Jamie Patterson's Blog, page 12
November 22, 2011
When Life Becomes Art
"The scene where you go down to the beach..." is sometimes how people start conversations about the book. That, or "I just loved the Ma and Papa characters," which Ma and Papa get a kick out of. Actually, this is how I talk about the events and people in Lost Edens when I talk about the book to people who can't start the conversation with "do you remember when we..."
Which is most people who have read the book, now.
It was a little weird at first, for instance, to refer to my sister as a character but now it comes pretty naturally. It was really hard to refer to the characters who got "new" names by their character name and not their real name. But now I'm struggling to remember one of their names in real life.
And so what were once memories become a story and one that was so faithful to my memory of events the story seems external now, which is actually nice. Sometimes people apologize and say "I hate to refer to your life in scenes," but really, that's what they've become. Scenes that are more detailed and honest than even the best memory would be six years after any event. Maybe that's why they feel like scenes now to me, too: I remember the actions but not the emotions or just how, exactly, the thought process went.
So life has become art in scenes and characters and you know what? The art is really kind of beautiful, even if the memories themselves aren't. So I don't mind at all when people refer to a scene or a character in the book. Every time they do, they're placing emphasis on the beautiful and it sure is nice to be focused on the beautiful rather than the pain!
Which is most people who have read the book, now.
It was a little weird at first, for instance, to refer to my sister as a character but now it comes pretty naturally. It was really hard to refer to the characters who got "new" names by their character name and not their real name. But now I'm struggling to remember one of their names in real life.
And so what were once memories become a story and one that was so faithful to my memory of events the story seems external now, which is actually nice. Sometimes people apologize and say "I hate to refer to your life in scenes," but really, that's what they've become. Scenes that are more detailed and honest than even the best memory would be six years after any event. Maybe that's why they feel like scenes now to me, too: I remember the actions but not the emotions or just how, exactly, the thought process went.
So life has become art in scenes and characters and you know what? The art is really kind of beautiful, even if the memories themselves aren't. So I don't mind at all when people refer to a scene or a character in the book. Every time they do, they're placing emphasis on the beautiful and it sure is nice to be focused on the beautiful rather than the pain!
November 21, 2011
All you Need is Love
Last week a substitute teacher, Mr. Love, got bullied by a few students in a high school in Texas. Mr. Love is retired but is one of those daily substitutes who is well known and apparently pretty well loved.
It's interesting to me that without those one or two bullies, Mr. Love might never have known just how well loved. Students went to his house to let him know and captured their thank you on tape (below). If it doesn't make you cry, I'm not sure what will. And if it doesn't make you realize how much good can come from some of the more difficult days in our lives, I'm not sure what will.
It's interesting to me that without those one or two bullies, Mr. Love might never have known just how well loved. Students went to his house to let him know and captured their thank you on tape (below). If it doesn't make you cry, I'm not sure what will. And if it doesn't make you realize how much good can come from some of the more difficult days in our lives, I'm not sure what will.
November 20, 2011
Book Clubs and Book Stores: A Day in St. Louis
I owe Huey a debt of gratitude for a lot of things but one of the biggest things these last few years is that he's kept me grounded. Literally. Huey has always been the reason I come home to Minneapolis and if I didn't have him waiting for me at dog daycare I would have been so incredibly tempted to stay awhile in St. Louis. It's been maybe 10 years since I've visited and I loved the pieces of the city I saw today. Wow. Yeah, nearly 10 years.
The trip that's briefly mentioned in Lost Edens was my last time there and even though I was only there today I saw a lot more of the city and fell in love with it a little bit. You can add Lindell Boulevard to a street I'd like to live on. I drove down it on my way to Left Bank Books, which I also immediately fell in love with. As soon as I walked in I inexplicably had all kinds of enthusiasm again for being an indie writer.
A really fantastically great book club at Sasha's sure didn't hurt, either. Thanks, again, to all the ladies who let me join them today at Sasha's. I had a really fabulous time.
The trip that's briefly mentioned in Lost Edens was my last time there and even though I was only there today I saw a lot more of the city and fell in love with it a little bit. You can add Lindell Boulevard to a street I'd like to live on. I drove down it on my way to Left Bank Books, which I also immediately fell in love with. As soon as I walked in I inexplicably had all kinds of enthusiasm again for being an indie writer.
A really fantastically great book club at Sasha's sure didn't hurt, either. Thanks, again, to all the ladies who let me join them today at Sasha's. I had a really fabulous time.
November 19, 2011
Meet me in St. Louis
I know most of y'all sure don't tweet but you can follow my day trip to St. Louis tomorrow on twitter if you'd like (no tweeting back necessary). I'm headed down south to chat with a book club and to stop by the Left Bank Bookstore. Should be a really great day! (Check out the video around the 2:45 mark for some awesome dance moves from Sammy Davis Jr.)
Snow. It Happened.
