M.K.B. Graham's Blog, page 7

98 books in 98 days …

When I checked my book stats on Friday, I had sold 98 books. That’s 98 books in 98 days since releasing CAIRNAERIE. YAY! HOORAY! YIPEE!

This morning came 99 and number 100 is coming. I wish I could thank the person who will put me over the top and help me hit this very significant milestone, but suffice to say I am extremely grateful.

Writing a book and mustering the gumption to self-publish is daunting. Even when you are all finished, when the book is wrapped and delivered, there is still plenty of doubt. Is it good enough? Is it worthy to buy push ads? Is it significant enough that I can walk around saying, “I’m a novelist?”

Closing in on 100 books sold helps a lot!

In the meantime, I’ll keep hoping and watching my stats. And I’ll keep writing.

The book about the monkey …

When I was in third or fourth grade, I checked a book out of my school’s library. The story was about a monkey and a bookstore. That’s all I remember about the story except that I loved it so much, and when I returned it to the library, I asked the librarian if the author had written another book I might read.

Alas, no, she said with a sigh.

I sighed, too.

Some authors have only one good book in them, and that’s fine. But nothing is quite as satisfying as reading a book and discovering other books by the same author. The prospect of more reading pleasure is palatable.

Some subsequent books, of course, don’t match an author’s first effort. When I finished reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, I checked out a second book, Maggie-Now. But it was disappointing. I loved Mrs. Perigrine’s Home for Peculiar Children for it’s sheer inventiveness, but the subsequent books felt forced and rushed.

For some authors, though, a second or third or fourth book promises excellence. Laura Hillenbrand, Erik Larson and David McCullough come to mind.

And so I go on. With one book finished and tucked away, another is percolating. Will it measure up?

Learning the craft…

Writing is an art and a craft just like playing the piano, designing a building, knitting a sweater, painting a mural or composing a symphony. It takes knowledge, practice, education and gobs of experience.

As Stephen King says so eloquently in his book, On Writing: “I don’t believe writers can be made, either by circumstances or by self-will….The equipment comes with the original package. Yet it is by no means unusual equipment; I believe large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened.” *

Learning how to write is as important—maybe more so—than wanting to write. A smidgeon of talent and a desire to learn can produce good writing. An abundance of talent and a resistance to learn, won’t.

For writers today, navigating this vast and ever-expanding world of the Internet, learning the rules, lessons, nuances, tricks and tips of writing is easy. Condensing them into manageable portions is the tough part.

Couple this abundance with the fact that language (even grammar, gasp!) is changing, and you have a job on your hands.

So, who do you turn to?  And whom can you trust? (Who vs whom is one of those rules gaining chameleon-like status.) Happily, there are a few sterling resources out there.

One of my favorites—and I believe the best—online help sites is The Editor’s Blog, manned by fiction editor Beth Hill. Here’s the link: http://theeditorsblog.net  This highly knowledgeable editor gets deep into the weeds of writing and can answer just about any question.

Another source I recommend is Stephen King’s book, mentioned above. If for no other reason, read it to learn about Eula-Beulah. I promise you. It’s great.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Favorite beginnings, endings, and the stuff between …

I love to read and I am always drawn to beautiful writing. Most every book has something good about it, something that I can remark about. Those that don’t, well, I generally don’t finish reading them. But that’s not often. Usually, like most savvy readers, I choose carefully, and once I get into a book, I’m usually glad to stay until the end.

I’m also a eclectic reader and will tackle just about any genre, although I’m not a great fan of fantasy, science fiction or horror. Actually, I’ll never read horror; I don’t invite nightmares.

Out of all the books I’ve read, some stand out—and like every enthusiastic reader, I love sharing my favorites. So here’s my own favorites list.

(Fair warning: I suspect I’ll revisit and modify this list regularly.)

Favorite openings

Change Me Into Zeus’ Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss

In this beautifully written book, the author opens with children hovering around their mother as she prepares to eat poison.

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

Grandpa Tweedy has just been widowed and announces that he’s going to marry Miss Love, and scandal ensues.

Favorite endings

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I won’t tell you the ending, but it’s worth the read.

Favorite Creative Non-fiction

That’s a toughy and a toss up: Either The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson or Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (I need to think about this one some more.)

Favorite Children’s book

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Favorite inventive book

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (One of the cleverest books I’ve come across.)

Favorite book with delicious language

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I think this is the most perfectly crafted book I’ve ever read. It is simply beautiful.

Favorite non-fiction

Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson

Heartbreaking and illuminating

Those Angry Days by Lynne Olsen

Great primer on modern politics

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Just one incredible story!

Favorite biography

Truman by David McCullough

Truman was a man to emulate.

John Adams by David McCullough

I never fully understood the American Revolution until I read this book.

