Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's Blog
May 9, 2012
I actually flew to New York and back on the same day, but realized that my blog post might make it seem like I've been gone ever since.
Life is strange late. Awesome-great in some ways, and scary-bad in others, but on the balance it's still pretty good. I don't want to get into personal issues too much on a public blog, so I'll focus on the things I think you all care more about.
I had a great meeting with my publisher. We're going to try to get me doing events again, especially school-and-library visits. Those were always my favorites, and I credit them for much of my inspiration to continue publishing, even when other parts of my life sometimes make this work a bit of a struggle.
Among other people, I also met (or re-met for the first time in years) much of my design team. As I shook hands, the first thing I felt the need to do was apologize, and then say thank you.
Now, I made a comment a while back about editors, and how sometimes I hate my editors, which was interpreted by some as critical - though folks who talk to me regularly know I meant it as anything but. It is my personal opinion that if you don't get angry with your editor sometimes, she (or he, though all mine have been female to-date) isn't doing her job. Her job is to tell you what's wrong with your work of love. To tell you what you should get rid of, what you should do differently. If you don't have a few moments of outraged fury, and a few "she's totally insane and an idiot!" rants, your editor is obviously being too nice, which means the book won't get as polished as it should if she pushed a little more.
I bring this up because my design team takes a lot of grief from me. Why? Because it's their job to make a visual, physical symbol of a story that exists in technicolor in my head... without the benefit of being able to see inside my head. I think they're often forced to work off notes from my editor, based on a story that is still being revised, and then they need to deal with a cranky under-slept author who more often than not downloads art before her first cup of coffee. So I wanted to add the comment that, just as a good editor will probably make you crazy sometimes, so too can a good design team. In both cases, the ultimate goal is for everyone to be happy with the resulting synergy. (Did I use that word right? I'm not sure I've ever said the word "synergy" before.) In both cases, the middle process involves a lot of back and forth with both sides trying to be polite while they're thinking, "What are you thinking?"
They're a good team. I really like the recent covers- Poison Tree and Promises to Keep. No, I can't show you Promises to Keep yet. Yes, I am absolutely teasing you.
Have a good day!
Life is strange late. Awesome-great in some ways, and scary-bad in others, but on the balance it's still pretty good. I don't want to get into personal issues too much on a public blog, so I'll focus on the things I think you all care more about.
I had a great meeting with my publisher. We're going to try to get me doing events again, especially school-and-library visits. Those were always my favorites, and I credit them for much of my inspiration to continue publishing, even when other parts of my life sometimes make this work a bit of a struggle.
Among other people, I also met (or re-met for the first time in years) much of my design team. As I shook hands, the first thing I felt the need to do was apologize, and then say thank you.
Now, I made a comment a while back about editors, and how sometimes I hate my editors, which was interpreted by some as critical - though folks who talk to me regularly know I meant it as anything but. It is my personal opinion that if you don't get angry with your editor sometimes, she (or he, though all mine have been female to-date) isn't doing her job. Her job is to tell you what's wrong with your work of love. To tell you what you should get rid of, what you should do differently. If you don't have a few moments of outraged fury, and a few "she's totally insane and an idiot!" rants, your editor is obviously being too nice, which means the book won't get as polished as it should if she pushed a little more.
I bring this up because my design team takes a lot of grief from me. Why? Because it's their job to make a visual, physical symbol of a story that exists in technicolor in my head... without the benefit of being able to see inside my head. I think they're often forced to work off notes from my editor, based on a story that is still being revised, and then they need to deal with a cranky under-slept author who more often than not downloads art before her first cup of coffee. So I wanted to add the comment that, just as a good editor will probably make you crazy sometimes, so too can a good design team. In both cases, the ultimate goal is for everyone to be happy with the resulting synergy. (Did I use that word right? I'm not sure I've ever said the word "synergy" before.) In both cases, the middle process involves a lot of back and forth with both sides trying to be polite while they're thinking, "What are you thinking?"
They're a good team. I really like the recent covers- Poison Tree and Promises to Keep. No, I can't show you Promises to Keep yet. Yes, I am absolutely teasing you.
Have a good day!
