I have a “spot,” and I’ve spoken about this spot before. It's where I go to clear my head and think and get inspiration. It’s a trail that runs along a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I run for about twenty minutes, then take a smaller, more narrow side trail that leads out to a cliff that’s about twenty feet above a rocky, jagged part of the coastline. And that’s where I sit, and I ask questions, and sometimes I get answers. Sometimes I cry, and sometimes I don’t. But no matter what happens, I always feel better afterwards…like I’ve spent time talking with a close friend and I have a better handle on life. Does anyone else have a spot like this?
Today when I was at my spot, I cried. But it was a good kind of cry, because I was watching a flock of seagulls fly by me in a neat, single-file line, and as I watched them fly off, a small sailboat came into view, all at the exact moment the sun was setting over the ocean. It was a moment that took my breath away, and I realized…I freakin’ love where I live!!!
I love that I live in a place where we can take my six-year-old son kayaking and shark fishing and hiking and surfing and bird watching, all within a few minutes of our house. I love that my little boy knows when the tide is in and when it’s out, and that he loves walking through eucalyptus groves. And I love that I have a special spot where I can get away and feel connected with my surroundings. And that my environment can inspire me and lift me up, just like a friend.
I think when I was younger I paid more attention to people, not surroundings. I was more concerned with the people I liked and the people I didn’t like and the people I was jealous of and the people who annoyed me. But now that I’m a teensy bit older, and hopefully a teensy bit wiser, I’ve simplified things. I surround myself with the people I love and the ones who love me…no more, no less. And then I just enjoy my surroundings. So now, (and don’t worry, I realize how cheesy this sounds) I’ve learned how to love our Earth just as much as the people who inhabit it.
So what does this all mean? I don’t know. I kinda feel like Stan at the end of a South Park episode: “I’ve really learned something today!” That I need to teach my child that the environment is important. That it’s true he needs to be friends with lots of kids (and lots of different types of kids), but he also needs to be friends with his surroundings. And that nature can fill a need, just like people can.
So, here we are, forcing our son to be friends with his surroundings. And I have a feeling he doesn’t mind it one bit… 
- Robin
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By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/24/2008
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By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/22/2008
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Lately, I've taken to finding and chatting with old friends via Facebook. Yes, I admit it. Eve, who never liked technology, who was the last person on earth to buy a cell phone, who shunned TV remote controls (why not just get up and turn the knob for crying out loud??) and computers (I have a perfectly good manual typewriter right here!) back in the day.
I started off slowly. Casually. Socially. Looking up Carrie from junior high or Stephie from UCLA...people I'd lost track of over the years and wondered what ever happened to them. I'd say "Hello." They'd write back and update me on their whereabouts. We'd exchange phone numbers and email addresses and promise to keep in touch.
Very quickly, FB-ing took on a life of its own. Suddenly, I was finding more old friends through mutual friends, and receiving friend requests from people I'd known in 5th grade and hadn't even thought about in, um, a lot of y ears. Then, suddenly, we began exchanging silly wall posts, leaving vulgar comments under photos, passing martinis around, baking virtual cupcakes, playing Duck-Duck-Goose, and creating sea creature aquariums for each other.
It hit me last night, as I was engaged in several of the above at the same time, that Facebook is high school all over again! You can "friend" and "de-friend" people in an instant, show off your flair for fashion, gossip on a giant virtual "bathroom wall" for all the world to see, brag about how popular you are by showcasing your number of friends, get "drunk" off virtual beers, play poker, discuss books and politics, and even join clubs like the "Obama Club" or the "No on Proposition 8 Club" or the "Save The Wolverines Club"!
(I don't think there's any kind of "hooking up" with a cute guy/girl feature, but I'm sure it's coming soon! That should be interesting...instead of "Click HERE to send Dave a pink octopus for his sea garden" it will say, "Click HERE to..." Never mind!)
For people like me, who loved high school and love to reminisce with long lost friends, Facebook is fantastic! Another added bonus is that I'm finding this to be a fabulous tool for YA book research and helping me regress back into the teen mentality. The other night, I went back and forth with an old girlfriend for a few hours (I'm recovering from knee surgery here and can't really move off the couch yet. That's my excuse for slacking and I'm sticking to it!). We rehashed so many forgotten stories of parties, heartbreak and crushes...it was amazing, the feelings and memories that flooded back.
*IMMATURE AND JUVENILE ALERT*
We even made lists for each other of the boys we kissed in high school and those we wanted to kiss, then laughed hysterically (virtually) when our lists shared a common guy. It was like the most entertaining thing I've done in a long time! This FB-ing has really enriched my writing in so many ways. Reliving my teen years with these friends and even the mention of a familiar name often gives me authentic plot ideas I never would have come up with on my own. Unfortunately, this FB thing is on its way to becoming an addiction for me. Fortunately, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up with a really great novel!
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/18/2008
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Because of author websites and MySpace, I’m sure authors receive a lot more feedback from readers than in the past. And I love that! Checking my MySpace messages is one of the highlights of my day.
But I looooove receiving actual hardcopy letters from my readers. Usually, those are mailed to my publisher, and then Penguin sends them on to me in one big envelope. This week, my bundle contained a letter from a high school senior in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Along with the letter (she loved the book…woo-hoo!), she also sent a wallet-sized senior portrait. With MySpace, you can usually see the writer of the message staring back at you in the upper left-hand corner. But with hardcopy letters, that’s not usually the case. So this particular letter reminded me of how fun it was to trade senior photos in the final year of high school.
So now, I’m gonna throw down a challenge to all you writers of teen literature out there. Go dig out your remaining senior photos. If you were just so popular in high school that you don’t have any leftovers, go scan the photo in your yearbook. And then post it on your blog! Come back to this post and leave a comment, directing us to your blog, so we can all laugh at…I mean, admire…how much you haven’t changed. (If you write for younger children, or are an illustrator, or blog in any way about books for children or teens, you should play along, too!)
To start it off, here are my two senior photos:
Ha! Ha! Ha! Laugh all you want. Like yours are any better...
