Lisa Yee's Blog, page 10
April 9, 2012
Melting Down in Massachusetts
Last week I had an utter and complete Meltdown and I totally enjoyed myself.
What's a Meltdown, you ask? Well, it's an awesome annual book and music celebration featuring live bands and live KidLit authors and illustrators!!!
Our good friend Jarrett Krosoczka wrangles and cajoles and organizes all the book people.
(That's Jarrett when we were at this.)
Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple were the authors on before me . . .
After mother and daughter, Jane and Heidi, a band played onstage and Peepy played backstage . . .
One never knows who they might meet backstage. One time we met this person . . .
(YES! It was Julie Andrews!)
And another time we met that person . . .
(YES! It was Carol Burnett!)
Who did we spy backstage at the Meltdown? That's right! The male equivalent(s) of Julie and Carol . . . Jarrett and Eric Wight
. . .
Soon it was time to hit the stage. And to also go on the stage. (Get it? Hit the stage . . . go on stage . . . okay. Nevermind.)
I asked for the "most handsome man in the room" to volunteer to join me, and he did. As I read from BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY), Jarrett acted it out . . .
Then, when I read from MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS, I played the part of Millicent, while Jarrett played her arch enemy, Stanford Wong. I made him shove a sandwich in his mouth while reading, eat a big bag of chips, and chug an entire bottle of soda . . .
Then disaster struck! Jarrett could not burp on command, as called for in the book. In a panic, I asked for a stunt burp-er from the audience and this lovely young lady let out the biggest baddest belch you can imagine--and saved the day!!!!
(Above: The talented Sarah is the daughter of the talented Scott Fischer and the talented Teresa Fischer.)
After the Meltdown, there was a After the Meltdown party. The event was catered by the amazing Gina Krosoczka . . .
The whole gang was there, like Heidi Stemple, and John Bemelmans Marciano with Jarrett, Teresa Fischer, Jeff Mack and Tony DiTerlizzi.
Some of the foods were even THEMED to the authors. Like this for Moi . . .
And these Madeleine cookies for John who is carrying on the work of his grandfather who created Madeline . . .
For Eric there were franks and pickles in honor of his Frankie Pickle books . . .
Since we were at Jarrett's house and his studio was right there, he insisted on drawing Peepy . . .
Ralph Macchio, the Krosoczka's dog, was also a huge fan of my Peep's, and they became instant BFFs . . .
What a marvelous Meltdown-y day we had!!!!
Sadly, it had to come to an end, and Ralph Macchio misses Peepy . . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
What's a Meltdown, you ask? Well, it's an awesome annual book and music celebration featuring live bands and live KidLit authors and illustrators!!!
Our good friend Jarrett Krosoczka wrangles and cajoles and organizes all the book people.
(That's Jarrett when we were at this.)
Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple were the authors on before me . . .
After mother and daughter, Jane and Heidi, a band played onstage and Peepy played backstage . . .
One never knows who they might meet backstage. One time we met this person . . .
(YES! It was Julie Andrews!)
And another time we met that person . . .
(YES! It was Carol Burnett!)
Who did we spy backstage at the Meltdown? That's right! The male equivalent(s) of Julie and Carol . . . Jarrett and Eric Wight
. . .
Soon it was time to hit the stage. And to also go on the stage. (Get it? Hit the stage . . . go on stage . . . okay. Nevermind.)
I asked for the "most handsome man in the room" to volunteer to join me, and he did. As I read from BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY), Jarrett acted it out . . .
Then, when I read from MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS, I played the part of Millicent, while Jarrett played her arch enemy, Stanford Wong. I made him shove a sandwich in his mouth while reading, eat a big bag of chips, and chug an entire bottle of soda . . .
Then disaster struck! Jarrett could not burp on command, as called for in the book. In a panic, I asked for a stunt burp-er from the audience and this lovely young lady let out the biggest baddest belch you can imagine--and saved the day!!!!
(Above: The talented Sarah is the daughter of the talented Scott Fischer and the talented Teresa Fischer.)
After the Meltdown, there was a After the Meltdown party. The event was catered by the amazing Gina Krosoczka . . .
The whole gang was there, like Heidi Stemple, and John Bemelmans Marciano with Jarrett, Teresa Fischer, Jeff Mack and Tony DiTerlizzi.
Some of the foods were even THEMED to the authors. Like this for Moi . . .
And these Madeleine cookies for John who is carrying on the work of his grandfather who created Madeline . . .
For Eric there were franks and pickles in honor of his Frankie Pickle books . . .
Since we were at Jarrett's house and his studio was right there, he insisted on drawing Peepy . . .
Ralph Macchio, the Krosoczka's dog, was also a huge fan of my Peep's, and they became instant BFFs . . .
What a marvelous Meltdown-y day we had!!!!
Sadly, it had to come to an end, and Ralph Macchio misses Peepy . . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
April 5, 2012
Mo Willems, Tony DiTerlizzi and The Amazing Angela
Whoa. The Amherst/Northampton area is like a magnet for KidLit authors and illustrators . . .
The day after our radio interview and lunch with Jeanne Birdsall and Cammie McGovern, it was time for lunch, again!
This time, we met up with Mo Willems (sitting across from me) and Tony DiTerlizzi and Angela DiTerlizzi. (Yes, they are related. Well, two of the three are related via marriage. I won't say which two, so you're going to have to guess.)
Now, Mo being Mo, meant that he was not on his best behavior. In fact, this was a tragedy in the making . . .
Of course, it's natural that any guy who'd even consider letting a bird drive a bus would be rather cavalier. But lest, you worry, Peepy was unharmed.
That is, until the guy who illustrates The Spiderwick Chronicles and got a hold of her . . .
Luckily, Angela stopped the hijinks by saying, "Say what?" and rescuing my Peep for the clutches of ill-behaved author/illustrators . . .
After lunch, Tony, Angela and I decided that the only logical thing to do would be to go and eat some more. And so, with Peepy tucked safely in my purse, we did just that . . .
Up next: HEADING FOR A MELTDOWN with Jarrett Krosoczka . . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
The day after our radio interview and lunch with Jeanne Birdsall and Cammie McGovern, it was time for lunch, again!
This time, we met up with Mo Willems (sitting across from me) and Tony DiTerlizzi and Angela DiTerlizzi. (Yes, they are related. Well, two of the three are related via marriage. I won't say which two, so you're going to have to guess.)
