Speed up: After ALA, I am so behind in my work. New guy starts. I Feel like I'm accelerating moment to moment. Must write Mitzvah Day flyer...

Even faster: We leave for Purchase, NY, to drop off R at camp and hand off E to Grandma.

DOWNhill fast: In the parking lot, M finds out that his father has died suddenly. He is in shock. I am in shock. R needs to get to camp. I don't have the checks for the key deposit. I THINK THIS KIND OF JUXTAPOSITION OF EVENTS ONLY HAPPENS TO WRITERS!!!

STRAIGHT AWAY, screaming: Her roomie is very connected. I imagine every terrible mean girl story I have ever read. I cry. R's last words: Cut the cord. She looks fine. We drive home and get M ready to go south.

speed up again: Off to Alabama. On one hand, it is sad. Very sad. Everyone says they want to die suddenly and quickly. But this is only good for the person who dies. On the other hand, M's family is wonderful. They are honest, caring people. Up front. They tell me sad and happy stories. I share, too. I feel grounded. This is a good family.

DOWN: We miss our flight. (Long story--M made me promise not to tell.)

UP: We go to a resort and recover with massage and facials. Does my guy take care of me or what?

STRANGE: In the hotel, I get my first review. It's solid. It's on Booklist, so I can't print it anywhere....

FINISH THE RIDE: We are home. We need to get air conditioning. The storms are restorative. I sit in my quiet house--kids away--and reflect. Read Parrotfish.
It is GREAT!!!!

New ride: Today I have printed out my long suffering manuscript. I read Chapter One. So far, so good!!!

Yesterday, R and I went to The Big K to purchase the "camp essential list."

Towels.
Sheets.
Shampoo, soap, lotion.
Flip flops.
A calling card. (No cell phones allowed)
Bandages for blisters.
Wart stuff, just in case.
Advil for sore dancer muscles.
Shaving cream.
Hair ties.
Hair spray.

The last time we went shopping for camp was the summer she got sick. I am trying to treat these last two days with a big smile. I do not have to be nervous. She has earned this moment. She is a beautiful, healthy dancer.

We drop her off on Sunday.

A very short report:

I had so much fun. Although I couldn't stay for Sunday night's festivities, it was so worth it to go.

Saw lots of old friends--including lots of VC people.
Met many new great people.
Met actual living people who had read my book and were not related to me or bound by friendship! met people who I had only known online, as well as people whose books I have read and loved. So great to put faces to names.
Still thrilling to get ARCs. R and E practically jumped on the suitcase. Had the opportunity to talk process with mentors and friends.

Still tired...will try full sentences at some point.

For today: must resend the book review I wrote last month. Isn't it funny how the ones we dread sending always get lost in the email?

I'm off to ALA!!!!


Very exciting...hope to see you there!

I usually read between two and three at one time. I used to be a one at a time reader, but lately, I have morphed.

I don't think this says anything in particular about what I've been reading, just about the free time I've not had to sit and read.

What is on the floor next to my bed right now:

Enter Three Witches, Caroline Cooney (almost done...it's great)
Eggs, Jerry Spinelli (just starting)
Talking about God, by Daniel Polish (ARC I need to read for work...interesting)

My daughter says she can do four sudokus at one time. My son can game and watch Family Guy at one time (should I brag about this???). M reads one book at a time. He puts it away when he's done. Then he goes to work and writes a grant.

What are you reading????

Barb O'Connor tagged me. So blame her!!! (Note to Barb: my next chain letter goes to you, Honey...)

8 things about me....I hope this is at least mildly amusing, interesting, or random:

1. I lived in England when I was 11 and 16. Saw the Sex Pistols. (Syd Vicious threw up 25 feet in front of me.)
2. Yesterday, I looked in my closet and realized I owned 11 black dresses (but only one in another color). And two in the wrong size (you know what I mean.)
3. Things I'm most proud of: my kids, buying a house on my own, finishing my MFA, writing Head Case, writing four bad novels without any education whatsoever, being smart enough to say YES to M.
4. I have an MSPT, too. I used to work with people with traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries. If I had not moved to NH, I never would have written a novel.
5. I never thought I'd be a writer, but as a kid, I did want to be famous.
6. My children are both exactly my height. (in 30 days, this will change.)
7. I make an excellent spicy Thai seafood soup.
8. Lately, when I write, I listen to opera.

If you would like to share 8 things about yourself, consider yourself tagged.

Where do you get your ideas?

Lately M and I have been taking an hour each night to walk or ride bikes. It's been a while since we had enough time to do this (or since the weather has cooperated for days in a row).

I get ideas when I'm walking and biking, especially when I'm not talking.

I get ideas from looking around when I'm quiet.

Like last night:

the five dogs stuck on the other side of their electric fences (love those invisible walls...and really, thank you to the person who invented the electric fence...)

the woman raking last fall's leaves

the people who plant daffodils for the town. One wears a sun hat. The other has a bandana tied around her head. Which one is the old lady and which one is the young man?

an old couple strolling, arm and arm.

And believe it or not: another harmonica in the gutter. It's the third I have found. You think I'm supposed to listen to this??????

