and I think it’s doing as well as can be expected for a realistic YA boy book by a debut novelist published in economically challenging 2009. It’s not going to make any bestseller lists, but it has received some nice critical acclaim, and has even made a list or two. As Smekday’s J.Lo would say, “I am quietly proud.”

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

*A happy, healthy family … good friends … plenty of food … a warm house … music … laughter …

Authorial Intrusion - Jon Skovron

2009-11-24T20:45:30Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Jon Skovron, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About STRUTS AND FRETS:

More than anything, Sammy wants to play guitar in a famous indie rock band. The problem is that his front man is a jerk who can't sing, his bassist is a burn-out who can't remember the songs, and his drummer is just out to lunch. But Sammy needs this band because it's the only good thing he's got going. His father skipped out before he was born, his mother is an overworked therapist with a drinking problem, his grandfather is slowly losing his mind to Alzheimer's, and the girl of his dreams is dating his jerk lead singer.

Now that jerk lead singer has entered them in a Battle of the Bands contest to win free studio time and guaranteed radio play. Sammy has two weeks to get them to sound like a real band, or face public humiliation in front of the entire local indie music scene.

Jon Skovron is an insatiable music geek who can play eight instruments, but none of them well. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, has lived all over the US, and now resides with his wife and two sons in Washington, DC. His short stories and reviews have appeared in publications like Jim Baen's Universe and Internet Review of Science Fiction. STRUTS AND FRETS is his first novel.

Thai food or Chinese?
Chinese. Thai is too sweet.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
No surrender, no defeat.

What are you reading right now?
The Golem, by Gustav Meyrink.

In writing, are you a plotter or a plunger?
Plunge!

What’s the last song you listened to?
Videotape by Radiohead.

Dogs or cats?
Cat's, but I'm coming around...

Camping or four-star hotel?
Seedy motel.

Ocean or lake?
Ocean. I spent a lot of my childhood in New York and I love the salty air.

First car?
1980 Buick Le Sabre.

First job?
Lifeguard.

Spring or fall?
Either is great. It's summer and winter I'm not fond of.

Pick three words to go on your tombstone.
Be dream energy.

Your five favorite movies.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Brazil
Pulp Fiction
City of Lost Children
Pan's Labrynth

Tell us something weird about you.
I hate anything that tastes even remotely sweet. Yes, anything. Except Sweettarts. Not sure why.

Rain or sun?
Rain.

Tattoos?
Currently only one, but that will change on or around my launch date.

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
Indiana Jones. I even had a whip.

What books are on your night-stand right now?
Sit Down and Shut Up by Brad Warner.

If someone made you sing karaoke – you couldn’t refuse! – what would you sing?
Whatever Tom Waits song they have. I do an incredible Tom Waits impression. I also do a pretty mean John Linnell from They Might Be Giants.

Who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
William Thackeray. He's my favorite author.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Jon!

Many Things on Monday

2009-11-23T16:55:49Z

November in my yard.

Sleeping in, and other plans
I’m off work this week – originally we were planning to travel to South Dakota to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family. To my dismay, I couldn’t find any airfares we could afford, and we didn’t really want to make the 20-hour drive there and back in winter weather. Sob! I haven’t seen my niece since she was a newborn, and I miss my funny, adorable nephew. Maybe spring break …

So we’re staying in town this week. I’m planning to teach myself how to use PowerPoint (everyone tells me it’s easy), so that when I visit Seaside High School Dec. 4, I will have VISUAL AIDS.

I have lots of great books to read, some emails to answer, an interview to finish, and acknowledgments to write. Oh, and a big old meal to cook on Thursday. (Confession: we’re going to just roast a chicken, since it’s only the three of us. I’ll probably bake a small turkey breast, too … but I don’t feel like wrestling a 12-pound, still-frozen bird in and out of cold baths this year.)

First up on my vacation agenda is seeing New Moon with friends today! I got ready by watching Twilight this weekend. When I asked my 12yo son if he wanted to watch it with me, he said, “The only teen love story movie I want to watch is Flash Burnout.” Aww!

Thanksgiving recipe
One of my best friends, Laureen, is an amazing cook. She’s won a number of recipe contests, and even appeared on the Food Network show “The Ultimate Recipe Challenge.” She was one of FOUR finalists in the 2009 Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest (out of thousands of entries)!! Here’s a link to her recipe, Savory Blue Cranberry Shortbread with Caramelized Onion Cranberry Jam. Mmmmm …!