Now, Mo being Mo, meant that he was not on his best behavior. In fact, this was a tragedy in the making . . .
Of course, it's natural that any guy who'd even consider letting a bird drive a bus would be rather cavalier. But lest, you worry, Peepy was unharmed.
That is, until the guy who illustrates The Spiderwick Chronicles and got a hold of her . . .
Luckily, Angela stopped the hijinks by saying, "Say what?" and rescuing my Peep for the clutches of ill-behaved author/illustrators . . .
After lunch, Tony, Angela and I decided that the only logical thing to do would be to go and eat some more. And so, with Peepy tucked safely in my purse, we did just that . . .
Up next: HEADING FOR A MELTDOWN with Jarrett Krosoczka . . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
April 2, 2012
Jeanne Birdsall, Radio Meltdown and The Death of Peepy (?)
I'm not always on the road. It just seems like it.
After a Scholastic book signing in San Diego, I took the train home. This was my window view . . .
(The bad news was that there was "mechanical issue" so the train was delayed for 1-1/2 hours. The good news was that there was free wifi onboard.)
I was in South Pasadena long enough to take care of important matters before packing up again . . .
As always, I got to the airport early. I don't know why I do this since my planes are always late. But I do.
We arrived in Northampton, MA and stayed at a lovely undisclosed location. Peepy was totally cozy in her own little bed . . .
The next morning we headed to a radio station to do an interview with the irrepressible Monte Belmonte from 93.9, The River . . .
He had never met my Peep before and wasn't sure what to make of her . . .
The interview was a total blast and we discussed micro/macro physics, dust mites, string theory, books and linear equations, or at least one of those things . . .
Then Monte tried to rope me into a debate about this . . .
Before things could get too heated, a special guest dropped in . . . National Book Award winner, Jeanne Birdsall!!!
WANNA HEAR THE INTEVIEW???? Then CLICK HERE.
BTW, you may not know this tidbit of literary trivia, but what does Ms. Birdsall do in her spare time? Here's a hint . . .
That's right! She's the head of my posse and my bodyguard!!!
OKAY! So after the interview, I felt safe walking with Jeanne to the local luncherina (I just made up that word!) and we met up with author Cammie McGovern . . .
Lunch was so fun that there was only one sensible thing to do after that. Yes! Look for birdhouses. And guess what we found at Pinch? Why, these totally cool bird abodes made from RECYCLED BOOKS . . .
Speaking of birdhouses made of books, or at least the book part of that last sentence, guess who's on the Kansas Reading Circle Best Books of 2011 list? I'm not going to tell you, but here's a hint . . .
And also, WARP SPEED has been nominated for Vermont's Book of the Year aka Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award List
Squeeeeee!!!
Oh. And finally, this. There has been a report of Peepy's demise.
You can read Peter D. Sieruta's blog about it HERE. (Scroll down a little ways.) However, keep in mind that this was posted on April 1st (and that on April 2nd, she was fine.)
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
After a Scholastic book signing in San Diego, I took the train home. This was my window view . . .
(The bad news was that there was "mechanical issue" so the train was delayed for 1-1/2 hours. The good news was that there was free wifi onboard.)
I was in South Pasadena long enough to take care of important matters before packing up again . . .
As always, I got to the airport early. I don't know why I do this since my planes are always late. But I do.
We arrived in Northampton, MA and stayed at a lovely undisclosed location. Peepy was totally cozy in her own little bed . . .
The next morning we headed to a radio station to do an interview with the irrepressible Monte Belmonte from 93.9, The River . . .
He had never met my Peep before and wasn't sure what to make of her . . .
The interview was a total blast and we discussed micro/macro physics, dust mites, string theory, books and linear equations, or at least one of those things . . .
Then Monte tried to rope me into a debate about this . . .
Before things could get too heated, a special guest dropped in . . . National Book Award winner, Jeanne Birdsall!!!
WANNA HEAR THE INTEVIEW???? Then CLICK HERE.
BTW, you may not know this tidbit of literary trivia, but what does Ms. Birdsall do in her spare time? Here's a hint . . .
That's right! She's the head of my posse and my bodyguard!!!
OKAY! So after the interview, I felt safe walking with Jeanne to the local luncherina (I just made up that word!) and we met up with author Cammie McGovern . . .
Lunch was so fun that there was only one sensible thing to do after that. Yes! Look for birdhouses. And guess what we found at Pinch? Why, these totally cool bird abodes made from RECYCLED BOOKS . . .
Speaking of birdhouses made of books, or at least the book part of that last sentence, guess who's on the Kansas Reading Circle Best Books of 2011 list? I'm not going to tell you, but here's a hint . . .
And also, WARP SPEED has been nominated for Vermont's Book of the Year aka Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award List
Squeeeeee!!!
Oh. And finally, this. There has been a report of Peepy's demise.
You can read Peter D. Sieruta's blog about it HERE. (Scroll down a little ways.) However, keep in mind that this was posted on April 1st (and that on April 2nd, she was fine.)
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
In April, you can find me here . . .
And then I'll be here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
March 29, 2012
Scholastic-ing in San Diego + The Dessert Games
My Peep and I saw THE HUNGER GAMES movie on the first day it was released . . .
Well, I did. She was too young, so she stayed in my purse. After all, someone had to hand me the tissues.
Later, we decided to play a totally different kind of Hunger Games. That's because we were in San Diego for the National Center on Family Literature Conference . . .
What did we play? Why we played the DESSERT GAMES!!! Just take a look . . .
What did we order from Extraordinary Desserts?
Why this . . .
Was it great? Well, yes!!!! Later, we strolled through the neighborhood . . .
And then headed to our hotel. Luckily we got in before the rain!
The next morning was GORGEOUS . . .
Peepy registered for the NCFL conference and then we headed to our Scholastic book signing . . .
Copies of WARP SPEED were given out for the wonderful price of FREE!!!
It was fun taking to everyone. Plus, I brought along my little Moo cards that I use instead of bookmarks and biz cards . . .
After the signing, I had a chance to walk the conference floor . . .
I even signed the Right to Literacy petition . . .
What a wonderful time!
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31 at 1:40 p.m., I'll be onstage in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
Well, I did. She was too young, so she stayed in my purse. After all, someone had to hand me the tissues.
Later, we decided to play a totally different kind of Hunger Games. That's because we were in San Diego for the National Center on Family Literature Conference . . .
What did we play? Why we played the DESSERT GAMES!!! Just take a look . . .