I found this youtube fascinating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUDIoN-_Hxs

Enjoy! I hope this inspires someone on a gray Monday morning!

I was not there, but my book was!

Thanks, KT, for the picks! And thanks to everyone at Roaring Brook. If you've never set up a booth, I'll tell you: It's not easy.

Here is the booth.



and here is the book!


Can't wait until ALA! If you're going to be there, let me know!

Well, I ALMOST did it.

Three days at the RBTE.

I smiled. I was sweet. I mingled with the sisters.

Until I had to get out of there to catch my limo to catch my plane to get to the batmitzvah.

The UPS Line was long. The guy who was helping me was nowhere to be seen. The real me came through.

I muttered, "Christ."

Oh well...... Read the rest of this post

For all of you who are there!

Enjoy!

Yesterday, we had a great day at the RBTE. Busy all day. A lecture on Humor and Religion at lunch. (What a concept!!)

I got to meet a lot of great booksellers who I have spoken with over the phone for a whole year.
It's funny how some people look just like their voices. and others look completely different.

Had a GREAT dinner with the fabulous LAURA RUBY. Tonight I'm off to Austin, Texas!

Greetings from Chicago. I'm in St Charles for the RBTE (relig booksellers trade show) for the day job, feeling a little out of it for not being able to go to BEA, but oh well...

the room is nice.

they have a nice gym.

The limo driver was an aspiring novelist! We had a great conversation...

the schedule is mellow (not that I'm getting anything important done...).

Last night, I met a number of publishers at an invitation only dinner.
Some insight:

--it's hard being the only sober person at your table.
--people notice when you yawn when they are talking...but how do you stop it?
--I'm not the only one who notices when a person at your table won't eat...
--People dress inappropriately to dinner meetings....why did I stress over the black dress??? I was FINE!!
--Men expect women to sit in the way back of the van--even when you're wearing a dress and heels...it was quite the peep show getting out of that car!!!

Today I get to take an author to dinner--I like the way that sounds! More later!

Last night, I had to go to the shoe store to get some new casual sandals. (Boy do I miss my old Steve Maddens....)

I got a nice pair with a decent heel (must wear heels now ALL THE TIME, due to the fact that both kids are my height). I was wearing shorts.

I have seen YOUNG women wearing shorts and heels. I checked myself out, and because lately I'm acutely aware of not wanting to look like I'm an old lady dressing young, asked the young person helping me if I could get away with it.

She sighed and said, "You are the third mother today who has asked me this question. Yes. It's okay. You look great. Why do you need my permission?"

lesson learned!

I say this all the time when it comes to writing...so I was really happy when I saw this slogan posted on Kathy Parsonett's door. R and I took a class with her last night. She has created an art process called FRAGLETS. What she does: She paints magnetic paper. She cuts it up into inspiring strips and shapes. What we did: Create art! Kathy works at Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital. Fraglets has become a part of their play therapy program. And it was a lot of fun. This is my favorite: (I especially like the little squares.) When I got home, I cranked out four pages. Process leads to process... right?

Got home from the NE SCBWI Conference in Nashua, motivated with new ideas....determined to be productive!

I was happy that all three of the presentations I participated in were well-received.

Kudos to Greg Fishbone, Carrie Jones and Jo Knowles on our Classof2k7 presentation.  I got a lot of class questions throughout the weekend.  People are very excited about the possibilities of group marketing.  

Thanks to everyone who attended my talk on Flashbacks.....I hope you learned a lot!

And special thanks to everyone who submitted a first page to the First Pages Panel.  It was an honor to read your work.  In four years, I have read a total of 450 first pages.  (I read every one of them!)  I thought this year's editors were kind and insightful.  The presentation was respectful and interesting.  Here are some things that I learned, just from reading your work:

The first line is important.  
Think about the transition from TITLE to FIRST LINE.  
By the end of the first page, we should know something about the main character.  But we shouldn't know everything.  We should be asking questions.....
Unconscious humor is funny.  Forced humor sounds forced.
What is at stake?
A beautiful quiet beginning can pull a reader in the same way a shocking beginning can.....as long as we know: either: what's at stake, who the character is, or why the setting is important.
Quick shifts in psychic distance should not occur on one page.  POV should be consistent.  When we examine a first page and nothing else, we are looking for some continuity. A VECTOR.  
A good first page does not automatically mean you have a novel.  
If you got a good response, make sure your manuscript is ready before you send it.  (I learned that years ago.....not a story worth sharing in detail.)
Most important (DRUMROLL)  Does the reader CARE about the character by the end of the first page???????????

Get to work, folks!  Great to see you this weekend...... Read the rest of this post

Two days ago, I was scheduling an interview for me and my daughter...with People.
Yesterday, I had to cancel.

(deep breath)

A few weeks ago, we were contacted.  People wanted to interview us on "Surviving Anorexia."  Without hesitation, we agreed.

We have a lot to say on the subject.

A week later, we were asked to send them R's "sick" pictures.  We hadn't looked at them for a LONG time.  Michael had NEVER seen them.  He was shocked.  We all cried.  Memories came back.