Book recommendation
I finished Allen Zadoff’s FOOD, GIRLS, AND OTHER THINGS I CAN’T HAVE a couple of nights ago. It was as funny as I expected, but also incredibly poignant. I stayed up way past my bedtime because I had to know how things were going to turn out. Fabulous boy book!

Roundup of recent blog interviews (I promise they’ll be done soon!)
Kristina Springer asks me what the naughtiest thing was I did in high school. And of course: my favorite coffee drink.

Jon Skovron asks me to choose between zombies, pirates, robots, and ninjas. Here’s my choice!

Janet MacLeod asks what traumatizing thing happened to me in my teen years.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Authorial Intrusion - Kristina Springer

2009-11-21T18:16:55Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Kristina Springer, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About The Espressologist:

What’s your drink of choice? Is it a small pumpkin spice latte? Then you’re lots of fun and a bit sassy. Or a medium americano? You prefer simplicity in life. Or perhaps it’s a small decaf soy sugar-free hazelnut caffe latte? Some might call you a yuppie. [Mine is a caramel macchiato - wonder what that says about me?] Seventeen-year-old barista Jane Turner has this theory that you can tell a lot about a person by their regular coffee drink. She scribbles it all down in a notebook and calls it Espressology. So it’s not a totally crazy idea when Jane starts hooking up some of her friends based on their coffee orders. Like her best friend, Em, a medium hot chocolate, and Cam, a toffee nut latte. But when her boss, Derek, gets wind of Jane’s Espressology, he makes it an in-store holiday promotion, promising customers their perfect matches for the price of their favorite coffee. Things are going better than Derek could ever have hoped, so why is Jane so freaked out? Does it have anything to do with Em dating Cam? She’s the one who set them up! She should be happy for them, right?

Kristina Springer has a Bachelor of Arts in English Education from Illinois State University and a Master of Arts in Writing from DePaul University. Her first novel, THE ESPRESSOLOGIST, was published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on October 27, 2009. Her second novel, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS, also from FSG, will be published in the fall of 2010. She lives in a suburb of Chicago, IL with her husband Athens and their four small children Teegan, Maya, London, and Gavin.

Thai food or Chinese?
Chinese.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Don't give up.

What are you reading right now?
Jemima J by Jane Green.

Where did you go on your first date?
Movie.

Ocean or lake?
Ocean.

Spring or fall?
Fall.

Chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles?
Chocolate chip cookies.

Beach or mountains?
Beach.

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Kristina!

Friday Links!

2009-11-20T14:50:41Z

My friend Lee McKenzie, author of SLIDING ON THE EDGE, is holding a contest to win a signed copy of FLASH BURNOUT or BREATHING, by Cheryl Renee Herbsman. Go here for details!

Two of my favorite people team up for an awesome interview on the Winter Blog Blast Tour. kellyrfineman asks the questions, and lisa_schroeder answers! Go here for the interview. I can’t WAIT for Lisa’s new novel – CHASING BROOKLYN – to come out! I read an early, early draft … and I know it went through intense revisions, so I’m looking forward to reading the finished book.

I met seaheidi last week at Not Your Mother’s Book Club, and we hit it off right away. She has written an incredibly beautiful review about my book, and two other great contemporary realistic books – THE SECRET YEAR, by Jennifer Hubbard, which comes out in a few months, and STRUTS AND FRETS, by Jon Skovron, which I loved! Here it is.

Three L.K. Madigan interview links this week

Neesha Meminger asks me, “What is the single, most important bit of advice you'd give to the You that was the same age as your protagonist/s?” The answer might surprise you.

Sarah MacLean interviews Blake on “Inside the Character’s Studio.” Scroll down to November 18.

Danielle Joseph asks what the theme song is for my book. Go here to find out.

Happy Friday, everyone!

National Book Awards tonight!

2009-11-18T15:41:58Z

I'm so excited!

Good luck to Laini Taylor and Jim DiBartolo - the married author-illustrator team behind LIPS TOUCH: THREE TIMES, one of my favorite reads so far this year! Tonight is the National Book Award ceremony - I hope they win!!!!

Various

2009-11-16T14:30:49Z

LIBRARIANS! Want to win 46 new MG and YA books? Go here for details.

I realized after my last post that I included plenty of beach photos from my weekend, but none from the bookstore event!

Sadly, that’s because I didn’t take any. I only had my camera phone – which doesn’t take great photos indoors – but I was also caught up in the whirl of events!

But my fellow debut author Sarah Quigley did, and was kind enough to share them with me.

