Category: LHA

Flotsam that cluttered my brain today:

Can something be “very surreal”? A reporter used that phrase to describe the trial of Michael Jackson. Maybe it should be sur-surreal. That gets it close to susurration, which means “the indistinct sound of people whispering”. Which sort of fits.

I saw a flock of robins three days ago. Where did they go in the Nor’easter snow storm? Do they get spun around and flung at Vermont?

I made the mistake of watching Real World for more than sixty seconds. Because life is real when you live in the nicest apartment for one hundred miles and you don’t have to worry about your electricity being turned off. When you have a cheesy lame job that nobody cares about. When you become a stock character thrown in with other stock characters and people are supposed to be shocked when you throw up in boring, predictable, stock ways. (See the beer go down. Watch the beer come up. Oops – beer on your open-toed sandals. Oops – vomit in your hair. Grandma is so proud of you, sugar.)

I call game over on reality TV shows because they always suck. Can we go back to fiction now? It does a better job reflecting the truth.

Beloved Husband has the flu and I am 300 miles away from him. I do not feel very much like a Loving Wife. I’ve been trying for two days to send him virtual chicken soup. Now I am afraid I might succeed. I have these disturbing images of BH dragging himself off the couch, struggling to the kitchen just so he can get a drink of water… “Water,” he croaks, his face the color of an oyster…and THWAP! out of nowhere a massive amount of steaming chicken noodle soup materializes out of the ether (because of my amazing powers of concentration) and dumps all over his head.

I’m sorry, honey! I was aiming for the pot on the stove! Just shake those noodles off. The dog will clean it up. Maybe you should go back to the couch.

What if they made a reality TV show based in my head?

Something for all of us oxymorons.

Just received the news that PROM has been nominated for inclusion on the 2006 BBYA (Best Books for Young Adults) list!!

Can’t stop grinning…

I checked with the reading specialist of today’s school last night. She agreed with me that it didn’t look good for today’s visit. Sigh. I’m really glad I left those May days open for snow postponements.

I got in about 12 hours of hammering on the manuscript yesterday. Those of you out there who write know how much fun this can be. It always happens in the last stage of revising for me. I whine and complain and gnash my teeth about how sick I am of Book X, then I submerge myself in the story for way too many hours a day and it is heaven. When I give a story every waking minute, I fall in love with it all over again. I can hold all of the story threads in my mind simultaneously. I remember every obscure fact – and every “fact” that contradicts it. I find new joy in the contrasting interpretations. I lavish care on my transitions. I fell asleep thinking about it, I dreamed about it, and I was thinking about it when I woke up.

For those of you backing away from the computer screen right now, I have one thing to say – this is why I am a writer, and not an insurance agent or nurse or auto mechanic. I love this stuff.

So all is not lost if today’s school visit is snowed out. I’ll submerge myself again in the manuscript and report back later.

Oh, wait… The Call just came in – no school today in the district I’m visiting. Mer’s school (Hatboro-Horsham) is closed, too. She’ll be happy about that.

Time for coffee, breakfast, then a dive back into the story. Wish me luck.

Samantha writes: OMG! I just wanted to tell you that I bought Prom today and have already read it! I loved it so much!  I love your books, you are such a great writer! Are you working on a new novel anytime soon?I hope so!

*author dances around apartment in slippers*

THANK YOU, SAMANTHA!!! Waiting to get feedback from “real readers” (i.e. teenagers who are not related to me or dating one my kids) is nerve-wracking at best. I am so excited that you liked the book!!!

*more dancing*

And yes, I’m working on a new YA. I hope it will come out next year. More details when I finish it.

My school visit was canceled after all, so I’m back at work cutting out all the boring junk in my picture book manuscript in search of the stray interesting tidbits. Wish me luck.

I’m waiting, waiting, waiting… waiting to see if school is canceled in the Spring-Ford school district today on account of the snowstorm blowing its way up the coast. I am supposed to speak at every elementary school in the district this week. Right now, I’d say there is a 75% chance I’m staying home today.

Yesterday wound up being a family day instead of a writing day. Mer, Stef, Greg (their dad) and I met for brunch at Billy’s diner in Bethlehem. It’s been a long time since just the four of us sat down for a meal and it was very nice. After brunch, Mer and I tried to squeeze in some power-shopping, but my hunting skills are rusty and we did not find our prey. Next stop was Moravian College, where Stef and her friend Amy were directors of that school’s performance of The Vagina Monologues. Great job, ladies! After the drive home, we tried hunting again and bagged the white shirts Mer needs for her new job. And then we went to the grocery store. We hung out, ate dinner, and I talked to the BH on the phone for almost an hour before crashing. I tried to watch the Oscars but since I haven’t seen any of the nominated movies it was boring. Pretty dresses, though. I lasted ten minutes.

So if they call a snow day, I have plenty of work to do. My historical non-fiction picture book is as bloated as humanly possible. I am embarrassed to admit how long it is. I need to take a period-appropriate broadsword to the pages. If school is canceled, that’s what I’ll do.

(later) The witching hour of 5:30am has come and gone and still no call on the bat phone. I’ll get ready for the visit and call the reading specialist at today’s school before I head out the door.

Although PROM does not officially arrive in stores until Wednesday, some people have been able to buy it. Last night I received the first true fan email from a real live reader (as opposed to a friend, relative, or reviewer). I’ll post it here later.