Doc says I have the flu.
I suspect he’s right. I also suspect I have a touch of bubonic plague and more than a little yellow fever as well. I’m taking the medicine he ordered and trying hard not to groan too loudly.
More good news about TWISTED came in, but it hurts to type so I will tell you tomorrow. Assuming tomorrow comes.
Tell me something funny. Please. I’m begging.
I am trying very hard to make this AmazonConnect thingie work.
This is a test post to see if it is yet.
Go about your business, people. We’ll inform you when a truly interesting post appears. Probably tomorrow.
The lung dragon is threatening to attack again, I’m having trouble sleeping, and I have doctors’ appointments today. It snowed again yesterday. Just a little, but it was still snow.
I am officially Miss CrankyPants.
So instead of whining, I will give you fun links.
Stephanie Anderson writes Bookavore, a hell of a good book blog. She works at an independent bookstore and reads faster and more critically than anyone I know. Including me. And yes, she’s my oldest kid. So read her blog and link to it, OK?
Stef and Editorial Anonymous both pointed out an awesome site for writers in need of shirts.
At what age does childhood end?
Georgetown made it. Syracuse didn’t. I suspect that Sarah Dessen is itching to make our bet again and I’m so there. LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!!!
More good news? TWISTED was named as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. If I could breathe, I’d be jumping up and down about this.
Last but nor least, today we celebrate my Irish ancestors who hopped the boat to escape the Famine.Thank you, Grandpa Donovan. It turned out well for us, didn’t it?
I am writing this in the Springfield, IL airport, which is wrapped in fog so thick the planes can’t land or take off.
Yesterday was a crazy busy wonderful day at one of the best state reading/English teacher conferences I have ever been privileged to attend. Thank you to everyone in IL who greeted me to kindly and made a long day a lot of fun. I gave the lunch speech, a workshop on revision, and a workshop in which I divulged the “stories behind the stories”of my novels. And met a lot of very enthusiastic teachers at three book signing sessions. AND, last night, I read a chapter of CHAINS for the first time in public, which went over very well.
I ran into a couple of old and new friends, but didn’t have much time to chat.
Lisa Yee and her traveling Peep.
Richard Peck and I chatted while waiting for our suitcases and in line for coffee.
I just gawked at Brian Selznik
This teacher was so, so, so sweet because she looked through DAMES and made all the right cooing noises and exclamations. And I am a heel for forgetting her name, but I will always remember how happy she made me.
I met Liz last year when I was in St. Louis on book tour; we got to hang out a bit and talk about historical fiction.
OK, fog is lifting, plane is boarding. Thank you, Fine Teachers of the Land of Lincoln! I salute you!
It’s hard to believe that a year ago that I was getting ready for the TWISTED book tour, and was a nervous mess waiting for people to read the book. It’s kind of weird because this week – seemingly out of the blue – I have gotten many letters and emails from teen readers about the book. Posting snippets of the letters would probably push me from blatant self-promotion into self-absorbed obnoxiousness, so I won’t. But trust me, they’re really nice.
I found out yesterday from my editor Sharyn that TWISTED just won some lovely recognition, but I don’t think I can go public with it for another week. I’m just going to sit here and glow quietly.
TEACHERS, FYI! In the middle of May, TWISTED will be released in paperback, which makes it a perfect book for your summer reading list.
More writing questions: Do you always write chapter by chapter when you draft? Or do you ever end up with gaps in the initial draft that you have to go back and fill?
No, I don’t write chapter by chapter. I generally start at what I think is the beginning and aim for what I think is the end, but those are guidelines, not rules. I always wind up with holes. Going back and figuring out what belongs in the holes is fun. The trick is to play out one of the story threads naturally, not to cram in a scene just so have something in Chapter 7. If it doesn’t fit, throw it out.
How did you know it [the manuscript/book] was ready then? How did that work? …and a related one… how long do you wait to regain objectivity before revising the first time and do you have any tricks for increasing objectivity?
I feel like I’ve already answered this, but I can’t find the post, so I’ll do it again, because it’s a good question. Finding objectivity is one of the hardest things we do. I don’t think any writer can ever become fully objective about her work. Putting it away for a month and not looking at it helps. Then – before you read it – give it to three trusted readers; people who read a lot for fun and respect you enough to be honest. (DO NOT give it to relatives or lovers!) Ask them to read it and write down the three aspects of the story that are working the best, and the three that are the most confusing.
Next: take a copy of your story to a new location; NOT where you wrote it. Go to an independent bookstore, a coffee shop, a park, a nice hotel lobby. Read their comments first, then read the manuscript. If you can’t find anything you want to change, you’re done.
Other questions, Readers of the Forest?
After today’s work, I’ll be packing for tomorrow’s trip to Springfield, IL, where I’ll be speaking at the Illinois Reading Council’s Annual Conference. Are you going? This is where you can find me:
Thur. 3/13 8am: From Speak to Twisted
Thur. 3/13 11:45am: Luncheon speech
Thur. 3/13 3pm: Revision Secrets
Wednesday and Friday will be spent in airports and on planes.
2008 Resolution Tracker
Week 10 – Miles Run: 20, YTD: 218.25 (my right knee feels like it was more)
Week 10 – Days Written: 7, YTD: 70