Last week you saw a picture of me at my desk. Look how these things can escalate.
Last week you saw a picture of me at my desk. Look how these things can escalate.
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I’m thinking of my friend Brenda Drake today. It’s her birthday. To celebrate she is giving us a sneak-peek at the cover art for her YA fantasy, Library Jumpers–coming next February. Isn’t it gorgeous?
Happy Birthday, Brenda!
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Oh, hello there!
I spend so much time looking at you (or at least the screen where you live), I thought you might like to look back. This is what I look like when I sit at my desk. I have headphones in–listening to both rain sounds and Johnny Cash at the moment. Rain sounds because they tend to block out any noise from the rest of the house and Johnny Cash because of course.
two-point-five
Other things of note in the photo:
The cat carrier on the shelf does not actually belong to me, nor have I used it for cats. I borrowed it to use for chicken transport and then forgot to return it. (Sorry, Laura!) (Sorry, Laura’s cats!)
Battleship is backwards. It appears as though my webcam creates a mirror image. I’ve never noticed that before. Interesting. (By “interesting”, I mean, “not very.”)
Moving on.
two-point-seven-five
Did you see my necklace?
It’s a book! And a locket! What should I put in it? Leave suggestions in the comments. You won’t win anything, but do it anyway, okay?
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This. Because it makes me laugh every. single. time. I watch it.
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Spring, fall–what’s the difference? We can play creepy dress-up anytime, right?
I have a friend that does incredible Day of the Dead make-up, but she is sadly, moving far, far away. Newt and I scheduled a little makeover and photoshoot with her and made March look like October.
four-point-three-two-five
I rarely post photos of myself here, a big reason being the fact that I am generally on the other side of the camera. But looky here, two in one post! Happy Narcissism Day*!
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Speaking of Newt (and creepy), go check out Newt’s Art Book, her new blog for showcasing her amazing Edward Gorey/Tim Burton inspired art.
With a little pleading, I got her to draw this steampunk squid for me:
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Clowns. Clowns are on my mind at the moment.
I wish they weren’t.
What is on your mind today?
*Who am I kidding? After years of me endlessly talking about myself on this blog, we all know that every day is Narcissism Day, no photos required. High-five for me.
Oh yes, it’s another one.
My dear, non-writing readers, to make up for all these contest posts, here is a rad picture of me:
Heidi, circa 1987
I realize some of you have seen it before, but it’s worth a second look, no? Give it a minute. Take it all in.
You’re welcome.
Pitch Warriors, here is the post you have been waiting for:
Are you ready for this? We have 16 incredible agents vying for our Pitch Wars team manuscripts. We’re so excited to see what pitches they fall in love with, and what teams will win the coveted Pitch Wars Most Requested Manuscript title.
And, in no particular order, here are the agents…
Louise is seeking teen Sci-Fi and Young Adult horror. She‘s also on the hunt for deep, dark contemporary YA and select Middle Grade fiction with a literary feel–it must be realistic and thought provoking and the characters must be authentic and original. Louise loves horror and romance, especially Regency and Victorian.
Jessica Sinsheimer
Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
Natalie is looking for commercial fiction, with an emphasis in children’s literature (from picture book-teen), romance (contemporary, paranormal and historical), and upmarket women’s fiction. Specific likes include historical, multi-cultural, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, gritty, thrilling and darker contemporary novels, and middle grade with heart.
Pam represents young adult and middle grade children’s book authors, and adult romance authors.
Jordy is on the look out for Romance (contemporary, historical/Regency, and paranormal). YA contemporary/historical or dystopian, sci-fi/fantasy with romance elements. She‘s also open to YA GLBT within those genres. She’d love to see unique, well-developed plots featuring time travel, competitions, or travel.
Andrea‘s looking forthe following categories: Fiction; literary, commercial, womens fiction, romance, thrillers, mystery, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, young adult, middle grade.
Jennifer Mishler
Jennifer is seeking Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Contemporary, Young Adult Literary, and Young Adult Historical.
New Leaf Literary & Media, Inc.