April 17, 2012
So, here I am at gate C-36, waiting for a Jet Blue flight to New York to meet with my publisher. People who know me well will tell you that I generally hate to travel. I like being places and seeing people, so all you readers out there working on bringing me there should't despair, but I hate planning trips. I dislike packing, driving, and that moment at the end of a flight when everyone stands up even though the doors aren't open yet and there is nowhere to go.
But here's a funny twist: I like airports. Except for extreme situations (such as 30 hours in Detroit, after a cancelled last-flight-of-the-night), airports can be kind of fun.
I fly often enough to know the drill about how to check in, what to pack, what can be carried on, and how to arrange bags so what I need during the flight isn't stuck in the overhead bin where I have to crawl over other passengers to get it. Concerns about civil liberties and foot-borne diseases aside (they make you wear flip-flops in dorm bathrooms to prevent the spread of disease... I'm not a gemophobe by any stretch of the imagination, but how often do they bleach that security area where everyone has to take off their shoes?) security isn't usually too bad.
When I used to tour more often, I had some exciting security stories. Apparently, a series of one-way tickets purchased at the last minute by a third party raise those "random" security flags - go figure. In Kalamazoo, MI ("yes, we do exist!") they took every single item out of our carry-on, went through it, and the told us, "you can repack and board the plane now" as if they hadn't just totally unpacked two suitcases that my mother and I had needed to stand on to close that morning. That was October, 2011, though, so people were pretty cautious.
Back to why I like airports.
For one, I love people-watching. Little kids and business men, that frazzled-looking school-teacher type I always seem to meet, old men who look tired and lonely, college students, families speaking in languages I cannot identify never-mind understand, an angry grump on a cell phone... So many interesting people. I've had friendly conversations with all sorts of people in airports. Once when I had a flight connection get messed up, I was befriended by a pair of Franciscan (Dominican?) priests (monks? I'm not sure of my terminology here).
Now there's a guy talking photographs of the terminal... No, not photos plural. He has been sitting across from me for a while, but he just randomly stood up, took one picture of the gate, and then sat back down to continue watching the weather. Why? No idea, but I could make something up, and it would be a great story.
As my current protagonist Jay would say, airports are full of people totally engaged in their own lives. In more my own words, people in airports are in the middle of their stories. Some might be near the end, heading home at the end of a whirlwind, but the pages are still turning.
And that's why I like airports.
Signing off of Logan's free wi-fi so I can board my plane now. Take care, everyone; I'll be home soon.
But here's a funny twist: I like airports. Except for extreme situations (such as 30 hours in Detroit, after a cancelled last-flight-of-the-night), airports can be kind of fun.
I fly often enough to know the drill about how to check in, what to pack, what can be carried on, and how to arrange bags so what I need during the flight isn't stuck in the overhead bin where I have to crawl over other passengers to get it. Concerns about civil liberties and foot-borne diseases aside (they make you wear flip-flops in dorm bathrooms to prevent the spread of disease... I'm not a gemophobe by any stretch of the imagination, but how often do they bleach that security area where everyone has to take off their shoes?) security isn't usually too bad.
When I used to tour more often, I had some exciting security stories. Apparently, a series of one-way tickets purchased at the last minute by a third party raise those "random" security flags - go figure. In Kalamazoo, MI ("yes, we do exist!") they took every single item out of our carry-on, went through it, and the told us, "you can repack and board the plane now" as if they hadn't just totally unpacked two suitcases that my mother and I had needed to stand on to close that morning. That was October, 2011, though, so people were pretty cautious.
Back to why I like airports.
For one, I love people-watching. Little kids and business men, that frazzled-looking school-teacher type I always seem to meet, old men who look tired and lonely, college students, families speaking in languages I cannot identify never-mind understand, an angry grump on a cell phone... So many interesting people. I've had friendly conversations with all sorts of people in airports. Once when I had a flight connection get messed up, I was befriended by a pair of Franciscan (Dominican?) priests (monks? I'm not sure of my terminology here).
Now there's a guy talking photographs of the terminal... No, not photos plural. He has been sitting across from me for a while, but he just randomly stood up, took one picture of the gate, and then sat back down to continue watching the weather. Why? No idea, but I could make something up, and it would be a great story.
