Wendelin Van Draanen's Blog, page 10

Ramp-Up to Road Rash

The "He Said, She Said" Tour (also known as the Road Show!) is almost finalized. I expect to have the schedule posted next week.



This week, though, is all about the release of Mark's debut novel, Road Rash. Tuesday's the big day! It's amazing, really, how much there is for an author to do that has nothing whatsoever to do with the writing of a book--part of that involves the ramp-up to the release of a book. One of these days I'll write a whole post on it, but for now, I just want to share the book trailer for Road Rash.



Here's the link!



It's purpose is to make you want to read the book. It also makes me want to play the drums!



How about you?

Shoelaces & Horseshoes

So...how do you like them?



Who wants a pair of custom Sammy Keyes shoelaces?



These are the samples, pre-production, so I won't actually have them until shortly before the tour, but I was very excited to get the samples.



Hope you're excited to see them!



Due to the way they're manufactured, "no two are alike," or, at least, identical, so how the text starts and ends varies. But each lace will have every title on it somewhere! The laces are 45", which can work on high-tops or low-cuts.



They also can work as ID lanyards for those of you in schools that require those. And I've been wearing one as a ribbon in my hair!



As you can see on the purple and red shoes in this picture, I also got horseshoes. They're the closest thing I could find to the horseshoe that Casey gave Sammy, so although they're not perfect, they're symbolic and fun. (And you don't have to wear yours on your shoe!)





In last week's comments I got likened to Santa Claus. I don't know about that, but I do know how much I appreciate the people who have traveled with me on this journey through 18 books. To me this is a way to say thank you for being part of this adventure, and a fun way to tie us together.



Sammiacs forever!

Wardrobe Worries

We need to streamline our operation before the He Said, She Said tour. Three days at a convention this week proved that. How can two people need so much stuff for three days away? And if that was for three days, what are we going to do for two months?



Being a runner complicates things. Sweat complicates things. Runners do a lot of laundry. Air drying today's sweat will only take you so far.



Usually when I go on tour it's via airplane from city to city. I limit myself to carry-on luggage only. Usually it's only a couple of weeks. I can talk myself out of things. Like running every day. Oh, that's easy.



But this time Mark will be with me. The must-runner. And this time we'll have the luxury of a vehicle that we can pack to the gills. Like we did this weekend.



But after looking around our hotel room this weekend and seeing stuff everywhere (and running clothes airing out everywhere)...I don't want to go through that every night! We're going to have to figure out "wardrobe." And cut back on everything else, too.



Well, except for swag! We are acquiring some really fun giveaways for the tour. The Sammy Keyes shoelaces are on order. I've got horseshoe charms coming. Mark's got a line on drumsticks he's hoping to get stamped with Road Rash. And we have books. A bunch of books! We're just going to raffle off stuff to people who come out to see us (and random unsuspecting souls at rest stops in the middle of the desert).



So the "swag" can take up space in the van, I don't mind. We just need to figure out the rest of it. The practical stuff. In my backpacking years we used to cut the toothbrush in half to save on weight because every little bit of weight mattered. I need to adapt that thinking to wardrobe packing. Expect to see me in jeans, Chuck's, and a t-shirt. Really, what else do I need, right?



As for tour schedule, we're waiting for two confirmations in Missouri before moving onto scheduling Kansas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. But we've got most of the route set and I hope to have a complete tour schedule posted in the next couple of weeks.



Right now I've got to go unpack. And do laundry!



As always, thanks for checking in. See you in the comments!

Yanking Weeds From My Garden of Worthiness (Or, Edgar Dress Story #3)

There are five Edgar dress stories. The first two were told a few weeks ago, the next two have no fun story to go with them (except that those gowns were also purchased for $29), so I will skip ahead to the fifth dress.



