Travel and Writing (Not Travel Writing)

I love to travel. I love the adventure of it. I love plunging head first into the unknown. Sure, I plan a bit. I take a map. I try to learn a bit of the language. I have in mind a few must-sees. But the best things about traveling, for me, are the surprises along the way.

Sometimes it's scary—lost on country roads in France with a huge pack on my back, blisters on my feet, and not a town in sight. Then it starts to snow. It is both beautiful and terrifying. Will I freeze to death in France?

Sometimes it's just plain miserable—finding three museums in a row closed. Is there a holiday we don’t know about?

And sometimes it is magical—hacking through the jungle in southern Mexico and happening upon stone ruins and a hidden waterfall. Sunlight filters through the canopy and we lay down our machetes to rinse our sticky skin in the cool pool.

For me, writing is like traveling. The best things come when I lay myself open to adventure.
Sometimes, afterwards, I look back and think that I could have got a lot more out of Paris if I'd had a better travel plan. But then I would have missed that flock of birds rising out of a tree in front of the Moulin Rouge that I’d just walked by without noticing. Or the funny little couple that we kept bumping into.

Like anything, there's a balance to strike.

Now that I'm slogging through revisions on my novel, I sometimes wistfully think that this stage would be so much easier if I'd started with a more comprehensive outline. As is, some chapters have to be completely re-written. (I'm talking, scrap everything but two paragraphs and fill up that blank page.) But, if I'd had a more detailed outline, Annabel would have walked right by the lovely family in the woods. She never would have met Mieka and Lumi and Nana Trots. She also might never have had that vision of her mother, the one that plays before her eyes throughout the rest of the book. And I never would have written pages and pages of back-story on one supporting character that helped me understand the rest of the story in a whole new way.

So this is my homage to first drafts, to plunging boldly into the unknown, to going forward and not looking back until you have something whole to look back on.

Things I learned while NaNo-ing

I should start by saying that I was impressed by NaNoWriMo. I remember thinking last year that it overlooked the craftsmanship in writing, that nothing mattered but word count.

This year, however, I knew I needed to bite the bullet. The revisions in my novel called for a cut and then the addition of half a novel. I needed to add about 50,000 words, and I'd been putting it off ... or writing 1,000 at a time and then revising and revising.

I love revision. First drafts? Not so much. For me, revision is safe.

Revision is Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn.

First drafts are your crazy Aunt May who thinks her blue hair looks natural and makes embarrassing comments when she meets your friends. Aunt May with the really big purse that stopped looking like leather the minute she cut off the price tag- 10 years ago.

Not surprisingly, that was one of the first lessons I learned.

NaNo Lesson #1. I embraced my crazy. I invited Aunt May over for coffee and let her eat cookies till her purple velour pants with the elastic waist grew too tight. NaNo was my chance to experiment. I got to do whatever I wanted, just to see what would happen. Or, as Gail Carson Levine mentioned in her blog*, it was a chance to be extravagant: "See what you can put in that your ideal reader- the one who most gets you, who best loves your mind- will adore."

NaNo Lesson #2. I really can just write. I'm all about the writing ritual and the writing space, and settling down to write thoughtful, insightful prose. NaNo was about butt-in-chair time. Now I realize I don't have any excuse not to write. I just need to do it. Rituals are helpful until they become excuses. My ritual had become an excuse.

NaNo Lesson #3. Middles are so much easier after the end has been written. The Slushies will tell you that I have no trouble revising one chapter (just one!) for weeks till it's just right. I learned that it is so much easier to polish the middle after you've written the end. I cannot tell you how many notes I made to myself about what I needed to do with those middle chapters. I wouldn't have figured that out no matter how much I'd revised them. I wish I had just pressed through to the end and then circled back. I know better now.

So there you have it! I'm not sure if I'll NaNo next year, but it was a great thing to do this year. How 'bout you? What do you think about NaNo? Did you attempt it? Learn anything in the attempt?

*She wasn't talking about NaNo, but that one comment sure shaped how I thought about NaNo.

It’s a small world at Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Fall Conference

The conference has a very homey, small world feel. The fact you’re jammed into a church assembly hall doesn’t detract from the warm, friendly atmosphere. Everyone is so friendly, like we all came from the same hometown. You could strike up a conversation with anyone – a fellow aspiring author or illustrator, an agent or even a famous writer. The organizers go out of their way to assure you are as comfortable as possible, like you are an invited houseguest.

But for me it was a small world in many other ways.

I met the local chair for SBWI. A new position, our area has finally gotten enough members to warrant a chairperson. Turns out I had met her before at the school where I teach. I am her daughter’s art teacher. Small world.

Ran into my old friend Caroline who lives just 45 minutes down the road from me. I have known her for twenty plus years but we seldom see each other. I had been expecting to see her there. Only recently had we discovered we both were writing for children. Small world.

Caroline introduced me to one of her critique group members. Christa is a scratchboard artist and lives in my hometown of Williamsburg. I mentioned to her I was about to do some scratchboard art with my fifth graders. I asked her if she might be interested in coming to do a workshop for us. Small world.

As a volunteer for the book signing committee I was assigned to help Patricia R. Giff. This Newberry Honor Award author is one of the most personable people I have ever met. We had barely gotten started when I explained to her that I had never done anything like this before. She assured me I was doing fine. After switching seats, turns out she is left-handed, we got into a groove. It wasn’t long before she said to me, “Are you sure you’ve never done this before?” Each and every person who came up to the table got her undivided attention. She took her time and made you feel like she was ready to sit down and have tea with you. A wonderful experience, one I’m not likely to forget. Again, it left me feeling like it was a small world.

By the end of the conference I felt like part of a community who shared aspirations, triumphs and low points. I highly recommend this conference for the feeling of camaraderie, the injection of inspiration and for the great contacts you make.

I never expected that the children’s writing community would have such a small world feel.

I love it when this happens

Yes, I will get down to working on NaNo soon. It's been a busy week, and though I haven't written as much as I should, I have written, which is good. Yay, me!

So, I picked up a YA book at the library this week. I'd read the author's previous book- a retelling of a fairy tale I adore- and hadn't been entirely pleased with it. She had re-imagined it beautifully, bringing out so many wonderful aspects of the story. She added a culture and history and way cool stuff. (Note my precise language, there.)