As my current protagonist Jay would say, airports are full of people totally engaged in their own lives. In more my own words, people in airports are in the middle of their stories. Some might be near the end, heading home at the end of a whirlwind, but the pages are still turning.
And that's why I like airports.
Signing off of Logan's free wi-fi so I can board my plane now. Take care, everyone; I'll be home soon.
April 15, 2012
So, I've barely had a chance to sit at the computer for the past week. Today will be no exception, but I wanted to take a couple minutes to at least check in. I hope everyone had a lovely Easter, Passover, or any other holiday or non-holiday you've celebrated lately.
As for myself, this morning's big goal is to make sure everything is washed and dried so we can pack away all the kitchen supplies that only come out once a year. Then, I'm going to try to find a reasonable place to put all those buckets of kitchen supplies that doesn't involve the basement - we're having the basement finished in the near future, so there's no point in storing anything down there right before we will need to pull it all out.
You should see me around more this week. My goal for April break is to finish Inbox. This may be somewhat optimistic, and depends on how long the story I'm working on turns out to be, but at the least I would like to get an update done today or tomorrow, and another around the end of the week.
I'm also going to NYC on Tuesday to meet with my publisher and editor, which I am looking forward to. At least hours in the airport will give me an opportunity to get some editing and writing done.
And that's the update for the day.
As for myself, this morning's big goal is to make sure everything is washed and dried so we can pack away all the kitchen supplies that only come out once a year. Then, I'm going to try to find a reasonable place to put all those buckets of kitchen supplies that doesn't involve the basement - we're having the basement finished in the near future, so there's no point in storing anything down there right before we will need to pull it all out.
You should see me around more this week. My goal for April break is to finish Inbox. This may be somewhat optimistic, and depends on how long the story I'm working on turns out to be, but at the least I would like to get an update done today or tomorrow, and another around the end of the week.
I'm also going to NYC on Tuesday to meet with my publisher and editor, which I am looking forward to. At least hours in the airport will give me an opportunity to get some editing and writing done.
And that's the update for the day.
March 27, 2012
So, the Den of Shadows main page and writing page (in other words, the two hosted on the nyeusigrube.com server) are messed up. I do not know why. I first noticed it last week, but assumed it was a compatibility issue, since I happened to be looking at it on an iPad. The problem was confirmed by others more recently.
Since we have had so many server issues, instead of struggling to figure out what caused the issue to fix it directly, I have relocated the Home page onto Blogger, and updated all the relevant header links. If you happen to be code-savvy and know exactly what the problem is ("oh, with html5 this no longer works, but if you do this instead it will fix it") I'll accept suggestions, but I refuse to devote too much time to trying to fix something on a server that has been driving me crazy. I like the Blogger interface. It's much easier to update.
Don't get me wrong - I enjoy playing with code, figuring out how to make it work, etc. But I don't often have time to really dive into the guts of the site, which means I'll go on an updating spree and then won't have time to do anything for a while. All things considered, it's better if Blogger hosts the main site.
Since we have had so many server issues, instead of struggling to figure out what caused the issue to fix it directly, I have relocated the Home page onto Blogger, and updated all the relevant header links. If you happen to be code-savvy and know exactly what the problem is ("oh, with html5 this no longer works, but if you do this instead it will fix it") I'll accept suggestions, but I refuse to devote too much time to trying to fix something on a server that has been driving me crazy. I like the Blogger interface. It's much easier to update.
Don't get me wrong - I enjoy playing with code, figuring out how to make it work, etc. But I don't often have time to really dive into the guts of the site, which means I'll go on an updating spree and then won't have time to do anything for a while. All things considered, it's better if Blogger hosts the main site.
March 8, 2012
The site is still a bit glitchy, but I was able to update Inbox this morning- two pages, so make sure you read both!
March 7, 2012
So, here's the skinny about Inbox and updates (cross-posted from subscriber emails):
The January/February hiatus was on me, completely, because I needed to get a book in. The continued delay is, once again, on my server. As you know, I've had problems with them for the last several months. I am seriously considering changing servers, but the thought grips me with terror because I remember what a nightmare that was last time.