Suzie represents adult and children’s fiction. In adult, she’s specifically looking for romance (historical and paranormal), and fantasy (urban fantasy, science fiction, steampunk, epic fantasy). In Childrens’ she loves YA (all subgenres) and is dying to find great Middle Grade projects (especially something akin to the recent movie SUPER 8).
Victoria Marini
Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents, Inc.
Victoria is looking for literary fiction, commercial fiction, pop-culture non-fiction, and young adult. She is very interested in acquiring engaging Literary fiction and mysteries / suspense, commercial women’s fiction (romantic suspense, sci-fi, fantasy), and Young Adult (contemporary, sci-fi/fantasy, thriller and horror ).
Kerry is looking for Young Adult and Middle-Grade fiction, both commercial and literary. She tends to shy away from werewolves, zombies, faeries, and the like, but she’ll read anything with a fresh voice and compelling characters. She is particularly keen on contemporary YA, quirky MG, books with a strong cinematic element.
Drea is currently seeking: fiction, memoir, crime, non-fiction and YA. Her roster consists of British, American, and Canadian clients. International talent is welcome.
Katie Shea
Katie specializes in fiction and memoir, especially women’s fiction and commercial-scale literary fiction, and realistic YA. She is most interested in coming-of-age stories and stories of unique relationships.
Elise Capron
Elise is interested in serious character-driven literary fiction, well-written narrative nonfiction, and short story collections. (Note: She is not interested in Fantasy, young-adult/middle-grade, picture books, romance, and sci-fi.) She aims to work with writers who have a realistic sense of the market and their audience.
Jodell is interested in YA, MG (especially funny) , fiction and nonfiction, book proposals, and picture books. She will also coach writers wanting to self publish. She simply loves a well-paced story that moves her between joy and tears.
Brittany and Michelle are teaming up to look for Adult, YA, and MG manuscripts.
Michelle’s published one novel, The Footloose Killer, and edited several others for publishing houses and private clients. She also is a Script/Story consultant on an independent film in Halifax, NS, Canada, and enjoys working closely with writers to help them develop their voice and craft.
Brittany Howard
When reading, Brittany loves to be introduced to new and interesting people and places. She looks for strong voice, good storytelling, and fascinating relationships between characters—romantic or otherwise. More than anything, she loves when a book surprises her.
There’s just one more day to get your applications in for Pitch Wars. Make sure to check out this post here to get all the details.
Yes, this is another Pitch Wars post.
Non-writers: Due to editor input, I have given your consolation monkey a festive hat. I hope you enjoy it.
Writers: Here is is, the day you’ve been waiting for: Happy Pitch Wars Mentor Bio Day!
Today is the day, my friends, where I hope to convince you that I am the mentor you are looking for.
But first, some reminders and information:
Submissions start today (11/26)! The cut off time to get your applications (query & first five pages of manuscript) in is 8PM EST on December 5.
Send your applications to brendadrakecontests@gmail.com. Writers can apply for up to 3 coaches. The coaches’ categories are set. Coaches can only consider the categories they’ve signed up for. Writers cannot apply for a coach that is not in their category. (Note: My category is Middle Grade.)
For additional information about this contest go HERE.
· This is open to finished manuscripts only.
· You may only enter one manuscript.
· Only the genres requested by each coach will be considered for the contest.
Formatting
Subject line: Pitch Wars Application: Coach Name you want to apply for: Title
(Example: Pitch Wars Application: Brenda Drake: GONE WITH THE WIND)
Name: Your Name
Genre: The genre of your manuscript
Word Count: The word count of your manuscript
Query letter here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
First five pages of the manuscript here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
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REMINDER: You can send an application for up to 3 coaches.
Check back soon for a complete list of the amazing agents participating in the contest. There are over a dozen!
First off, let’s talk about what kind of project I want to work with.
Give me your Middle Grade!
I read and enjoy middle grade in all genres, but I am most interested in mentoring for fantasy adventures, fairytale retellings, or horror. Bonus points if you can make me laugh.
Some of my MG favorites are: The Peculiar
Less recent, but still oh so relevant is absolutely anything by Roald Dahl
Okay, you have a manuscript that fits the bill. What kind of notes can you expect if we work together?
