Lili Wilkinson's Blog, page 3

In which all the things are happening

Sorry about the lack of blogging, world. I’ve been a little busy.

(do every one of my blogs start with that?)

Here’s an update for the last month or so:

1. A Pocketful of Eyes made the CBCA Notable list! Hurrah!

2. And the WAYRBA Older Readers list! Double Hurrah!

3. Love-Shy is getting lots of love out there in the world, which is wonderful.

4. I had an awesome week as the writer-in-residence St Margaret Mary’s Catholic College in Townsville.

5. I am NEARLY FINISHED the first draft of the Next Book, of which more soon.

6. Wedding planning is full-steam ahead. My Pinterest overfloweth.

7. WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! This is absolutely terrifying and also utterly wonderful. Now we can have our Saturdays back instead of traipsing from house open to house open. But we will be very poor for a few months while we settle into our mortgage. I’m enjoying finding new ways to be frugal – yesterday I gathered up all the loose change lying around our house and took it to the bank. There was $525 worth of coins! Our new house is a beautiful little 1925 weatherboard in Thornbury, and we’ll be moving in July. Lots to do before then. I’m still not really sure what a conveyancer does, but we have one.

8. Here’s Pink with its Stonewall Honor sticker! Look at how it matches!

 

On weddings

When I was little, I used to wear this bride's dress my Grandma gave me. A lot. But not because I wanted to be a bride. I just liked it because it was frilly and pretty. I played endless imaginary games in it – but I was always a Princess. Never a bride.

As a teenager and a young adult, I never fantasised about my wedding. The big frouffy strapless white dress just wasn't really me. But in my late twenties, two things happened:

1. I became aware (via the many craft blogs I subscribe to, and also the weddings of awesome friends) of a Different Kind of Wedding. One with colourful bunting and wildflowers and adorable crafted details. A wedding that looked like a really awesome party, with really awesome craft.

2. I met Michael.

And I started to think… well, maybe. Because if there are three things I love, they're Michael, Craft and Organising Things. Oh, and sharing an awesome day with all the people I love.

I used to be a professional event coordinator. It was my job, and I was pretty good at it. Organising an Event is my idea of fun. So it will come to no surprise to those of you who know me that I'm TOTALLY loving working with Mj to plan our wedding, and that a lot of the organisation has already been done. We're keeping some of our favourite wedding traditions (my dad will walk me down the aisle. Mj and I will exchange rings and vows.), and ditching lots of other ones (no bridesmaids or groomsmen. No fancy cars. No assigned seating). There is no wedding coordinator. There is no standard reception centre venue. There will be no tulle-covered chairs.

We are doing as much of it ourselves as we can – all the planning, the craft, the invitations, the favours. Our amazing friends are helping us with cake, photography, makeup and music. My Hen's will be a Crafternoon, and anyone with a novelty penis-shaped drinking straw will be immediately ejected.

My parents didn't have a big wedding – just a simple registry office ceremony. They'd organised Dad's best friend to take some photos on his fancy expensive Pentax, but they all ended up totally out of focus. This photo was snapped on a cheap Kodak by Mum's schoolfriend Lorraine. It's a gorgeous photo – they're so young (20!) and beautiful and happy. Also, how rad is Mum's tweed culotte suit?

Love-Shy giveaway winner

So the Random Number Generator has spoken, and the winner of the Love-Shy giveaway is…

Bonnee! Who wrote: I cannot tell you how much I just laughed. That was epic. 

Thanks for all your comments, everyone, and hopefully the rest of you will fin Love-Shy at a bookshop or library near you.

Labyrinth

I turned 31 on the weekend, and to celebrate I went to the Astor with some friends to see my Favourite Movie of All Time – Labyrinth.

I first saw it at the cinema when I was five, and have seen it approximately a bazillion times since then, but not on the big screen. It was an awesome night – lots of people came in costume – and I realised how much the film influenced me as a kid – and continues to influence me as an adult.

When I was about eleven, I got my grandma to make me a waistcoat that looked like Sarah's, so I could dress like her. I just thought she was the most awesome person in the world.

