Heather B. Moore's Blog, page 16
September 11, 2011
Where I was on September 11, 2001
It doesn't seem like it has been 10 years, but in fact, my third child was only 1 yrs old in Sept 2001, and now she's a budding pre-teen.
On Sept 11, 2001, I had three little kids, 5 and under, and was mostly preoccupied with keeping my head above water and staying sane. I had committed to an early morning workout routine and when I'd arrive home, I'd usually find my 1 year old snuggled up with my husband, watching TeleTubbies or Barney.
I had just started my "first" novel that summer, and with the arrival of fall and the advent of a kindergartener and a preschooler, I hoped to get that novel actually finished during my baby's nap time.
It was early morning, probably 6:30 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. from what I remember, and I was driving home. The sun had just come up and it was a beautiful pre-fall morning. I turned on the radio and heard the news that a plane had hit one of the twin towers. I thought it must have been a small plane that lost some functionality. I worried about the pilot and maybe a passenger or two, and wondered if they were able to bail out. Here in Utah we have frequent small plane crashes. In my county, there is a training facility and a school for small plane pilots. When we hear about a crash, many times there aren't any fatalities. So that's where my mind was at when I got home.
My husband had the tv on upstairs and my kids were downstairs with cartoons on. I was soon to find out why. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I watched the footage live of the second plane hitting the second tower. It was then I realized that the plane was not a small plane, but a huge passenger plane. With reports of hijacking, I thought that a couple of hijackers had stolen a plane, but then it dawned on me they they had over-taken a plane that was full and probably had at least 200 people in it.
The horror kept escalating with reports of the Pennsylvania crash and the threat to the Pentagon. And then, of course, the worst event ever, when the towers actually fell. By then I knew that hundreds, if not thousands of lives, were ending before my very eyes. I hadn't even considered the daycares going on and all of the rescue teams involved.
It was like watching an end-of-the-world movie. But this was America and this was home. Even though I was very far away in Utah, it was completely surreal. My husband eventually left for work and I got the older kids to school/pre-school.
I'm not a tv watcher, but I couldn't take my eyes away. I didn't even want to get in the shower. The news just kept getting worse in my mind with each passing moment. I didn't even need to have the media expound.
As reports came in across the country about airports being shut down, it was scary to think that the attacks weren't over. I remember going outside a few times and just staring at the sky. I also talked to my mom several times since my dad was in the Middle East. With reports that airports across the world were being shut down, I was very nervous. My mom didn't hear from my dad all day. He was in Oman with a research group, and they were spending time in both Oman and Yemen, out in the deserts.
Reports were coming in that in some countries, Americans were considered unsafe, which, of course, included Yemen, where some people were rejoicing at the news, and it was also the hometown of Bin Laden and one of his wives.
We didn't hear from my dad for what seemed like forever, but was probably only 24 hours. They heard the news late when they returned to their hotel and switched on the television. Airports were already shutting down in Yemen, and in the middle of more than usual hositilities, they were able to catch one of the last flights to Germany. And finally back to NY after many delays.
My uncle was stranded back east with no way of flying back to California. He eventually hired a rental car.
And then my husband found out that one of his co-workers had been on the Philadelphia plane. The next days were sobering as media footage covered the families who were still looking for loved ones. It was incomprehensible that so many had died, and in such awful ways. It was even more sobering to see how the landscape of NYC changed, now missing the 2 towers.
Even though I grew up in the Cold War era and had lived in Jerusalem as a teenager where we went through regular bomb drills, I had never thought that war on American soil could be a reality.
When I took my kids to Jerusalem last year, we went through many many security measures. As we flew into Tel Aviv we weren't allowed to get out of our seats 30 minutes from the airport.
Sept 11 is simply unforgettable and brings a mixture of emotions each time I remember it, the pride of being an American and knowing that our soldiers are continually battling for peace, and the sorrow for a world in which bringing death to innocent people can be considered a badge of honor.
It wasn't hard for me to decide then that if I had a dream to live, now was the time to live it. I finished that first novel, and although it would be 3 years before I'd get a book published, I had no excuses to give up.