I will give a thorough content edit, with some line editing of things that particularly stand out to me.
For more details regarding these kinds of edits, I’m going to refer you to this post by Rachelle Gardener.
Now, why should you choose me?
Besides the fact that I draw awesome monkeys?
Because I will be the Rufus to your Bill and Ted, the Mr. Miyagi to your Daniel-San, the Professor X to your Jean Grey–and when you are discouraged, I will be the Atrayu to your Artex.
Only better, because you will not give up and die.
Here is what I have to offer:
I get stuff done. So far, this year managed to finish my own manuscript, write an awesome query, sign with an amazing agent, and go through two rounds of fairly extensive revisions. At the same time I have read more than 80 books (many of them MG) and made time to work on a few favorite critique partners’ projects. I have done all this while homeschooling my daughter; maintaining a household, friendships, and a happy family life; doing volunteer work; and hand-crafting three Halloween costumes–including one for a chicken.
The point is, I work exceptionally hard for the things that are important to me. Your manuscript is important to me. I want to win, but more than that, I want to see you succeed.
I have query letter skills. I wrote a query letter that The Query Shark liked enough to refer me to my agent. If you’d like to see some of my query crit work, you are welcome to take a look at a critique I did for Slush Pile Tales.
I’m really good at critiquing. This may come as a surprise to some of you, but I really don’t like to brag–at least not about things that I’m actually good at. I bluster and trash talk for fun, but the things that I know I excel at I usually keep pretty close. That little personality quirk was making it tough for me to figure out what to say here, so I went to a friend and critique partner for help (Annie Laurie Cechini, author of LIBERTY, Rhemalda, 2/13). I asked Annie if she would write up a little testimonial for me. One hour later, she emailed me this awesome video:
If that doesn’t convince you, nothing will.
I’m looking forward to working with one of you. Choose me for your mentor and I’ll even let you pick our team name.
Today all the coaches are posting bios/wish lists on their blogs. Before choosing your top three picks, check all the coaches’ posts in your category. To jump from blog to blog, just click on our pictures below.
Disclosure: I am using Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase any of the books I have linked to, I get a teeny-tiny commission. However, I would much prefer you purchase from your local indie bookstore.
Non-writers: This post will likely be boring for you. I don’t want you to go away empty-handed so I drew you a picture of a monkey. Enjoy.
Writers: I am thrilled to announce an exciting new contest–one where you could team up with me to take over the world get your manuscript the agent attention it deserves. Read on for more information.
(Also, be sure to watch this space later this month to learn exactly what kind of manuscript I’m looking to work with. If you are not already a blog subscriber, now would be an excellent time to remedy that. See options in the top right sidebar.)
We’re extremely excited to announce an upcoming event where agented authors, industry interns, and editors team up with aspiring writers to shine up their manuscripts and pitches to present to some awesome agents.
The teams will consist of 1 agented author or industry intern or editor (coaches) and 1 aspiring author.
November 26: The coaches (listed on the linky below) will post on their blogs what genre/category they want to coach. They’ll be very specific genres. Aspiring writers will hop around and decide which coaches best fit their manuscripts.
November 26 through December 5 at 8PM EST: Aspiring writers will submit 3 “applications” to their top choices for coaches to the contest email (brendadrakecontests@gmail.com). That means, participants will send three separate emails to the contest email addressing each with one of their three top choices for coach.
December 5 through December 10: Coaches will read the applications and pick teammates.The coaches don’t have to pick from their applications. If a coach passes on an application, it is then up for grabs and another coach, if they haven’t connected to their applicants, can snatch it after notifying the applicant and if the applicant chooses the coach.
December 12: Teams will be announced. On the announcement post there will be instructions on how the winners must send their work.
December 12 through January 16: Each coach will read their teammate’s manuscript and give general notes on any issues they find. The coach will help their teammate get his or her pitches ready for the agent round.