- Jay
BONUS FACT: In the photo with my guitar, I'm actually playing the opening chord to a huge song from my high school days: More Than Words by Extreme. Don't lie, you still love that song!
UPDATE
Presenting...Robin!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/16/2008
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I’ve made a few changes this week. Here they are, in no particular order…
- I quit my job. I start a new job in a couple of weeks, and while it’s not entirely different from my current job, my hope is that it will be different enough to make me the happiest person on the planet. Or, at least, moderately light-hearted. In my new job, I will be supervising in-home behavioral programs for children with autism. Which means I will be attending lots of training and learning how to use Applied Behavioral Analysis. (Gulp!)
- I bought a new pair of shoes. Normally, I wouldn’t consider that as something new since I do it so often. But my new shoes are like my food…vegan! They are an adorable pair of Mary Janes by Earth shoes and, according to the outside of the box, they’re vegan shoes. I don’t quite know what vegan shoes are, but I assume it means they aren’t made from ground beef and string cheese? How cool!!!
- I bought a bouquet of flowers. Usually I drop hints to my husband that it’s time for him to buy me flowers, but this week I decided to put gender stereotypes aside and give a beautiful bouquet of tulips to my husband and thank him for all his love and support. And I have to say…brilliant idea. He loved it! Now I’m thinking about giving him diamonds and perfume. Who knows, maybe even a new pair of vegan shoes!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/14/2008
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Last week, I spent three days speaking and signing books at the 18th Annual Novello Festival of Reading in Charlotte, North Carolina. Was it amazing? Was it amazing? Yes. It was amazing!
On Thursday and Friday, I spoke at four high schools: Ardrey Kell, Performance Learning Center, North Mecklenburg, and West Charlotte. It's unbelievable how every presentation can be a totally unique experience. And yet, you should believe it cuz it's true!
As usual, I use a PowerPoint to show my journey as an author and how Thirteen Reasons Why came to be. And, as usual, this slide here seems to get the biggest reaction. My favorite part, every time, is when I get to read a few pages with one of the students. Their interpretations of Hannah are always different (and not just because of the various accents they give her around the country) but they're always great!
This was the first time I arrived at a school, greeted by my name on the marquee. Did that give me the chills? Uh...kinda!
At another school, for the first time, they had posterboards and whiteboards all over the place announcing my visit. One whiteboard was overflowing with favorite quotes from the book. One posterboard was full of positive messages derived from the book. Here's Ashley and me in front of one of the whiteboards. (She designed the audiotape!)
The library across from my hotel had a gallery of original children's book art. There was a Tomie dePaola. A Garth Williams. And check out this close-up of a David Wisniewski paper cut-out piece.
Down the street was another library...just for children and teens. The ImaginOn is amazing! Aside from plenty of things to read (except for Thirteen Reasons Why...it was checked out!), there are a million cool things for children to play with. The teens even have a studio where they can film animated cartoons, live-action scenes (with a blue-screen for special f/x), or record their own music. And all you need is a library card.
Plus, they have some huge art structures.
Oh, and there were other authors in town, too! That's what Novello does. They bring in all types of authors to speak with all types of readers. And, quite often, I need to pinch myself over the people I find myself hanging out with. Here I am, dining with A.M. Jenkins, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and Ellen Hopkins. (Pinch-pinch!)
On the final day of the program, all of the authors and illustrators for children and teens did a group Q&A at ImaginOn, followed by an autograph party outside. Here I am being clawed by the author of The Cheetah Girls, Deborah Gregory. Growl power!
I swear, Cynthia Kadohata, author of Kira-Kira, started it! But at least I can say I fulfilled my long-held dream of putting bunny ears on a Newbery-winning author.
Before going home, I paid a visit to a traveling Pompeii exhibit. The rooms were full of items excavated out of the ash, bringing back to life an amazing city. But the final room was heartbreaking. The walls and floor were black. Overhead spotlights illuminated the famous plaster casts of the final moments of people and animals trapped in their homes and on the streets. A slave still had shackles around his legs. A man held a handkerchief up to his mouth. A man and a woman spend their last moments together.
It's funny how authors are attracted to things like Pompeii. Ms. Haddix and Ms. Jenkins were walking the exhibit and ran into Ms. Kadohata. And then they ran into me. As Ms. Haddix pointed out, only one of us opted to purchase the audiotour device. And if you had to guess, based on our books, which author would be most fascinated by the idea of an audiotour...you might pick me.
And you'd be right.
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/11/2008
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I have finally handed my middle grade novel, The Happiness Project, over to my agent. (Pant, pant. Whew!) It feels like I just handed in the hugest term paper ever and now I’m cringing to see how many red marks the teacher will put on my paper. Hopefully, she’ll put a big A+ with a cute smiley face. Maybe even draw some stars and hearts. That’d be nice.
Whenever I finish writing a book, I find that I have to take a break. I wish I was one of those people (you know who you are, CynJay!) who can just scoot right back up to the computer and start working on another book. But for me, I need to decompress. Relax. Meditate. Kick back. Smell the roses. Eat popcorn. Watch more TV. Cry over the economy. Kick the dog...that sort of thing.
(And, of course, I don’t actually kick my dog. Just stuffed animal versions of my dog.)
What about you writers and illustrators out there? Do you get started on a new project as soon as you turn one in? Or do you take some time off before you dig in again? I love hearing about other processes…so leave me a comment.
I’ll just be sitting here, kicking back, eating popcorn, petting my dog, and reading your comments. What else is there to do!?
-Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/9/2008
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I’ve got a stack of YA books on the shelf next to my writing couch (Yes, I said “couch”…I like to be veeerrry comfortable when writing, and need to spread out. A chair just won’t do!) that I read when giving my wrists a break from typing on an ergonomically-challenged laptop for hours at a time. The “stack” consists of YA novels that have been given or recommended to me, and they’re all very different from what I write, in terms of style, subject matter, and themes. I find that reading during my writing breaks keeps me motivated…not sure if it’s the carrot of the whole entire published book, or if it’s just giving my mind a break from whatever I’m obsessing over in my own story. A lot of people tell me they cannot read anything else while crafting a book. But for me, it’s essential.