September 6, 2011
General Announcements
Some great news about my Co-Series here: Newport Ladies Book Club
Also, this past weekend, some of my backlist titles were put onto Kindle, including Abinadi, Alma,
Alma the Younger
Which of you are on Twitter? You can follow me at: heatherbmoore
Or you can follow my editing company: pegeditors
And, I was recently a guest on the Appendix Podcast with Marion Jensen & Sarah Eden, where we discuss: Is My Book Garbage?
Upcoming Events:
September 16-17, 2011 - LUW Roundup Writers Conference
Logan, Utah
A great writers conference. My PEG editors and I will be there as instructors.
Registration info on the LUW Website
October 1, 2011 - Ladies Night book signing @ Deseret Book
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fort Union Deseret Book (Utah)
July 26, 2011
Upcoming Events for Aug/Sept
American Fork Library
Join me and the PEG editors to have the first 15 pages of your manuscript critiqued:
Registration info on our PEG Workshop Blog
August 17, 2011 - BYU Education Week book signing
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. BYU Bookstore
I'll be signing copies of AMMON and whatever else they have in stock :-)
September 16-17, 2011 - LUW Roundup Writers Conference
Logan, Utah
A great writers conference. My PEG editors and I will be there as instructors.
Registration info on the LUW Website
June 29, 2011
Submission letter for ATHENA
************************
Dear *Editor*,
I'm pleased to submit Athena, one of the books in The Newport Ladies Book Club series, complete at 66,000 words.
As a reminder, the first installment of this series includes four books, each written by a different author. The novels function as companion books that are interconnected, but don't have to be read in any particular order. They can be read as stand-alone as well since each book finishes the story of the point of view character.
Subtitles will be the names of each of the characters:
Athena by Heather B. Moore
Daisy by Josi S. Kilpack
Paige by Annette Lyon
Olivia by Julie Wright
Overview of The Newport Ladies Book Club series:
The four books follow the same four or five-month timeline in which the characters go through their own character conflicts, then come together on the book group night. Over the course of each novel, each character's conflict is resolved.
Paige (by Annette Lyon) is the only woman in the book club who is LDS. Her faith has a great impact on the other women in the book club, and each woman is touched one way or another. Women's fiction is a major genre in the national market, but it's very difficult to find any clean reads. We hope that this series will provide an excellent option for women and will also touch their hearts and minds with the spiritual growth and self-discovery each character goes through as she discovers the value of friendship through the book club.
The books the group reads will also carry messages and help the women through their challenges. Reading one book will not give away the ending to all of the characters' conflicts. For example, in Olivia's story (written by Julie) we learn how Olivia's marriage and relationship with her children turn out. We learn bits of the other characters as Olivia interacts with them (but only from her point of view), yet we have to read the other books to find out the resolutions to the other characters' challenges. This way, one book won't give away the ending of any of the other books. And the books can be read in any order.
Athena Di Jasper (written by Heather B. Moore): Athena is a self-proclaimed bachelorette—it's better that way—no one gets hurt. But when tragedy strikes, Athena realizes friendship and love is the only way she can pull through, and she must, for the first time in her life, risk opening her heart.
Daisy Martin-Davis (written by Josi S. Kilpack): Since becoming a mother at the age of 17, Daisy has looked forward to the day when she could check "motherhood" off her list of things to do. At the age of 46 everything seems to be right on track, until she suddenly finds herself facing a very different future then she planned on, and an uncomfortable evaluation of the past she thought she understood.
Paige Anderson (written by Annette Lyon): Young, divorced, with two children, Paige must come to terms with her husband's betrayal, discover who she is as a woman rather than a wife, help her boys adjust to life in a broken home, and decide if love and trust will ever be a part of her future again.
Olivia Robbins (written by Julie Wright): Olivia has it all—and does it all—from motherhood, to being the perfect wife, to volunteering at the hospital. But when her marriage is threatened, Olivia must decide if she has the strength, or desire, to save it.