Let me start by saying that although my parents weren't stingy with compliments regarding academic achievement or task-related competence, compliments about appearance were pretty much non-existent. I can't remember my mother ever telling me I was pretty. And being tall and lanky and younger than my classmates, I grew up with a belief that I was not pretty. Like a lot of girls, I was very self-critical, only at the time I didn't realize the "like a lot of girls" part. That's a perspective that only time and distance from adolescence can provide.



One of the reasons Sammy Keyes is in junior high school is because I believe those years are pivotal in defining self-image. That's the age where we're forged or scarred. That's the age where we learn to like who we are, or accept as truths the criticisms foisted upon us. Perhaps the most important thing about Sammy Keyes is the indisputable success she achieves by being herself. She empowers us to be who we want to be.



So although it's been a struggle for me, Sammy has definitely helped me. She has helped me find me.



But ah, how easy it is to slip back into insecurities. In The Running Dream, Jessica muses about this very thing, stating how weeds take root so easily in her "garden of worthiness."



So yes, weeds. I yank them out and toss them aside, but they do grow back. And they don't need much watering to really flourish!



I know I'm not alone in this, so you will get it when I bring you with me now into the dressing room of a Marshall's, where I'd plucked an incredible $29 designer dress off the rack and was hurriedly trying it on.



I wasn't hurrying because I was so excited. (Although I was! It was gorgeous. Black, burned-out velvet. And twenty-nine dollars!!!) No, I was hurrying because the older woman I'd agreed to take shopping was trying on (flannel) nightgowns in an adjacent stall. We'd been shopping all day for a flannel nightgown. I was trying to be kind and patient and helpful, but after she'd snapped, "Why didn't you bring me here first?" when she'd finally found something to her liking at Marshall's, I was about done.



So, I hurried to try on the dress while she was busy with her nightgowns, and when I looked in the mirror, I felt amazing. Like I'd hit the jackpot!



And then I heard my name. "Wendelin? Wendelin! Wendelin!!"



"Right here!" I called, and not having time to change, I stepped out of the dressing room and faced her.



"Oh!" she said when she saw me, and her eyes went wide.



I giggled and turned around. "What do you think?" I asked.



"Oh!" she said again. "Oh, my!"



At first I thought she was stunned by how good the dress looked, but then came the words I will never forget.



She frowned and shook her head. "I had no idea you had such broad hips."



I flushed red.



My ears went what?



But for once, for once, I didn't swallow it.



"You're buying that?" she said when we were in line with her nightgowns. Like it was a huge mistake, and a big waste of $29.



"Yes," I said with a smile. And I felt the smile, too. Like it didn't matter what she said--I wasn't going to let it take root.



It was a completely new and amazing feeling.



So that's my final Edgar dress story! I don't have a picture of me at the Edgars, but the one above documents the second chapter in the dress's life because I wore it again to the Hollywood premiere of Flipped.



And just for fun, here are my "gettin' ready" shoes pre-premiere. I know you Sammiacs will love it!



Thanks for checking in. Now go yank some weeds! Only blooms allowed in your garden of worthiness.

















.

Some Random Updates

This
week I bring you some random updates:




The
Epic Road Trip Adventure is now named the “He Said, She Said” Author Tour.
We’ve got about 25 stores scheduled so far. We’ve gone as far east as Atlanta
and are firming up dates in Tennessee and Missouri. It’s a juggle, that’s for
sure, but things are firming up and we should have a list of dates and
locations finalized in the next few weeks.




We
had our consultation about wrapping the minivan. That sounds easy, but first we
spent weeks debating what to put on the van and then we had to get hi-rez
artwork ready and mock up the design as we envisioned it. We should get a proof
in the next couple of weeks, and we’re hoping to have the job done by the end
of February.




We’ve
been working on shooting footage for a Road Rash book trailer. Another big
undertaking, but so far, so good!




After
that trailer's done we’ll make a “He Said, She Said” Tour trailer. It’s a funny idea (where Mark
says something about me, and then I say something about him, etc). It’s for the
stores, to help explain what we’re about. I hope it comes out somewhere close
to how it looks in my head, because it’s pretty funny inside there.