So, I’m staring at the “stack” today and realized that I’ve read little bits and pieces of each book, but never read just one consistently for too long, or even finished most of them! (It’s a LARGE stack, I tell you.) So, I thought long and hard about what my problem is and it hit me that the books all have something in common.
The “Ick” factor. Yes, I said “Ick.” As in, yuck. Sick. Gross. Disgusting. Repulsive. I don’t know what it is about the novels people are giving me lately, but they all deal with really sick topics. Like, hard to read topics. Now, I am not a prude. I can watch gross-out horror flicks, CSI, Fear Factor, bloody surgery shows with the best of ‘em. But, I’m talking about disturbing stuff. Stuff I wish I hadn’t read. Nauseating visuals I can’t get out of my head. Plots that are so far out there on the vile scale, I have to wonder who would actually read--and get pleasure--from them.
I have nothing against difficult and edgy topics. Give me suicide, death, destruction, drugs, guns, even a little homicide doesn’t bother me so much…I’ll take those any day. I’m talking more along the lines of violent abduction, child-rape, perverted sexual assault, twisted brainwashing…that kind of thing.
My question is this: Who is the audience? If we are writing for teens, should we be providing stories that are so perverted, so far out there, so disturbing, that they become afraid to leave their houses or ever make eye contact with a stranger? It’s one thing to write a story about, say, suicide, which in my opinion is something every single teen on the planet is somehow touched by. But some of these stories are about such random and rare issues, I just wonder exactly who is relating to them. Now, I realize we do not have to relate or see ourselves in every story we enjoy. But I’m telling you, I’ve got a stack of YA books that seem to lack any ente rtainment value at all. In fact, the only hook I can imagine is one of shock value. Although, I have to worry about the person who enjoys this kind of shock.
I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe not. My dear friend, Barbara, gave me an ARC, that is getting good reviews, recently and said, “I just want to see what you think.” When I asked what she thought of it, she said, “Oh! It made me barf!”
Guess what. I read it. And then I barfed.
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/7/2008
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If I could, I would wake up everyday and stay in my pajamas till I swap (in a move reminiscint of Mr. Rogers) one pair of pajamas for another just in time to crawl back into bed. My days would consist of waking up, brewing some coffee, sitting down to write, and not getting up (other than for refills and bathroom breaks) till I can't write anymore.
And now...I'll have the chance to do that.
In an extremely bittersweet move, I recently gave notice that I will be leaving my full-time job at the public library to become a full-time writer. I absolutely love my job at the library. Everyday, I feel like I'm contributing something worthwhile to the community. And my co-workers have all become friends. But it's every author's dream (at least, every author I've spoken with) to have the chance to devote as much time as possible to their stories.
And now...I'll have the chance to do that!
This definitely was not an easy decision. My agent, the fine folks at Penguin, my family, and the Mermaids have all been pushing me in this direction for quite a while. But I'm a worrier, so just the idea of leaving the stability of a full-time job (with benefits!) was agonizing. So my agent and the fabulous folks at Penguin basically pushed me out of the nest (can Penguins fly?) and now I'm happy to announce that I'm putting all of my eggs into one basket. [If you check out the third photo in this post, that's what we were toasting. Sometimes it takes a while to finalize these things.]
On top of writing, I'll be able to do a lot more promoting, which is almost as fun as writing. (Actually, it's more fun than writing...but don't tell the fantastic folks at Penguin I said that!) For example, last weekend I signed books at the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association tradeshow.
Take a looksie...
Do any of you recognize this woman? She's a V.I.P. in the history of my book signings. Click here to find out who she is. And yes, I realize I have a problem thinking I need to hold my book every time my photo is taken. Call it author-insecurity.
Okay, now this is ridiculous! I must really have author-insecurity issues. On the left is Allison Verost, my publicist at Penguin. According to Allison, publicists should never be photographed. They should remain behind-the-scenes. So, everyone...this is Allison! And on the right you will find Penguins Sales Rep. Extraordinaires, Steve Kent and Colleen Conway.
Problem solved! I can hold someone else's book while they hold my book. Before my autographing session, I had coffee with fellow Razorbillian, Richelle Mead. Richelle does a much better job on her blog of showing you what an actual tradeshow looks like.
Now, it's time to buy some comfy new pajamas!
- Jay
Mermaid Meet-Up: Today (Tuesday, October 7th), I'll be speaking at the fourth annual San Luis Obispo Suicide Prevention Forum. It'll be at Laguna Middle School from 6-9pm. If you're in the area, stop by...and take home some valuable information. You can download a flyer here.
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/4/2008
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The Disco Mermaids got together the other night to celebrate two things: the vice-presidential debate and Jay’s birthday. And by the way, Jay wouldn’t admit his age in his last post, but in two years he will have lived on this planet for as long as Joe Biden has been a U.S. senator. That’s right…Jay is 76 years old.
The three of us had a good time discussing politics and eating veggie burgers from our favorite local restaurant, Sylvester’s. (What is in their sauce!? Heaven juice!?) Well, not all of us had veggie burgers. Jay had hamburger. But who could blame him? At his age, the poor guy needs all the extra iron he can get!
We thought it might be fun to play a drinking game while we watched the debate and take a drink every time Sarah Palin said “maverick,” “gosh darn,” "nuke-you-ler," or “ramp it up!” or any time Joe Biden offered specific facts. But we knew no one would be able to drive home if we did that, so we sipped our Coke Zeros with sophistication (pinkies out!) and made crude remarks to the TV screen. We’re just that classy.
And, of course, we ate cake. Lots of it. Ridiculous amounts of it. So many amounts, it was like we were celebrating the cake itself…and it deserved it. But really, it was all for you, Jay. Happy Birthday, man!
Now that we’re done celebrating, the Disco Mermaids need to get back to the business of writing books. But at least now we have a new writing mantra…
Ramp it up!!!
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 10/2/2008
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I’m a simple person. It doesn’t take much to excite me. Little things that make me incredibly happy are: Fetching the new People magazine from the mailbox, mounds of whipped cream on my morning café mocha, unexpected emails from old friends, an accidental extra jelly doughnut in my box of “dozen assorted” from Stan’s in Westwood.