What did we order from Extraordinary Desserts?
Why this . . .
Was it great? Well, yes!!!! Later, we strolled through the neighborhood . . .
And then headed to our hotel. Luckily we got in before the rain!
The next morning was GORGEOUS . . .
Peepy registered for the NCFL conference and then we headed to our Scholastic book signing . . .
Copies of WARP SPEED were given out for the wonderful price of FREE!!!
It was fun taking to everyone. Plus, I brought along my little Moo cards that I use instead of bookmarks and biz cards . . .
After the signing, I had a chance to walk the conference floor . . .
I even signed the Right to Literacy petition . . .
What a wonderful time!
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31 at 1:40 p.m., I'll be onstage in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
March 26, 2012
Notes on Taking Notes
A recent blog we covered, HOW I WRITE BOOKS . . .
And the blogs before that covered, I LOVE SCRIVENER BECAUSE IT TIDIES UP MY MESSES . . .
And before that there was a blog about FREEDOM, the amazing thingy that helps tame my internet addiction . . .
So, in keeping with the STUFF I DO WHEN I WRITE theme, there's this . . .
Oops. Ignore that. That was the drawer where I keep the cords and cables from old cellphones, et al. that I don't know what to do with because they might be important someday.
Let's try again, shall we? There's this . . .
Um. Okay. "What's that?" you ask, or I ask, or Johnny Depp asks, or Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy asks . . .
Well, let me tell all of you. Those are my NOTES!!!
Yes, NOTES!!!
Notes.
Why? Because I have this insane scary ability to remember my childhood, including my best friend from second grade's phone number . . .
(Above: Me, making memories back then that I remember now.)
Yet, I cannot recall yesterday . . .
So I have to take NOTES!!! when an idea hits me. I write them all down, and after I transfer them to my computer, I rip them out and skewer them (see above), or I cross them out in the small, but delightful, notebooks I have.
How many small, but delightful, notebooks do you have, you ask, or I ask, or Nathan Fillion asks?
A lot. Here's a brief tour of some of them,
I really like this brand, called Pocket Pads - aria, and I buy them in bulk . . .
After I use up one, I write on the cover and keep them forever so that they can become a burden to me . . .
(That says "retired." I know, I know. Handwriting was the only time I ever got a "C" in school.)
I'm no snob, and I also use other brands . . .
I use bigger notebooks when I know I'm going to write a lot . . .
Now, since I never know where (and why) an idea might smack me in the head, I leave these notebooks and pads of paper scattered everywhere I am, was, and will be. For example, these are in my car . . .
Police, please take note: I am a safety-first kind of driver, so if the car is in motion, I have my dog jot down notes for me . . .
Look! More notepads, this time in the basement . . .
These are next to my bed . . .
There's aways at least one in my purse . . .
(There's even a pad of paper in the bathroom.)
Sometimes, I have ideas that I don't know where they are supposed to belong. (Egads, was that even a sentence?) Like, maybe they're for future stories. If so, they get their own special place . . .
Now, with all these pads of paper and notebooks floating around, I need pens, right? My favorites are Pilot G2s . . .
But I have others . . .
And if you are like me and have an office supply problem, then you have lots of paper clips, binder clips, fasteners . . .
What was that???? Oh, those are earplugs for times when certain-people-who-shall-not-be-named are too loud and you cannot hear yourself/myself thinking . . .
Here's another view of the office supply portion of my desk . . .
And so, now you know!
Okay, what's top of mind right now? Correct! I'm thinking of working on my speech for the Virginia Hamilton Conference at Kent State next month. . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...<img src="http://www.wikio.com/shared/images/wikiothis/but
And the blogs before that covered, I LOVE SCRIVENER BECAUSE IT TIDIES UP MY MESSES . . .
And before that there was a blog about FREEDOM, the amazing thingy that helps tame my internet addiction . . .
So, in keeping with the STUFF I DO WHEN I WRITE theme, there's this . . .
Oops. Ignore that. That was the drawer where I keep the cords and cables from old cellphones, et al. that I don't know what to do with because they might be important someday.
Let's try again, shall we? There's this . . .
Um. Okay. "What's that?" you ask, or I ask, or Johnny Depp asks, or Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy asks . . .
Well, let me tell all of you. Those are my NOTES!!!
Yes, NOTES!!!
Notes.
Why? Because I have this insane scary ability to remember my childhood, including my best friend from second grade's phone number . . .
(Above: Me, making memories back then that I remember now.)
Yet, I cannot recall yesterday . . .
So I have to take NOTES!!! when an idea hits me. I write them all down, and after I transfer them to my computer, I rip them out and skewer them (see above), or I cross them out in the small, but delightful, notebooks I have.
How many small, but delightful, notebooks do you have, you ask, or I ask, or Nathan Fillion asks?
A lot. Here's a brief tour of some of them,
I really like this brand, called Pocket Pads - aria, and I buy them in bulk . . .
After I use up one, I write on the cover and keep them forever so that they can become a burden to me . . .
(That says "retired." I know, I know. Handwriting was the only time I ever got a "C" in school.)
I'm no snob, and I also use other brands . . .
I use bigger notebooks when I know I'm going to write a lot . . .
Now, since I never know where (and why) an idea might smack me in the head, I leave these notebooks and pads of paper scattered everywhere I am, was, and will be. For example, these are in my car . . .
Police, please take note: I am a safety-first kind of driver, so if the car is in motion, I have my dog jot down notes for me . . .
Look! More notepads, this time in the basement . . .
These are next to my bed . . .
There's aways at least one in my purse . . .
(There's even a pad of paper in the bathroom.)
Sometimes, I have ideas that I don't know where they are supposed to belong. (Egads, was that even a sentence?) Like, maybe they're for future stories. If so, they get their own special place . . .
Now, with all these pads of paper and notebooks floating around, I need pens, right? My favorites are Pilot G2s . . .
But I have others . . .
And if you are like me and have an office supply problem, then you have lots of paper clips, binder clips, fasteners . . .
What was that???? Oh, those are earplugs for times when certain-people-who-shall-not-be-named are too loud and you cannot hear yourself/myself thinking . . .
Here's another view of the office supply portion of my desk . . .
And so, now you know!
Okay, what's top of mind right now? Correct! I'm thinking of working on my speech for the Virginia Hamilton Conference at Kent State next month. . .