Yesterday:
Today:
Today:
The Lost Edens Project: Mentor Publishing
I don't know the total dollar amount I've spent making Lost Edens turn from a bound manuscript into a published book. I'm going to need to know come tax time but for now I'm a bit more occupied with making sure I can pay for groceries. Once I know, I'll share because I think it's important for aspiring authors to know just how much of your own time and money goes into mentor publishing.
Mentor publishing is one of the great turns in publishing in the last few years. It's a cross between traditional and self-publishing. From beginning (an acquisitions editor) to end (distribution) my publisher acts like, well, a publisher. I have their imprint on my book and they did everything you would expect a publisher to do from page design to editing to proofreading. Where's the difference?
I wrote the checks.
I expected to spend around $10,000 and I think the ballpark number is easily twice that, possibly edging closer to three times that.
So where's the upside when I could have self-published for a couple grand? I had help from professionals at every step and yet always had total control of the project (which turned out to be a really important piece), I kept all the rights to Lost Edens, I was able to publish a quality book in 18 months versus what would have been years at a traditional publisher, and even though I had professionals to guide me through each step, I keep the profit from sales.
At just 42,000 words I knew that I wouldn't find a traditional publisher as a first-time author, which is why I first started looking at alternatives. I always believed the story was strong and that there would be an audience and I was more interested in finding this audience than finding the vehicle to the audience. Mentor publishing was the perfect solution and I think it could be for a lot of writers out there, too, but with a warning:
With mentor publishing you must approach it in one of two ways: (a) you have money to kill and are looking for a hobby, or (b) you are starting a small business with exactly one product. With mentor publishing you have to always keep in mind: (a) at the end of the day your publisher is simply providing credibility and an imprint, (b) you're paying for an education in publishing, and (c) once you have a book in hand your publisher's work is completely done. Completely.
Self-publishing is, of course, an option. Look at Lisa Genova or Amanda Hocking and then note: they both signed with larger publishers after initial publication. Being successful at self-publishing and mentor publishing is crazy hard and you don't get much of a chance to be a writer because you're way too busy getting a small business with just one product off the ground.
I used to dream of being an indie artist and making a grassroots effort to expand a readership but now I dream of finding a big publisher who will swoop in and take care of things so that I can be a writer. But then, that was also the point of a mentor publisher--it was the best way I knew of to produce something that showed my potential, what I was capable of. The best case scenario is that Lost Edens can be a calling card of sorts so that a big publisher could do just that someday: swoop in, love Lost Edens, and let me just be a writer. For all of us who dream of publishing, that's what it's all about, isn't it? Being a writer?
Mentor publishing is one of the great turns in publishing in the last few years. It's a cross between traditional and self-publishing. From beginning (an acquisitions editor) to end (distribution) my publisher acts like, well, a publisher. I have their imprint on my book and they did everything you would expect a publisher to do from page design to editing to proofreading. Where's the difference?
I wrote the checks.
I expected to spend around $10,000 and I think the ballpark number is easily twice that, possibly edging closer to three times that.
So where's the upside when I could have self-published for a couple grand? I had help from professionals at every step and yet always had total control of the project (which turned out to be a really important piece), I kept all the rights to Lost Edens, I was able to publish a quality book in 18 months versus what would have been years at a traditional publisher, and even though I had professionals to guide me through each step, I keep the profit from sales.
At just 42,000 words I knew that I wouldn't find a traditional publisher as a first-time author, which is why I first started looking at alternatives. I always believed the story was strong and that there would be an audience and I was more interested in finding this audience than finding the vehicle to the audience. Mentor publishing was the perfect solution and I think it could be for a lot of writers out there, too, but with a warning:
With mentor publishing you must approach it in one of two ways: (a) you have money to kill and are looking for a hobby, or (b) you are starting a small business with exactly one product. With mentor publishing you have to always keep in mind: (a) at the end of the day your publisher is simply providing credibility and an imprint, (b) you're paying for an education in publishing, and (c) once you have a book in hand your publisher's work is completely done. Completely.
Self-publishing is, of course, an option. Look at Lisa Genova or Amanda Hocking and then note: they both signed with larger publishers after initial publication. Being successful at self-publishing and mentor publishing is crazy hard and you don't get much of a chance to be a writer because you're way too busy getting a small business with just one product off the ground.
I used to dream of being an indie artist and making a grassroots effort to expand a readership but now I dream of finding a big publisher who will swoop in and take care of things so that I can be a writer. But then, that was also the point of a mentor publisher--it was the best way I knew of to produce something that showed my potential, what I was capable of. The best case scenario is that Lost Edens can be a calling card of sorts so that a big publisher could do just that someday: swoop in, love Lost Edens, and let me just be a writer. For all of us who dream of publishing, that's what it's all about, isn't it? Being a writer?
November 18, 2011
Huey the Sunbather
It's actually over 40 right now so Huey got to enjoy a nice, leisurely walk and then a bit o' sunbathing after. I remember his first visit to Minnesota in the winter and watching him try to figure out the snow as a puppy--he tried diving into it, it was hilarious! I think we have another week or two without snow. Fingers crossed.