Seriously, no joke, these are the things I revel in. One new comment on my Facebook page can get my heart pumping, my endorphins flowing, and instantly make me ecstatic to be alive. Told you. I’m simple.
With my excitement threshold still being that of a six-year-old (remember when finding a ladybug on your sleeve was like the best thing ever?) you can imagine how I felt when I ran into Borders Bookstore a few days ago to check out the Writing/Publishing section (which I often do, just to see if there’s anything on the planet about this business I haven’t read yet) and saw this!!
The New Writer’s Handbook, Vol. 2 is an all-new collection of articles to refresh and upgrade any writer's skills, with tons of advice on craft and career development. It delivers an eclectic mix of expert how-tos, stimulating pieces on creativity and professional issues, and broad encouragement for aspiring and experienced writers alike.
Why the heart attack inducing freak out session? Because I flipped to page 33 and saw this!
“SOCK MONKEYS AND STEGOSAURUSES” BY EVE PORINCHAK
Originally written as a post on this blog, the lovely editor, Philip Martin, had read it and contacted me about turning it into an article for the anthology.
There’s nothing like the thrill of seeing one’s name in print. In a real book. In a real bookstore. When I spied the book, I was alone in the aisle (sweats-clad and greasy-haired, by the way…not my best look) except for the scruffy, bespectacled young book-stacker a couple shelves down. I could not contain my enthusiasm. I flipped to page 33, jumped up and down, squealed a bit, then decided I needed to share the moment with someone. It went something like this:
ME: (pokes scruffy young book stacker in the arm) Hey…Hey!
HIM: Yes.
ME: Look! (points to page 33) That’s me!
HIM: Uh-huh.
ME: Me! In the book. My name. Me!
HIM: Mm-hmm.
ME: I wrote this.
HIM: (finally looks up from his book stacking) Oh.
ME: I’m a writer…
HIM: (finally stops book stacking) Yeah? Like JK Rowling??
ME: (walks away hugging book to chest) Yes. Just like JK Rowling.
Amazon blurb:
The 60-plus articles are chosen from best pieces of advice published in books, magazines, and online. Contributors include Tess Gerritsen, Lois Lowry, Ira Glass, and other bestselling and award-winning authors, plus leading journalists, writing teachers, editors, agents, and literary bloggers…(LIKE EVIE P!)
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/30/2008
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It’s my birthday, and I don’t feel like taking the time to write a full post today. So…I’m not gonna!
Why don’t I feel like writing a full post? It doesn’t matter! It’s my birthday, and that’ll just have to be reason enough for ya.
But I did take a close-up photo of that space around my eyes while I was smiling today. Based on this evidence alone, can you tell how old I am?
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/27/2008
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I want to give a big shout-out/ hug/ pom-pom shake to my friend Cynthia Jaynes Omololu (Cynjay!) for selling her debut young adult novel!
From Publisher's Marketplace:
CHILDREN'S/YOUNG ADULT
Cynthia Jaynes Omololu's Dirty Little Secrets, in which the garbage-filled world of a 16 year-old girl comes crashing down around her even as she gets her first glimpse of what it might be like to be "normal" rather than living cloaked in the secret shame of her mom's out-of-control hoarding to Mary Kate Castellani at Walker, by Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency (world).
Woo-hoo! (Doesn’t that sound like a fascinating premise!?)
I met Cynthia a couple of years ago at a conference in Santa Barbara where we both met up with our agent, Erin Murphy. Cynthia and I hit it off right away. It’s so cool when that happens…you look at someone and you immediately think, “Yep. I could hang with that girl—for sure.”
Since then, we’ve exchanged manuscripts and parenting advice and many silly emails and, of course, our thoughts on writing. And what I’ve learned most from her is perseverance. And I’m not talking the you can do it kind. Cynthia has perseverance of the extreme kind. She will write a book, send it off to her agent, go to the bathroom, take a sip of coffee…then start on another book. She made a decision to make this her path in life and she kept writing until it happened.
The Disco Mermaids are doing the happy dance for you, Cynthia! (Which is actually cute when Jay and Eve do it, but not so much for me.)
Congratulations!
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/25/2008
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I just spent 10 days biking through wine country in Southern France. A huge group of us got together to celebrate the life of a great friend who recently defied the odds to beat a deadly cancer. He “Lance Armstrong-ed” his way back to health through biking and came back better and stronger than science predicted he could.
Attacking Mount Ventoux, the most feared portion of the Tour De France, was the original point of our biking trip. Unfortunately, I busted my knee the day before and was unable to make it up the mountain. But I did take this pic from my hotel room at the very moment my buddies summitted. Can you see them waving?
Because the other bikers I traveled with tend to ride at the speed of Lance, and I ride more at the speed of, say, a lame snail, I ended up spending a lot of hours alone checking out the scenery. Having never been to France, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Funny thing is that upon first glance the French countryside looks a lot like, well, the San Luis Obispo countryside with its vineyards, wildflowers, and tiny rural towns. But below the surface, it’s a whole different world.
There’s something different about the air in French wine country. It’s somehow crisper, sweeter, more oxygenated. Although the trees are probably the same exact species we have here, there’s something about the way they tilt against the sky, the way the branches bend and leaves curve, that makes them appear to have been sculpted individually with an artist’s hand. Like maybe the guy who trims those shrubs at Disneyland into animal shapes took his shears to France and became a master of abstract composition. Everything in France is about aesthetics. Fruit stands are meticulously arranged. Buildings are preserved in all their ancient Roman magnificence. Even their ghettos are dazzling with perfectly pruned flowers and cobblestone streets.
One day I abandoned my bike and hiked a good twelve miles alone through untouched wilderness. As I was walking through yet another endless lavender field I realized that the space was so quiet, I could not remember ever hearing such a loud quiet. No cars, no airplanes, no voices, nothing! Not even a bumblebee buzz. Normally that would creep me out. But instead it was calming and I had one of those writerly epiphany moments. When a distant rooster finally broke the silence I realized that although the setting initially appeared so familiar, it felt so completely different. It was a “feeling” type of setting.