And
Sammy Keyes shoelaces. They’ll be ready before the tour. All the book titles spanning
45” laces. Flat weave (Converse style), black with blue text. Sound good?

Sammy Disturbs The Universe

Did you know that Sammy Keyes has disturbed the universe?



Officially!



Tonight I have some pictures to share. (Not of dresses--this is way better!)



Nancy (my editor) sent me some pictures of a recent display at the New York Public Library. Here's the first one:





Her message was...



There's a fab exhibit of the history of kids books and
part of it is a display of all the books that have "disturbed the
universe".  All the great books that
people have tried to ban or suppress. 



Then came the next picture message with, Can you see it yet?



And the next picture, zoomed in some more with a See it now?







Finally, the one below appeared, with the message, Smack in the middle! (Which is where Sammy Keyes always seems to find herself, isn't it?)











I got super excited. I mean, the display is fantastic and having my book as part of it was a real gift. And naturally, I started studying all the titles, finding Sammy's place in this disturbing universe. 




It was seven straight up from To Kill A Mockingbird!

Two up and one over from The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe! 

It was supporting the edge of Huckleberry Finn! 

And, uh, three down from Everyone Poops? 

(Which is supporting The Diary of Anne Frank?)




After dissembling the titles for a while I started wondering...in what ways has Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief disturbed the universe? 




Was it the nose punch heard around the world?




Was it something more philosophical?




Then I started wondering...if I had to choose a Sammy Keyes title to place in this display, would it be Hotel Thief? Is there a more universe-disturbing title in the series?




So that's my question to you this week: Pick a Sammy to slip into this display. I'll tell you right here that for me it's Kiss Goodbye. That's cheating, I know, but it sure has disturbed (and continues to disturb) my universe. But since you can't debate it (yet) or agree with me (yet), which other Sammy would you slip into this display?




As always, thanks for checking in.  Looking forward to seeing you in the comments!







 

The Edgar Dress, Part Two

Well, shoot. I can't find a picture.



So I'll have to try to paint one in your mind.



Edgar Dress #2: Cave girl. Full-length. Tomato red. Fitted. Long slit.Tiny red beads all over it.



Good enough, yes?



Because it's not really the dress itself, it's the way I found it.



I was in Homewood, Alabama doing an extended visit to middle schools, soaking in Southern hospitality as I shared in the post from earlier this month. During the visit I learned that I'd been nominated for a second Edgar, and in the excitement of that I told my hosts the story of the $29 Little Pink Dress.



Being from the South, they loved the story.



They weren't convinced about the wearing of white shoes so early in the calendar year, but after polite murmurings and hoisted eyebrows, they let it slide.



Especially after I got to the part about winning the Edgar, and what Mary Higgins Clark had said.



Anyway, on my last day in Alabama, there was a big "luncheon" being held in my honor at a swanky restaurant, and the superintendent, principals, & librarians were all going to be in attendance.



Well, right next door to this swanky luncheoning local just so happened to be a "vintage clothing shoppe." "Let's go!" the ladies who drove me to the restaurant said. "Maybe you'll find your Edgar dress!"



Not likely, I knew, considering we only had about 10 minutes to shop. Which, after stepping inside, I was really regretting. The place was big! And packed! No secret closet, man, this place had rooms and rooms and rooms.



We found the "gowns" section and almost immediately I spotted the red cave-girl dress. Amid other showy gowns, it was understated, and (key to this 5'10+" author) longer than everything else around it.



I pulled it out and all the ladies went "Ooooo."



"It would go great with white shoes and gloves, don't you think?" I asked.



"Hmmmm," they all went, their eyebrows twitching.



And then I saw the price tag and squealed, "It's twenty-nine dollars!"



Having heard the Little Pink Dress story, the ladies knew: it was meant to be. So I tried it on speedy-quick, it fit, I paid, and we scurried across the street to lunch.