But the tone was wonky- to me, at least. The dialog seemed modern, the cadence of the narration choppy.

I was not happy.

Now, don't get me wrong. I never threw the book down and wondered why it got published when I here I was with a fairy tale novel that was half re-written, with it's own blotchy tone, and a still-to-be-resolved plot line... hey, wait.... I mean, brilliant book of my own.

I was disappointed, though. Her re-imagining had captured me, and I was peeved that the tone (in my opinion) didn't serve that re-imagining.

But her new book? The book about another one of my favorite fairy tales? Lovely! It read like a fairy tale. A few rough patches, but still great.

I was so jazzed for her. Can't wait to read the next one.

Now since I'm hijacking the blog to write about improving authors (when I should share conference notes- just remembered that), please join me. I'd rather not feel alone and self conscious. Are there any authors that you've seen grow? Or any that- like Athena springing fully grown from Zeus' head- seem marvelous from the very begining?

I'd love to know.

Tension Headache Rx

Presentation at the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Fall Conference

Getting up a 4:30 in the morning on the weekend for me is akin to jumping into cold water. You don’t much like it at first but you can acclimate. I did that this past weekend in order to attend the SCBWI conference in the D.C. area for the day. Well worth it! Inspirational speakers, excellent presenters and panel discussions one right after another. Here is a sampling of one of the presentations.

Linda Pratt, a literary agent with Sheldon Fogelman, spoke about tension in children’s literature. She informed us that current market conditions prescribe tension. Her recommendations were individualized for picture books and novels.

Trying to implicitly teach is the biggest pitfall an author can make with a picture book. The learning must be disguised as fun. Not having a beginning, middle and end, especially if there is not something at stake, is another pitfall. Her prescription for adding tension was two-fold. One, less text is more. The illustrations and text should NOT be able to stand-alone. Second, master the art of the page-turner. This can highlight the tension.

She also pointed out a few pitfalls in novels concerning tension. Don’t overprotect your characters. Look for opportunities for them to get hurt, either physically or emotionally. Another is not to confuse action with tension. Driving down the road is not tension. She added that the reader must be emotionally invested in the characters to feel tension. Her recommendations for creating more tension are: chart your character arcs and embrace character flaws. On the first point, you want to be sure each of your characters changes over the course of the novel. If he or she doesn’t change, play the “what if” game. Throw out different scenarios and see what comes of it. As far as character flaws go she suggests that you give them flaws you personally don’t like. Make a list of things you like and dislike about your characters.

What I found made a lot of sense was to not overprotect your characters. It makes sense that a little pain would create tension. The idea of giving flaws to your characters seems like it would add conflict to your story too.

More is Less

Since Sarah started it, I'm happy to continue the discussion about REVISION. (Somehow, it merits all caps.)

I am deep into revisions right now and it seems the more I write, the more I cut. And the characters and story get stronger the more I carve away from them. The funny thing is, whenever I cut entire pages or multiple paragraphs from a chapter, replacing them with one or two sentences, the Slushies always comment about how they like that I've included MORE description or explaination or history in this version of the chapter.

I look back at the earlier version and find that yes, indeed, I have taken three paragraphs and reduced them to one sentence, and lo and behold, my critiquers tell me I've added something.

What that tells me is that I've clarified. I've eliminated what doesn't need to be there and reduced the important stuff to its very essence. It tells me that my writing is getting better.

Good, because I don't know how many more revisions I can do. This is tough stuff.

The scenes we leave out

I figure it's time for a break from all things NaNoWriMo (Especially since I'm behind in my word count- don't worry, I'll catch up.)

Since NaNoWriMo is all about just getting words on the page, I'm going discuss

drum roll please

Revision!

A very specific form of revision, actually.

Several months ago, I wrote a great scene for my WIP. It established aspects of my MC's character I hadn't ironed out, introduced us to people in her past, and solidified the life she had before the story begins.

Great scene. I love writing it. I loved reading it. So did the Slushies.

But the consensus was that it didn't need to go at the beginning of the story, because it's not really part of the story. It was also too big to be a flashback, and too involved to be split into tiny flashbacks.

It took me a while to realize that I shouldn't do anything with it.

And not in the this-is-gorgeous-and-insightful-prose-and-no-unhallowed-hands-shall-cut-it-from-this-manuscript sense. Nothing, as in the-readers-will-never-see-it sense.

Here's why: it wasn't part of my story. It set the stage for the story.

So why didn't I sob silently as I cut this really cool bit from my MS?

Because it will be in everything I write. It will show up because I know it. And because I know it, the reader will, too. That scene shaped the way I viewed my story; it informs the way I'm crafting it.

A professor of mine once told me that everything we cut from a MS haunts it. The weight and sense and soul of what we cut lingers in our work, even if it isn't visible on the page.

It doesn't mean readers won't feel the effects of my special scene. It just means it that a reader won't be able to turn to such-and-such page to find it.

How about you? Any really good parts that you've cut, that you realized you needed more than your readers? I can't be the only one.

Meanwhile, I have some serious catching up to do with NaNo...

Stepping off a cliff

The minutes crawled before I rappelled for the first time.

It took forever to get to the cliffside. I watched while ropes were secured, harnesses checked and doubled-checked, gear adjusted. (I swear it was in slow motion.) I nodded (also in slow motion) while the whole process was explained to me.

But the entire time, part of my brain (probably the part devoted to Survival) kept returning to the fact that I was going to step backward off a cliff. A cliff that looked much, much taller now that I was standing on top of it.

I was about to step. Off. A. Cliff.

Which is sort of how I feel about NaNoWriMo. I am so not the sort of person who pounds out prose and then thinks I'm finished once I type "The End". Or that it's revised if I spell check it.

I'm the one who obsesses over what I write, who loves revision.

Who hasn't finished this completely new plotline of my novel because I take so long writing. Who has been very busy these past few weeks with her new job, and has a perfectly legitimate excuse for just going to bed instead of writing. Whose brain has whispered every day this week that I have committed myself to writing over 1,500. Words. A. Day.

Who, ultimately, can't revise until she's got new material to revise.

So I'm gonna do this whole NaNoWriMo thing, just like the rappelling. When I rappelled, backing over the edge of that cliff was the hardest part. The rest of the trip down felt like flying.