*Release of books relatively close together
*Blog for The Newport Ladies Book Club: http://thenewportladiesbookclub.blogs...
*Appearances by all four authors for book signings and events
*Book Club book tour
*Conference calls to book groups across the nation
*Eventual companion cook book. The women bring homemade goodies to book group, so the cook book could compile those recipes along with highlighting recipes enjoyed by other book groups around the country.
If the four-part series is successful, we plan to write another companion four books on the minor characters in the first four books: Ruby (by Heather B. Moore), Shannon (by Josi S. Kilpack), Ilana (by Annette Lyon), and Victoria (by Julie Wright).
I look forward to hearing from you about Athena.
Sincerely,
Heather Moore
June 17, 2011
Best of State 2011--Alma the Younger
I was very surprised and excited. 2 years ago Abinadi won 2009 Best of State, so I was pleased that 2 very religious books could earn such great recognition. You'll also understand my extra excitement of Alma the Younger winning since there was some angst during the editing process that you can read here.
June 4th was the big night. After spending time at a "Brown" family reunion, I hurried home to get ready. I had set a hair styling appointment since I am very much hair-styling-challenged. Overall, the night was much less eventful than 2009--referenced here. No parking ticket, no hail storm, no crying children. Two years of growing up made a difference to my youngest.
Here is a picture of us just before I left. Notice the all-smiles. Her one question was, "Mom, are you getting a medal or a meadow?"
This year, my parents came, my father-in-law, as well as 3 of my sisters-in-law. We took up a whole table, and it was funny to see the sign as "Heather Moore." (I SWEAR I slouch in every picture!)
I looked around for Lu Ann Staheli, who is in my critique group, and who was accepting the Non-fiction award for her book The Psychic Madman. But didn't see her until we were doing "the walk". It was a huge honor to receive the fiction award on the night she received the non-fiction award. Lu Ann has been a huge mentor in my life and is one of my dearest friends.
The food was really great, but mostly the company was great. Each category has an overall category winner as well. In the Arts & Entertainment a 12 year old violinist won. She got up to perform an amazing medley. I laughed when Lu Ann texted me saying, "okay okay, I guess she can win the category."
For you basketball fans, Jimmer Fredette won a Best of State that night, with David Archuletta presenting. Kind of cool!
Some random pictures: My beautiful sisters-in-law:
My #1 fan, my husband:
My parents, who compete for that #1 spot (with my father-in-law coming in at a near-tie):
And really, what other time can you pose by a half-naked golden man (at least in Utah)?
Finally, and best of all, I could show my kids my new meadow, I mean "medal." Some were more interested than others.
June 2, 2011
Book Trailer for AMMON
Recent reviews on AMMON include:
LDS Women's Book Review
Meridian Magazine
Author Braden Bell
Author Julie Bellon
May 31, 2011
Updates & Conferences
Most significant. My "baby" turned 7 years old this past weekend. Her favorite present? A box of Lucky Charms all to herself.
Updates on my writing . . . last week I finished the first draft of ATHENA, part of The Newport Ladies Book Club series I'm writing with Annette Lyon, Josi Kilpack, and Julie Wright. We have a blog called The Newport Ladies Book Club blog, although there's not a lot on it . . . yet, but become a follower so that you can be updated at all times :)
Also, I'm getting editing notes back from my alpha readers for my YA speculative book THE BURNING. They are coming back very positive, with some great fixes as well.
This week my priority is to work on edits from my publisher for CHRIST's GIFTS TO WOMEN, which will be out Spring 2012.
AMMON should hit stores any day now. I'll be posting a list of signings very soon! I've received lots of great reviews, which are being posted on the side-bar, and I'm really excited to hear from all of you as well. BTW, AMMON will NOT be eligible for a 2011 Whitney. I'll be serving on the Whitney Committee this year, which means that any 2011 release is ineligible.
CONFERENCES:
Some exciting conferences are coming up.
THE Teen Writers Conference will be June 18 at Weber State University. If your teen is interested in writing, this is a great conference. Details HERE. *Seating is limited and the registration deadline is June 8.