Left to right: Sarah Quigley (author of TMI), C. Lee McKenzie (author of SLIDING ON THE EDGE), me, and Cheryl Renee Herbsman (author of BREATHING).

I had such a great time at Not Your Mother’s Book Club, and again, THANKS to everyone who came out for the event!

seaheidi gave me an Advance Reader Copy of SEA, her beautiful YA novel, which is scheduled for release in June 2010. I feel like I've been waiting forever to read this book, and I gobbled it up in two sittings. Ohh ... so good. Full of love and loss and hope and heat and heart. Most of the story takes place in post-tsunami Indonesia, and Heidi creates such a vivid setting that it leaps off the page. When Sienna (the main character) meets Deni (a 17-year-old tsunami survivor) ... well. That scene is unforgettable. I'll post a more thorough review when it's closer to release date. But put this one on your to-be-read list!

Here’s a roundup of recent interviews:

Sarah Ockler invites Blake to have a party – what food and entertainment will he have? Check it out.

Kristin Walker wants to know what one piece of writing advice I would give myself, if I could go back in time.

Jenny Moss asks me to reveal my favorite book character.

I confessed to Deva Fagan my least favorite fairy tale.

Jennifer Jabaley asks several probing questions, including one about my writing routine.

Saundra Mitchell invites me to answer 9 important questions, like “Legs or pudding?”

Some Enchanted Evening

2009-11-14T20:08:37Z

San Francisco traffic: shudder.

I did arrive early and only a little harried. I saw my dear literaticat first – she was busy getting the most critical part of the evening in order: the cookies and mini-cupcakes! Alas, I never did partake of their desserty goodness – once things got underway, I was too busy.

We had a little time before the event started, so I said hi to Sara Zarr, met Allen Zadoff and Barry Lyga … then met some of the other MG/YA authors in the crowd who had come out to support us: Sarah Quigley, Cheryl Renee Herbsman, C. Lee McKenzie, Heidi Kling, Courtney Sheinmel, and Daisy Whitney! Three Debs, two Tenners, and lovely Courtney, in a class by herself. (I've met Cheryl and Lee before, but it was so good to see them again.) Thanks so much for coming out, you guys!

I also got to meet some new agent-sisters: Ilene Wong and Whitney Miller. Stay tuned … I’ll bet it’s not long before we’re hearing that their books have sold.

And of course the evening would have been tragically lacking without the amazing Martha Flynn in attendance! She needs to come visit me in Portland. I also met Debbie Duncan, aspiring novelist and busy reviewer.

I met lots of other people, including some young book bloggers … forgive me for not listing everyone. I’m supposed to check out of my hotel room in ten minutes (literally!) so I’m rushing.

Andrew Smith was the fifth YA author on our panel, but I didn’t actually meet him until the event was over. His book is called IN THE PATH OF FALLING OBJECTS, and sounds sooo chilling. Can’t wait to read it.

Barry spoke first, and read an excerpt from GOTH GIRL RISING (about boobs). Then Sara talked about the inspiration behind ONCE WAS LOST, and read an excerpt. Then Andrew got up to talk, and I said to Allen, “Let’s do boy-girl-boy-girl. I’ll go next.”

When it was my turn, I talked a little bit about FLASH BURNOUT, read an excerpt, and talked briefly about next year’s book – THE MERMAID’S MIRROR. On Twitter, Heidi had mentioned that she hoped I would read a teaser from the mermaid book … so I did! (The prologue, nice and short.)

Then it was Allen’s turn, and he read an excerpt from his debut YA novel – FOOD, GIRLS, AND OTHER THINGS I CAN’T HAVE. Within minutes we were all laughing so hard we were crying. I can’t wait to read the whole book! And selfishly … I’m really glad I didn’t have to follow him. Can you imagine?

We answered some questions, signed some books, and then the Third Annual Fall Book Bash at Not Your Mother’s Book Club was over! Sob.

I got to spend time chatting with Heidi about writing and parenthood and contemporary realistic fiction versus fantasy, and all kinds of deep topics. She’s awesome – and she gave me an ARC of her upcoming YA: SEA. Squee!!

I got back to my hotel around midnight, but I don’t think I fell asleep until around two. I was just so buzzed from the event. Thanks so much, Jenn, for making it happen. <3

I woke up this morning, poured some coffee down my throat, and went for a walk on the beach.

Even though Half Moon Bay is only 30 miles from the crowded metropolis of San Francisco, the beach was empty, except for one fisherman and two surfers in the distance. I love being on a deserted beach. It was more than an hour before any other people appeared.