I think committing to NaNoWriMo will be the easiest part- I don't expect much flying after that. I am however, at the top of a cliff looking down. I might not love the trip before me, but I'm already anticipating the moment when my feet touch bottom.

November 30 can't come soon enough. December 1, I start revising.

How about you? Do you have to push to write new material? Or does it start to feel like work when you edit?

And what do you do to keep going?

Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest

I just found a link to the Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest. Here's the description from the website:

Serendipity Literary Agency, in collaboration with Sourcebooks and Gotham Writers' Workshop, is hosting its first Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition for a chance to win a one-on-one consultation with one of New York's leading YA literary agents!

The contest is open the entire month of November in honor of NaNoWriMo.

So, are you going to enter? Let me know...

Lately, I Feel Like a Writer

Because I don’t get paid to do this all day long, I often don’t feel I have the right to call myself a writer. But lately, I lay full claim to that title. Why? Because I’m earning it. For the past two weeks I have had my butt in this chair every day for at least a couple of hours. (I do have a job and a toddler.) And I’m not browsing the internet. (Haven’t seen a post from me in a while, have you?) I am sweating and bleeding onto the page. I am toiling over words. It feels fantastically awful and awfully fantastic, depending on when you ask me.

I’m feeling like a writer because I’m pushing through the tough parts. A few days ago, I plunged into the next chapter of revisions and found I had to rewrite an entire scene. I sat down and wrote it, and it was really, really bad.

Usually, I would be so discouraged by this initial failure that it would take me a few days to face the page again. But this time, I went right back to it the very next day. I worked it. Then I moved on. And it’s better. Not perfect, but better. I can live with that.

I’m feeling like this is my job that I go to every day without question, without stalling, without excuses. Inspiration doesn’t make me feel like a writer. Working at it every day does. Hey, I may finish this novel yet!

When do you most feel like a writer?

I hope all of the NaNoWriMo participants out there will also feel like writers very soon, if you don’t already.

2K9 Interview: Megan Crewe

Another installment of the 2K9 author interview series right here on the Slushbusters’ blog:

Photo Credit: Chris Blanchenot

from www.megancrewe.com

Today we are interviewing 2K9 member Megan Crewe about her YA novel, Giving Up The Ghost, which was released September 15, 2009.

First: Megan Crewe’s Bio, from www.megancrewe.com:
Megan Crewe lives in Toronto, Canada, with her husband and two cats. She works as a tutor for children and teens with special needs. In her free time, she reads everything she can get her hands on, practices kung fu, and speculates about the ghost that may or may not be living under her bed. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines such as Brutarian Quarterly and On Spec. GIVE UP THE GHOST is her first novel. Visit her online at www.megancrewe.com.

Give Up the Ghost synopsis, from www.megancrewe.com:
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...


Slushbusters’ Interview:

Why this book? Of all the ideas you have for possible stories, how did you decide that this was the one you would commit to? (Do you have drawers full of ideas, half-finished novels, or completed manuscripts?)

I have lots of ideas, but I can usually tell when one's ready to be (and worth being) written. If the story continues to intrigue me, and more and more details come to me when I think about it, then sooner or later I'm going to write it down. With GIVE UP THE GHOST, I think the most important factors were the main character, who had such a strong voice and so much emotional turmoil that I wanted to see her through, and the different take on ghosts--having them as friends, getting gossip from them--which I thought would be fun to explore.

How different is the final product from your first conception or first draft of the book?

Not very! All of the important elements have been there since the beginning. Some of the details changed--a few minor characters were taken out or replaced, scenes were expanded or trimmed or set in different locations--but the main characters, their struggles, and how they dealt with them have remained the same.

Were some of the scenes or themes harder to write than others? Tell us about some of the trickier aspects of writing this story and how you were able to overcome them.

I think the hardest scenes to write those when Cass was on her own. I find it much easier to keep the characters engaging and the plot moving when there's dialogue and interaction happening, but sometimes she needed time to contemplate what was going on. The way I dealt with it was by having her doing something else while she was thinking, and to keep her thoughts as focused as possible--not to drag those moments out.

Did you outline all the plot points and themes that run through the story from the beginning, or you did you go back later and add in, for example, Cass’s storyline with her absent mother or her lack of fashion sense? What about the world building of the ghosts -- did you make up details as you needed them or plot everything out ahead of time?

The most important things (like the characters' relationships with each other) I knew ahead of time, as part of my planning and outlining. But a lot of the details came as I wrote--whatever seemed natural in the moment. Picturing Paige in the first chapter, for example, I knew the kinds of things she would say, and it seemed to fit that she would brighten and fade depending on her mood, and that she'd have trouble with her memory. But I didn't know any of that until I wrote the scene.

As you know, the Slushbusters are primarily a children’s writer’s critique group. Did you use a critique group for your book before you sent it out? If so, describe how your group works and how they helped you.

I have both an in-person critique group and critique partners online, and they all helped get GHOST into shape. My in-person group meets every other week to discuss short stories or a few chapters from members, so from them I got more focused comments on specific sections of the book. They helped me see when I was on the right track and when the story was confusing or wandering, and they also caught details that were contradictory or implausible. My online critique partners read the whole book at once, and gave me feedback on big picture factors like plot, characters, and themes. They let me know what worked for them and which didn't quite, and how I might strengthen the latter. I'm incredibly grateful to all of them--I don't think I'd be at this point without the help of my critiquers.

Is this the first book you have ever submitted to an agent? How many submissions did you send out, and how long before your agent took you on?

The first book I ever submitted to agents was the YA novel I wrote before GHOST, but I only queried three and then started to feel the book wasn't quite ready yet. (I might still go back to it.) With GHOST, I queried about 50 agents over the course of six months, and got about 15 requests for more material. Right after I'd sent out the last round of queries, my agent called and offered representation!

How did the revision process go? Were there any surprises, difficulties or major changes?

The most major change was that I took out an entire subplot (that consisted of three scenes in the book) and replaced that material so that the scenes fit the overall story better. But that wasn't a surprise--I'd actually always had the feeling the subplot didn't entirely fit, but I was hoping it was just me being paranoid because I wasn't sure how to fix it. ;)

The most difficult part was that I disagreed with my editor on a major change to the ending. But after discussing it and hearing my suggestions, she understood my point of view. I made a few changes that I think do make the ending stronger, but was able to keep everything that was important to me.