There is a third story, it involves black. And a sharp-tongued aunt. And, of course, $29.



Maybe next week!



Until then, here's wishing all of you a Happy New Year and an outstanding 2014.



See you in the comments!

With a Ho-Ho-Ho & a Fa-La-La-La-La

The Edgar Dress #2 story is going to remain closeted for another week. I have to find a picture (which might take a while), and I'm still unpacking from last night's gig, where our family band played the "Second Annual Risky Whippet Christmas." It was a lot of work to prepare for the show, and haul gear, etc., but it was worth it for a bunch of reasons, not the least of which being that a lot of our friends came.



It struck me how it's been a hard year for many of us, and how nice it was to be able to be together and do something joyful. It's easy for adults to lose the "fun" in their lives, as it tends to get swallowed up by responsibility and general fatigue. But last night, everyone let go a little and recharged a little. There was dancing. And singing. And a crazed rendition of Partridge in a Pear Tree. And loud fa-la-la-la-la-ing through Deck the Halls.



There was also jingle-belling through Metallica.



Which came after audience singing the "oooooooo!"s in the choruses of Beatles' Helter Skelter.



Helter Skelter and Enter Sandman may not seem like appropriate songs for a Christmas Bash, but that's only if you aren't familiar with the comedic aspects of the Risky Whippet band. We turned Enter Sandman into Enter Santa-man, and with Colton's deep, "Ho-ho-ho"s and the demonic shaking of the jingle stick it became a Christmas song. Of sorts. Connor was all against it (and on paper it does sound really dopey), but by the third set the audience was all for it, and it turned out to be awesome fun.



So the Edgar dress will have to wait, and I instead post a picture of my Santa skirt. And now, with a ho-ho-ho and fa-la-la-la-la, I wish you, my faithful blogettes, a very merry Christmas. Sing. Jingle. Embrace life. Enjoy your friends and family. Have some fun.

The Edgar Dress, Part One

Well, I've checked the archives and I cannot find any Edgar dress story, so grab a mug of cocoa and settle in.



Actually, this story has five parts. Only three are entertaining, so I'll spare you two of them, and tell you only the first one tonight.



I had never been to New York City. I learned that Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief had been nominated for an Edgar via a call from my agent on my classroom phone. It was nice to be nominated, I knew, but the importance of it was a little lost on me. I was already late getting out the door to pick up my kids, and I was really hungry for an after school snack.



After school snacks are a vital part of a teacher's life, you know.



It didn't really sink in that attending the Edgars was a such big deal, or potentially fun, until the embossed invitation arrived from Mystery Writers of America. It was classy, with a stylized graphic of Edgar Allan Poe in a bow tie, and it instructed the recipient to "Dress To Kill."



I loved that!



And after planning the trip with my editor, Nancy, I was now in the spirit of things and started taking the invitation seriously.



Unfortunately, there is no "serious shopping" around here. Not within the time constraints of a full time job and two little kids, anyway. And after the initial frustration of department store boring, somebody suggested I try Sherry's Secret Closet. "She sells vintage Hollywood gowns."



Yup, discards of the stars.



I was game, and when I found the little side shop where Sherry had her wares, I saw how the store got its name. It was small, all right, and the "dressing room" was just a curtained-off storage space--no mirror, no hook for clothes, just random boxes precariously stacked.



Sherry greeted me, then got back to her phone call. As I flicked through the racks I couldn't help overhearing her hushed conversation, and it didn't take long to suspect that she was being hounded by bill collectors. Or maybe she had a second occupation snuffing people out! It was a coin toss.



She had a friend in the shop. A flamboyant guy who watched me move about from his perch on a torn velvet-seat stool. "Try that pink one," he said as I pulled out a blue dress.



"Pink's not me," I informed him.



I selected about five dresses and each time I came out to look in the mirror the guy went tsk and raised an eyebrow. "Try the pink."



"No, really. Pink's not me."



Plus, it was chiffon.