===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...<img src="http://www.wikio.com/shared/images/wikiothis/but
March 23, 2012
How Scholastic Gets The Books to Indie Stores and Book Fairs
Writers write the books . . .
Editors edit the books . . .
(Here are my editors, Cheryl Klein and Arthur Levine, having an editorial meeting.)
Booksellers sell the books . . .
(Above: Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse)
But who knows what books are out there -- before they are even out there???
Why, that would be Roz Hilden . . .
And what if you're a kid and want to buy a book at school?
Who can help you with that? Why, Heather Biggs can help you.
Recently, SCBWI and Scholastic got together for an informal gathering of Scholastic authors to meet with Roz, Regional Sales Rep for Scholastic, and Heather my area Scholastic Book Fairs person.
The event was held at Vroman's in Pasadena . . .
Exactly, to this minute, one year ago-ish, I had a double book launch at Vroman's . . .
Here's what happened then.
For this recent event at Vroman's, Peepy and I brought homemade snacks . . .
(Okay, so maybe they weren't totally homemade.)
It was fun to see illustrator Joe Cepeda and author Alexis O'Neill . . .
Candace Ryan, who's the SCBWI PAL (published and listed) member liaison, put the evening together . . .
Vroman's Children's Department manager, Morgan Turnage, welcomed us . . .
And then Heather and Roz told us about Book Fairs and Sales, and answered our 12,004-1/2 questions . . .
(Peepy started to ask a question, but answered it herself. Hence, the 1/2.)
Here's a Scholastic Book Fair I was at a few months ago . . .
Once the Scholastic authors were all questioned out, we hobnobbed and signed stock . . .
Oh, and everyone paid homage to my Peep. Here's Lin Oliver, author and SCBWI Executive Director . . .
Roz and I will be at the LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS again this year.
For some of the fun from last year, CLICK HERE and HERE.
(During a break from the book festival, Dan Santat struggled to ignore Mo Willems.)
Hey, did you hear that Scholastic is publishing a bio of Jeremy Lin?
It's true! And guess who's quoted in USA TODAY about it? Here's a hint: ME!!!! CLICK HERE to read the article.
BTW, recently on Twitter Eisner winner Raina Telgemeier and I were tweeing about being an introverts.
(That's Raina, above.)
I know many people think that I'm outgoing, and I can be, but I am also a total introvert. Here's an interview from a couple of years ago where I attempt to explain why being an introvert doesn't necessarily mean that I am shy.
-===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
Editors edit the books . . .
(Here are my editors, Cheryl Klein and Arthur Levine, having an editorial meeting.)
Booksellers sell the books . . .
(Above: Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse)
But who knows what books are out there -- before they are even out there???
Why, that would be Roz Hilden . . .
And what if you're a kid and want to buy a book at school?
Who can help you with that? Why, Heather Biggs can help you.
Recently, SCBWI and Scholastic got together for an informal gathering of Scholastic authors to meet with Roz, Regional Sales Rep for Scholastic, and Heather my area Scholastic Book Fairs person.
The event was held at Vroman's in Pasadena . . .
Exactly, to this minute, one year ago-ish, I had a double book launch at Vroman's . . .
Here's what happened then.
For this recent event at Vroman's, Peepy and I brought homemade snacks . . .
(Okay, so maybe they weren't totally homemade.)
It was fun to see illustrator Joe Cepeda and author Alexis O'Neill . . .
Candace Ryan, who's the SCBWI PAL (published and listed) member liaison, put the evening together . . .
Vroman's Children's Department manager, Morgan Turnage, welcomed us . . .
And then Heather and Roz told us about Book Fairs and Sales, and answered our 12,004-1/2 questions . . .
(Peepy started to ask a question, but answered it herself. Hence, the 1/2.)
Here's a Scholastic Book Fair I was at a few months ago . . .
Once the Scholastic authors were all questioned out, we hobnobbed and signed stock . . .
Oh, and everyone paid homage to my Peep. Here's Lin Oliver, author and SCBWI Executive Director . . .
Roz and I will be at the LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS again this year.
For some of the fun from last year, CLICK HERE and HERE.
(During a break from the book festival, Dan Santat struggled to ignore Mo Willems.)
Hey, did you hear that Scholastic is publishing a bio of Jeremy Lin?
It's true! And guess who's quoted in USA TODAY about it? Here's a hint: ME!!!! CLICK HERE to read the article.
BTW, recently on Twitter Eisner winner Raina Telgemeier and I were tweeing about being an introverts.
(That's Raina, above.)
I know many people think that I'm outgoing, and I can be, but I am also a total introvert. Here's an interview from a couple of years ago where I attempt to explain why being an introvert doesn't necessarily mean that I am shy.
-===========================
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
March 19, 2012
How I Write Books - The Movie
Okay, so you know that I cannot write without SCRIVENER, as documented HERE and HERE . . .
(Above: The mysterious Keith Blount, the man behind Scrivener.)
And you know that I absolutely need FREEDOM to ease my internet addiction, as documented HERE.
(Above: Jane Austen tells me to get off the internet.)
But the actual writing of a book? How do you do that, you ask. Or rather, the International Reading Association (a.k.a. IRA, the non-controversial one) asked.
More specifically, Lara Zeises, author and IRA-er, invited me to create a video for ENGAGE and talk about my writing process.
Hmmmm . . . a video about how, when and where I write?
(Above: Where.)
In a former life, I used to write and produce commercials, plus I also was a writer/producer at Walt Disney World.
So contacted the best director/editor in the industry, and we got started.
Son and I brainstormed the script and then we shot on location in a single day . . .
And because this is a totally true and realistic and honest account of my writing process, actual, not-fake or Ketchup-y blood, was spilled . . .
What was it like taking direction from your own Son, you ask? Why, it was a breeze. So fun and easy . . .
Here's the Oscar-worthy video -- HOW I WRITE BOOKS . . .
Or you can CLICK HERE to watch.
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
(Above: The mysterious Keith Blount, the man behind Scrivener.)
And you know that I absolutely need FREEDOM to ease my internet addiction, as documented HERE.
(Above: Jane Austen tells me to get off the internet.)
But the actual writing of a book? How do you do that, you ask. Or rather, the International Reading Association (a.k.a. IRA, the non-controversial one) asked.
More specifically, Lara Zeises, author and IRA-er, invited me to create a video for ENGAGE and talk about my writing process.
Hmmmm . . . a video about how, when and where I write?
(Above: Where.)
In a former life, I used to write and produce commercials, plus I also was a writer/producer at Walt Disney World.