In short: Changing over the site itself is irritating and time-consuming, but trying to move the message board database is a lot like trying to move a live grenade. If we change servers, the board will not move with us. We will start fresh. Some people think this is a good thing, but it makes me scared to think about it.
I know it's starting to sound like an excuse - "oh, yeah, the servers are screwed up again" - and I should have moved a long time ago if I'm having this many problems, but I cannot do so until I have a substantial amount of time to rip down the site, rebuild it, figure out how to transfer a domain name, and assess what to do with the message board. That means summer vacation: early summer, if I'm not behind on the book due in August, or late summer if I am.
So, there's what's going on in the world of Atwater-Rhodes. Thank you everyone for your patience.
The January/February hiatus was on me, completely, because I needed to get a book in. The continued delay is, once again, on my server. As you know, I've had problems with them for the last several months. I am seriously considering changing servers, but the thought grips me with terror because I remember what a nightmare that was last time.
In short: Changing over the site itself is irritating and time-consuming, but trying to move the message board database is a lot like trying to move a live grenade. If we change servers, the board will not move with us. We will start fresh. Some people think this is a good thing, but it makes me scared to think about it.
I know it's starting to sound like an excuse - "oh, yeah, the servers are screwed up again" - and I should have moved a long time ago if I'm having this many problems, but I cannot do so until I have a substantial amount of time to rip down the site, rebuild it, figure out how to transfer a domain name, and assess what to do with the message board. That means summer vacation: early summer, if I'm not behind on the book due in August, or late summer if I am.
So, there's what's going on in the world of Atwater-Rhodes. Thank you everyone for your patience.
January 19, 2012
All Just Glass has been nominated by Teenreads.com (in association with the Children's Book Council CBC and Every Child a Reader) for their 2012 Teen Choice Book of the Year!
Vote Now for your 5 favorite books of 2011!The 5 titles that receive the most votes will serve as finalists for the CBC's 2012 Teen Choice Book of the Year.
Please vote for me!And for 4 other people!
Thanks!
Vote Now for your 5 favorite books of 2011!The 5 titles that receive the most votes will serve as finalists for the CBC's 2012 Teen Choice Book of the Year.
Please vote for me!And for 4 other people!
Thanks!
January 18, 2012
I am not blacking out Nyeusigrube today because I lack the technological confidence to do so and be sure I can get the website BACK in the future... but I am in support of the strike against SOPA and PIPA.
I am a US copyright holder. I am a published novelist and I rely on the income generated by copyrighted material. So why am I not in support of legislation designed to protect copyright and combat internet piracy?
Because the way SOPA and PIPA are written, they will certainly FAIL to protect copyright in any realistic fashion, and in doing so, will violate free expression and the freedom of the internet.
To quote Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Though not in the original quote, many times this is paraphrased with the addition of "... deserve neither liberty nor safety, and will lose both." That is what these bills aim to do- sacrifice our first amendment rights, and sacrifice innovation and creativity, in favor of theoretical security that will harm more people than it will actually help.
Given we're talking about legislation, a lot of the articles on the web are pretty tough to get through (though more are readable today, now that the news is taking notice of the web-strike), but this post gives a pretty concise explanation of the problem:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/01/how-pipa-and-sopa-violate-white-house-principles-supporting-free-speech
In case anyone out there is wondering, if SOPA or PIPA goes into effect in anything near its current form, Nyeusigrube.com will shut down. As I said, I support copyright protections; I rely on them. But I barely have the time to check the forum and reply to posts. I do not have the time to police every post, every avatar, every signature, every link and every site linked from that. I chose not to go into law enforcement for a reason. This law would give me the option of becoming a police officer, or leaving the internet.
Hey, maybe hardcover book sales would go back up if we banned the internet?
... if only there were some way to advertise them...
I am a US copyright holder. I am a published novelist and I rely on the income generated by copyrighted material. So why am I not in support of legislation designed to protect copyright and combat internet piracy?
Because the way SOPA and PIPA are written, they will certainly FAIL to protect copyright in any realistic fashion, and in doing so, will violate free expression and the freedom of the internet.