Note: The material for the agent round will be a 3 sentence pitch and the first 250 words of your manuscript. Coaches will read manuscripts and query letters only once and give notes. It is up to the writer to use the notes from their coaches to get the manuscript and query letter in as best shape as they can to send to requesting agents. The coaches will critique the three sentence pitch and first 250 words. The coaches will read them as many times as they deem necessary. In no way will writers expect the coaches to read the manuscript and query letter more than once or the pitches more than twice.
January 20: Coaches will submit shined pitches to the contest email.
January 23 and 24: Agents will read and make requests on the pitches they like (it is likely that not all participants will get requests).
January 25: We’ll announce the team with the most requests and who will take home the winning prizes (an amazon gift card for each).
This is open to finished manuscripts only.
You may only enter one manuscript.
Only the genres requested by each coach will be considered for the contest.
Subject line: Pitch Wars Application: Coach Name you want to apply for: Title
(Example: Pitch Wars Application: Brenda Drake: GONE WITH THE WIND)
Name: Your Name
Genre: The genre of your manuscript
Word Count: The word count of your manuscript
Query letter here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
First five pages of the manuscript here (embedded in email). Single spaced. No indentions. A space between each paragraph.
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REMINDER: You can send an application for up to 3 coaches.
Get those manuscripts ready! To keep up with the mentors’ trash talk any further information, be sure to check out #PitchWars on twitter.
I mentioned in my last post that I was needing to do a bit of costume design for my girl (and her chicken). She debuted her Tardis dress at a party on Friday night to rave reviews from the one person who knew what a Tardis is. Lucky for her, she has a good friend with similar interests:
Saturday, Newt had her first 4H chicken show, including a costume contest–which is why I ended up making three costumes this year. Once again, no one was geeky cool enough to get her Dr. Horrible/Captain Hammer costuming, but Newt didn’t care.
Sidenote: As her first show, none of us expected her to come home with this:
So exciting! She can’t wait to do another.
I had someone ask me the other day how I possibly have time to write, sew costumes, cook dinner, do laundry, homeschool, and any of the other 416,832 1/2 things I have/get/want to do. I’m going to let you in on a little secret.
I don’t do all those things. At least not on the same day.
That’s the key to doing it all. Don’t try to do it all at once.
I made Newt’s (and Phyllis’s) costumes in the week after signing with my agent, while waiting on his revision notes.
Walt has been helping out with dinner quite regularly.
The laundry–is a disaster.
Homeschooling…we are making some changes, starting with an online curriculum that will free me from some planning and instruction time. (A change in the way we do things has been on the horizon since last spring, but we recently became a bit more motivated.)
Now I am back in revisions and working as hard as I possibly can, without neglecting too much the things that are most important. I get up insanely early and steal minutes as often as possible throughout the day. Walt reminds me to take time off, even when I think I don’t need to. Even when I really don’t want to. He’s good like that.
I also say no a lot, often when I’d like to say yes.
Can you help with this year’s Nativity Festival? Sorry, no.
Want to make applesauce together? Yes, but I can’t. So no.
Would you critique my manuscript? Nope. Maybe next month.
If you are on the receiving end of one of my nos, please don’t feel badly. I only have room for so many yeses–and for the most part, they are all reserved.
Note: This was originally posted on a collaborative blog I was a part of. That blog no longer exists and so I have moved this here. Unfortunately, I could not move the comments, but I was then and continue to be very grateful for all the well wishes. ~H
If you follow me on twitter, you may have noticed this lovely little gem this morning:
I am beyond thrilled to announce that @franticsimple has accepted my offer of representation! Middle grade pirate hijinks to ensue!
— Brooks Sherman (@byobrooks) October 11, 2012
I always enjoy reading “How I Got My Agent” stories, so I thought I would share mine as well (though oh-my-gosh-I-am-suddenly-feeling-very-shy).
HOOK’S REVENGE is my first novel and it took me an outrageously long time to write. I had the idea many years ago – while half-sleeping off the flu, half-listening to my daughter watching a DVD of Hook. When I woke up, there was a character in my head, but I was a busy young mom and not ready to pursue a serious career in writing.