I’ ve always been sucked into books where a moody “feeling” type setting emerges. You know, the kind where you “feel” like you are “in” it, not just being told about it. A few great examples come to mind; Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers, and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
I love the idea of setting as a character in itself. And while hiking I promised myself that while writing I will now and forever pay more attention to setting. Describing one’s surroundings always seemed so boring to me back in 9th grade English. But now I realize there’s more to it. Setting has to evoke a feeling. Whether it’s soothing and familiar, or uncomfortable and frightening, the right setting can make or break a book. And a vacation!
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/23/2008
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This past weekend, I attended the North Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association tradeshow, in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Penguin hosted a meet-the-authors breakfast, which allowed me to...y'know...meet some authors! Cameron Tuttle, Loren Long, and T.A. Barron all spoke at the breakfast and had such different, but very inspiring, personal stories to tell. (Of course, I gave a presentation, as well. But I've heard my story a million times, so it's not that inspiring to me anymore.) You've gotta check out Loren's picture book, Drummer Boy. Not only was it inspired by my favorite Christmas song (and his!), but it's absolutely beautiful.
And then I crashed (just for a minute) a lunch hosted by HarperCollins so I could do a little fanboy dance and get this picture with Maureen Johnson.
Next, I took an expensive cab ride into Philadelphia...to wrap my mouth around my first-ever Philly cheesesteak. Wow!
Since I was already in Philly, I decided to check out some historical stuff. And what's my favorite American era? It's that whole Spirit of '76 thing. And what city rocks the Spirit of '76 the hardest? Philadelphia! They've got the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall, and Ben Franklin pretty much everywhere you look. They even have a new museum dedicated to the Constitution. One room has lifesize bronze statues of the signers, and you can walk amongst them, which is just eerie. When I had another tourist take my photo, I realized that I ridiculously had my hand on the back of one of the statues, as if we were posing together. (That's Ben Franklin in front, doing that classic pull-my-finger routine he invented.)
To make Penguin happy (and also because I love doing this), I walked to a bunch of bookstores in the area and signed their copies of Thirteen Reasons Why. And as I was walking by Independence Hall, the road was blocked off and a small crowd was gathering. I looked across the street, and guess who was leaving a meeting there...
Johnny McC walked across the street and shook hands with the people standing all around me. I guess I just...I don't know...didn't feel like it. But I did stick a camera in his face!
Then, the part I'd been looking forward to most of all because that's just how I am. I took a guided ghost tour! Our costumed guide led us around the city with a candle-burning lantern. In the photo below, our guide is standing in front of America's very first library, with a statue of Benjamin Franklin above her. According to our guide, Mr. Franklin's ghost has been seen many times walking through the halls with an armful of of books. But sometimes, when his arms aren't so full, his spirit has a habit of pinching ladies on the buttocks. Renaissance man, indeed!
The next morning, I went to the NAIBA tradeshow floor in search of freebies. I must've said D'oh! half a dozen times after realizing I recently paid full price for books I could've gotten for nothin'! These events are always nice for connecting with other YA authors in attendance. After chatting about the industry and creativity, someone usually says, "Hey! We should exchange books and autograph them!" So two of the latest additions to my signed-book collection are Same Difference, by Siobhan Vivian, and The Secret Rites of Social Butterflies, by Lizabeth Zindel.
My final big thrill of the trip (okay, it was actually followed by a second Philly cheesesteak) was touring Independence Hall. The room below is where the Declaration was signed and the Constitution came together. The weight of history in that room gave me the chills and, not to get all sentimental, it made me even more determined to do my part from now till November (and after) to help make this a more perfect union. By the way, more perfect union has got to be the most creative use of three words in any government document. Anyone who says America is already perfect...fine. But even the founders thought we should try to make it even more perfect. (Who knew those men in tights could be so sarcastic!) And that chair at the back of the room, that's the only piece of original furniture in there. Some guy named George Washington sat in it.
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/21/2008
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I’ve finally finished the revisions for The Happiness Project. Woohoo! Now it’s off to get suggestions from a couple of author friends and then, assuming their suggestions aren’t the start-all-over kind, it’s off to my agent.
So you would think now that I’m done with my part for a while, I’d have plenty of time for laundry and movies and shower scrubbing and well-cooked dinners. But…no.
I have another project I’m working on. I’ve been helping my husband start up his wedding photography business and we’ve signed up to be in a wedding faire next month. Which sounds simple, but the vendors at these fairs don’t just decorate, they go…all…out. Fabric, flower arrangements, lighting, rugs, souvenirs, giveaways. And the lighting. Did I mention the lighting!?
Gulp.
They even have a competition at the wedding faire for booth decorating and they’ll be handing out an award for Best In Show. My plan is to just do well enough that we aren’t escorted out of there by the decorating police. (Would they handcuff us with tulle?)
“Simple and elegant,” I explained to my husband.
He nodded.
But yesterday, Husband burst into the front door and said, “Dude, I found these lamps that sit on the floor and they’re covered in bamboo and I could take off the top and weight the bottom with sandbags and light it from beneath and we could buy four of them and build our own tabletops and attach them with brackets and run the cords underneath so it looks like tables that are sitting on glowing bamboo pods! What do you think!?”
What do I think?
We’re going for Best In Show, baby!!!
-Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/18/2008
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After work, I met Robin for an emergency Brainstorm Session about a problem with her novel. Meanwhile, my wife was at a friend’s house and we probably weren’t going to see each other till much later because she was then heading to choir practice. Well, the Mermaid B.S. session ended early (it was an easy fix!), so I decided to surprise my wife before she left her friend’s house.
Her friend lives in a mobile home park, but I couldn’t remember which home was hers. So I parked my car across the street from the entrance so my wife would see me as she was leaving…and hopefully she could spare a second to say hi before driving off.
I was trying to be cute!