(Again, camera-phone quality photos.)

The surf was high this morning, and loud.

It’s one thing to surf in Hawaii, or some other tropical locale. But you’ve gotta have some fierce passion to surf in the cold waters of northern California.

Finding a whole sand dollar always feels rare. I kept this one.

I admired this big blue and gray shell, then gave it back to the sea.

Some people like to enjoy the ocean from a sheltered, dry deck … and some of us like to feel the cold water and the sand.

Okay, I’ve got to run before they kick me out of here!

Later, friends!

P.S. I wore jeans last night. :-)

My lucky Friday the 13th

2009-11-13T23:40:35Z

The wonderful secret about the northern California coast is that sometimes the best weather is in the fall.

Please excuse the quality of the camera-phone photos … but I think they capture the gorgeousness of this day.

Pillar Point Harbor

I walked to the beach at Mavericks.

Then I walked the mandala on my way back to the car.

Half Moon Bay looked especially green today.

I had salmon and chips for lunch, then I wandered down Main Street, battling the impulse to buy several unnecessary-but-cute items. I did succumb to the lure of pumpkin mousse cake.

Now back in my room relaxing. I brought a skirt to wear to Not Your Mother’s Book Club this evening … but I wonder if I could get away with jeans? A skirt says, “It’s not every day I am invited to appear on a panel of five YA authors at a premier West Coast independent bookstore. I will acknowledge this honor by dressing up a little.” But jeans say, “We’re comfortable and cute. She writes for teens, not insurance adjusters!”

Novel Revisions

2009-11-12T03:23:08Z

People who look at this dress usually think one of two things:

1) No. Just … no.

or

2) Daring! I get what she’s going for.

I look at that dress and think: revisions.

A couple of months ago, idaho_laurie asked me to blog about the revision process once I finished.

Now that the uncontrollable sobbing and despair has abated, I’m ready to tackle the subject!

Haha! I kid.

I actually LOVE revising, because I know my hard work will make this book better.

But back to the dress.* It’s … well, there’s no other way to say this: it’s a bedspread. Perhaps lovingly crocheted by Cate Blanchett’s Grandma. Or perhaps it was the only dress her stylist brought with her, thirty minutes before Cate was scheduled to walk down the red carpet, so she just said, “Bloody hell, you complete nutter! I will wear this monstrosity, and I will wear it with such a blissfully beaming demeanor that everyone will be convinced I adore its bizarre yarn squares and one-shouldered whimsy! Also: you’re sacked!”

Here’s my crocheted-dress-as-revision analogy: Imagine your editor saying, “You see that square with the urine-yellow border? That's an unfortunate color. Please unstitch that square and pull out the yellow yarn. Replace it with a cornflower blue shade. Also … the unifying black borders? I think violet would work better. The length of the dress should be about two inches shorter. I would like you to seriously reconsider the long sleeve. I do understand that you’re fond of the asymmetrical look, but it’s distracting. Some more green might be a good idea.”

You can definitely do it.

But it won’t be easy.

Although …

… it might end up being FUN.

I’ve been trying to describe my revision process for a couple of days now. I started off very linear and prosaic (“First I sit down and read through my editor’s notes. Then I percolate for a day. I do NOT attempt to get started. Percolating is very necessary.”)

Not only was it boring, but my process certainly may not work for others. And you know what? It may not even work for me for the next book.

So I think instead I will just tell the story of How I Revised This Particular Book at This Particular Time in My Life.

August 24
Editorial letter arrived! Yay! Perfect timing – it’s Monday, and I have the week off work. Let me just settle down to read it. Okay. Okay, yes. Good point. Hmm, oooh … another good point. What?! I can’t get rid of the little brother! Lena can’t be an only child! Okay, wait. Let’s calm down. Let’s REMAIN CLAM. Heh. (That was a sign in a place I used to work, advising CLAM during emergencies.) (No, it wasn’t meant to be funny. It was just poor editorial management.)

August 25
Two hours in a Quiet Room at the public library, Internet disabled. Unfortunately, ‘quiet’ is a relative term, since the restrooms are very close. Many flushing and plumbing sounds. Managed to complete read-through of marked-up manuscript. Scribbled notes while I read. Went home and dove in to revisions … swimming puns for mermaid book commence now!