PEG Live Critiquing Workshop: August 13, American Fork Library. This is sponsored by my editing company and will include a day of live critiquing by my senior editors. It will be fantastic and very hands-on. Details are on the PEG Workshop blog. We've already had a great response, so please sign up early--seating is limited!
May 11, 2011
2011 LDS Storymakers--Wrap Up
My job on the committee was to host the visiting agents/editors with Laura Bingham. We started out with a few glitches that included one agent canceling, and another agent quitting his job as an agent (although he still ones one of the most popular agent blogs).
We also had to brown-nose Robison Wells a little to see if he'd invite his agent, Sara Crowe.
It was amazing how everything came together in the end and we landed three amazing agents, Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary, Becca Stumpf of Prospect Agency, and fantastic editor, Marcia Markland, from St. Martins Press.
w.o.w.
Agents: Sara Crowe, Sara Megibow, Becca Stumpf
On Thursday afternoon, I picked up Marcia Markland from the airport. She is a sweet and gracious woman and marveled at the expanse of blue sky in Utah. We went for a small tour around downtown SLC and found that we had something in common--we are both directionally challenged (Marcia, I know the temple is here somewhere, let's turn this way)--something that James Dashner pointed out later when a group of us were in The Van going to dinner.
With Marcia Markland at the Whitney Gala
Fast forward a couple of hours and ANWA writer, Karen Dupaix, arrived at the hotel with agent Becca Stumpf. Moment of surreal-ness when Becca and Julie Wright realized they'd met before at a conference in NY. We all had dessert and Becca proved to be very delightful and very funny.
Laura Bingham had brought agent Sara Megibow in earlier that afternoon, but she had a couple of clients to hook up. Pretty cool that 2 of her clients were coming to the conference. I didn't get to meet Sara Megibow until the next day, but she is definitely an agent who doesn't mix words. She exuded confidence and enthusiasm in every aspect.
Agent Sara Crowe flew in close to midnight, so we were able to connect at the welcome on Friday morning.
Me with writer Christy Dorrity
Throughout the conference, I was told repeatedly how great each of our guests were. All of the agents, and Marcia, requested manuscripts and gave excellent advice all the way around. They all came to the Whitney Gala on Saturday night and it was cool that one of Sara Crowe's clients, Dan Wells, won Best Novel.
Speaking of the Whitney's, two of my "upcoming" co-authors won their first Whitney Awards: Annette Lyon for Band of Sisters in the General category, and Julie Wright for Cross My Heart in the Romance category. It was weird, but I think I was more excited when they won, than when I won in previous years. (No, Alma the Younger didn't win but a most excellent book, Trespass by Sandra Grey, did. We had fun talking about our historical faux pas that we hope our readers don't notice.)
Me with Annette Lyon & Lisa Mangum at the Whitney Gala
Taking Marcia back to the airport she commented that this conference was the nicest one she's ever been to. She loved the people and marveled that she'd been treated so well. So, a big shout out to the conference attendees. Thanks for doing the committee proud!
May 3, 2011
The Bitter & The Sweet
Her advice? If you are 40 or older and have no history of cancer in your family, get a mammogram each year. If you are under 40, with history, start earlier.
So, next Monday (after the craziness of the Storymakers Conference & Mother's Day), I'm scheduling a mammogram.
In other, much better news, I found out this morning that ALMA THE YOUNGER won 2011 Best of State in Literary Arts for Fiction. A couple of years ago, ABINADI won. My husband said to me, "Are we going to get another parking ticket?" Hope not! (for the torrid details of my last Best of State adventure, read here)
April 25, 2011
Looking for Blog Reviewers!
Only 6 more weeks until AMMON is released!
I'm looking for 20 blog reviewers who can post on their blog, and other locations such as DeseretBook.com, Seagullbook.com, Goodreads, and Amazon. Also, I need the reviews to be coming in between June 1-Jun 30. If you know you can meet this deadline, I'd love to hear from you!
If you are interested, please send me your address: heather at hbmoore dot com
I'm also including a bonus book for those who can post a review before June 1st!
Thanks in advance!