It's also the nexus of everything that is awesome. Obviously it has links to the Muppets, and also to Star Wars and Little Shop of Horrors via Frank Oz. It's choreographed by Cheryl McFadden, aka Gates McFadden aka Beverly Crusher from Star Trek TNG. One of the Fierys is Danny John Jules who is the Cat in Red Dwarf. The screenplay is by Monty Python's Terry Jones. Ron Mueck, one of my very favourite visual artists, performs and voices Ludo. The design is all by the wonderful Brian Froud (and his son plays baby Toby). Sir Didymus is voiced by David Shaughnessy, who is the heir presumptive to a Barony that is currently held by his brother Charles Shaughnessy, who we all know as Maxwell Sheffield on The Nanny (and whatsisname on Mad Men). It has MC Escher and Maurice Sendak and logic puzzles and a zillion other things that are awesome.

Oh, and David Bowie*.

I love the story – the way it talks about the dangers of hiding in childhood, but that it's alright to bring childhood with you into maturity. It's okay to be an adult with an imagination and a teddy bear – indeed it's better.

Also, I was pretty sure that Michael was going to be The One when I learnt that his nickname is Ludo – because he's a gentle rock monster.

Here is Ludo and Jim Henson meeting Charles and Diana.

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*Apparently they were originally considering Michael Jackson and Sting as well as Bowie. Can you imagine how creepy it would have been with Michael Jackson? Also, Helena Bonham Carter, Jane Krakowski, Sarah Jessica Parker, Marisa Tomei, Laura Dern and Ally Sheedy all auditioned for the part of Sarah, before it was given to 14 year old Jennifer Connelly.

 

Love-Shy excerpt #3

This is the last excerpt from Love-Shy. As I mentioned last week, the protagonist Penny discovers that there is a boy at her school who is suffering from love-shyness. But she doesn't know which boy! So she sets out to interview them all.

 

LOGAN ESPOSITO

Eye contact: Yes, but in a creepy, starey way.

Overt signs of shyness: Extreme agitation.

ME: So, Logan. Do you have a girlfriend?

LOGAN: (STARES AT INTERVIEWER.)

ME: Logan? Are you okay?

LOGAN: (SHAKES HEAD.)

ME: Do girls make you uncomfortable, Logan? Do you find talking to me difficult?

LOGAN: (SHAKES HEAD.)

ME: In your own time, Logan. Just breathe.

LOGAN: She… She…

ME: She? Who? Are you wearing eyeliner?

LOGAN: (DARK LOOK.) She was my everything. She said she loved me. She made everything different. She held my hand and took me to places I'd only dreamed about. The scent of her skin, her hair, aroused me like—

ME: Is this going somewhere?

LOGAN: She said we'd be together forever. She said I was her One and Only. She said she'd never leave me. She whispered it into my ear when we lay naked together under the stars. And then…

ME: And then?

LOGAN: And then I found her making out with Jamal Zayd around the side of the canteen.

ME: I'm very sorry for your loss.

LOGAN: Everything is turned to ashes.

ME: You seem to be enjoying that Kit-Kat.

LOGAN: My soul's fire is extinguished. I will never love again.

ME: I'm sure you'll perk up in a day or two.

LOGAN: Do you think… Would you…

ME: What is it?

LOGAN: Would you mind if I smelled your hair?

ME: Yes. I would mind.

(INTERVIEW TERMINATED.)

Verdict: Not love-shy.

 

WIN A COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Leave a comment on any Love-Shy post to win a signed copy!

Love-Shy excerpt #2

This week I'm going to post a few excerpts from Love-Shy. As I mentioned last week, the protagonist Penny discovers that there is a boy at her school who is suffering from love-shyness. But she doesn't know which boy! So she sets out to interview them all.

 

NEDISLAV RADNIK

Eye contact: Sporadic.

Overt signs of shyness: Darting eyes, uncommunicativeness.

ME: Hey, I just wanted to ask you something about the meeting.

NEDISLAV: Um.

ME: Can you remember if Hugh said we had $1735 left in our budget? Or was it $1375?

NEDISLAV: Um. I don't remember.

ME: You don't remember? It was five minutes ago. I don't think you really understand the responsibility you have, as a democratically elected representative of the student body.

NEDISLAV: D-don't you remember?