August 26
Two hours in a Quiet Room … wearing my beloved noise-cancelling headphones. After library, went home, ate lunch, noticed husband and son, and continued revising. I am presenting a sane face to the world, but am actually quite insane, immersed in thoughts like:

“How am I going to add depth to the boyfriend?”

and

“Of course the little brother’s baby talk is annoying! OMG how did I not notice that before? Please let me go back in time and fix that before I ever sent this book to my editor. What to do …? Dump his little toddler-talking ass? No. Lena simply cannot be an only child. I’ll make him six instead of three. Um, yeah. THAT won’t be much work.”

and

“Oh! I have some great ideas for new underwater scenes!”

August 27
After losing sleep over editor’s comments about the Sweet Sixteen birthday party (“This goes on a little long, and seems like a party for a much younger girl. Maybe we don’t need?”) today I spent hours revising the scene, shortening it and making the activities more age-appropriate.

When I finished for the day, I shut down my laptop and went into the family room to collapse on the couch. My husband was watching a playoff game of the Little League World Series.

“Who’s winning?” I asked.

As he was answering me, I tuned him out. He said words, but what my brain heard was this: “The party scene is still too long. It’s slowing down the pacing. It will have to go.”

Epiphany of the day: Sometimes you have to flail your way through. Sure, I spent hours trying to fix the scene, only to chuck it in the end … but it wasn’t wasted time if ALL BECAME CLEAR eventually.

August 31
Back to day job. Revisions cease to consume anywhere from 5 – 10 hours a day, and settle into early-morning/lunch hour/evening schedule.

Tweet from September 2, 5:41 a.m.
Good morning, book. Let’s do this.

September 6
Eyes tired. Brain fried. Butt sore. Another weekend of revise-apalooza!

It’s kind of handy that my husband isn’t working right now. He keeps the laundry cycling, the groceries stocked, and the kid fed and entertained. Plus we’ve been together so long he’s not unnerved by my blank stares.

Tweet from September 12, 8:36 a.m.
3 weeks after starting revisions, I finally reached the end of the manuscript this a.m. Now to go back to all the places marked "Fix this.”

Evening of September 12
As we got ready for an outing at the drive-in theatre in my husband’s 1963 convertible, my son said, “You’re coming with us?”

His tone was so pleasantly surprised that I felt an ache in my throat.

I gave him a big smile and a hug. “You bet! I wouldn’t miss Grease at the drive-in!”

Epiphany of the day: Time away from the book is just as important as time in front of the laptop. Not only because your loved ones are real live people who enjoy your company, but also because you never know when inspiration will strike: I decided to add depth to the boyfriend character by having him try out for the high school production of Grease.

Tweet from September 17, 6:36 a.m.
Oh, you slippery scene. I spanked the last scene & sent it to bed. You'd better behave, or you will find yourself in a similar fix, mister!

September 18 - 27
Worked. Revised. Longed for Tim Gunn to visit my head and say in his dulcet tones, "Talk to me." Then he would tell me I have a lot of work ahead of me, but that he loves what I've done so far.

September 28
Five weeks after receiving my editorial letter, I emailed back my revised manuscript.

WHEW.

That was intense.

And a dream come true.

*Courtesy of GoFugYourself, who filed this under “Oh Honey No.”

Photo Contest Winners!

2009-11-09T14:11:35Z

I am so excited to announce the winners of my photo contest!

The three categories were:

Color spot:
Take a photo that is monochromatic (mostly all one color) or lacking in color, with one contrasting bright spot that draws the eye.

Motion:
Shoot a photo of a static (not moving) object that makes your brain think movement.

Texture:
Take a photo of an interesting texture – something that makes the viewer imagine they can almost feel it.

And the three winners are ...

The Color spot winner is Kelsie Lahti, a teen photographer!

The Motion winner is Lori Dixon, aka frenchroast!

The Texture winner is Robin Prehn, aka robinellen!

Congratulations, winners! I will be contacting you soon about your $50 gift certificates. The photos will be added to my website next time I have it updated. Yay!

I was grateful to consult the professional eye of photographer friend Brian McLernon as a judge. Thanks, Brian!

And thank you, Kelsie, Lori, and Robin!

Friday Five

2009-11-06T14:47:08Z

I know listing another roundup of blog interviews does NOT qualify as a proper Friday Five, but I have a sore wrist today, so I'm trying to keep my keyboarding to a minimum.

My main character writes a letter to Lauren Bjorkman’s main character, asking for advice.

Pam Bachorz and I used to be in a critique group together – now we’re debut authors together! She asks me three important questions here.

Megan Crewe wonders what kinds of books I read as a teen.