So I sat there. And then I pulled out a really cool book I’d just picked up about the Salem Witch Trials and began reading. Then I watched three teenage boys drive up beside me, walk across the street, and hang out in front of the mobile home park. I couldn’t hear their words, but after reading one or two pages, I’d look up and try to figure out what they were talking about based on their body language. There was a lot of stepping on and off the curb, swiping at the air when making a point, and full-throttle laughing while leaning way back. As a YA author, it was fascinating to remind myself how important actions are when describing a character’s personality. After a few more pages, a teenage girl riding a bike stopped beside the boys. Suddenly, their body language was very different. Everyone either stayed up on the sidewalk or down in the gutter, without changing positions. Hands were either in their pockets or gently pointed at the girl when she made a presumably good point. And the laughs were more like chuckles. I read a little more, and eventually the girl said goodbye and began riding away. The boys just stood there and watched her pedal for a long time. And then they went back to using their original body language.
Like I said…fascinating!
Wait. Where in the world was my wife?
Then it hit me. My wife’s friend didn’t live in the mobile home park anymore. She’d recently moved into a stationary home. Aaaaaargh!
So much for being cute.
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/16/2008
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Something really amazing happened to me this week. While I was revising my middle grade manuscript, I realized…my book has a theme! And the strange thing? The theme wasn’t what I thought it was going to be.
About half-way through writing the first draft of The Happiness Project, I decided the theme of the story would be about the importance of having opinions, and how having different opinions can be a good thing (in relationships and especially in society).
So, okay. Fine. That’s a fine theme.
But then this week, when I was working on approximately draft #347 of the book, I came across a sentence that jumped out at me. It was one line my main character said to her mom while they were talking about the family dog. And I realized: that one line is my theme!
It was one of those moments where fireworks went off and angels sang and chocolate was eaten quickly! I had heard of this happening to writers before—they write a story and many, many drafts later the theme presents itself to the author. Like magic! Then these lucky authors write another draft where they strengthen the theme and make one of those...you know…awesome books. I just never thought I’d be one of those authors.
Just like I never thought I’d consider myself a runner. I usually describe myself as someone who “moves her feet rapidly 3-4 times per week.” Not a runner. But I guess technically I can now call myself a runner because I've experienced that one thing that all real runners have experienced: Runner’s High. Know what I’m talking about? That moment where you’re running and you realize that your brain is not attached to your body and your lungs are on auto-pilot and you feel so good you think you could run forever…or at least all the way from Sarah Palin’s house to Russia and back!?
Well, it happened to me! (Once.) I was running on the beach in Morro Bay, CA and I literally ran so far I ran all the way to the next town. I ran so far the dog leash law changed!
So, I guess I can kind of call myself a real runner. And now I feel like a real writer. I wrote a story and the theme presented itself to me like magic!
Now that’s Writer’s High!
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/13/2008
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No, that is not a typo, and I don't have an Elmer Fudd speech impediment. FOW is the unofficial name of my monthly L.A. based kid-lit writers critique group. Judy Enderle and Stephanie Jacob Gordon started the group a few years back, when I was still "green" and silly and hopeful (and a really BAD writer, but that's a story for another day!). Okay, so I'm still silly and hopeful. But with the help of this extremely generous and talented group of women, I am hoping my "greeness" has become a little less neon and more of, say, a light mint or celery color.
Over the years we've lost a few members for geographic reasons. But when one leaves, Tina Nichols Coury (who so generously provides housing, snacks, coffee, tea, puppies, candy, and sometimes special gifts, for our meetings) always seems to round up another insanely creative and special writer to fill the spot. Oh, and did I mention Tina is the queen of marketing (both BEFORE and after selling a book!), an amazing golfer, a prolific painter, a world traveler AND knows the business of writing inside and out? Seriously, when does the girl sleep?
I'm humbled to work with these women, and often feel out of place. Remember that song, "Which one of these things is not like the other...?" Not because we don't connect on a personal level (we do!) or a political level (we definitely do!) or have things in common (oh, boy, do we ever!). But, as I sat yesterday critiquing the masterpiece works (NO JOKE) of Barbara Bietz, Denise Gruska, June Sobel, Barbara Jean Hicks, and Tina Nichols Coury, I realized that I have SO much still to learn about the craft of writing!
I mean, my goodness, these people know a lot about A LOT. I used to wonder why Judy and Stephanie chose me to join this group in the first place, having been so new to writing and all. But, then I stopped and thought, WHO CARES? I have to believe that some serendipitous forces tossed us together for a reason, and I'm certainly enjoying the ride! So, why ask why?
Just yesterday I had an incredible chat with Barbara Bietz, who somehow miraculously balances working, writing, parenting, and still manages to look fashion-model put together, keep up on politics and Hollywood gossip, and read seemingly every book that hits the shelves. Superwoman personified, you know what I mean? Anyway, just before we hung up the phone she said, "There are no accidents, Eve." I didn't used to believe that. But now I think I really do!
For some reason, the planets aligned perfectly, I found this unique group of writers, or maybe they somehow found me, and every time we get together it's complete magic. Our manuscripts are transformed, our feelings and fears are validated, our views on the world listened to, and spirits are brightened. I always drive home (2.5 hours for me each way) feeling like I just finished an amazing workout, had a massage, a home-cooked meal, and a breakthrough therapy session all at the same time!
Seriously LOVE these girls. Long live the Fellowship of the Wing! When attempting a group picture, we were unable to figure out the camera timer thingy, so there we are, one pic sans Eve, one pic sans Tina. We're better writers than we are photographers, trust me!
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/11/2008
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At long last, I’ve found another creative outlet. Painting!
This past Saturday, I painted my very first canvas. I titled it "Windcatcher" and gave it to my wife on our 6th wedding anniversary on Sunday. (The woman in the painting is supposed to be JoanMarie, in case you don’t recognize her.)
For several years, I had been telling Eve that I wanted to learn how to paint. She always told me to c’mon over and she’d show me how, but I always had “other things” to do. Truthfully, I was just terrified of discovering that I sucked. I can’t draw, so how could I possibly paint? But last week, I watched a BBC series about famous paintings and I relearned a word that would allow me to justify a lack of attention to detail: Impressionism!
No, of course that doesn’t look exactly like a woman’s hair caught in a breeze. It’s simply my impression of a woman’s hair caught in a breeze.