Still, I sketched out the idea and slowly wrote a horrible first draft. In the meantime my family moved back home to Oregon (more than 3000 miles away from where we had been living in Maryland), I began homeschooling my daughter, and my father-in-law passed away. (He actually entered the hospital the same day I wrote “the end” on my first draft.) Though I enjoyed writing, I wasn’t at a point in my life where I could make a serious commitment to it. Instead, I played with words on my blog and continued reading and learning.
Last fall, I did some beta reading for a good friend. I was ecstatic when she landed a publishing contract (Little plug: Annie Laurie Cechini, LIBERTY, Rhemalda 2/13 – so good!). I was inspired by her success.
The timing was right for me to dive in, and I got to work. I started getting up earlier and/or staying up later than everyone else so I could write. I fell in love with my story all over again. I rewrote, I revised, I rewrote some more. In addition, I set about building a support network. One of the best choices I could have made was to join SCBWI. There I found friends and mentors that really helped me to hone and polish my work.
In July, I felt that my manuscript was ready to begin submitting to agents. I read Query Shark and Slush Pile Tales to learn how to write a query letter, then spent an afternoon crafting one. After running it by a couple of friends, I revised a bit and set it loose on the world.
By that I mean, I sent it to five agents, then waited by my inbox.
Two weeks went by with no response. I began to suspect that everyone hated it and/or hated me.
I started a new project anyway.
One day I saw on twitter that Janet Reid (the Query Shark) was offering a personal response to queries sent to her within a specific time frame. This was not to be a critique or query advice, but a non-form response–likely a this-is-why-I’m-rejecting-you response.
The only problem? Janet does not rep middle-grade.
However, I did a little more reading on her blog, and found this bit of advice:
Query everyone. Forget that crap about honing a list and researching
what agents like. Query everyone. If they say no, so what. Maybe just
maybe you’ll find an agent looking to branch out, looking for a fabulous
new voice, looking for you.
Edited to add: Lots of agents say otherwise. They really hate being pitched to for genres they don’t represent, as it clogs up their already full query boxes. I’m not giving advice here – just stating what I did. Choose your own adventure. 
I took her advice and sent in my query. Within 16 minutes (yes I counted) she sent me a lovely reply referring me to Brooks. I not going to lie, that bit of encouragement made me cry *hard* for at least 10 minutes. My husband thought I had lost my mind. He was likely right.
(The overly emotional response may have also had something to do with the fact that we had just spent the last five hours outside in 100+degree weather, building a chicken coop. Still, that validation was wonderful.)
So, I queried Brooks, and nine other agents. I started getting page requests, along with some rejections. It was all very exciting.
A couple of months after I started querying, I decided to reread my manuscript. I read the first third one evening and when I came to bed, I told my husband, “You know what? It really is good.”
The next day Brooks emailed to say he would like to chat. We set up an appointment for a few days later.
That night I read more and my heart sank. I had gotten past the most polished, most recent, best part. Things were not so good anymore, and I had achieved enough distance to see it. My manuscript was not quite ready and I was almost certain Brooks was only calling to tell me so.
When he called I was really nervous. It turned out that he did love my manuscript, but he saw the same problems that I did. We spoke for nearly an hour on ways to make things better. I promised him first peek at my revisions and hung up really excited to make changes.
Over the next week I ended up getting four new page requests from a couple of contest I entered – one from an agent that I had had my eye on for a very long time. I worked feverishly to complete revisions so I could give Brooks a first pass and not keep anyone else waiting too long.
When I completed my rewrite, I was so proud of my work. I had ended up adding an additional 5000 words and really loved the way things had changed. Brooks loved it too and quickly offered to represent me. I asked for a week to think it over and alert the other agents that were interested. I ended up with two offers (and a very interested third who did not have time to get an offer in before I accepted with Brooks, but very graciously offered a hearty congratulations).
One offer was from Brooks–who had an incredible enthusiasm for my work, but is still a fairly new agent, and another from the agent I had, at one time, thought of as possibly “my dream agent.” You would think that that would have made me happy, but I was miserable. It was hard to choose between Brooks and the other, more established agent. I needed to choose between passion and experience.