So contacted the best director/editor in the industry, and we got started.
Son and I brainstormed the script and then we shot on location in a single day . . .
And because this is a totally true and realistic and honest account of my writing process, actual, not-fake or Ketchup-y blood, was spilled . . .
What was it like taking direction from your own Son, you ask? Why, it was a breeze. So fun and easy . . .
Here's the Oscar-worthy video -- HOW I WRITE BOOKS . . .
Or you can CLICK HERE to watch.
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash. To hear a radio promo of the event, CLICK HERE.
In April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
March 15, 2012
SCRIVENER Creator's Secrets - Part Two
When last we blogged, we were speaking to Keith Blount, the man who has helped billions of writers sort out their a huge messes.
His program, Scrivener is one that I swear by and no one is paying me to say this.
Here's PART TWO of our Scriverer/Keith interview . . .
LISA: Let's see if I got this right. Your company is called Literature & Latte, however the product, the magical writer's assistant, is called Scrivener, correct?
KEITH: That is correct! Someone at the Financial Times recently accused us of having the most pretentious company name ever.
KEITH: David (another L&L bod) and I grew up together, and in our pretentious late-teens/early twenties we talked about opening a bookshop-cum-café, the sort of place where you could eat homity pie and tofu while wearing a black polo neck and reading Georges Bataille. I was going to call it Literature & Latte.
When I needed to find nomenclature for a software company, I decided to use that name. I didn't want anything with "Software" or "Tech" because I didn't think that was really in the spirit of a website aimed at writers.
LISA: When I think of the name Scrivener, I think of Melville's classic story, "Bartleby, The Scrivener". Is that why you named it thus? And what do you think Herman Melville would think of Scrivener, had there been computers in the 1853? And are you impressed that I ended a sentence with the word "thus"?
KEITH: To be honest, I didn't know about that story until after developing Scrivener.
As for Melville, he would almost certainly be using Scrivener, as would Shakespeare, Austen, the Brönte sisters, Dostoevsky, and anyone else considered to be a Great who is not alive enough (entirely dead rather than mostly dead) to contradict me.
LISA: There seems to be undying allegiance to Scrivener once people give it a try. Has its success surprised you?
KEITH: Definitely! When I went to put it on sale, I seriously thought I might be able to sell a couple of hundred copies over a couple of years if I was lucky.
When I sold that many copies in a matter of days, I couldn't believe it. I never dreamed that I'd be at the point I am now where Literature & Latte is a whole team rather than just me, with a Windows version out and other versions in the works.
LISA: What makes you proud of what you've accomplished?
KEITH: One of the greatest moments was when we received our first Macworld award (we got one in 2007 for Scrivener 1.0 and one in 2010 for Scrivener 2.0) - it's like receiving an Oscar, except that it arrives in a giant box and you don't get to shake hands with Olivia Wilde.
KEITH: And yes, that last sentence was a nonsequitur shoehorned in purely to mention our Macworld awards. And did I mention that we won two Macworld awards?
LISA: We've arranged for Olivia Wilde to present you with your award(s) here on this blog!
LISA: Literature-wise, what are you reading right now?
KEITH: I'm currently reading Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter, which I've been meaning to read for ages, although its size has always intimidated me.
LISA: Latte-wise, what is your beverage of choice?
KEITH: Embarrassingly, it's a black instant coffee (Nescafé Alta Rica) with a teaspoon of coconut oil.
LISA: Scrivener-wise, are you working on a novel? Screenplay? Do tell.
KEITH: As always, I'm working on a novel. It's science fiction, about an accidental clone trying to find his way home without using those pesky teleports. At least, that's what it was about on Tuesday; it seems to change daily.
LISA: Your super high-tech headquarters are based in the Truro, Cornwall, in the UK.
LISA: Oops. That's not your headquarters, this is . . .
LISA: Ever have the desire to move to Silicon Valley bump into Mark Zuckerberg and his ilk at lunch, and take over the computer world?
KEITH: I can safely answer "no" to that one. I enjoy living as a recluse, looking out of my window at the patchwork of rainy fields and farmland.
(Above: Actual view outside Keith's window.)
KEITH: If I kept bumping into Mark Zuckerberg I'd be constantly nagging him to sort out those stupid "activity" email notifications that Facebook sends these days, while failing to inform me of actual new messages intended for me.
KEITH: And then Mark would tell me I could change all of that in the settings, and I'd retort that I'm too lazy, and he'd say I'm a hypocrite because I tell users the same sort of thing, and I'd say "Am not" and he'd say "Are too", and a minor spat would follow that wouldn't quite qualify as a fist-fight because of the weakness of geek arms.
So, you see, it's best I just stay in Cornwall.
LISA: Yes, well, the "weakness of geek arms" is certainly a compelling reason for staying put.
LISA: Keith, in closing, I have to ask the question that's probably on everyone's mind. Do you think that Bates and Anna will ever find happiness on Downton Abbey?
KEITH: I have heard of this "Downton Abbey" phenomenon (mainly from XKCD, my web comic of choice - ), but I'm afraid I've never watched it.
LISA: That's too bad. Because here's an actual photo of Matthew and Mary, from Downton, rejoicing over the creation of Scrivener. This episode was on the first season.
KEITH: Well, I did catch five minutes once, but I spent the whole time wondering where I'd seen a particular actor before, and when I realised it was from Game of Thrones, I was able to rest easy and turn over, whilst wishing that the next series of Game of Thrones would hurry along.
LISA: Thank you sooooo much. I'd love to continue, but really must be getting back to my Scrivener!
To test drive Scrivener for the great price of FREE – CLICK HERE.
And to learn more about Freedom, the program for those of us who are email/internet-obsessed, CLICK HERE.
If you are one of those backward reading people, here's PART ONE of our interview with Keith Blount.
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
This Saturday, March 17th, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena at 10:30 a.m.. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
His program, Scrivener is one that I swear by and no one is paying me to say this.
Here's PART TWO of our Scriverer/Keith interview . . .
LISA: Let's see if I got this right. Your company is called Literature & Latte, however the product, the magical writer's assistant, is called Scrivener, correct?
KEITH: That is correct! Someone at the Financial Times recently accused us of having the most pretentious company name ever.
KEITH: David (another L&L bod) and I grew up together, and in our pretentious late-teens/early twenties we talked about opening a bookshop-cum-café, the sort of place where you could eat homity pie and tofu while wearing a black polo neck and reading Georges Bataille. I was going to call it Literature & Latte.
