Reason #2 To Have An Agent

Agent E and I are putting the final spit and polish on a new opening chapter of the YA for a couple of editors who wanted the story to start earlier (I know, they always say jump right into the action, but what can I say). She mentioned that she had been listening to Priscilla Ahn while she was reading the pages and that the music seemed to really go with the book. I said that I hadn't heard of her, so a few minutes later, the whole album lands in my inbox via ITunes. Agent E had bought it for me so that I could get inspired as I write. And she's right - Lucy needs a soundtrack.

Is that cool or what?

On this date: In 1970, the Beatles last number one hit, The Long and Winding Road tops the charts.

Not Good With Puzzles

T: Moooommmm! Can you help me put this back together?
Me: Aw T! Why in the world did you take it apart? We'll never get it back together - I don't have the instructions anymore.
T: Geez Mom, you don't need instructions - you just need an imagination.

You know, he was right.



On this date: In 1965, the Supremes set the record for five number one singles in a row with Back in My Arms Again.

More Backseat Confessions

T: I think in third grade I'm going to tell K that I like her.
Me: Oh yeah? So what does she do then?
T: (pause) That's probably the part where she runs away.

I worry.

On this date: In 1922, Judy Garland was born.

Grande

We lasted through nine apartments, unnamed boyfriends, a wedding and two kids. Eighteen years is one heck of a ride - I miss you already.

Grande
1990-2008

Acronym-O-Rama

Lots of author people I know (and lots that I don't know) have been blogging about going to BEA in LA this past week (I could write this whole blog with acronyms - I brought my MG with the PC MC to the BEA in LA). BEA - or the Book Expo of America - is the book world's answer to that big RV show they have at the fairgrounds, only bigger and more fabulous. Big-time authors get to go and crash parties, sign books and get wined and dined by their agents and publishers. Free books and gift bags and temporary tattoos, oh my!

I've loved seeing all the photos and hearing about all the fun. Am I jealous? Um...yeah. But I know that these folks weren't just plucked out of nowhere and set down in front of a big blue curtain signing books. They worked darn hard to get where they are, so I just keep telling myself that these are the dues paying years. Oh yeah. When I finally get to go, I'm crashing the biggest, baddest party they've got.

On this date: In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy is shot.

Your Critique Partners Are Not Your Friends

At least they shouldn't be. Okay, they can be very nice people and folks that when you actually see them face to face you can sit down and have lunch with and swap stories. But first and foremost, they should be ruthless picker-aparters of your manuscript. People who have no problem slashing your writing with great swaths of red ink. Who can tell you when something is not working or when a paragraph just plain stinks. Folks who can tell you when your main character is unlikeable and when it would be better to just hit delete and start over.

People who read your work and gush over how lovely it all is aren't critique partners - they are friends and/or loved ones who are afraid to hurt your feelings. Don't get me wrong, good critique partners know how to sandwich critical comments in between saying that they liked this description and that this sentence was nice. People who just say nothing but mean things are just well...mean.

In truth, all of the people in both of my critique groups are nice people. Out of the eight people I swap work with, I've only met one of them, and we had a great time, which left me wishing she didn't live halfway across the country. One of my most ruthless adverb annihilators lives all the way in Italy. The advent of the Internet and the email critique group has helped in a lot of ways - mainly that it's a lot easier to be honest when you're not sitting next to the person and don't have to look them in the eyes. And I appreciate that.

On this date: In 1967, Aretha Franklin hits number one with "Respect".

Sidewalk Wisdom

T (on the way home from school): I can't wait to go to San Francisco again. The calamari there is so good it makes my head hurt.

On this date: In 1935, Babe Ruth retired.