Kristin Cashore's Blog, page 38

Links Before Leaving

I have a to-do list the length of, um, something long (why did I set myself up to have to take time to think up a clever metaphor?) so this will be quick, but -- I'm reading a very funny book. It's called Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School: Book the First) and is by Gail Carriger. A new character was just described thusly:

The door burst open. A young man stood before them. He was a tall, swarthy fellow of the type that Petunia would swoon over; rakishly handsome in a floppy way.

"In a floppy way" had me howling, and can't you just see him perfectly? I just started Chapter 5, which is titled, "Never Hurl Garlic Mash at a Man with a Crossbow."
Over at the CBC Diversity blog, Rebecca Rabinowitz has written a really wonderful post about the problematic depiction of fat characters in children's literature: Diversity 101: Who's That Fat Kid?
And a friend recently directed me to two wonderful TED talks in which men -- Jackson Katz and Tony Porter -- talk about feminism and masculinity. Katz, whose talk is entitled "Violence and Silence," mentions that men who talk about feminism get more attention than women who talk about feminism and acknowledges that this is unfair. Nonetheless, we unquestionably need more men talking about these things, encouraging other men to take responsibility when the responsibility is theirs, and thinking deeply about why we trap little boys in what Tony Porter calls the "Man Box." These are well worth watching. Rosa, thanks a million.

What about you, do you get a seasonal haircut?

Hi, I'm Violet.
My summer look is extreme...
and extremely dazzling.
Guys, help! I'm being nuzzled by a lion!
It can get quite boring to be this beautiful.

Hey, what about me? I'm cute.Why does everyone
alway make such a fuss about Violet? What about me?
Oh, I'm sorry, were you trying to read this menu?
My thanks again to Violet, Merry, Titus, Pippin, Julianne, and JD :o).

Saturday Randutiae

 In a room of colored lights
at the Museum of Science in Boston,
we had fun
with our own shadows.

Got Out of Town on a Boat *

A ferry story in 26 pictures requires a jump break. Click on "read more" below to see the rest.

Codename: Kate the Great and I drove to the ferry dock in Vineyard Haven, the harbor of Tisbury,
on the island of Martha's Vineyard. We got there early and watched truck after truck after truck...
Read more »

Writer Body, Writer Heart, Writer Mind

I wish people talked more about the body-heart-mind dynamic going on within each of us. For me, learning to understand the workings of my own body-heart-mind dynamic has been an enormous help in being safe, being brave, understanding what I want and what I'm capable of, and making decisions. Body, Heart, and Mind: each part has its own particular kind of certainty/knowledge — knowledge that sometimes contradicts the knowledge of one of the other parts, which can make things interesting. If you can become conscious of them, they can be the most wonderful guides (yes, while possibly driving you crazy with their arguing). Today I'm thinking of how this relates to the stage I'm in with the thing I'm writing.

Whenever I get near the end of whatever thing I'm writing — be it a first draft, a revision, or just the resolution of a particular plot point — whenever I start to see the light at the end of whatever tunnel I'm in, I'm generally visited by a stunning surge of momentum. If you've noticed I've been blogging a lot since April began — this is why (these past couple of weeks being the exception. My reserves during these past couple of weeks have been absorbed by the recent Boston events, and I have not wanted to blog about it).

I've been doing a lot more of a lot of things lately, more than I usually have the capacity for, because I'm nearing the end of a writing project and am consequently being visited by a special energy: physical, mental, creative, expressive, geared toward output. It's extremely productive but also uncomfortable and unrestful. To be frank, it can verge on mania, and it's not without its dangers. Especially since I tend to see the light at the end of the tunnel a good four to six weeks before I'm actually going to reach the end of the tunnel, which means four to six weeks of coping with my own hypermomentum and hypermotivation.

On a recent Tuesday, I had a very long writing day of maybe 12 hours; then on Wednesday, I wrote for about 16 hours, covered 12 pages with ink (a HUGE day for me), and went to bed at 4 AM. On Thursday, when I woke up, the internal conversation went something like this:

BODY: Oh my gods, I'm f***ing exhausted! It doesn't matter! Fill me up with tea! Let's write for 16 hours again today, pausing midday to climb Mt Everest!

HEART: No problem. I'm not tired at all.