When I needed to find nomenclature for a software company, I decided to use that name. I didn't want anything with "Software" or "Tech" because I didn't think that was really in the spirit of a website aimed at writers.
LISA: When I think of the name Scrivener, I think of Melville's classic story, "Bartleby, The Scrivener". Is that why you named it thus? And what do you think Herman Melville would think of Scrivener, had there been computers in the 1853? And are you impressed that I ended a sentence with the word "thus"?
KEITH: To be honest, I didn't know about that story until after developing Scrivener.
As for Melville, he would almost certainly be using Scrivener, as would Shakespeare, Austen, the Brönte sisters, Dostoevsky, and anyone else considered to be a Great who is not alive enough (entirely dead rather than mostly dead) to contradict me.
LISA: There seems to be undying allegiance to Scrivener once people give it a try. Has its success surprised you?
KEITH: Definitely! When I went to put it on sale, I seriously thought I might be able to sell a couple of hundred copies over a couple of years if I was lucky.
When I sold that many copies in a matter of days, I couldn't believe it. I never dreamed that I'd be at the point I am now where Literature & Latte is a whole team rather than just me, with a Windows version out and other versions in the works.
LISA: What makes you proud of what you've accomplished?
KEITH: One of the greatest moments was when we received our first Macworld award (we got one in 2007 for Scrivener 1.0 and one in 2010 for Scrivener 2.0) - it's like receiving an Oscar, except that it arrives in a giant box and you don't get to shake hands with Olivia Wilde.
KEITH: And yes, that last sentence was a nonsequitur shoehorned in purely to mention our Macworld awards. And did I mention that we won two Macworld awards?
LISA: We've arranged for Olivia Wilde to present you with your award(s) here on this blog!
LISA: Literature-wise, what are you reading right now?
KEITH: I'm currently reading Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter, which I've been meaning to read for ages, although its size has always intimidated me.
LISA: Latte-wise, what is your beverage of choice?
KEITH: Embarrassingly, it's a black instant coffee (Nescafé Alta Rica) with a teaspoon of coconut oil.
LISA: Scrivener-wise, are you working on a novel? Screenplay? Do tell.
KEITH: As always, I'm working on a novel. It's science fiction, about an accidental clone trying to find his way home without using those pesky teleports. At least, that's what it was about on Tuesday; it seems to change daily.
LISA: Your super high-tech headquarters are based in the Truro, Cornwall, in the UK.
LISA: Oops. That's not your headquarters, this is . . .
LISA: Ever have the desire to move to Silicon Valley bump into Mark Zuckerberg and his ilk at lunch, and take over the computer world?
KEITH: I can safely answer "no" to that one. I enjoy living as a recluse, looking out of my window at the patchwork of rainy fields and farmland.
(Above: Actual view outside Keith's window.)
KEITH: If I kept bumping into Mark Zuckerberg I'd be constantly nagging him to sort out those stupid "activity" email notifications that Facebook sends these days, while failing to inform me of actual new messages intended for me.
KEITH: And then Mark would tell me I could change all of that in the settings, and I'd retort that I'm too lazy, and he'd say I'm a hypocrite because I tell users the same sort of thing, and I'd say "Am not" and he'd say "Are too", and a minor spat would follow that wouldn't quite qualify as a fist-fight because of the weakness of geek arms.
So, you see, it's best I just stay in Cornwall.
LISA: Yes, well, the "weakness of geek arms" is certainly a compelling reason for staying put.
LISA: Keith, in closing, I have to ask the question that's probably on everyone's mind. Do you think that Bates and Anna will ever find happiness on Downton Abbey?
KEITH: I have heard of this "Downton Abbey" phenomenon (mainly from XKCD, my web comic of choice - ), but I'm afraid I've never watched it.
LISA: That's too bad. Because here's an actual photo of Matthew and Mary, from Downton, rejoicing over the creation of Scrivener. This episode was on the first season.
KEITH: Well, I did catch five minutes once, but I spent the whole time wondering where I'd seen a particular actor before, and when I realised it was from Game of Thrones, I was able to rest easy and turn over, whilst wishing that the next series of Game of Thrones would hurry along.
LISA: Thank you sooooo much. I'd love to continue, but really must be getting back to my Scrivener!
To test drive Scrivener for the great price of FREE – CLICK HERE.
And to learn more about Freedom, the program for those of us who are email/internet-obsessed, CLICK HERE.
If you are one of those backward reading people, here's PART ONE of our interview with Keith Blount.
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
This Saturday, March 17th, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena at 10:30 a.m.. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
March 12, 2012
The Creator of SCRIVENER, A Writer's Best Friend, Tells All - Part One
It's no secret that that there are a few writerly things I cannot live without. Can you guess which ones they are from this list . . .
1) See's chocolates
2) Freedom
3) Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy
4) Scrivener
Yes! All of the above.
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy likes to hang out in my office and, on occasion, we make chili.
We also go driving around town together when trying to come up with new book ideas . . .
Oops, I got distracted. What I really want to tell you about is this program that anyone who writes should have. And, no, I am not being paid to say that.
I've been using Scrivener's writing/organization program for five years now. Despite a rough start, due to my refusing to read the directions or watch the tutorial, this happened . . .
Now imagine THREE HUNDRED more pages like this. Or don't.
However, since that first week, our relationship has blossomed into true love.
My beloved Scrivener let's me organize and take notes . . .
Scrivener tracks work counts/goal for me . . .
It keeps all my research in one place and never criticizes me . . .
Scrivener helps me outline, and more . . .
Recently, I asked Keith Blount, one of the masterminds behind Scrivener, to tell us everything about everything.
LISA: Scrivener is incredibly organized and efficient. Are you that way in real life? Do you sort your laundry when washing it, or do you toss everything in together?
KEITH: Laundry, what's that?
KEITH: Although, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure this shirt didn't used to be pink…
KEITH: My idea of organization is to wait until I can no longer find my keyboard because my desk is so full of Post-It notes and printing paper filled with illegible scrawls, piles of books, "to do" lists and other detritus.
KEITH: My hard drive used to be full of Word documents, half-formed chapters or entire scenes, and research documents, and I'd have folders full of index cards and an Excel file trying to make sense of it all…
If I'd been well-organized, then I don't think I would have created Scrivener.