November 17, 2011
When do you Write?
It seems like I've been asked a lot lately about when I have time to write and the answer is kind of sad: I don't. I don't even have time to write emails (ask anyone who has sent me an email anytime the last three weeks).
I'm taking all of my vacation time for 2011 in one big chunk (because I forgot to take any vacation earlier in the year) and I'm thinking I might take the time to write. Maybe. Or maybe I'll take the time to just not be in front of a computer!
I'm taking all of my vacation time for 2011 in one big chunk (because I forgot to take any vacation earlier in the year) and I'm thinking I might take the time to write. Maybe. Or maybe I'll take the time to just not be in front of a computer!
November 16, 2011
Christina Aguilera and I
I'm used to walking to the front of a classroom and working hard to earn my cred. Teaching doctoral students who are usually mid-career or changing careers, I'm usually one of the youngest ones in the room. I really know my stuff and I think I manage to prove it but I'm always, always working overtime to do so. I've had students come up to me after class and say, "you know, you walked in and I thought what's this kid have to teach me, and man you showed me."
My grad students don't often catch my references to pop culture. Laughing at Christina Aguilera's grammar mistakes fall flat, and when I take a poll of the room no one has ever heard of Vampire Weekend, let alone their *smash* hit Oxford Comma.
So last night at St. Mary's, with mostly college freshman, I tried again. I was one of the oldest people in the room so I thought my odds might improve. And yet. No one knew who Christina Aguilera was. Seriously. So my brilliant grammar lesson on when to use me and when to use I by poking fun at Aguilera's "this is a special and joyful day for Jordan and I" found yet another audience who had no reference to the main characters. Again, no one had ever heard of Vampire Weekend and certainly had never heard of the song Oxford Comma.
Kind of makes me feel like I'm in an academic no man's land. Where's my generation for crying out loud? Done with school, apparently? Not quite ready for more school? Maybe if I stick it out long enough everything will come back around?
My grad students don't often catch my references to pop culture. Laughing at Christina Aguilera's grammar mistakes fall flat, and when I take a poll of the room no one has ever heard of Vampire Weekend, let alone their *smash* hit Oxford Comma.
So last night at St. Mary's, with mostly college freshman, I tried again. I was one of the oldest people in the room so I thought my odds might improve. And yet. No one knew who Christina Aguilera was. Seriously. So my brilliant grammar lesson on when to use me and when to use I by poking fun at Aguilera's "this is a special and joyful day for Jordan and I" found yet another audience who had no reference to the main characters. Again, no one had ever heard of Vampire Weekend and certainly had never heard of the song Oxford Comma.
Kind of makes me feel like I'm in an academic no man's land. Where's my generation for crying out loud? Done with school, apparently? Not quite ready for more school? Maybe if I stick it out long enough everything will come back around?
November 15, 2011
Would you do it Again?
I spent the evening with a really sweet group of students at St. Mary's in Winona and we chatted about some of the topics in Lost Edens. I kept going back to when I was in their shoes and all the things I wish I had done or could undo.
I guess in the end there isn't too much, actually. I would enjoy being a student more, that's for sure. Now that I've worked full time through two graduate degrees I know I didn't realize how lucky I was to have the luxury of just being a student in undergrad. As lovely as he was, I wouldn't have dated the same boy all through college. What else? I would have dreamed bigger and been more willing to make sacrifices to make the dreams happen.
I was asked in an interview if I would do the time chronicled in Lost Edens again and that's a bit different. That's an easy no. Even with all the things I wish I'd done and the things I wish I could undo, I would not do that time again, regardless of shifted outcome.
But looking at the sweet young faces of these college students I think the question of redoing my college years is an easier answer: I would do my college years again. I would do and undo some things. I would have a ton more fun. Then again, maybe it's best to let things stay where they are. If I were a fresh-faced college student now it'd be very different from 15 years ago. Like one of the students asked about my experience versus theirs, "I don't mean to call you old, but do you think there's generational differences?"
Why yes, yes I do.
I guess in the end there isn't too much, actually. I would enjoy being a student more, that's for sure. Now that I've worked full time through two graduate degrees I know I didn't realize how lucky I was to have the luxury of just being a student in undergrad. As lovely as he was, I wouldn't have dated the same boy all through college. What else? I would have dreamed bigger and been more willing to make sacrifices to make the dreams happen.
I was asked in an interview if I would do the time chronicled in Lost Edens again and that's a bit different. That's an easy no. Even with all the things I wish I'd done and the things I wish I could undo, I would not do that time again, regardless of shifted outcome.
But looking at the sweet young faces of these college students I think the question of redoing my college years is an easier answer: I would do my college years again. I would do and undo some things. I would have a ton more fun. Then again, maybe it's best to let things stay where they are. If I were a fresh-faced college student now it'd be very different from 15 years ago. Like one of the students asked about my experience versus theirs, "I don't mean to call you old, but do you think there's generational differences?"
Why yes, yes I do.