What are your thoughts on creative inspiration vs. discipline? How do your family and loved ones fit into your writing life?

I think it's a lot easier to be inspired than to write a book! Seriously, I have tons of ideas, but only a few of them have become actual novels. And that's because not every idea, however inspiring it might feel, is actually going to make a good book, and no idea is going to make any sort of book if you don't find the time and energy (and determination!) to sit down and turn it into one. I adore inspiration, and the feeling when I see something from a completely different angle that seems brilliant. But I would attribute most of my success to the fact that I'm disciplined about sitting down and getting those words out, and then trying to make them the best words possible in revisions.

My family, thankfully, has always been supportive of my writing. I used to spend hours in my room tapping away on the computer as a teen--I even had an old laptop I brought along on family vacations so I could keep going with my stories--and my parents never complained (in fact, it was my dad who helped me find and purchase the laptop for that very purpose). My husband has his own creative endeavors, so he totally understands the odd schedules and emotional ups and downs that come with this kind of career.

You have said in your author’s bio that you have never met a ghost. Are there any parts of this story that are semi-autobiographical?

The closest parts of the story to my life are not actual events or people, but the settings. I borrowed a lot from my high school in describing Cass's school, and the lake and the park nearby look like Lake Ontario and the Beaches area of Toronto in my mind.

There are scenes of alcohol abuse by teens, drinking and driving, and references to specific sexual activity in your book. What are the rules for dealing with sensitive topics in this genre and for this age group? Did your editor change any of these scenes?

I'm not sure that there are any specific rules! My rule for myself was to try to deal with those issues in a way that was true to life--including the consequences. Some of the issues I touch on in GHOST are pretty serious, and I made sure to treat them that way. My editor had no problem with that content and it's changed very little from the earlier drafts.

What have you learned from your first publishing experience that might be helpful to those of us still trying to get there?

The most important thing is to keep at it, and keep writing. I wrote several books before GHOST that I knew weren't ready yet, so I just kept writing until I reached the level where I felt comfortable sending my work out into the world. If I'd given up because my first, or second, or third book wasn't quite there, then I wouldn't be here talking to you right now.

What are you working on now and can you give us any ideas when we might see the next book by Megan Crewe on the shelves?

I can't give you an idea because I don't know myself. I can tell you that I've been working on a couple of different YA novels involving ghosts (among other things), but ghosts of a different sort than you see in GIVE UP THE GHOST!

Thanks, Megan, for a great interview!

Alison

Tenderfoot attends first writer’s conference

James River Writers Conference Oct. 9 & 10, 2009

Attending my first writing conference felt like an initiation. Though there were no ceremonial rites into this community akin to joining a sorority, fraternity or secret cult. I was not required to streak across campus naked or prick my finger to mix blood with another. But after the conference, I felt I could now consider myself a serious writer. As with any new club membership I have responsibilities: to treat all other writers with the utmost respect, to give honest feedback when asked and to lend a hand in tasks that advance our community.
The James River Writers put on a very professional, exciting and worthwhile conference, especially for a greenhorn. As I sat only a few feet from NYT bestselling authors, I was in awe. I felt like a kid at his first firework display. Plus the speakers were so accessible; you could walk up to any one of them and strike up a conversation. Not that I had the guts to do this, but I could have.

Pearls of wisdom flowed from the speakers: the setting is like a fragrance, the story arc needs to include dabs of emotions, and your first chapter is like the infant version of the last one.
I, as a new recruit, would recommend this conference to anyone. And the food wasn’t bad either.

I saw this this morning on my embarq news page:

"LONDON (AP) — When we left them, Christopher Robin was going away, and Things were going to be Different. Now, more than eight decades later, a rumor is sweeping the Hundred Acre Wood. According to Owl, who heard it from Rabbit, who heard it from Piglet, the adventures are about to resume. It falls to the bear to pass on the news to Eeyore. "It's Christopher Robin," said Winnie-the-Pooh. "He's coming back."
The drama (and for the Hundred Acre Wood, where life is lived gently, this qualifies) unfurls in the first authorized sequel to A.A. Milne's classic children's tales. Called "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood," the book by author David Benedictus goes on sale Oct. 5 and picks up where Milne's "The House at Pooh Corner," first published in 1928, left off."

Wow. This is big news to me, and I don’t know whether to feel offended that someone would try to "steal" Pooh and make a buck off of him, or excited that another installment of my favorite children's book EVER is coming out.

What I REALLY feel like doing is yelling "Why didn’t anyone tell ME they were looking for someone to write more Pooh books??"

You see, I'm English, not that you can tell by speaking to me. We moved to the USA when I was four and so it is understandable that my British roots may be well hidden. However I did grow up in an English household, even when that household was located in the American midwest. And so I grew up on Pooh. NOT Disney Pooh, but REAL Pooh. Real Pooh, read to me by my Mum in an (authentic, mind) English accent. Not to mention all of A.A.Milne's poetry as well. (John's got great big Wellington boots on, John's got a great big waterproof hat.....well, okay, just believe me. I could go on…)

Naturally I abhore Disney Pooh. Naturally I read REAL Pooh to my own children. I have the Gund Classic Pooh stuffed animals. I even read the Pooh books as a child to my own tattered beloved stuffed rabbit, aptly named Bunny. Yes, I still have Bunny today…you can ask him.

Okay so not only do I have the credentials of a true fan, but I have actually been burning to publish a Pooh story since I was 9. This is my first memory of wanting to publish a story. I didn’t actually WRITE this specific story, but when you are 9, details like that are not especially important. My Mum wrote this story. “In Which”--- all Pooh chapters start with “In Which” – “In Which Piglet gets the Chicken Pox.”

I was 9. Miserable in bed with chicken pox. Couldn’t sleep. So my Mum made up a Pooh story on the fly in the middle of the night, and told me the above story at my bedside in the dark. I was captivated. Inspired. Amazed. Completely forgot about my itchy pox – I had suddenly realized that not only could you READ great stories, you could WRITE them too! I was on a mission to get my Mum’s story published. Why not? It was sweet, used the same tone and rhythm, and would fit right in with the Pooh stories I had grown up on.