And short.



With little cape-y wings.



And rhinestones.



None of the five dresses I picked worked, let alone made me feel like I was dressing to kill. And as I was wrestling around in the "dressing room," discouraged and pretty much fed up, an arm jetted through the curtain. It was holding the pink dress. "Just put it on!" he said. "You'll look smashing!"



So I did. And it was...awesome.



And only $29!?



So I bought it, and decided that white gloves and white shoes and some cool vintage jewelry borrowed from a teaching colleague would complete the look.



Uh, did I mention I'd never been to New York before?



Well, I learned something as I walked my short pink dress and white shoes and gloves into the Grand Hyatt Hotel the night of the Edgar gala.



Everyone in New York wears black.



Immediately, I felt...ridiculous. But people were very kind and welcoming. One of the MWA organizers even sized me up and said, "Now that's how it's done!"and Mary Higgins Clark told me "Darling, you look like a princess!" and Nancy whispered, "Twenty-nine dollars? Are you serious?" after I told her my little story. So, yeah, I started having fun.



So much so that when they announced that Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief  won the Edgar for best juvenile mystery, I ran my little white shoes up to the podium, my little pink chiffon wings flying behind me.



Anyway, there you have it. The Edgar dress story. Part One.



Next week, Part Two!



Meanwhile, see you in the comments, and happy bargain shopping!

Breakfast in Birmingham

Many years ago, when the kids were still little and it was a huge deal to leave them, the school & library director at my publishing house asked if I'd be willing to participate in an event in Birmingham, Alabama.



I had no clue how hard it would be to be to get there (very), or what participating in this event would entail (uh...breakfast?).



Yes, it took all day (and 3 planes) to get to Birmingham, and the following morning after breakfast with a small group of librarians, I went back to the airport and flew home.



"I am never going to Birmingham for breakfast again!" I told Mark (and the kids and the dogs and the dishes). And when other questionable invitations would came along, Mark would say, "Wait. Is this another breakfast in Birmingham?"



After all, it had been a colossal waste of time, and for what?



Well, the funny thing is, about a year after the infamous Breakfast in Birmingham, librarians from a group of middle schools in Homewood, Alabama invited me to come visit all their schools. As in, paying school visits.They had a bunch of them lined up.



"We met you in Birmingham!" they said, "At the breakfast!"



Well, this was an invitation for much more than scrambled eggs, so off I went again to Birmingham, where the ladies picked me up and drove me to nearby Homewood. This was in 2001, and it's when I learned what Southern hospitality is all about. It's when I got my first taste of real "swaeet tea." It's when I learned the secret to fixin' lima beans (bacon, and lots of it). And it's when I learned the phrase "swear to howdy."



I loved everything about that visit. From the kids at the schools, to the people who taught them, to the way food was always on the table, to the humorous phrases they used, to the way the whisked me into a second-hand store after I told them my little Edgar dress story. (Have I told you my Edgar dress story?)



In fact, I was so charmed by it--by all of it--that I took notes.



Notes that would become the voice and the flavor of Swear to Howdy--a book I wrote with Alabama in mind; one I had those same librarians read and weigh in on before publication.



Clearly, I got much more from my breakfast in Birmingham than I could ever have imagined. (I was in Tennessee earlier this year and a woman came up to me at a conference and said, "I'm sure you don't remember, but I met you at a breakfast in Birmingham years ago..." I about hit the floor.)



In 2006 my "Southern belle" friends had me back for more school visits, and we have stayed in touch since. I've tried to "explain them" to Mark, but really, their hospitality is something you more have to experience than can explain.



So I let them know we were embarking on this wild road trip tour, and that we would take a little detour into Homewood if they wanted to have a reunion. Almost right after I sent the message, one of them messaged back, "I'll cook!"



So after speaking at the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery, we'll head to Homewood to meet up with the ladies. And the next day you know where I'll be dragging Mark, right?



Into Birmingham for breakfast!