Eve was getting ready to begin a painting for a neighbor, so I joined her. Her paints were all set out, she had an assortment of canvas sizes for me to choose from, and we got to work. She gave me a few pointers (you can use the other end of a brush to scratch lines through the paint!), but she otherwise allowed me to get lost for a couple hours in the colors.
Of course, after I’d finished my painting, Eve showed me what she’d been working on.
Show off!
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/9/2008
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I would love to be boastful and say, “I read the New York Times!” But I don’t. I read articles in the New York Times…not the whole thing. I would love to read it from front to back, but I simply don’t have the time. (Who knew getting the consistency right on my smoothie every morning would be so time consuming!)
My husband loves to read it cover to cover and hands it over to me with particular articles he wants me to read circled in black ink. Sometimes they’re articles about politics, sometimes they’re articles about fuel consumption, but usually they’re articles to help me with book ideas. Like the one about the teenagers who did a school research project on the type of fish used in sushi restaurants. (Be careful…that bluefin tuna might really be tilapia!)
But this last article he gave me was about teenagers. And popularity. And how popularity (or lack of it) when we’re teenagers can be an indicator of our future success as adults. And it’s not what you think! (Hence, the reason I love reading the New York Times.)
The article suggests that kids who are likeable seem to have more success outside of high school than kids who are prominent. Researchers asked teens questions about who is popular in their school and who is not. Then they asked them who’d they like to hang out with most on Saturday night. And the answers were different. They weren’t the “popular” kids, they were a different category of kid. To quote the article: “(those students) tend to have closer friendships, to excel academically and to get on well with most others, including parents—their own and their friends.” The researchers also concluded “this group is characterized by a degree of openness to strong emotional experience. These are very, very socially skilled kids who are really able to master the intricacies of diverse social situations.”
These kids are likeable. Which is cool to think that the A-list popular kids don’t always end up being the most successful. It sounds like the smart, nice ones get to rock in the future! (Can you tell I was never on the A-list?)
But now this whole thing is making me very curious about my high school reunion…
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/7/2008
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I just returned from a wonderfully relaxing Florida vacation. Although, I use the word “vacation” loosely because now that I’m “retired” from full-time teaching to “write” full-time, my holidays seem like less of a break from things than they used to. I always considered it a heinous crime to have an easy life. And now I am that person!
Believe it or not, throughout junior high, high school, and college I was always an over-scheduler. A crazy Type-A energetic freak of nature, who had to be doing something important and meaningful every single minute of the day. When I graduated college and became a “real” grown-up, I was completely obsessed with planning my future of saving the world in every way humanly possible. Even the year I took off between undergrad and medical school, which was supposed to be my take a break from the grind-travel and relax year, became a random frenzy of philanthropy work through the jungles of Mexico and the forests of Vermont. Not one minute was wasted lounging or playing. After all, I had an entire world to save!
Fast-forward to 2008. Ever since I quit full-time teaching to begin my quest for YA novel publication, I’ve had nothing but free time. True, I do spend hours upon hours reading, writing, researching, re-writing, critiquing, revising, revising, and revising. But the difference now is that I have all the time in the world, and can make up any schedule I want to. Unfortunately, as a result I’ve become less productive and way more slothful. Of course, in my defense, the life of a writer is inherently idle, so until somebody invents a portable computer screen I can attach to my forehead and a keyboard I can operate with eye movements, I’m stuck sitting on my growing-wider-and-more-numb-by-the-day butt.
It’s a paradox, this slacker lifestyle. One the one hand, I’m happier and healthier than I’ve ever been. True story…I had pneumonia six times during med school and teaching combined. Like, antibiotic-resistant-I’m-on-my-deathbed pneumonia. I haven’t suffered so much as a sniffle since I quit. I’m not chronically sleep deprived anymore, so the under eye bags and dark circles have vanished. I have time to run outside every single day, so I’ve shed my pale-green skin color and exchanged my skeletal, lack of muscle tone physique for a pleasantly tanned and plump version.
On the other hand, at the end of the day I often feel, well, slackerish. Like I’ve accomplished nothing, gained nothing, and given nothing to society. I’m not complaining. Again, I’m extraordinarily happy. However, I do battle this love/hate relationship with the slack-life on a daily basis. And I feel guilty for failing to save the world.
Funny thing is that I’m guessing when I do publish my novels, become rich and famous, and soar to unfathomable literary heights, I’ll still feel a bit like a slacker. Because, really, it’s bizarre to think I'll be paid for doing something insanely fun that I love so much. That I can do in my pajamas. Late at night. While blasting Maroon 5 music. And eating chocolate covered pretzels. I mean, really. It’s criminal, isn’t it?
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/5/2008
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Wait, wait! I mean, I went to a therapist. (Sorry. Old habit.)
BONUS COOLNESS: Here's the Italian cover of my book, known over there as 13.
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 9/3/2008
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I’ve been pretty blurry-eyed lately, pouring through the edits Jay and Eve gave me for my manuscript, The Happiness Project. Looking at all their slash marks, I realized that I have some serious word addictions.
I used to think my only word addiction was to the word wonky. I love saying that word...and I don’t even think it’s an actual word! But now I realize I have many more word addictions, where I use the same words over and over, hoping for a different result each time. But what really happens is they just end up getting slashed by my wonderful critique partners because I never needed those words to begin with. So now I take it one page at a time, accept the words that I cannot change, have the courage to change the words I can, and hope Jay and Eve have the wisdom to know the difference.
Here is a small list of the words I am seriously addicted to:
- Suddenly
- Um
- Okay
- Even
- Just (...but I just love that word!)
Speaking of addictions and things I can’t do well, reading through Jay and Eve’s edits also showed me that I have a serious dysfunctional relationship with the italics function…and…the…ellipses function.
But I looooove them. Italics and ellipses are just so…what’s the word???
Wonky!
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/30/2008
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Robin and I recently met at Linnaea’s Café to go over my edits to her manuscript, The Happiness Project. We were also interested in watching some of the speeches from the Democratic national convention on her laptop.
After the first speech, Robin and I had so much to discuss (thankfully, our political views are almost identical). And I made an offhand comment that it was unfortunate we couldn’t talk about politics on our blog.
And Robin said…
Yes we can!