Imagine my disappointment when I learned about copyrights and licensing and plagiarism.

All these years my Mum and I have been sitting on the perfect Winnie-the-Pooh sequel, believing it to be impossible to ever publish, and now along comes someone who has permission to publish a sequel. WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL US????

By the way, my Mum’s story really is a very good Pooh story, even through my more knowledgeable adult eyes…just ask Bunny.

Ogres Are Like Onions...

I haven't written much these past two weeks. My new job (yay!) involves co-teaching algebra, and assisting students taking virtual geometry and calculus classes. I love it, but my evenings have been full of numbers.

Lots of numbers. And then more numbers.

If Math were a guy, we'd be dating. He might even be meeting my parents.

Which is why it's lovely to play with words again.

Rachelle Gardner had a great post about proactive or re-active characters. I realized that in the beginning of the novel I'm working on, it's easy for me to let my MC fall into a reactive position. (No surprise to the Slushies- we've discussed this.) Now, part of that is because the story begins with my MC trapped in a completely new life. It can be hard to be active when your world's been upended. Sometimes, there's a period when you're just trying to get your bearings.

However, I think I've found a way to think about internal action. edittorrent had a great post on the layers of a character, using astrology as an example. I don't know diddly about astrology, but the idea is that each person has three aspects to them.

There's the sun sign, which represents their "core personality" and basic traits. I concentrate most often on this part of a character.

But then comes the interesting stuff. The ... (I'm looking back at the post- you really should read it.)

.... rising sign. This is what others notice about your character- first, second impressions. It also includes the persona your character wants others to see.

Then, finally, there's the ... (yes, I'm looking again)

... moon sign. This is what your character hides from others. It's what s/he doesn't want others to see. Doesn't mean it's bad, just something your character is embarrassed about. It's what makes your character blush or run for the hills.

Isn't that great? It really gave me another way to continue to wrap my brain around my characters.

And, bringing this back to active characters...

It gives me a way to keep my MC active. Even in a completely disorienting situation- when there isn't much physical action that can be taken- there can always be the tension between what she wants others to see and what she's afraid they'll discover- what even she is afraid to discover.

That sort of thing can make even the most basic conversation pop.

So what do you think? Do you like this way of looking at characters? What are some things that your characters are trying to project? What are they trying to hide? (I think that hiding part is my favorite.)

I'm a bum

This is my I-should-write-something-but-haven't-the-time-to-be-original post. Like Newton, I'll stand on the shoulders of giants. Or at least other bloggers.

I've mentioned edittorrent before. They had a great post recently on resolving your story, and about how it's so important to tie that resolution to some action that your main character takes. As I work on my revising my own story, I'm trying to shape it with this sort of resolution as my endpoint.

Enjoy!

Ooooh! As an hour or two later add-on, do any of you have insights into crafting good endings? What do you like? Dislike? I'd love to know.

Interview with author Edie Hemingway

“Like the best of children’s literature, Edith Hemingway’s Road To Tater Hill is timeless. The deep and universal emotions of pain and loss that her memorable, fully-realized characters share are as true today as they were in the story’s 1963 setting. Hemingway skillfully evokes the healing bonds of family and friendship in this sensitive, gracefully written tale—one that is sure to engage readers of any age.”--Joyce McDonald, award-winning author of Devil on My Heels, Shades of Simon Gray, and Swallowing Stones.

“Drawing on the author’s childhood roots, the heart of this first novel is the sense of place, described in simple lyrical words: the soaring mountains and the valley rippling outward “in waves and waves of fading blue,” like one of Grandma’s patchwork quilts. True to Annie’s viewpoint, the particulars tell a universal drama of childhood grief, complete in all its sadness, anger, loneliness, and healing.”--Booklist

I was the lucky Slushbuster who volunteered to interview Edie Hemingway, the 2k9 author of Road to Tater Hill. I was hesitant about volunteering, but my Slushbuster friends assured me that the authors were nice and that I would have fun. They were right! I began the process by doing some research. I started with the class of 2k9 web site, was then led to Edie’s personal website, and finally to a blog Edie contributes to. The more I read the more interested I became in the person who is Edie Hemingway. My research stirred up questions in me about Edie’s personal life, her writing, and her book. I sent her a bunch of these questions and asked her to pick her favorite eight to answer. When I got the answers back and read them, I was thrilled to discover a person who not only wrote a book that I want to read, but who also has feelings and life experience that connect with my own and who I would like call a friend.

1. Do you have a favorite book that is tied to a specific memory and can you share it?

I have so many favorite books that it’s hard to pick just one, but if I go back to my childhood, two books that jump right out for me are Calico Captive and The Witch of Blackbird Pond, both by Elizabeth George Speare. I read both of them the summer my baby sister was born prematurely and died, so, of course, I had to have my character Annie Winters read them, too. I guess I will always associate them with that summer, but, more than that, they instilled in me a love for historical fiction. Being able to travel to a different place in time and actually live that time period right along with the main character was an exciting thing for me, and I discovered that means of escape during that difficult summer. In my mind, even after I had finished a book, I went right along living the life of my favorite character as I imagined it would continue—that is, until I met another character whose life I wanted to live. It’s a great way to never get bored!

2. I read that you based your story on a memoir that you wrote about when your baby sister died. I was wondering if you could share something about your experience.

Years ago in a writing class, I had an assignment to write about a childhood experience that evoked strong emotion. The result was a 10-page essay about the experience of losing my longed-for little sister (I would have been just as happy with a little brother!). My mother had 4 miscarriages, so you can imagine how our family anticipated the birth of this baby when we thought everything was going smoothly with the pregnancy. I used this essay in one of the residency workshops during my MFA program at Spalding University, not really knowing what I’d ever do with it. The workshop leader and my fellow students urged me to turn it into a novel because of the strong emotional core of my story. At first I had a hard time separating myself from the main character, but my faculty mentor for that semester (Susan Campbell Bartoletti) suggested I switch from first person to third person as a way to step back and allow Annie to become a character in her own right. What great advice! Suddenly it was much easier to move into fiction and turn Tater Hill into a better story.

