Visions

Oooh, it's getting exciting around here. I've had some great feedback from some fabulous editors in the past week and it's so cool to see the different visions for the book. A lot of the comments are things that I want to broaden in the book and it's great to see when editors make comments and you say, "Oh, yeah - that is exactly what I wanted to get across." I'm getting itchy to start revising based on editor's comments, but until I figure out who I'm going to work with, I'm contenting myself with making furious notes in the margins. Hopefully I'll be able to focus my revisions within the next week or so.

The best thing about having Agent E drive this bus is that we get replies back really quickly. Publisher time moves at a notoriously glacial pace, and she was able to get feedback in a matter of days rather than the usual months. I feel spoiled by having comments on my manuscript so fast.

On another front, the granite counters go in tomorrow, and the rest of it should be finished up on Thursday. One of the things I'm most proud of in the remodel is this:



and not just because my beloved washer and dryer are lurking behind it. This was the original back door when our house was built in 1916 and we stripped it bare (yes, we were careful) and repainted it. It still has the original wavy glass and I bought a wonderful new porcelean doorknob set for it. I love it.

On this date: In 1992, riots erupt in LA.

Sacrilege

The SF Chronicle had a big front page story on the "new frugality" this morning. There I was reading their list of what is "IN" and what is "OUT":

IN: Saving
OUT: Borrowing
Check. Makes sense.

IN: Fixing the old car.
OUT: New car.
Speaking as one who is still driving around the '96 VW Golf, check.

IN: Tap water.
OUT: Bottled water.
The waste of the plastic bottles alone makes me cringe. No problem.

IN: Patching.
OUT: Remodeling.
Okay, we're in the middle of a big remodel, but I can go along with this. For other people.

IN: Staying at home.
OUT: Foreign vacations.
Yup. We put our big UK trip on hold for a year or two.

IN: Libraries.
OUT: Bookstores.
WHAT? (She says, spitting her tea all over the morning paper.) I'm all for libraries - I visit mine all the time. But at the same time, I buy lots and lots of books for all of us. I don't see cell phones on the list. Or all of those downloaded songs from Itunes. What about the daily Starbucks visits? And the endless cable options?

The editors of the Chron should be ashamed of themselves. For just a few dollars, you can buy a trip into the mind of another person, walk a mile in their shoes, visit other countries. Bookstores - OUT?!?!?!

For the price of two or three Frappaccinos, you can get a book that you can return to again and again - like visiting an old friend. A book a week, that's all we ask. They should be ashamed.

On this date: In 4977 B.C. , the universe was created (according to Kepler, but I don't think he was there).

TMI

The caption in the catalog reads:
These stuffed toys absolutely reek of fun. Yes, they are exactly what you think: cuddly representations of pee and poo. But potty humor aside, these cute Pee and Poo dolls can be used for educating your child about the body.

I have nothing to add.

On this date: In 1953 Winston Churchill was knighted.

Someday

I have a blogroll that I visit pretty much every day. One of my very favorite author blogs is Lisa Yee's . She wrote:

that I read and loved. And this:



that I'm reading and loving, as well as several other books that I haven't gotten around to yet. Her blog has a great balance of a little bit of personal with a great inside peek at the life of a writer that is interesting to other writers as well as readers. When I finally have more writer stuff to talk about, I'll take a few pages from Lisa's blog and try to achieve the same balance. I've never met her, but I know Jay Asher who knows her, so we're like writer buddies once removed. I imagine she's cool.

One of the best things about having an agent (or at least having Agent E as an agent) is that she always believes in what I'm doing. We were talking yesterday and I made a comment about a topic that I wanted to speak about at a writer's conference someday. I said that I was going to talk about possibilities and the big "What If" in writing if I ever got to speak somewhere. She interrupted me and said, "Not if. When." And that's why she gets the big money.

It's still a little too early to start revising yet, but the characters are already coming up with their own ideas. I sat up in bed late last night scribbling away in my notebook because Lucy had some ideas about the ending and a few scenes with her big love interest. I like it when they throw stuff at me so that I don't have to do all the work.

On this date: In 1956, Elvis debuted in Vegas. Viva.

Big Buts

It's looking like we are going to go into revisions with the book, which although it isn't really what we'd hoped for, isn't so bad. We had several editors who liked the book a lot, but who also had a few "buts" about certain parts of the story. I don't really see editorial changes as a problem - it is after all what I need a good editor for, but I think we are going to do some revisions before making a descision. Now the only question is - which editor are we going to work with? Stay tuned...

The baby kitties are about two weeks old now and are getting round of tummy and squawky of mouth. They are thriving on my special kitten glop and are starting to walk across the room without falling over. Anyone who thinks that cats always land on their feet should watch a 1o day old kitten trying to cross a room. It's pretty hilarious.

As always, BHD is right in the middle of it all, playing Mama cat and generally licking them all over the place. It's still cute.





On this date: In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated.

Notes From the Backseat

T (to BFF JLR): "Ya know, if your tongue was attached to the roof of your mouth, you'd be able to touch your nose with it."

On this date: In 1841, the first detective story is published.

One &*%$(& Crazy Week

It has been quite a week and it's not over yet.

No real news on the book - we still have interest and a few publishers are taking it to the next level which is exciting, but a little more hurry up and wait. I'm finding it hard to focus on any other writing right now because I'm not sure when this book is going to come back and need some more loving attention. The subject matter is so difficult that I'm sure whoever gets it is going to have their own take on the whole thing and I don't want to be in the middle of something new while I'm revising this one. At least, that's my excuse.

On top of all the book emails flying back and forth, the Big Hairy Dog decided to eat garbage and get peritonitis. On Sunday. I don't know how many of you are familiar with overnight vet bills that happen on a weekend but cha-ching.

Then yesterday, J tries to catch a fast pitch with his face at his baseball game, so today we spent the entire morning at the dentist and orthodontist x-raying the place where his tooth used to be and putting his braces back together. It was a baby tooth, but it came out with all of the roots attached so it had extra eeewww factor. That plus the swelling and huge bruise on his lip played on my sympathy so I let him stay home for the rest of the day. And he is now the proud owner of a new mouthguard.

While we were at the vet on Sunday, someone dropped off a couple of teeny kittens - it must have had something to do with last week's post about kitten glop. The vet knew that we fostered babies, and asked if I wanted to take them. The alternative for the little guys wasn't pleasant, so of course we came home with them. Their eyes opened yesterday and they are eating like little piggies. Anyone want two grey tabbys in about a month? Don't tell DH because I haven't told him yet. Did I mention that he has been gone all week? Yep, hol'd up back east on a business trip during all the crazy shinanagins. I need my own business trip. I think there is a spa involved.

On this date: In 1937, Daffy Duck debuted.