LISA: I was having lunch with a bunch of authors and mentioned that we'd be chatting. One wanted me to ask you, "How did you get in my brain???!!!"
So, then, how did you get into Sara Wilson Etienne's brain and create a writing program that I would have, had I had the talent, skill and determination?
(Above: Sara.)
KEITH: How I came up with Scrivener was entirely selfish -- I wanted a program that would allow me to write without having to worry where everything was going to go just yet, so that I could get an overview whenever I needed -- and restructure as I went along.
I put it out for beta-testing on the NaNoWriMo forums (this was back in 2005) and I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm with which it was received.
KEITH: After much more hard work it went on sale in January 2007, and a year after that it became my full-time job.
LISA: You did the softward-designy-developy stuff, right? Can you tell us in non-computer-esque terms what it is that you actually do?
KEITH: Generally, I stare at a computer screen each day until my forehead starts bleeding.
(Note: The above photo is of Lisa's bleeding face, not Keith's.)
KEITH: I didn't start out as a software developer. I spent my twenties writing lots of bad fiction, figuring I'd be getting the idea for the next Booker Prize winner at any moment.
Eventually, I figured that I should have something else I liked doing to fall back on. When I first started working on Scrivener, I was a primary school teacher.
(Note: Those children were not Keith's students and that teacher is not Keith.)
KEITH: As a kid I had typed some programs from computer magazines into my ZX Spectrum, so I figured, how hard could it be? (The answer, it turned out, was, "Pretty bloomin' hard, actually.")
I was on Windows and way over my head. It was only when I moved to a Mac and bought a couple of programming books for OS X that things started to make sense.
KEITH: For each update I'll work out the logig, "If the thingy is pressed and the wotsit is selected, then do this, and the whojamacallit is selected…"
Then I'll turn all of this into code in Xcode -- Apple's program for developing Mac software, test out a new build, swear because things aren't working as they should, fix some stupid mistake, and so on.
LISA: This sounds familiar . . .
KEITH: In a way, the process isn't a million miles away from writing: you work out what's going to happen next, get a rough idea of how it's going to work, hammer it out and then spend time revising it until it works properly.
LISA: Since you used to be a teacher, how is helping organize writers different from helping little kids? Or is it basically the same thing?
KEITH: Ha! No comment.
Actually it's very different. I loved teaching, but I hated the paperwork. I used to get told off for setting a bad example to the kids because my desk was so messy.
KEITH: Although I miss working with kids, I really enjoy interacting with our users. Because Scrivener's used by writers, most of our emails and posts on our user forums, are generally pleasant, and well-thought out. We very rarely get angry or abusive emails in all-caps, for instance.
LISA: Well, your company does seem very mellow.
LISA: Okay, so you've figured out how to predict winning lottery numbers and are going to tell us . . . OOPS! We've run out of space. Darn.
Stay tuned for my next blog, for PART TWO of this interview. Find out about the rumors about Keith and Olivia Wilde, why his company has the "most pretentious company name, ever," and what would happen if Keith and Mark Zukerberg got in a fight.
And while you're waiting, if you'd like to test drive Scrivener for the great price of FREE – CLICK HERE.
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? Simply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 17, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
1) See's chocolates
2) Freedom
3) Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy
4) Scrivener
Yes! All of the above.
Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy likes to hang out in my office and, on occasion, we make chili.
We also go driving around town together when trying to come up with new book ideas . . .
Oops, I got distracted. What I really want to tell you about is this program that anyone who writes should have. And, no, I am not being paid to say that.
I've been using Scrivener's writing/organization program for five years now. Despite a rough start, due to my refusing to read the directions or watch the tutorial, this happened . . .
Now imagine THREE HUNDRED more pages like this. Or don't.
However, since that first week, our relationship has blossomed into true love.
My beloved Scrivener let's me organize and take notes . . .
Scrivener tracks work counts/goal for me . . .
It keeps all my research in one place and never criticizes me . . .
Scrivener helps me outline, and more . . .
Recently, I asked Keith Blount, one of the masterminds behind Scrivener, to tell us everything about everything.
LISA: Scrivener is incredibly organized and efficient. Are you that way in real life? Do you sort your laundry when washing it, or do you toss everything in together?
KEITH: Laundry, what's that?
KEITH: Although, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure this shirt didn't used to be pink…
KEITH: My idea of organization is to wait until I can no longer find my keyboard because my desk is so full of Post-It notes and printing paper filled with illegible scrawls, piles of books, "to do" lists and other detritus.
KEITH: My hard drive used to be full of Word documents, half-formed chapters or entire scenes, and research documents, and I'd have folders full of index cards and an Excel file trying to make sense of it all…
If I'd been well-organized, then I don't think I would have created Scrivener.
LISA: I was having lunch with a bunch of authors and mentioned that we'd be chatting. One wanted me to ask you, "How did you get in my brain???!!!"
So, then, how did you get into Sara Wilson Etienne's brain and create a writing program that I would have, had I had the talent, skill and determination?
(Above: Sara.)
KEITH: How I came up with Scrivener was entirely selfish -- I wanted a program that would allow me to write without having to worry where everything was going to go just yet, so that I could get an overview whenever I needed -- and restructure as I went along.
I put it out for beta-testing on the NaNoWriMo forums (this was back in 2005) and I was pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm with which it was received.
KEITH: After much more hard work it went on sale in January 2007, and a year after that it became my full-time job.
LISA: You did the softward-designy-developy stuff, right? Can you tell us in non-computer-esque terms what it is that you actually do?
KEITH: Generally, I stare at a computer screen each day until my forehead starts bleeding.
(Note: The above photo is of Lisa's bleeding face, not Keith's.)
KEITH: I didn't start out as a software developer. I spent my twenties writing lots of bad fiction, figuring I'd be getting the idea for the next Booker Prize winner at any moment.
Eventually, I figured that I should have something else I liked doing to fall back on. When I first started working on Scrivener, I was a primary school teacher.
(Note: Those children were not Keith's students and that teacher is not Keith.)
KEITH: As a kid I had typed some programs from computer magazines into my ZX Spectrum, so I figured, how hard could it be? (The answer, it turned out, was, "Pretty bloomin' hard, actually.")
I was on Windows and way over my head. It was only when I moved to a Mac and bought a couple of programming books for OS X that things started to make sense.
KEITH: For each update I'll work out the logig, "If the thingy is pressed and the wotsit is selected, then do this, and the whojamacallit is selected…"
Then I'll turn all of this into code in Xcode -- Apple's program for developing Mac software, test out a new build, swear because things aren't working as they should, fix some stupid mistake, and so on.