Rhonda Stapleton wonders about the inspiration behind FLASH BURNOUT.

Sydney Salter wants to know about my main character’s feelings about his appearance.

Next week I'll be finished with revisions for THE MERMAID'S MIRROR, and getting ready to go to San Francisco for Not Your Mother's Book Club!

Names Winner and Interview Roundup

2009-11-02T15:54:58Z

Congratulations, Martha Flynn!! Your bids win! Leslie and Martha will become minor characters in THE MERMAID'S MIRROR. I will email you with details. :-)

Roundup of recent blog interviews:

Stacey Jay asks me the real burning question: “L.K., does your book contain zombies?” Find out here.

Do I want to make people laugh, cry, or hide under the covers? Check out Kimberly Derting’s interview with me for the answer.

Jennifer Brown invites Blake and me for a virtual lunch.

Kate Messner asks me how I got here. (Agentsisterlove!)

Hey! Did you guys know tomorrow's Halloween?

2009-10-30T19:30:17Z

I'm still waiting for this fog o' flu to lift. Hence my date bemusement.

If tomorrow is Halloween, that means the November 1 deadline for bidding on a minor character name in my next book is only two days away!

As of this writing, it looks like the high-bidding names will go for only $60 each! Woo-hoo, Martha Flynn!

It would be lovely to generate more $$ for the winning charities, however, so if you would like more details on how to bid, click on the link above.

Good luck to Leslie, Aly ... and all other names ...!

Thankful Thursday

2009-10-29T19:36:33Z

REALLY thankful I got the H1N1 flu after my book launch and after getting home from Las Vegas, where I went to see U2.*

I arrived home Saturday night, showered off the stench of Vegas cigarette smoke/plane travel, and slept happily in my own bed. Woke up Sunday morning sick.

Today is my first day back at work.

I would say I'm thankful that I don't have to worry about getting the H1N1 flu anymore ... but apparently, you can get it again, if the strain mutates. Awesome.

Very thankful to the co-worker who just walked up to me with three copies of my book for me to sign. *sniff*

*Pretty sure I'm never going back to Vegas ... unless it's to see U2.

Thankful Thursday

2009-10-22T13:40:10Z

Attention, librarians!

We Debs are celebrating Teens Read Week – want a chance to win 46 brand new middle grade and young adult novels for your library? Go here for details!

Attention, photographers!

Thanks for all the great photos entered in my contest – I will pick a winner by November 20.

Attention, people with names!

Want your name in my book? Go here for details.

Roundup of recent blog interviews:

Dia Reeves drags all kinds of info out of me.

C. Lee McKenzie asks me which fictional character I wish I could be.

Cindy Pon makes me reveal my crushes.

jbknowles is a writer I greatly admire, and I'm glad I got to talk about her here.

Erin Dionne and I spend time procrastinating.

I’m thankful to be meeting a college friend in Vegas, baby. We’re going to see my boyfriend tomorrow. He has a concert. (See my icon.)

Have a great weekend, friends!

Want Your Name in My Book?

2009-10-20T13:32:19Z

For those who may have missed my Sunday post, I'm auctioning off two names of minor characters in my next book - which is scheduled for publication Fall 2010. The current high bids are $40 and $50. If you're interested in having your name (or your child's) featured, go here for details!

Happy Birthday, FLASH BURNOUT!

2009-10-19T13:10:12Z

This is how I feel today:

And this way:

(Flowers from friends)

My book signing yesterday at Powell's was absolutely wonderful. SO MANY people showed up for me! They kept having to set up more chairs. (Don't be too impressed ... I think 95% of them already knew me.)

I gave my little speech and it went pretty well, although I got distracted when I was throwing chocolate at people, and skipped part of it. But no one noticed, so it was okay. My FAVORITE part was when our 16-year-old friend Nathan did the reading - I could NOT STOP SMILING the whole time he was reading. I got to hear Blake's voice in an actual teen boy's voice!! He did an awesome job.

My friend Suzanne Young wrote up such a perfect post about the day that I really don't think I can improve on it. Stop by her blog to read more - there are pictures! (Ours came out weird and grainy.)

I couldn't fall asleep last night because I was just lying there in the dark, smiling, remembering the day.

Thank you to everyone who showed up!

P.S. OH!!! Please go to Jama's blog and enjoy her photo-inspired post! Jama, I <3 you!

Field Trips and Food

2009-10-18T15:59:28Z

Like mermaids?

Like surfing?

Like tax-deductible donations?

Want your name in my book?