MIND: I'm kind of tired, but I'm in.

HEART: Are you sure? You've got a funny look on our face.

MIND: ...I admit something doesn't feel right.

HEART: Well, while you figure it out, we're going to get the writing supplies out.

MIND: ...No.

HEART: No?

MIND: No. This feels like an important incoming message.

HEART: The kind we don't ever ignore?

MIND: ...Possibly.

HEART: ...Sigh. Okay. We'll stand by.

[MIND raises antennae. HEART and BODY try not to create too much interfering noise.]

MIND: Yeah, it's coming through clearer now: I don't think we should write today.

BODY: You mean maybe we should only write for eight hours?

MIND: I don't think we should write at all. We are badly in need of rest. I'm advocating for a day off.

BODY: Wrong. I can write with a claw hand and an aching neck. Please give me some tea now.

HEART: Mind, do you want me to step in? I never tire and I'm self-feeding. I'm soooo strong and everything that touches me makes me stronger. Shall I carry you? I don't mind. I can carry you both the whole way.

MIND (fondly): Yes, we know you can. But there's really no need for emergency measures; we've got miles to go before we finish this draft. This is the time for Body and I to be smart and careful, rather than go all in. And look at Body. Her teeth are practically chattering.

BODY: If my teeth are chattering I must be cold. Tea is hot. Feed me tea.

MIND (firmly): Your teeth are chattering because you've been having too much tea.

HEART: But the momentum. The momentum! If we don't work today, we'll have this feeling all day like we should be working. We'll be rattling around with dissatisfaction. It won't feel restful.

MIND: That's very true.

HEART (depressed): But you don't care?

MIND: I think it's more important that we disallow creative work today than that we be comfortable.

HEART: You're sure about this message, aren't you. It's the real thing.

MIND: I think it's been sent as a guide from beyond.

HEART: I've learned to trust you on the not-working thing.

MIND: Well, I've learned to trust your consummate faith in this book.

HEART: I love you, Mind.

MIND: I love you, Heart.

BODY: Hey, did you guys notice the falafel wagon that just went by the window? I want a roast beef sandwich with horseradish. And a cookie. And a nap in a patch of sun. And a massage. Oh, help. When you stop, you realize everything hurts. WHY ARE YOU GUYS MAKING ME STOP?!

HEART: Because we love you. Let me give you a hug. Mind, get in on this. Group hug!

MIND (muffled by hugging): By the way, while we've been having this conversation, I've been writing a blog post about it in our head. If we're taking a day off, are we allowed to blog?

HEART: Hm. You know the momentum is going to spend the whole day trying to trick us into using our creative energy in one way or another. I think that's why you're writing a blog post in our head.

MIND: But don't forget, the momentum is also a guide from beyond.

HEART: But it's up to us to determine how to follow our guides. Does this blog post feel urgent?

MIND: Yes.

HEART: Yeah, see, that's a clue. Why would a blog post be urgent? The momentum is trying to ensorcel you.

MIND: Hey, do you notice that we just changed sides?

HEART: Yep. That's necessary sometimes for balance. I think if you still find yourself wanting to write a blog post about this next week, when we're on Martha's Vineyard, that will mean you truly do want to write a blog post about it and it isn't just the momentum trying to trick you.

MIND: Okay, agreed. Blog post on Martha's Vineyard or not at all. 






It's spring in MV.

Newsy Stuff, Including Movie Stuff

I've gotten the go-ahead to announce that India-based Reliance Entertainment is developing Graceling into a movie. From this press release at Variety: "producer Deepak Nayar ('Paranoia') will oversee the project for Reliance and Kintop Pictures and will produce alongside Tabrez Noorani ('Life of Pi') of Tamasha Talkies and Leigh Ann Burton for Blu-Sky Media. British screenwriter Piers Ashworth ('Nostradamus') will write the script." Here's a USA Today mention, and one in the Wall Street Journal.

There is also a Facebook page for Graceling the movie.

This is only the first step of many, but it's a very good start. If it makes you happy, please feel free to help us by spreading the word :). My gratitude to the entire team! I will post any news as I receive it.