To quote Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." Though not in the original quote, many times this is paraphrased with the addition of "... deserve neither liberty nor safety, and will lose both." That is what these bills aim to do- sacrifice our first amendment rights, and sacrifice innovation and creativity, in favor of theoretical security that will harm more people than it will actually help.
Given we're talking about legislation, a lot of the articles on the web are pretty tough to get through (though more are readable today, now that the news is taking notice of the web-strike), but this post gives a pretty concise explanation of the problem:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/01/how-pipa-and-sopa-violate-white-house-principles-supporting-free-speech
In case anyone out there is wondering, if SOPA or PIPA goes into effect in anything near its current form, Nyeusigrube.com will shut down. As I said, I support copyright protections; I rely on them. But I barely have the time to check the forum and reply to posts. I do not have the time to police every post, every avatar, every signature, every link and every site linked from that. I chose not to go into law enforcement for a reason. This law would give me the option of becoming a police officer, or leaving the internet.
Hey, maybe hardcover book sales would go back up if we banned the internet?
... if only there were some way to advertise them...
January 7, 2012
Welcome to 2012!
Some people reported getting strange "you have been unsubscribed" emails around the time that the site was having issues, so if you haven't received any Inbox emails since then, please re-subscribe! Remember, you can subscribe by sending a blank email to:
single-earth-subscribe@nyeusigrube.com
Because of the way the system, you probably will not receive a confirmation email (I can't seem to get them to work), but you should get an email announcement the next time Inbox is updated.
If you're not already a subscriber, please consider becoming one now! It's free, I don't spam, and subscribers get access to bonus content.
In other news, I'm doing a local "how to edit a novel" event at 7pm on the 17th, so if you're likely to be in the area (Boxborough, Massachusetts) and want to come... I'll try to get more details promptly so I can figure out whether reservations are required.
Some people reported getting strange "you have been unsubscribed" emails around the time that the site was having issues, so if you haven't received any Inbox emails since then, please re-subscribe! Remember, you can subscribe by sending a blank email to:
single-earth-subscribe@nyeusigrube.com
Because of the way the system, you probably will not receive a confirmation email (I can't seem to get them to work), but you should get an email announcement the next time Inbox is updated.
If you're not already a subscriber, please consider becoming one now! It's free, I don't spam, and subscribers get access to bonus content.
In other news, I'm doing a local "how to edit a novel" event at 7pm on the 17th, so if you're likely to be in the area (Boxborough, Massachusetts) and want to come... I'll try to get more details promptly so I can figure out whether reservations are required.
December 10, 2011
I must say, I am very pleased with Verizon FIOS tech support. I've had consistently good experiences with them, which is unusual for an internet provider.
That said: Most of the Inbox update is written (including two subscriber bonus pages), and now that I can get online reliably I look forward to making that update.
The message board is currently not working (8:07 EST). If it still isn't working in a few hours, I'll try to contact that tech support. I've been a little less pleased with my server this fall than I have been with the internet. As always, this blog is here for updates.
[update] Tech support says they're "working on their servers" and the problem should be fixed shortly. Those of you who have been around much the last few months know this is a familiar story. I'm not sure if I'm ready to jump ship just yet (if I do, it would have to be in summer, so I have time to devote to the change-over) but in case I do, does anyone have suggestions of a reliable web-server? I'm currently with IX Web Hosting, and have been for years with minimal problems until the past six months or so.
That said: Most of the Inbox update is written (including two subscriber bonus pages), and now that I can get online reliably I look forward to making that update.
The message board is currently not working (8:07 EST). If it still isn't working in a few hours, I'll try to contact that tech support. I've been a little less pleased with my server this fall than I have been with the internet. As always, this blog is here for updates.
[update] Tech support says they're "working on their servers" and the problem should be fixed shortly. Those of you who have been around much the last few months know this is a familiar story. I'm not sure if I'm ready to jump ship just yet (if I do, it would have to be in summer, so I have time to devote to the change-over) but in case I do, does anyone have suggestions of a reliable web-server? I'm currently with IX Web Hosting, and have been for years with minimal problems until the past six months or so.
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes's Blog
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