However, in my last round of revisions with my editor, she was urging me to dig a little deeper into the emotional color of the indoor scenes. That’s when I had one of those “aha” moments, and realized I needed to go back to first person. By then Annie was a strong fictional character, so I didn’t have that separation problem. Writing the novel was a cathartic experience for me, and I like to think of it more as a story of healing, rather than grieving.

3. I read that you live in a log cabin. I saw pictures of you climbing big rocks near your house and the picture of the dulcimer hanging on your wall. I am intrigued by these pictures of your life. Can you tell us a little bit about your life and how you ended up in a log cabin?

My husband and I live in a 1930s log cabin, Misty Hill Lodge, built from chestnut logs from the property before the blight. Even more amazing are the doors, which were salvaged from a steamship ferry that was part of the Chesapeake Bay Company from 1907 until 1930. Each door still has the original skeleton key with a leather tag inscribed with the room number and “S.S. City of Atlanta,” the name of the ferry. About 11 years ago, we were looking for a smaller house with more property. Misty Hill Lodge was the first place we looked, and we were hooked. It wasn’t just the cabin that drew us in, but also the 6-acre property, which includes 400 feet of rock cliffs across the top of Braddock Mountain near Frederick, Maryland. We have several trails up to the rocks, where I often go to write in my journal. Part of the instant attraction was the rustic, relaxed feel of the house with its huge open great room and massive fireplace, and part was the similarity of the property to the North Carolina mountains where I spent all of my childhood summers.

We did have to make some changes, since the house was only 1200 square feet and had no closets—only hooks on the bedroom walls for hanging clothes. The previous owners had used it for a weekend getaway. We have since built a master bedroom addition and have renovated the kitchen. We do love sharing our home with friends and family, and I teach monthly writing workshops here. It’s a perfect writers’ retreat!

4. How did you meet your husband? What is something that you really liked about him?

I met my husband, Doug, in college at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, which is also the area where my novel takes place. Believe it or not, my husband was my brother’s roommate, and we started out as good friends. We were both members of the hiking club, so we did a lot of outdoor activities, including rock climbing and spelunking, and just enjoying the mountainous surroundings. I think what I liked best about him then (and now) is that he didn’t talk too much, but when he did talk, he had something worthwhile to say.
Doug is the first and closest critiquer of my writing. Whenever I finish a chapter of whatever I’m working on, I read it aloud to him first, and I can count on him to be honest and give sound advice.

5. Whose advice has been the most helpful or brought the most change to your work?

This is a difficult question because I’ve had a number of people who give me very good feedback and advice. Two friends in particular, both of whom graduated from the Spalding MFA program in writing for children, are my most regular critiquers. One lives in Florida and the other in Michigan, so we send each other our work electronically and try to get together once a year for a weeklong retreat at the Floridian friend’s condo in Key Largo. (Not a bad place for a writing retreat!) They both are able to point things out that I’ve missed and have given me wonderful encouragement. I try to do the same for them.

I guess the thing that has brought the biggest change, or improvement, in my work has been to complete the brief residency MFA in Writing for Children at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Even though I had two co-authored published novels before I earned my MFA, I feel as if my writing has improved by leaps and bounds since then. The other change has been since I started teaching creative writing. Putting together a lesson plan or trying to explain an element of the craft of writing forces me to take a longer, closer look at my own work.

6. What does your daily writing life look like? Describe the discipline/routine.

Ha! Right now my daily writing routine consists primarily of book promotion activities. The expectation for what the author will do to promote a new book has changed drastically since my first co-authored book came out nearly 13 years ago! I’m finding it much more overwhelming than I expected, and I’m having trouble getting back to working on a new book. When I am in the writing mode, I work best in the mornings. If I’m on a roll, I don’t stop, but keep going so I won’t lose the flow. I do, however, like to stop writing for the day when I still have something more to write. That serves as kind of a hook (like the end of an exciting chapter) to draw me back into writing the next day. I also work best with a deadline. If I have too much open time and space, I tend to get distracted easily.

7. What is one of your favorite parts of your book? Why do you like it
so much and how did it come to be?

My favorite part of my book is the reclusive mountain woman, Miss Eliza McGee. Her character, including her mysterious background, is the only truly fictional aspect of the story, so I had complete freedom with her. I also am drawn to her sage advice in Chapter 12 (which I won’t explain too fully because I don’t want to give away the story). She says, “Reading and dreaming is what gave me the freedom to burst beyond those thick walls. It gave me the freedom to fly.” I didn’t really plan Miss Eliza’s character. She became so real to me during the writing of the book, that I followed her lead.

8. Of all the possible readers in the world, who would you most like to hear had read your book and loved it?

It’s hard to think of a specific person that I’d like to hear had read and loved my book, but it would be fun to know that some respected and revered authors, like Katherine Paterson or even Elizabeth George Speare (who is gone now) had picked it up to read. I think what I’d like more than anything is to know that it touched a child’s life enough for her to go on “living” Annie’s life in her mind the way I lived my favorite characters’ lives when I was 10, 11, or 12. I’ve had lots of feedback from adult readers, but not yet from child readers, so that’s what has me most nervous as Road to Tater Hill goes out into the world.

Favorite sentences

I was just thinking about some of my favorite sentences ever. You know, those sentences that you read and you stop and think. Wow. That. Is. A. Great. Sentence. Then maybe, being a writer, your next thought is "I wish I had written that!"

(Every once in awhile I'm really proud of a sentence I have written too, but I am thinking today of sentences that I have read.)

Here are two of mine.

I love this one:

"I fear your argument is beguiled by ostentatious erudition."

Anyone know where that is from? I heard it, loved it, memorized it. It is Abigail Adams, to John Adams, telling him that his speech is too flowery, in the A&E movie John Adams. I don't know if that is a quote directly of hers or written by screenwriter Kirk Ellis. Darn, I should have asked him last year at the writers' conference where we met him....

A favorite first sentence for a novel. "Delirium brings comfort to the dying." The passage goes on to describe someone drowning in freezing water. It is written in first person by that drowning person which I have just now realized is not apparent in this sentence. I wonder if that was on purpose? (Dick Francis, by the way, guilty pleasure.)

I know I am not the only one who collects favorite sentences. They dont have to be FIRST sentences of novels, although they often are. That is the nature of first sentences I guess. We work especially carefully on those.

Any favorites come to mind?

