Jane Green's Blog, page 138
June 10, 2010
June 9, 2010
The rhythm of life
How do you do it? I am always asked. How do you manage juggling all those kids, with writing books, with cooking, with…well…life. And my answer usually is, I have absolutely no idea. Sometimes I think of that old adage of when you want something done, ask the busiest person in the office. All I know is that most of the time I manage it perfectly well, and am usually surprisingly calm.
Last week when I was in London, I was reading a column called Inside Out, in the Daily Telegraph. There was a ...
June 8, 2010
Eating humble pie
There is a saying in a book I read once: Be immaculate with your word. I have written about this once before, how I try to live by those words, but every now and then I don't abide, I forget to be mindful, and now it has come back to bite me.
A couple of years ago I wrote a scene in a book, based, as so many of my scenes are, on something that happened. I changed it slightly, turned the character into someone entitled, without really thinking that the person in question would find it...
And the winners are…
Heather Barnes Tracy on Facebook, Sarah-Jane Hunt on Twitter, and Shonda from the blog, Me, My Book & The Couch. Congratulations to all of you!
Thank you to all of you who took part. 150 through the website, and, literally, hundreds more on facebook and twitter. Keep an eye out for more surprise competitions along the way.
And the winners? Get in touch and let us know where to send your books!
Drink, anyone?
I adore flying back to London for these quick trips. I took the redeye on Sunday night, spent Monday with my Grandmother for her 100th birthday, and then, first thing Tuesday morning, hit the ground running with the biggest media tour I have ever done in the UK.
There were back-to-back TV interviews, radio interviews, and press. I'm still astonished I didn't lose my voice, but it was all wonderful stuff. Dune Road, called Girl Friday in the UK, shot back up to number three on the bestseller...
June 7, 2010
Exclusive early giveaway of Promises to Keep!
Do you want a copy of the new book before anyone else?
I'm drawing three names from a hat, and the winners will be sent a signed copy of Promises to Keep.
Let me know if you want one in the comments section…you have until tomorrow morning to leave your name…
Ready…set…go!!
Sneak preview of Promises to Keep, out June 15th…pre-order now!!
Chapter One
Steffi elbows her hair out of her eyes before grabbing a frying pan, splashing olive oil liberally into it and scraping the finely chopped onion into the oil. Ignoring the sweat running into her eyes, she spins around, hurrying over to the counter opposite, where Jorge is slicing spring onions.
"More of the green," she says, peering over his shoulder then leaning forward to show him. "Take it all the way up to there." She runs back to the frying pan and shakes it hard, turning down ...
May 28, 2010
Editing
I have to confess that I have never been a tremendous fan of editing. Of course I would tell you that editing is the most important part, but I would not listen to my own words. Even as a journalist, once my words were on the page, my attention span was elsewhere, and I would only skim it, if pushed, after I had handed it in.
But this past year I have come to truly appreciate the importance of editing, and more, the importance of a good editor.
I have never let anyone read my books until they a...
May 27, 2010
Libraries and other stuff…
Two days ago I found myself at Book Expo America giving a talk to a room full of librarians. There were a panel of writers – the lovely Ann Brashares, author of Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (and most recently My Name is Memory), Cory Doctorow, Anne Fortier and Rachel Vincent, and an awful lot of librarians.
I love librarians. I have given talks to librarians before, and let me tell you, they're not nearly as strait-laced as you might believe. In fact, meet them out of hours, and you'd...
Cooking crazy
There is an old saying that if you want anything done, ask the busiest person in the room…
I think, right now, I may qualify. I am in midst of finalising arrangements for my book tour, am gearing up for the Smalls end of school and the endless celebrations that seem to come with that, building a house, organising a fundraiser in Westport on June 15th to launch Promises to Keep, the new book, going to London next week for the UK publicity tour, and…and…oh GOD! I'm getting palpitations just...