I’m offering up for auction two minor character names in my 2010 YA fantasy, THE MERMAID’S MIRROR, scheduled for release in Fall 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The winning bids will benefit two organizations:

1) My son’s class field trip – we parents are trying to raise funds for a 3-day trip to the Oregon coast next June. Since THE MERMAID’S MIRROR is set at the California coast, I thought that would be a nice tie-in.

2) The Oregon Food Bank. This charity has seen a huge increase in families needing assistance for the first time, due to Oregon’s high unemployment rate ( currently 11.5%). You can read more about it here.

The two winners will have their first name used in the text of the book, their full names listed in the acknowledgments of the book, AND will receive one autographed copy of the hardcover.

Of course, I can’t accept bids for names of any of the main characters:

Ineligible Girl Names
Selena/Lena
Allie
Lucy

Ineligible Boy Names
Kai
Cole
Brian
Max

One boy name and one girl name OR two girl names are up for bid.

Disclaimers:

The winning name must be a name I would actually use in the story. I reserve the right to reject any name that doesn’t work for me, i.e. Hitler, or Ramalamadingdong.

By submitting a name for bid, you are guaranteeing that this person wants his or her name used in a book.

Winners must mail their winning bid to ME. Anyone who isn’t comfortable sending me a check should not bid. I will forward the donations to each organization. I will not publicly list the name of my son’s school on my blog, but I will provide the name to the winning bidder.

CONTEST ENDS midnight, November 1, 2009.

To bid, add a comment with your $ amount and the proposed name. If you don’t have a LiveJournal username, you can still bid. Just post a comment using the “Anonymous” option, but be sure to tell me who you are in the comment, and include an email where I can contact you, if you win.

Happy bidding!

Authorial Intrusion - Megan Crewe

2009-10-17T15:39:58Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Megan Crewe, today on Authorial Intrusion.

About Give Up the Ghost:

Cass McKenna much prefers the company of ghosts over "breathers." Ghosts are uncomplicated and dependable, and they know the dirt on everybody... and Cass loves dirt. She's on a mission to expose the dirty secrets of the poseurs in her school.

But when the vice president of the student council discovers her secret, Cass's whole scheme hangs in the balance. Tim wants her to help him contact his recently deceased mother, and Cass reluctantly agrees.

As Cass becomes increasingly entwined in Tim's life, she's surprised to realize he's not so bad--and he needs help more desperately than anyone else suspects. Maybe it's time to give the living another chance...

Like many fiction authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she has yet to make friends with a ghost, though she welcomes the opportunity.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai--but only by a small margin. I love both!

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Stay true to your vision.

What are you reading right now?
TRICKS, by Ellen Hopkins.

Dogs or cats?
Cats, because they're independent but still affectionate.

Favorite movie snack?
Chips, preferably Doritos.

Snorkeling or skiing?
Snorkeling--speeding downhill with slippery things attached to my feet sounds terrifying to me!

First job?
Admin assistant for my mom.

Favorite pie?
Blueberry, with pecan a close second.

Spring or fall?
Spring. Everything's fresh and growing! Though I love the beauty of the changing colors, too.

Rain or sun?
Sun, no question. It makes my day brighter in more ways than one. :)

Where would you like to travel that you haven’t yet?
Japan, Egypt, Morocco, Thailand, Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland. (And once I've done all those, there will be more!)

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Megan!

Color spot ... without the color

2009-10-14T14:51:04Z

Excerpt from FLASH BURNOUT, Chapter Two:

The next photo is a close-up of a gray stone birdbath with a flock of tiny grayish-brown birds splashing around in it. [The] contrast is a blue jay, mid-flight, swooping down to the birdbath. [Marissa] must have been sitting there forever waiting for that shot. “What are those – sparrows? No, they’re too little.”

“Bushtits.”

“Bush-scuse me?”

[Marissa] giggles. “That’s what they’re called.”

I took this photo just a few weeks ago. In real life, I’m not sure Marissa ever could have captured those quick, skittish little bits of fluff in mid-flight. By the time a blue jay lumbered its bulk to the birdbath, they would have been long gone. (Sorry for the poor quality - I shot this from inside the house.)

Last reminder for photo contest entries! The deadline is midnight, October 19. Details can be found here.

Authorial Intrusion - Pam Bachorz

2009-10-12T13:36:55Z

I’m delighted to introduce my fellow debut author, Pam Bachorz today on Authorial Intrusion.