Also: soon I'm going to be overseas for a month. If you've been thinking of purchasing a signed/personalized copy of any of my books from the Harvard Book Store and want to catch me before I fly away, here's your notice that you should try to get that order in by about, oh, May 10 or 11.

Readers in France: I will be at Étonnants Voyageurs in Saint-Malo, 18-20 May, and Imaginales in Épinal, 23-26 May. I'll post more info once I know my schedule.

Today's Randutiae: Crown-Making

And now, I would like to post about something else. (Hopefully, y'all would like to read about something else.)

For example: Sometimes in life, one finds oneself needing to make a crown.

Having accidentally stumbled upon an easy but snazzy crown formula, I thought I'd share.  Supplies: felt, ribbon, needle and thread.

It didn't occur to me to take pictures in progress, but the concept is so simple that I think I can explain. That's the completed crown in the picture below. You're looking at two pieces of felt folded together lengthwise (meaning, the top edge is where the fold is happening). One, red, is about 16" x 14". The other, very dark green, is about 15" x 12". I put the green one on top of the red one, folded them both in half, and stitched them together (under the place where the ribbon would later lie) just to keep them steady. Then I lay the ribbon where I wanted it and stitched it in place. Voila.

Completed crown, one size fits all.
Detail.
And here's how it looks on your noggin.

Also sometimes in life, the friend for whom one is making a crown has a toddler who would probably enjoy a crown, too, especially if Mommy is wearing one. Supplies: felt, ribbon, elastic, needle and thread.

I decided to give this one a more traditionally crowny look. Below, I've piled together three pieces of felt (sorry, I didn't think to measure this time), each one, after some testing and experimentation, cut in a slightly different shape. I stitched them together to keep them steady (under where the ribbon would later lie). Then I stitched on the ribbon, which is merely ornamental on this crown, because, as part of my lifelong commitment to not providing my friends' children with strangulation devices, I decided to close this crown with elastic rather than with a long ribbon that needs to be tied. (This crown uses flat pieces of felt, no folding.)

Crown sans elastic closure.
 Here's how this one looks on your noggin, except that technically
it's made for a three-year-old's noggin and doesn't actually fit me.
I held it onto my head and took this picture pre-elastic.
 Then I added this crisscross elastic to the back.
Detail.
Voila!

Today

Here in Cambridge, as in a number of nearby towns, we are generally all doing what we're told and staying inside while the search for the Boston Marathon bombings suspect continues. What a strange and difficult day. What a hard week the Boston area has had. I have been thinking a lot about the parts of the world where this kind of violence is the norm. I've been thinking about the sensationalist news media, which makes me sick. I've been thinking about the victims; the helpers working so hard to keep us safe today; and the fact that this hunt is for a nineteen-year-old. I've been thinking about a lot of things; there is too much to think about.

I love my home.

My heart goes out to those suffering, and my gratitude to all the helpers, who come in many forms. I don't have much to offer, but here is some beauty...

...inside... ...and out.

Look for the Helpers

Thanks, KCD, for the reminder of Mr. Rogers' words on this crazy morning. Thanks also to all the loved ones who keep checking in.

Also, an email from the Boston Philharmonic

This email just hit my inbox. For those of you not in range of Boston's WGBH, to the best of my knowledge, you can stream it online. What better week to listen to the Boston Philharmonic perform Beethoven's 9th? The email:

Dear Friends of the Boston Philharmonic,

We have been mourning this week with the entire Boston community over the tragic events on Monday afternoon at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Our hearts go out in particular to those who were directly injured in the attacks and the families of the victims. 
As musicians, we are grateful to be able to express our sorrow and our hope through music. As a tribute to the victims of Monday's attacks,  

the Boston Philharmonic concert tomorrow (Friday, April 19), 
will be broadcast live from Symphony Hall on WGBH radio 99.5 at 8pm.  
It will also be rebroadcast on Sunday (rebroadcast time TBD). The program is all Beethoven: the Coriolan Overture and Ninth Symphony, in collaboration with Symphony Pro Musica and soloists Sam McElroy, Sarah Heltzel, Michelle Johnson, and Yeghishe Manucharyan. 
We hope you will join us tomorrow evening, as we pay tribute to those who lost their lives on Monday, those whose lives were forever altered, and all of those who have stepped forward this week to offer assistance and comfort to those in need.