If you should find yourself in Logan on Saturday, stop by the Seagull Book and say hello! I'll be signing at their Celebrating Sisterhood event from 10am-12pm. Unless there is a Christmas miracle, I'm guessing I'll be signing copies of My Fairy Grandmother. :)
Hopefully, I'll have some good news about Santa Maybe next week!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Writer's block really makes you question everything.
Okay, that probably sounds a bit overdramatic. I've been afflicted with this particular ailment, to some degree, with each book I've written. It's a stumbling block, and I usually just try to work on something else until the feeling passes.
But this is no stumbling block. I'm looking down into the chasm of six solid months now, gaping like a...... crap, I can't even come up with a good gaping metaphor! I'm 130ish pages into my current novel and I have it all sketched out. I know the beginning, middle, and ending, but I can't even look at it anymore. I'll admit at first it was kind of nice to have an excuse to just watch a movie or read a book, but lately I've been starting to panic. In fact, I'm making my way through the grief cycle backwards-- I started at acceptance and I'm quickly moving into the depression/bargaining/anger phases.
And fear. I think anyone who writes can sympathize with that fear; when you stare at the blank paper/screen and wonder bleakly if you'll EVER WRITE ANYTHING AGAIN. (And if you're the writer who doesn't get it, who fills page after page effortlessly and has never had so much as an off day, my better self is very happy for you. But let's not talk for a while, 'kay?)
So eventually you start to think, if I can't write anymore, what am I? Who am I? Which is just silly. Writing is a huge part of me, but it's still just a part. There's so much more to life than that. Still, when you reach that six month point, you're starting to feel so picked on that everything just seems more dire than it really is.
On the other hand... it could always be worse. Today I looked up writer's block on Wikipedia and found Henry Roth, an author whose first novel was published in 1934.
Enter writer's block.
His second novel made it's debut in, wait for it... 1994.
SIXTY YEARS!
Suddenly six months isn't looking so bad. :)
But this is no stumbling block. I'm looking down into the chasm of six solid months now, gaping like a...... crap, I can't even come up with a good gaping metaphor! I'm 130ish pages into my current novel and I have it all sketched out. I know the beginning, middle, and ending, but I can't even look at it anymore. I'll admit at first it was kind of nice to have an excuse to just watch a movie or read a book, but lately I've been starting to panic. In fact, I'm making my way through the grief cycle backwards-- I started at acceptance and I'm quickly moving into the depression/bargaining/anger phases.
And fear. I think anyone who writes can sympathize with that fear; when you stare at the blank paper/screen and wonder bleakly if you'll EVER WRITE ANYTHING AGAIN. (And if you're the writer who doesn't get it, who fills page after page effortlessly and has never had so much as an off day, my better self is very happy for you. But let's not talk for a while, 'kay?)
So eventually you start to think, if I can't write anymore, what am I? Who am I? Which is just silly. Writing is a huge part of me, but it's still just a part. There's so much more to life than that. Still, when you reach that six month point, you're starting to feel so picked on that everything just seems more dire than it really is.
On the other hand... it could always be worse. Today I looked up writer's block on Wikipedia and found Henry Roth, an author whose first novel was published in 1934.
Enter writer's block.
His second novel made it's debut in, wait for it... 1994.
SIXTY YEARS!
Suddenly six months isn't looking so bad. :)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
In which the gun has officially been jumped
After a slight panic attack today, picturing boxes of my books slung unopened in the corner of some stranger's garage, I decided that I'd waited as long as I could. So I emailed someone at my publisher to see if they could track my books and see whose garage they ended up in.
Fortunately, the answer is not as complicated as the garage scenario.
Apparently there was some confusion and I was given the date the books were being shipped from the printer to the publisher, not the publisher to me. So... they're still a couple of weeks out.
Patience, grasshopper. Patience, grasshopper. (It's my new mantra.)
It could be worse. At least I won't be arrested for being caught prowling around my neighbor's garages at night.
Fortunately, the answer is not as complicated as the garage scenario.
Apparently there was some confusion and I was given the date the books were being shipped from the printer to the publisher, not the publisher to me. So... they're still a couple of weeks out.
Patience, grasshopper. Patience, grasshopper. (It's my new mantra.)
It could be worse. At least I won't be arrested for being caught prowling around my neighbor's garages at night.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Waiting is the Hardest Part
This post is in reponse to a comment from Karen, who continually urges me to be a better, more frequent blogger. :)
In my last post, she asked what my reaction was when the first copies of Santa Maybe arrived at my house.
The world may never know.
I talked to someone from Cedar Fort on the day they shipped. Can't remember what day it was exactly-- seems like it was months ago, but most likely it was last week some time. So I've been mentally calculating when I expect THE BOX to appear on my doorstep.
I was convinced THE BOX would be waiting for me when I got home from work on Tuesday.
It wasn't.
So I knew for sure that it would arrive on Wednesday, which is my day off, and wouldn't that be great fun to be here for the big moment?
Imagine my surprise when I peeked out the door for the 386th time that day to find... no box.
For some reason, I had a really good feeling about Thursday when I woke up. Surely it would come Thursday. Turns out the good feeling was nothing more than a misdirected vibe about an unbelievable parking space I ended up with at work.
Still no box. Not even a hint of a box.
Ditto Friday.
Holding out great hopes for tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
By the way, Karen, I'm just the opposite when my book arrives. Not only do I have to read it, but I have to read it IMMEDIATELY so that I can find the inevitable typo that I missed. I want to be the first to know so that when someone says, "I hate to tell you this, but on page 34..." I'll be prepared.
In my last post, she asked what my reaction was when the first copies of Santa Maybe arrived at my house.
The world may never know.
I talked to someone from Cedar Fort on the day they shipped. Can't remember what day it was exactly-- seems like it was months ago, but most likely it was last week some time. So I've been mentally calculating when I expect THE BOX to appear on my doorstep.
I was convinced THE BOX would be waiting for me when I got home from work on Tuesday.
It wasn't.
So I knew for sure that it would arrive on Wednesday, which is my day off, and wouldn't that be great fun to be here for the big moment?
Imagine my surprise when I peeked out the door for the 386th time that day to find... no box.
For some reason, I had a really good feeling about Thursday when I woke up. Surely it would come Thursday. Turns out the good feeling was nothing more than a misdirected vibe about an unbelievable parking space I ended up with at work.
Still no box. Not even a hint of a box.
Ditto Friday.
Holding out great hopes for tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
By the way, Karen, I'm just the opposite when my book arrives. Not only do I have to read it, but I have to read it IMMEDIATELY so that I can find the inevitable typo that I missed. I want to be the first to know so that when someone says, "I hate to tell you this, but on page 34..." I'll be prepared.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
My new Friday Friend :)
I was invited by the fabulous Sarah Eden to be a guest on her "I Need Friends Friday" blog. Go check it out tomorrow if you have a minute-- I think you will agree that she is HILARIOUS! And not only does she have a great sense of humor, she also taught me how to put this button on my blog. And it takes a lot of patience to teach me computer stuff. Seriously, if it's technology related, trained chimps pick things up faster. Aside from being a brilliant author, she is also a very talented artist. If nothing else, you should at least go see my personalized, signed portrait! It's definitely going on the wall of my office. (Well, it would... if I had an office.)
Thanks again, Sarah-- you're the best! And Happy Friday everybody!
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