LISA: This sounds familiar . . .
KEITH: In a way, the process isn't a million miles away from writing: you work out what's going to happen next, get a rough idea of how it's going to work, hammer it out and then spend time revising it until it works properly.
LISA: Since you used to be a teacher, how is helping organize writers different from helping little kids? Or is it basically the same thing?
KEITH: Ha! No comment.
Actually it's very different. I loved teaching, but I hated the paperwork. I used to get told off for setting a bad example to the kids because my desk was so messy.
KEITH: Although I miss working with kids, I really enjoy interacting with our users. Because Scrivener's used by writers, most of our emails and posts on our user forums, are generally pleasant, and well-thought out. We very rarely get angry or abusive emails in all-caps, for instance.
LISA: Well, your company does seem very mellow.
LISA: Okay, so you've figured out how to predict winning lottery numbers and are going to tell us . . . OOPS! We've run out of space. Darn.
Stay tuned for my next blog, for PART TWO of this interview. Find out about the rumors about Keith and Olivia Wilde, why his company has the "most pretentious company name, ever," and what would happen if Keith and Mark Zukerberg got in a fight.
And while you're waiting, if you'd like to test drive Scrivener for the great price of FREE – CLICK HERE.
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Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? Simply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 17, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
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March 8, 2012
Bonjour Bakersfield, Library Mosaic, Girl Scouts & Aaah, Fudge!
Wednesday was World Read Aloud Day. So this is what we did, Puppy and me . . .
Above: Puppy reads from one of my books.
Wait, weren't you just in Vancouver, you ask. Or someone asked. Or maybe, I asked.
Why yes! But then, I came home, went to the doctor, got the Z-pak and then drove to Bakersfield, CA . . .
Of course, everyone knows why Bakersfield is so famous. Yes, that's right. It's the hometown of Buck Owens, Puppy and author extraordinaire Pam Munoz Ryan . . .
I was there to visit the students at Buena Vista Elementary . . .
Peepy and I went to auditorium to set up, plus she tested the mike . . .
Then, while I was blowing my nose (I was/still am recovering from that cold-thing that everyone has), Peepy explored . . .
Soon it was time to speak grades 1 - 6 . . .
We had such a wonderful time -- thank you Buena Vista Parent Club for sponsoring our visit!!!
After, I joined Daddy in a Strange Land's Jason Sperber and his daughters at Moo Creamery for lunch.
The last time we saw Jason, was at Skylight Book's Rad Dad night . . .
(Explanation: Though I am not a Rad Dad, I was invited to join them and read from BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY) since it features a Rad Dad.)
What was that? Mosaic? Did someone just yell "MOSAIC AT THE SOUTH PASADENA LIBRARY?" (Pretend you heard it, too.)
Doesn't that look cool? It's in the Children's Department and created by the same artist who did the mosaics at the Alhambra Public Library. We spoke at the library's Grand Opening a couple-ish years ago. Here's the artist, Jolino Bessera . . .
You may have noticed that billions of Girl Scout cookies unleashed into the world recently . . .
So then, it's only fitting that we blog about one of my local Girl Scout troops. Yes, Peepy and I were invited to Career Day to talk about what it's like to be a super famous Peep (and an author) . . .
And finally, since this blog seems to be sort of non sequitur-ish, let's talk fudge, shall we?
I had THE BEST FUDGE EVER . . .
It was a gift from Marjorie Coughlan one of the editors at PaperTigers.org.. We met at the Serendipity Conference in Vancouver and she brought it over from The Toffee Shop in the U.K.
Yum!!!!!!!
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 17, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
Above: Puppy reads from one of my books.
Wait, weren't you just in Vancouver, you ask. Or someone asked. Or maybe, I asked.
Why yes! But then, I came home, went to the doctor, got the Z-pak and then drove to Bakersfield, CA . . .
Of course, everyone knows why Bakersfield is so famous. Yes, that's right. It's the hometown of Buck Owens, Puppy and author extraordinaire Pam Munoz Ryan . . .
I was there to visit the students at Buena Vista Elementary . . .
Peepy and I went to auditorium to set up, plus she tested the mike . . .
Then, while I was blowing my nose (I was/still am recovering from that cold-thing that everyone has), Peepy explored . . .
Soon it was time to speak grades 1 - 6 . . .
We had such a wonderful time -- thank you Buena Vista Parent Club for sponsoring our visit!!!
After, I joined Daddy in a Strange Land's Jason Sperber and his daughters at Moo Creamery for lunch.
The last time we saw Jason, was at Skylight Book's Rad Dad night . . .
(Explanation: Though I am not a Rad Dad, I was invited to join them and read from BOBBY VS. GIRLS (ACCIDENTALLY) since it features a Rad Dad.)
What was that? Mosaic? Did someone just yell "MOSAIC AT THE SOUTH PASADENA LIBRARY?" (Pretend you heard it, too.)
Doesn't that look cool? It's in the Children's Department and created by the same artist who did the mosaics at the Alhambra Public Library. We spoke at the library's Grand Opening a couple-ish years ago. Here's the artist, Jolino Bessera . . .
You may have noticed that billions of Girl Scout cookies unleashed into the world recently . . .
So then, it's only fitting that we blog about one of my local Girl Scout troops. Yes, Peepy and I were invited to Career Day to talk about what it's like to be a super famous Peep (and an author) . . .
And finally, since this blog seems to be sort of non sequitur-ish, let's talk fudge, shall we?
I had THE BEST FUDGE EVER . . .
It was a gift from Marjorie Coughlan one of the editors at PaperTigers.org.. We met at the Serendipity Conference in Vancouver and she brought it over from The Toffee Shop in the U.K.
Yum!!!!!!!
----------------------
Disclaimer: No proofreaders were harmed (or even used) in the creation of this blog.
Want to check out Lisa's NEW AND IMPROVED website? SImply CLICK HERE.
Interested in having Lisa speak at your school, library or conference? CLICK HERE for more information.
Upcoming Events . . .
On March 17, I'll be at LitFest Pasadena. Then March 31, I'll be in Northampton, MA for the River's Family Music Meltdown and Book Bash, and in April, you can find me here . . .
Lisa Yee
Subscribe to Lisa Yee's Blog and get her fresh baked blogs e-mailed to you!
Email:
Or you can click this for a RSS feed...