Help with Words

Hi All,

I need some words and so far the thesaurus has only given me the obvious. I need positive words to describe a 13 year old girl, words that could be used to describe a pretty photograph of her. Nothing too old for a 13 year old like stunning, sexy, etc.

So far I have words like appealing, refreshing and engaging. Bright, sparkling, even beguiling.

Come on all, whatcha got?

Thanks!

Alison

Good Advice

Every once in a while, I run over to Edittorrent, a great blog about all things writing. I started reading when they had a great series of posts on log lines and pitches.

Today, they had link to RU (something for you romance writers, Amy!). The post had some great advice about incorporating action into even the slow, introspective parts of your story. Nothing terribly new, just terribly well put.

Enjoy!

What do your favorite books look like?

I've been cleaning my apartment lately, sorting through those piles that grow like dust bunnies on steroids.

All that to say, I've been going through lots of books. You can tell the ones that I've spent a lot of time with.

My 20 year old paperback Anne of Green Gables books are missing covers. The pages are yellowed and brittle. There are chocolate stains on more than a few pages.

My green, cloth covered, A Christmas Carol has hot chocolate stains on it's cover and pages.

Fran Slayton's When the Whistle Blows has spaghetti stains on a few pages.

I could go on, but you get the picture. (It probably involves me eating something, which seems to be what I do when I settle down with a good read.)

So what do your favorite books look like? Are they pristine? Food stained? Tear stained? I'd love to know.

Have you ever done this?

So, I was having a bad day a few weeks ago. There I was jogging down a trail, trying to figure out whether to be angry, or cry, or do both at the same time. Then I realized I had an audience.

Myself.

One part of me was smack in the middle of that awful day. The other part took notes. It tried to figure out how to write a scene where my current MC felt what I was feeling. What would she do? Say? How would I describe her expression?

The awful thing is that I've done it when having conversations with other folks. I try to stop as soon as I realize I'm doing it. I want to devote all of me to listening about what's going on with them. But not before squirreling away a few notes to myself for future writing.

So, please tell me that I'm not the only one that does something like this.

This made me laugh

My dad cut this out of the paper for me years ago, and I found it this morning while cleaning out my closet.

What can I say? Writing for children can give you a lopsided sense of humor.

Oh good grief. After viewing the post I realized you can't see it and I can't get it to fit. But you can click on it to see the whole thing!

The exciting life of a writer

I noticed this week that ABC is playing reruns of the first season of Castle, a show about a best-selling mystery writer who helps cops from the NYPD solve murders. I started watching it because I'm a fan of Firefly. If Captain Mal wanted to play a mystery writer, I'd go along for the ride. And then I really started enjoying the show...

But I digress.

As I washed the dishes last night, I thought about how little writing Richard Castle does on the show. Once every show, we see him in front of his computer for a few seconds. Once we saw his outline- very similar to the way cops organize their evidence. He'll discuss his aspects of the plot he's wrestling with. But for a show that claims to be about a best-selling writer, there's precious little writing.

I mean, come on! The man's a writer, let's see him write.

Then that (very tiny) light bulb in my head went off, and reminded me of what you've probably already realized.

A show about a writer writing would be the. most. boring. show.

Ever.

Seriously. Watching grass grow would be more fascinating.

Let's say you're watching me write. I sit down in the Barnes and Noble Café, get my laptop up and running, and...

I write. (3 min)

Fiddle with my iTunes playlist.

I write. (5 min)

Wonder if anyone's commented on my most recent blog post. Check blog post.

I write. (3 min)

Make faces as I try to figure out just what to do with a character.

I write. (7 min)

Mumble dialog under my breath.

I write (30 sec.)

Re-check blog post.

I write. (9 min)

Watch people walk by.

I write. (5 min)

Think about blog post.

I write. (1 min)

Re-recheck blog post. Mentally slap self on wrist. Close internet browser.

I write....

Riveting, huh? The most interesting parts where the bits when I wasn't writing.

No wonder they have Castle help the cops.

Pondering the plot lines of Castle reminded me that writing really is hard work. It's not interesting to watch. It's not interesting to read about. Sometimes, it's not even interesting to do.

It's worth it. I'd be the first to admit it. But I understand why there won't ever be any form of entertainment that focuses on the act of writing.

Truth is, non-writing activities are far more interesting. Like writing blog posts. (Slaps self on wrist. Prepares to turn off internet browser after posting.)

So what about you? What distracts you from your not-always-entertaining-but-oh-so-worth-it writing?

Nicola Morgan would kill me

Nicola Morgan had a great post today about getting one's bum in gear when it comes to writing. She argues- and I agree- that being published is more about hard work and dedication than luck.

It was exactly what I needed to read. I've been far too distracted by job searches lately.

But...

if you would like a bit of luck, take a walk outside tonight or tomorrow night. The Perseid meteor shower is ... showering. Should be lots of shooting stars to wish on.

The equivalent of a three hour slideshow...

So I'm going to hijack this writing blog for a moment. I was tempted to sit you down and subject you to all 405 photos and 40 mini-movies of my time in Bosnia. I decided to keep it far, far shorter.

Mainly because I don't know how to load it all on Blogger.

Just to fill in the blanks, my dear friend Enesa is from a village in central Bosnia. This year, I went home with her and met her family.

I have so many memories and impressions:

The incredible generosity of the people. No one (except Enesa) ever laughed when I messed up in their language. Even when I told them I was eating with my butt (and not a fork).

Swimming in the river Krivaja behind Enesa's house. I'd never been swimming in a river before, and I'm still inordinately proud of the stone I plucked from the bottom (I'm guessing 10 feet down) when the guys dared me. Seriously. I brought it home with me.

Trying to dance one of the folk dances.

My amazement that strangers didn't try to kill me when they saw how poorly I danced.

The bus driver who tried to set me up with his son- only after asking Enesa if I had a university education. (This man with the kind face was the only matchmaking parent who asked about my education.)

Enesa's mom trying to feed me 1) whenever I looked hungry, 2) whenever I came into the kitchen, 3) whenever I had gone more than an hour without food, or 4) just whenever.

Enesa's father, without fail, changing the TV to an English-speaking channel whenever I sat down near the TV.

Enesa's sisters (Elvira and Azra) and cousins (Adnan, Selma and Dino) taking time to speak to me English.