I emailed Brooks about where I was in the decision process and his reply blew me away. I knew for certain that he understood and loved my work. I also felt confident that he knows what he is doing. And I knew we would have a great time working together. The choice was suddenly easy. Though the other offering agent truly is fabulous, in my opinion, the best agent is the one that loves your work the most. I am 100% confident in my choice and really looking forward to our working together. I can’t wait to see what kind of mischief we’ll cook up.
PS: A few people have asked about my stats. Here you go:
Queries
Sent: 16
Page Requests: 5
Referrals: 1
Rejections: 4
No Response: 5
Query withdrew due to offer: 1
Contests
Entered: 2
Invitations to query: 1
Page requests: 4
Offers: 2.5
To any and all interested parties,
I am pleased to announce that Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management has exercised his extreme good taste and offered to be my agent. I exercised my well-honed character judging skills and accepted.
Thank you.
PS: OH MAH GOSH! I’M SO EXCITED.
PSS: If you would like to read more about how this all came about, I wrote about it here.
PSSS: If you would like to read a sample of my manuscript, click here.
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This girl (the one on the right):
My little Newt is turning twelve in just a few short weeks. Yes, being a tweenager means a bit of drama, but my goodness how I love that girl.
Last week, at swim practice, a boy did something that annoyed her. I’m not sure what his offense was, but she told me, “I just glared at him and thought: I hope you really want chocolate sometime and can’t find any.” Do not cross that girl.
She recently declared that she is a writer, just like her mama. I can’t tell you how proud I felt. She carries a notebook around and writes whenever she has a spare moment. Her stories are just like her: fresh, funny, and a little bit quirky. I adore them.
Also, if you must know, the girl on the right is lovely as well. She is giving us four to five eggs a week.
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I love to write in our studio/schoolroom. The words flow better there. However, it is not the quietest room in the house. I’ve taken to wearing headphones and listening to this. I’m an Oregonian. I bleed rain.
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My hair. It’s been awhile since I’ve given you an update, no? As of this writing I have used shampoo one time in the last 15 months. I was out of baking soda. It was a short-lived disaster. Thankfully things went back to normal after my next No ‘Poo wash.
In other hair news, I recently had eight inches cut off. I did not donate it because I had no conception of it being that long. I just didn’t see it until it was a pile on the floor. Sorry.
I love the new cut. I’m also trying out a new color. We’ll see how it lasts with my washing habits. On one hand, baking soda may strip the color. On the other, I only wash 2-3 times a week, which may preserve the color. I know you will be on the edge of your seat. I’ll report my findings once I find them.
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Walt and Newt went – are you ready for this? – Christmas shopping on Saturday. For me. Walt has never bought a Christmas gift before mid-December. I don’t know what to make of this new development.
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This. It fascinates me.
What’s on your mind today?
Hi GUTTAA pals. I do eventually get around to the questions. I just have to say hello to my regular readers first – I’ve neglected them terribly over the summer.
I’ve never been happier to wave goodbye to August. Don’t get me wrong, I like summertime fun just as much as the next girl, but I am more than ready for fall.
Boots. Sweaters. Apple cider. Pumpkin patches… Dreamy.
I’ve missed homeschooling and our happy little routine.
I’ve missed Newt; she’s been gone a lot, having one adventure after another.
I’ve missed rain. Don’t believe me? I’m listening to this right now. It’s my new favorite writing soundtrack.
You know what else I’ve missed?
You, dear readers.
I’m hoping to build a bit more time in my routine for regular blogging now that I am not spending all my time driving Newt to activities and back.
Let’s catch up a bit shall we?
[pours you a cup of herbal tea]
The chickens are getting really big. They went from this:
To this:
in less than two months.
Also, Billina appears to be oh-so-rudely turning into a Bill. So far, no crowing, but once he finds his little rooster voice, he’s back to the farm. We plan to add to our flock in the next couple of weeks so Abeline (renamed by Newt as Sarah-Jane) will not be alone.
What else? Oh yes, I started querying agents for Hook’s Revenge and have gotten a fairly good response. The full manuscript has been requested a few times. No big deal. [Squee!]