About CANDOR:

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town where his father brainwashes everyone, he’s found a way to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He’s got them all fooled: Oscar’s the top student and the best-behaved teen in town. Nobody knows he’s made his own Messages to deprogram his brain. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor, and Oscar falls in love. He must choose whether to let Nia be lost to brainwashing—or to sacrifice himself.

CANDOR has all the ingredients of a perfect dystopian novel. There’s a conflicted main character trying to survive in a frightening environment – all the more frightening because it seems entirely possible – a dangerous romance, plenty of creeping tension, and final chapters that drag you gasping to the conclusion. One of the best YA books I’ve read this year.

Pam Bachorz grew up in a small town in the Adirondack foothills, where she participated in every possible performance group and assiduously avoided any threat of athletic activity. Pam attended college in Boston and finally decided she was finished after earning four degrees. Her mother is not happy that Pam’s degrees are stored under her bed.

Pam lives just outside Washington, DC with her husband and their son. She likes to read books not aimed at her age group, go to museums and theater performances, and watch far too much television. She even goes jogging. Reluctantly.

As far as she knows, Pam has never been brainwashed. Or maybe that’s just what she’s supposed to say.

Thai food or Chinese?
Thai. We have amazing Thai food places in the DC area and we're having a blast exploring them.

Advice for writers in 5 words or less.
Commit to it.

What are you reading right now?
GOING BOVINE, by Libba Bray. I'm really enjoying it--just settling in and letting the fabulous Miss Libba take me for a ride.

Favorite movie snack?
Popcorn for sure--but I miss that gold dust they used to set out on the counters, to sprinkle on top. Who knows what was in that stuff. I used to put some extra on my fingers and lick it off.

Ocean or lake?
Lake. My current work-in-progress is largely set on a small lake in upstate NY, like the one that my family has their cabin on.

First car?
A red Ford Tempo. The AC broke so I bought a fan that plugged into the cigarette lighter and clipped it to the air flow vent, to keep me cool in the Boston traffic. Didn't really work.

Ever wish you’d studied a different subject in college?
I wish I had chosen my college major for love instead of practicality and fear of not finding a job after graduation. I think I would have majored in creative writing, women's studies and religion. But I know that studying journalism and environmental science was a smart choice, and I don't regret learning how to get my message across in an economical and straightforward manner.

Favorite pie?
My grandmother's lemon meringue. Doesn't ship too well, unfortunately.

Tattoos?
Needles completely freak me out. Ain't happening. I live vicariously through friends' tattoos.

What’s your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
It was third or maybe fourth grade--I made a MS Goodbar costume. Get it, Ms? I thought that was killer.

Who do you wish you could meet, living or dead?
Since I was eight, I have always dreamed of meeting L.M. Montgomery, the author of the Anne of Green Gables books (and many others). She wrote beautiful, sunny books but didn't have the easiest life. I wish we could spend a summer's evening on a porch in Prince Edward Island, sipping raspberry cordial and swapping secrets. Also, she has a very excellent understanding of us redheads. :)

Thanks for indulging our curiosity, Pam!

Thankful Thursday

2009-10-08T19:28:48Z

Little things:

A double shadow this morning at 5:30 ... one from the streetlamp behind me, one from the moon overhead.

A surprise gift from a friend - a little silver camera charm on a necklace. I'm going to wear it to my book signing! Thanks, friend. xo

Listening to THE HELP on audiobook. Ever since lisa_schroeder commented that she thought the Southern accents in this book would be wonderful to hear ... I've been looking forward to it. And it's terrific.

Big things:

Eyesight. A blind man with a guide dog sometimes eats at a deli I frequent. His dog has the absolute sweetest face I've ever seen on a dog, including my own doggies. He dotes on her. It gives me a pang to know he can't see that sweet little face.

My son. This time 12 years ago, he was all of eight hours old. *mimble*

Found things:

For a whole day, I thought I had lost my pen.

No, listen: this is the beautiful, weighty, fancy pen I treated myself to when I sold my book. I paid off credit cards and contributed to my son's college fund and did other practical things with my advance money, but the pen was just for me.

So when I thought I lost it, I felt a little sick.

My husband found it on the floor of my car, on the passenger side. HE HAS EARNED MANY REWARDS, AND I AM THANKFUL.

Reminder about the Flash Burnout photo contest:

If you want details, go here. The deadline to enter is midnight, October 19. You could win $50 to the online merchant of your choice!

Hello, Handsome

2009-10-03T15:22:27Z

Author Milestone - First Time Seeing Book in Bookstore

(At Powells in Beaverton - New Releases Shelf)