The presents that neighbors brought me when they heard it was my birthday.

Of course, the war was there as well. I remember asking Enesa about warning signs I spotted along a remote road. They looked like the signs we put over gas or oil pipelines. They were for landmines.

I saw deserted, partially destroyed houses. Enesa said that probably the entire family that lived in the house had died. People whose houses were destroyed either rebuilt them or tore them down to remove reminders of the war. If a house hadn't been touched since the war, there probably wasn't a surviving family member left to touch it.

One day, we visited Mount Vlašić, the highest in the region, that had been held by Serb forces. It was so high you could see for tens of miles- great for recognizance and for shelling the lowlands. It was some of the most beautiful country I'd ever seen. Enesa told me about the fighting there, pointed out the scar where the artillery had been dug into the mountainside.

And then we realized we were standing in old trenches.

The picture is of me, standing near one of the trenches.* Vlašić is the bit of mountain to the left of the bush. That picture reminds me so much of my visit there: a breathtaking land, as lovely as the people I met, peppered with reminders of grief and loss.

I'm sure if I were less jet-lagged, (or less worn out by rants about the use of 'raging') I could tie my trip to some aspect of writing. Truth is, I traveled through so many stories there, I'm not sure I would know where to begin.

* No, I'm not saluting or anything- just trying to keep my hair out of my face.

It makes me want to rage...

So I was just skimming a light, summer read sort of book and read something about raging flames. It was the umpteenth time I'd read about some force of nature 'raging'.

Really? Really?!?

Apparently flames, storms, winds, and water can't do anything but rage. Not even on the news.

"Tonight at six: Forest fires continue to rage just ten miles southwest of...."

"Hurricane-force winds raged through this small town last night..."

You get the idea. I can't remember the last time I've read or heard about fires or floodwaters that didn't rage.

And it's ticking me off. I mean, what if the river's just misunderstood? What if it's only mildly irritated?

So please, please help me. Have you heard nature described in any way other than 'raging'? What words were used? Or are there other cliches that make you overreact?

'Cause, yeah, I know I'm overreacting.

Famous Author, Food Lion and Quality of Life

Ever wonder where the elite authors do their grocery shopping? To my great surprise, I found myself in line behind our resident bestselling author, Mr. Legal Thriller at the neighborhood Food Lion. I knew right away who he was. I have seen his picture A LOT in the local paper. What was he wearing? What was he buying? What did he say to the cashier? And most importantly, why was he shopping in Food Lion? On this last question, I can only speculate.

This good-looking man wearing faded blue jeans and a crisp white dress shirt, had his sleeves rolled up his forearms and his top button undone. His chiseled face just made you melt with lust. (Oh, excuse me; I forgot this is a family-friendly blog.) He appeared to be in a hurry and got in the express lane with, literally, a cartload of beer and a splash of bottled water. Well, if you’re counting CASES of beer, he technically did not exceed the 15-item limit. Undoubtedly, he was about to throw a party--or would be the life of the party when he arrived with his trunkload of libations.

His choice of beers was pretty humdrum. Molson was the most exotic. But how exotic are you going to get in a Food Lion? It’s not like they’re known as a boutique grocery store. Our local non-chain international grocer has items from far-flung places on our planet and is more likely his usual shopping scene. Surely, Mr. Legal Thriller has tasted pale lagers, brown ales and stouts from the best brewing capitals of the world. Perhaps his taste buds grew accustomed to lesser brews before his first book hit the New York Times bestseller list. Though he did discuss with the cashier the merits of each of the different brewskies he purchased.

But why shop at Food Lion? Convenience? Low prices? No, I think compared to a place like Foods of All Nations he would not be recognized. I can’t say I blame him. It must diminish one’s quality of life to be so famous you can’t travel wherever you want. Restricted movement in our world, to my way of thinking, would be a form of imprisonment. For that I feel for him.

Recipes for a Good Critique Group Meeting Part II

I ran into a dilemma trying to finish my blog “Recipes for a Good Critique Group Meeting.” I wrote out the story about myself trying to make the brownies and running into problems with mice and breaking dishes etc., but the story also involved other people. When I finished, I suddenly realized that I was planning to put the story onto a place where potentially everybody in the world could read it. It is one thing for me to write about myself doing stupid things, but it would be another thing if someone else wrote about me being involved in a stupid story. I wouldn’t like it. I, therefore, couldn’t put my story on the blog. I’m not sure what this means for me as a blog writer.

Here are the last four paragraphs of the story and the recipes:

Michelle brought an eggplant dip (to a Critique Group meeting at Bridget’s House) and Joan brought some kind of bean dip that were very interesting.

Sarah’s brownies were like a really good book that you hug before you set it down to finally fall asleep and then pick it back up again to finish despite having to suffer the next day.

The two dips on the other hand were like books that you read slowly. You can easily set them down but you can joyfully pick them up to savor later. I kept having to taste them over and over. I’d get a little eggplant dip and let it rest in my mouth – so interesting. Then I’d get some of the bean dip and let it hang out in my mouth for a while – also very interesting. Eggplant dip, bean dip, eggplant dip, bean dip over and over. It was a very interesting and delightful evening and I don’t even like eggplant.

Okay that’s really the end of my story. I warned you from the beginning that it wasn’t really going to go anywhere. Now all I have left to do is to actually give you the three recipes for a good critique group meeting. Unfortunately, I don’t actually have the bean dip one yet from Joan. I have to get it for me and for you. I haven’t tried to make the eggplant one yet, because I am waiting for my free eggplant to ripen in my parents' garden. Do you have the nerve to try the brownies? They really are good. I am going to make them again myself as soon as I am finished with this blasted diet. Will I ever be finished? It takes forever to lose weight especially if the dieter is always breaking the diet. You all may have to make and eat the brownies for me. Good luck!

Sarah’s Brownies
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 c sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla.
1 t. instant coffee
3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
dash or two cinnamon
about 1 c. chocolate chips.

Melt butter, stir in sugar. Stir in eggs, one at a time, till well
mixed. Then add vanilla and instant coffee. Mix dry ingredients
together and add to butter mixture. Stir till mixed, then stir in
chocolate chips.

pour into greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

The Eggplant Recipe is a link from Rachael Ray.