But I didn’t think it was appropriate to use this blog, where we discuss our lives as children’s book writers, to express our excitement…or disappointment…in political things. I mean, sure, even children’s book writers have worldviews that lean us in certain political directions and almost certainly seep into our written words, but I still didn’t think we…
Yes we can!
Maybe if we wrote non-fiction books dealing with the state of the world it would be more appropriate. But the Disco Mermaids, when we write, we just make stuff up. We write fiction! Contemporary fiction. Contemporary realistic fiction, which basically means we take the real world and add a unique point of view or an interesting plot twist to discuss the way the world works. But, no, I still didn’t think…
Yes we can!
By that part of our discussion, Robin’s laptop ran out of juice (she forgot to bring her plug!), so we hightailed it to Mom and Dad Asher’s house to catch the next big Democratic speech. As she drove, I continued discussing my changes to her manuscript. One of the storylines in The Happiness Project, oddly enough, deals with a girl’s upcoming oral report on the Declaration of Independence. And Robin brings up some great points in there about what the founding fathers hoped Americans would do if our country ever found itself in desperate need of change. Too bad we can’t…
Yes we can!
When it came time to figure out a topic for my next blog post, Robin suggested that I simply describe our back-and-forth about whether or not to discuss politics on our blog. So that’s what you’ve got! And if any of my views seeped into this post, I sincerely hope it wasn’t too irritating.
But a little political…that’s something else I can believe in.
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/26/2008
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I’m back from my vacation in Georgia where I had my fill of Waffle House and Chick-Fil-A. (But I don’t think I can ever truly get my fill of the vanilla dream ice cream cones at Chick-Fil-A. I miss 'em already!)
I also managed to accomplish the three things I needed to do in order to complete the research for my middle grade novel set in Atlanta.
First, I checked out some architecture…
Note: The house I grew up in looked exactly like this one, except that my house was small and wasn’t white and didn’t have columns and didn’t look like this house at all.
Then, I rode the MARTA subway train downtown. Here’s a picture of me and my brother standing in front of the High Museum of Art...
Note: My brother is the one standing with his arm around me, not the guy in the Skipper hat…in case you were wondering. (You probably weren’t wondering.)
And finally…I took a tour of the Centers for Disease Control!!!
My mother and I were escorted through the visitor center with our own personal tour guide. It was fascinating and I came away with a few great nuggets of detail that will fit perfectly into my story.
The CDC is very secure and we had to go through a couple of security checkpoints. Our car even had to go through security, with two armed guards thoroughly searching every part. Even the engine! They only allow you to take pictures inside the visitor center. You are not allowed to take pictures outside. (But I did anyway. Don’t they understand I have a blog!?)
Note: That’s me in the CDC parking lot. I swear!
When we landed back in Los Angeles, we did what all sane people do at the end of a long, exhausting trip. We went to see Donna Summer at the Hollywood Bowl! She brought down the house with “Last Dance.” The queen rocked it!
So now I’m energized to finish these last rounds of revisions and get this book into the hands of my agent. Hopefully she won’t mind the pages that come with smudges of vanilla dream ice cream. Mmmm…Chick-Fil-A. I think I’m ready for another trip back to Atlanta…
- Robin
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Oh my. I am in love with this post! I'm having a serious Awww.... Moment!
I understand what you mean about sharing nature and parenthood. That's why we moved to Oregon!
I think one of the good things about being an adult vs. being a teen is that now we get to choose our friends. It's not just who we sit next to in homeroom. lol.
And, those pictures are beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow Robin. what an amazing post. It really spoke to me.
And your pictures.... WOW! AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing :)
First and foremost, those photos are phenomenal. (Yes, alliteration. But still true.)
I love places like that, too. I don't have one particularly nearby, however. There's the shore (over an hour away) and my aunt's condo in New Hampshire (far, far away). And a camp I worked at years ago in upstate Pennsylvania. But those spaces are magical.
Robin - a wonderful post and amazing photos. They should be the photos in the frames you buy. I've been a nature lover my whole life - the sounds and smells connect me to childhood memories. I love going for a walk and trying to count the number of different birds I hear. Keeps me totally present. Hope to see you soon!
Angela Russell
I love this post, too, Robin. And those photos! Especially that last one - that is one to keep forever.
Those photos are gorgeous! What a place to live!
Wow, what a post! :) And the pictures are beautiful. I grew up on a beach like that....
Amazing post and amazing photos - you put me in a lets-get-out-there mood for the weekend! Thanks. :)
I had to come back to look at these beautiful photos again. My fave is him skipping through the forest. I mean that is doggone adorable!!
And doesn't his shadow on the beach look like some kind of fun crab?!
Anywho - Jayson SHOULD BE FAMOUS!!! Get that boy an agent! I would buy a coffee table book of his photos - seriously, I would.
Awww, you guys are so sweet. I am very fortunate that my husband is a nature lover AND a total kickin' photographer. You should see some of or baby pictures. Amazing!
One of these days I'll force him to get on the other side of the camera so I can take a picture of HIM!
-Robin
I've had the pleasure of meeting your lovely photog hubby and the gorgeous boy and I believe I've even been to the thinking spot and they are all as fabbo as they look. In fact I was talking to Agent E. about how great your little corner of the world is just this morning. Yes, I'm jealous of where you live, but you deserve it.
Ahhh. Bliss. Just reading this post eased my soul . .
Robin, this post was wonderful!
So I have to admit that I usually just come here to read about Jay and follow up with him (since he's a longtime friend), and when it's Robin or Eve's post I move along. Totally self centered and unfair, I know I'm a terrible person.
...but (you knew there was going to be a "but" right?)....WOW Robin. Great post, AMAZING photographs. Both you and your husband are very talented.
Thanks for giving me pause today to remember how lucky we are to live here. Cheers,
Erik
Aw, thanks, Erik! Any friend of Jay's is a friend of mine. Unless you're weird or something. (ha!)
Keep checking me and Eve out! (I mean that in a literary sense.) We might just keep surprising you.
-Robin
You swept me away with the gulls and then I just kept flying over the coast for the rest of you post. Proud as heck to be one of the ones who loves you.