Favorite classics

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Based on a true event, this should be a must-read for every American boy.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A family story with heart and hope, as well as sadness

Favorite book by a Virginia author (other than my own)

Wish You Well by David Baldacci

A true portrait of the spirit of Southwestern Virginia

Favorite book on writing

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

Favorite beginnings, endings, and the stuff between

I love to read and I am always drawn to beautiful writing. Most every book has something good about it, something that I can remark about. Those that don’t, well, I generally don’t finish reading them. But that’s not often. Usually, like most savvy readers, I choose carefully, and once I get into a book, I’m usually glad to stay until the end.

I’m also a eclectic reader and will tackle just about any genre, although I’m not a great fan of fantasy, science fiction or horror. Actually, I’ll never read horror; I don’t invite nightmares.

Out of all the books I’ve read, some stand out—and like every enthusiastic reader, I love sharing my favorites. So here’s my own favorites list.

(Fair warning: I suspect I’ll revisit and modify this list regularly.)

Favorite openings

Change Me Into Zeus’ Daughter by Barbara Robinette Moss

In this beautifully written book, the author opens with children hovering around their mother as she prepares to eat poison.

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

Grandpa Tweedy has just been widowed and announces that he’s going to marry Miss Love, and scandal ensues.

Favorite endings

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

I won’t tell you the ending, but it’s worth the read.

Favorite Creative Non-fiction

That’s a toughy and a toss up: Either The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson or Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (I need to think about this one some more.)

Favorite Children’s book

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Favorite inventive book

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (One of the cleverest books I’ve come across.)

Favorite book with delicious language

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I think this is the most perfectly crafted book I’ve ever read. It is simply beautiful.

Favorite non-fiction

Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson

Heartbreaking and illuminating

Those Angry Days by Lynne Olsen

Great primer on modern politics

Endurance by Alfred Lansing

Just one incredible story!

Favorite biography

Truman by David McCullough

Truman was a man to emulate.

John Adams by David McCullough

I never fully understood the American Revolution until I read this book.

Favorite classics

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Based on a true event, this should be a must-read for every American boy.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A family story with heart and hope, as well as sadness

Favorite book by a Virginia author (other than my own)

Wish You Well by David Baldacci

A true portrait of the spirit of Southwestern Virginia

Favorite book on writing

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

About that name…

I’ve always loved naming things. Children, houses, cars, even special days. So naming a book was a special treat.

I started with a working title, but when I discovered it was the name of John Adam’s (the president J.A.) home place, I had to find something else. My next choice stood for a long time, but had a “seasonal” connotation that I thought failed to represent the entire story well.

Then there were multiple short-lived titles that came and went as I wandered through the lost land of trying to please an agent and a disinterested (except in her fee) editor.

I finally decided that I needed a title—an invented word—that would be mine and mine alone. I tried on name after name as eagerly as Imelda Marcos tried on shoes.

None fit quite right, until I happened upon two words that I could combine to form another word.

Cairn and aerie.

It felt just right. “Cairn” was something left as a memorial and “aerie” was something up high.  And they worked together.

My next step was to research the name. I found only one teeny reference in a very obscure book. So I picked it.

And then to my utter delight I discovered that the first watch maker in the United States was a man named John Cairns, and the years of his life would have coincided with Bertram Snow’s father’s life. I was absolutely sure I had finally found exactly the right title.

What I didn’t realize is how many people would ask me how to pronounce it! To my surprise (and honest dismay), it didn’t roll of reader’s tongue as it had mine. I had created a title hard to pronounce.

I can only hope that it is memorable because it’s too late to change it. And I’m not sure I would if I could.

I still like it, and it still feels right.

Maybe my title (like any psychologist will tell you about a boy given an unusual name) will succeed despite the obstacles of its birthright.

 

 

Step 3,065 …

There is no step one when you write a book, unless you consider being born that initiation.

My personal love affair with words began as a child. My mother, an avid reader, did what good moms do. She read to us. There was one requested book, Rudyard Kiplings’ “How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin,” that she read so many times she grew tired of it. But I didn’t.

I remember going to school and loving to learn spelling,  to see how words fit together, and to hear how they sounded. This was the era when phonics was king, when sound and spelling were partners. I still have my first spelling book. In it, my dad—surely at my request—wrote my name in his bold and sure hand. For a long time, my favorite color was red. My spelling book was red and I’m sure there’s a correlation.

I also remember that as a first grader about the graduate to the second grade, I was terrified I of having to learn “VOWELS.” My best friend Betty, one grade ahead of me, assured me it was possible that I could learn vowels.

And I did.