But we were still game.  Too good an opportunity to miss.

Then reality began to set in.  The pictures would be part of the article.  R began to question her need for privacy.  And her commitment to retelling that story.  "I don't always want to be anorexia girl," she said.  "I'm healthy now."

You have to respect that.  She has earned her privacy.  (She told me to go ahead and blog--get it out of your system, Mom.)

So we cancelled.  It feels good....safe.  I talked to the WONDERFUL reporter (If she finds someone else, it's going to be a GREAT story) and she totally understood.  I imagine this happens a lot. Or maybe it doesn't.  Maybe everyone is looking for their face in People.

There remains only ONE question.....Is it tacky for me to send an ARC to the reporter????

On Sunday, we had a wonderful mother's day.  This year, M hosted The First Annual Mother's Day Putt Putt Tournament.

We played the red course--the tough one.  (I was prepared for tears.)

So I instituted a tradition: the mother's day special.  If it takes more than five shots to get into the hole, you get a 5.  Guess who was the only one who needed a MDS??

E got a hole in one.
R used only two mulligans.  We were constantly in giggles--making beeping sounds--in an attempt to throw M's game. 
M just shook his head and said, "I got to this family at just the right time."   

The day none of us have to cook...unless we want to.

Enjoy the day!

Got to work this morning.  Flagged message in my inbox.

Subject Line:  Want to use your book for class

I almost screamed...

until I realized that this was my Jewish Lights email and the book was one of "ours" and not MINE....

Still,

it was a very nice moment and less embarrassing than when I found the complete skeleton of a deer on the trail in Utah and thought I'd found something special.... Read the rest of this post

Guilty as charged...I've been busy, distracted, overworked.
On VACATION, too.

So I will just jump in!

Utah was great.  M has all the pics, and I will post some.  
But let's put it this way:  Next time, we're going to PARIS!!!

(One quote says it all--I'm not sure who said it, but she went to Utah with Brigham Young: Damn that man who brings a woman to this god forsaken country!)

BIG NEWS:  Head Case will be out in FOUR months.  Wow.  It's surreal.  and exciting.  ARC's are OUT!  You can prebuy at Walmart!  

May 18-20: I will also be speaking THREE times (once with the fabulous Class of 2k7 panel, once on my own: on FLASHBACKS and BACK STORY, and I'll also be reading for the First Pages Panel!)  That's three pairs of shoes!  One for each talk.  If you're coming, let me know.  I want to go get falafel!

This Monday, we are off to Utah.  First stop: Vernal.  Second Stop: Moab Desert.

(We WILL get out of New England......snow will not stop us!!!)

This is the "vacation for E," the boy who never stopped loving dinosaurs.  Even in the midst of Star Wars love, he has spent part of almost every day reading about dinos.  So we're leaving our good shoes behind and we're going to dig!

Remember: he is the boy with the quivering lip.

Before we can go, R's got five more performances of A CHORUS LINE.
Watching it as many times as I have now really empowers me and makes me cry--four times.
1. When Maggie sings.  
2. The music and the mirror
3.  Paul's monologue (I'm a sap for anyone who has parents who accept them)
4. The finale.  I ALWAYS cry at finales.

Right now, I watch the young dancers and know that most people end up giving up their dreams.  Their art.  That not everyone can live the life they want.  REality hits, and when it does, we have all done very practical things in the name of bills, sanity, family, and yep, love.

As I'm deep in my revision (Oh, I love saying that) of my VC creative thesis--it's REALLY different now/.....I so appreciate that I still have my dream of making art.  And that I can also put it down (maybe) to go dig with the kids.

Have a great holiday...perhaps I will bring my computer....or not!!!

But it took me an hour to get to work.

Snow in April.  I'm sure someone has posted a picture.

Our trees were heavy with ice.  Two hour delay at school.  In April!!!

Honestly, there should be a law against that!!!!

is UP!!!

Check it out HERE!

We still have some typos and tweaks and links to go, but essentially, it's UP!

Just goes to show that even the greatest procrastinator can get this done!!!

Remind me again....

When you are hard boiling eggs...how do you get the shell to peel off clean and smooth?

My eggs are UGLY!

Because I'm Jewish and I'm running a seder, last night I started getting ready for Passover.

We will have 16 friends in our little house.  Just the way I like it.  Crowded around two tables.  Talking.  Laughing.  Eating good food.

Must clean.
Must order smoked fish.  :-)

But am I doing either?  No.  I'm working on the script.  
This year, we are using a rhyming seder my mom wrote a few years ago.  The kids are old enough to get the jokes.  I'm also reading Henry's Freedom Box, by Ellen Levine.  Every year I try to find a book that is not about Jews but is about freedom.  This is truly the Exodus story.  Can't wait to hear what everyone has to say.  
And I'm putting together this activity:

Every person will get a household item (in a bag.)  During the telling of the story, everyone will have to use their prop to help tell it.  One lucky person always gets sunglasses (great for the desert).  The trick for me is not to think too much.  Just find those props and distribute.

Last night, R was interviewed on TV for A Chorus LIne.  We are going tonight for the big opening!  Can't wait!