I’ve also started a new project. I had forgotten how hard starting is. My characters and I are sort of like kids at a junior high dance, definitely aware of each other, but not quite sure how to cross the gym and get things started. We have begun making eye-contact though, so there is hope.
Speaking of writing and agents, if you are here for the Gearing Up To Get an Agent Meet & Greet, you’d probably like me to quit yapping and get on with it welcome. I’m glad you stopped in.
Gearing Up To Get an Agent (GUTGAA) is an opportunity for writers that are uh, gearing up to get an agent, to help each other polish their pitches, network, and possibly get noticed by a fabulous agent.
Today, I’m answering some questions about my procrastinating writing habits.
Where do you write?
Usually in the studio/schoolroom. It has great lighting, comfortable chairs (more so than they look), a window for daydreaming, and a great library. It’s also generally cleaner than in the following photos (we were doing some back to school organizing today and not everything got put back where it belongs).
Why yes, there is a large tent in my backyard. Thanks for noticing.
Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see?
A box of junk items to take to Goodwill.
[Adds item to to-do list: Don't forget to drop junk off at Goodwill]
Favorite time to write?
I write any time I can, though I work best in the morning before Newt gets up. Since she is a late sleeper, this generally works well.
Drink of choice while writing?
I’m a water girl. Boring, I know, but I love it. Besides, it has no calories. I’m having enough trouble with writer-butt.
Is it a bit more exotic if I tell you my favorite glass is a pint sized mason jar? Something about the way it balances in my hand…
When writing, do you listen to music or do you need complete silence?
It depends. Sometimes music will motivate me, other times it distracts me. I’m really into those rain sounds right now but in a few weeks, when the real Oregon rain settles in, I’ll be over it.
What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it?
I had the idea for Hook’s Revenge several years ago. I was sick – the bad kind – with respiratory and digestive distress. Newt was not old enough to be very self-sufficient, so I pulled out the sofa bed and told her she could watch some movies while I slept. She watched the 2003 live version of Peter Pan first (if you have not seen that, you should – it’s so charming) and then put on Hook (with Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, and Robin Williams). Those were not surprising choices; we have always loved Peter Pan.
Newt pretended to be Peter for two whole years – he was her alter-ego from ages two to four. The original version by J. M. Barrie was the first non-picture book I ever read her, at age not-quite-three. I would read at bedtime while she played quietly in her bed, not seeming to pay any attention to me. The next day “Peter” would act out the adventures I had read aloud the night before, and I could be sure that Newt had been listening very intently.
Anyway, I was in an illness and cold-medicine educed fog while she watched her movies. When I woke up, there was a girl in my head. I knew she was Captain Hook’s daughter and she had a story to tell, though I wasn’t clear on many details. I wrote bits of her adventure as it came to me, but didn’t really get serious until the end of last year.
In a way, I’m half I didn’t dive right in. I feel like I needed that time to learn how to write Jocelyn’s story well, and how to develop my own voice – which to a large degree blogging has done for me. I also moved cross-country, began homeschooling, and supported my husband and his mother through the illness and death of his father. The time wasn’t right for Jocelyn, but when it was, I threw myself into her world. I’m quite proud of what I have created.
Read a bit of Hook’s Revenge here.
What’s your most valuable writing tip?
First off – finish. No matter how long it takes.
Then, be brave.
Writing is very personal. It takes courage to share with your critique partners and beta readers, hoping they like it, but that they also can help you make it better – even if that means ripping parts of it to shreds. Once you get somewhat comfortable (hee!) with that process, and you have edited and rewritten until you have made your manuscript the best that you can, you must take the next plunge and submit your work to agents and/or editors. This puts you in a very vulnerable place. There will be rejection. You may even receive three form rejections on your birthday and sit at your laptop and sob into your hands, or so I’ve heard, but in order to be successful you have to wipe away the tears and keep trying. That’s what I’m doing.
Writing is not for the faint of heart. Be brave.
Thats it for the questions. I’m going to go organize my fall sweaters now, and maybe pick some apples.
Stop in later this week. I’ll be sharing a yummy new recipe.
Writer. Reader. Homeschooling Mama and happy wife. You probably have a dog named Heidi, but I don't need to hear about it.