In second grade, however, I moved away from Betty and all the things that were familiar and reassuring. That first year away was lonely. But by that time I could read and I remember a small book—it was pink—called “The Littlest Witch.” I don’t remember the story, but I remember the comfort it gave me, especially during that first year when our family was crammed into a hot three-story row house across from the local hospital. I was in a new school, and my second-grade classmates were less than kind to the girl who enrolled late in the fall. Had it not been for a new friend, Sandy, and my kind teacher, Mrs. Garber—and the “littlest witch”—I might not have survived second grade.

Then came third grade, a new school, and a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Reeke. She had a commanding voice, sparkly brown eyes and hair the color of cinnamon. I loved her and I wanted to do whatever I could to please her—to make her proud of me.

So I wrote a play. In her wisdom as a stellar teacher, she recognized my effort and sent me and our student teacher, Miss Settle, to the cafeteria to polish my play. (My elementary school was attached to a teachers college.) When Miss Settle and I finished, my class put on the play for the school and for parents. I was the playwright and the star of the play.

I had found my life’s work.

For a while, theater and writing competed, but in the end, my introversion won out and writing became my choice. I am so glad.

When I started writing CAIRNAERIE, it felt like just one more step in this writing journey, which had no real beginning and no foreseeable end. It is just one step. Step 3,064.

Now step 3,065 has arrived.

Where CAIRNAERIE came from …

For Christmas some two decades ago, a good friend gave me a book. It was a popular novel at the time by a bestselling author. I read it over the holidays. I hated it. And I remember thinking, “I can do better.”

Driving home after visiting relatives that weekend, I saw a small sign—the name of a house—alongside the road. The name “Weymouth”* struck me, and I instantly imagined a man knocking on the door of a rundown yet once stately house. The image grew and when I got home I started writing. CAIRNAERIE began to take shape.

I once read that C.S. Lewis was asked how he came up with the wonderful allegory that is the beloved, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. His answer: “It all started with a queen and a sledge.”

I do not imply that I write with anything near the expertise of Mr. Lewis, but I do appreciate his method. Like him, I’m not the kind of writer who starts at Step One and moves along a planned outline as many writers do. It comes from being a random sequentialist. I, instead, love to follow where a story and its characters lead me. Sometimes a story ends quickly and I have a short story. Sometimes short stories grow like those tiny flattened sponges that you soak in water, expanding to 10 times their size. And sometimes a story simply sticks around so long it grows up, like a child becomes a teenager and then an adult. The latter, I think, describes my book.

And if I’ve done my job well, if I have raised it up with all the passion and wisdom and strength and determination it takes to raise a child, then I have done my job well.

Time, I suppose, and book sales will tell!

Weymouth was the book’s working title for years until in my research I discovered it was the name of President John Adam’s homeplace. Too “New Englandish.” I needed something that sounded more like Virginia—and given that much of Western Virginia was settled by the Scotch-Irish, CAIRNAERIE had the right sound and feel. Only later did I discover that the first watchmaker in the country was a John Cairns. Serendipity.

 

A few words or more … about writing

Writing is a craft every bit as much as woodworking or painting or knitting. It requires one to learn the basic techniques and then move beyond to the nuances and subtleties. To begin to master the craft.

Yet writing cannot be mastered, at least in the same way that woodworking or sewing might be mastered. There are no definitive levels of expertise because in the final analysis, what is “perfect” writing is simply in the minds of the reader.

Perhaps the most apt comparison is with painting, sculpting, music—any art judged by the consumer of that art. It is analogous to the style a woodworker might choose to carve or the pattern a knitter might decide to complete.

So writing is less about mastering and more about constantly learning. No one—not even the “masters”—really get it all right every time. They just don’t.

And neither should you—or I—expect to learn it all. To master writing.

But therein lies the silver lining. There is always something more to learn. There is always a new nuance to discover, a new perspective to try, a new dimension to add, and as we find these nuggets of understanding, our writing improves.

 

The hardest part…

Hands down, the hardest part of the writing/publishing process is the marketing. Hands down. Especially for authors like me who tend toward introversion. It is uncomfortable at best—and downright difficult, at worst—to promote “self.”

But that is the reality of the self-published author.

There always lingers the hope, foolish as it may seem, that a book might catch fire, like a careless cigarette tossed in a dry field, and that all the marketing would be magically removed from the author’s responsibility and sent careening out to a public waiting eagerly to be charmed.

Using one’s imagination and creating characters, plots, scenes and even worlds is a fun and delightful exercise for any fiction writer. And so, too, is imagining wild publishing success.

But just like the writing process, success (read: marketing) also takes a whole lot of hard work.

What helps more than anything is when a friend calls you up and says, “Send me rack cards. I’m going to distribute them down here.”

Bless her.

Who needs publishing success when you have friends that good?