ME: Not that I think the majority electoral system we have in this school is particularly democratic. I've been telling Mr Copeland that we need to move to an instant runoff preferential system to elect the form captains, and either the Sainte-Laguë method or Hare-Clark proportional system for the prefects and school captains. But as usual, everyone is resistant to electoral change. It's probably because Mr Copeland is British.

(SUBJECT APPEARS AGITATED?.?.?.?AN EXCELLENT SIGN! TIME TO CHANGE TACTICS.)

ME: Are you planning on going to the social?

NEDISLAV: (DISTRACTED) What? No.

ME: Why not? It'll be fun.

NEDISLAV: I don't really go out very much.

ME: Why? Do you find it difficult to socialise?

NEDISLAV: (LOOKS BEYOND THE INTERVIEWER AND SHOWS SIGNS OF RELIEF)

KATE PITTMAN: Hey, baby.

NEDISLAV: Heyyy.

(KATE PITTMAN, IGNORING INTERVIEWER, PROCEEDS TO WRAP HER LEGS AROUND SUBJECT'S WAIST, WHILE LICKING HIS EAR. SUBJECT SHOWS NO SIGN OF CONCERN)

ME: Right then.

KATE PITTMAN: (MOANS)

Verdict: Not love-shy.

 

WIN A COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Leave a comment on any Love-Shy post to win a signed copy!

Love-Shy – Excerpt #1

This week I'm going to post a few excerpts from Love-Shy. As I mentioned last week, the protagonist Penny discovers that there is a boy at her school who is suffering from love-shyness. But she doesn't know which boy! So she sets out to interview them all.

 

JAMAL ZAYD

Eye contact: Yes.

Overt signs of shyness: No.

ME: Hi, Jamal.

JAMAL: Hey. Wait, why are you pointing your phone at me?

ME: It's a Dictaphone app. So. What do you think of this Tchaikovsky piece?

JAMAL: Um. It's okay. A bit tricky with the key-changes. Why are you pointing that at me?

ME: Do you have a girlfriend?

(SUBJECT SHOWS SIGNS OF DISCOMFORT)

JAMAL: Um. Why do you ask?

ME: Just making conversation. You seem like a nice guy.

JAMAL: Oh, Ms Darling is here. We'd better pay attention.

ME: So I'm taking that as a no. Why? Do you struggle talking to girls?

JAMAL: She's banging her baton on her stand. I think she wants us to start.

ME: Have you ever kissed a girl, Jamal?

JAMAL: Look, do you think we could talk about this later? We're supposed to be tuning.

ME: Am I making you uncomfortable? Does talking to me make you feel anxious?

JAMAL: Well, now that you mention it, you're being a bit—

MS DARLING: When you're quite done there, Jamal.

JAMAL: Sorry, Ms Darling.

Verdict: Not love-shy.

 

WIN A COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Leave a comment on any Love-Shy post to win a signed copy!

Love-Shy – the book

Love-Shy is about Penny Drummond, a bossy, know-it-all wannabe journalist. You know someone like Penny. She's involved in every single extra-curricular activity. She's a form captain and plays in the orchestra and does at least two sports and debates and sings in the choir. She is busy every single lunch time. If she wears a blazer, the lapel is covered in badges. She's popular – everyone likes her. But because she's so busy all the time, she doesn't really have any super-close friends.

Penny knows she's going to be an amazing journalist one day. But she doesn't want to wait, and the East Glendale College Gazette isn't really challenging her. She wants an amazing story. Something that will change lives. And then she discovers loveshyness. A hurriedly closed web browser in the school library reveals a loveshy forum – someone at East Glendale is loveshy! Obviously Penny has to find him. And fix him. And write an amazing story about it. And obviously the only way to achieve this is to interview every boy in her year level.

Of course it all goes horribly, horribly wrong.

It was very difficult to balance the anxiety and darkness of the loveshy character (I can't tell you who it is – spoilers!) against Penny's bossy humour. Often I got so wrapped up in the story that I lost sight of how dark some of it was. But on the whole, I loved writing Penny. There's quite a lot of me in Penny (although I am much, much lazier), and there's a fair dollop of Paris, my absolute favourite character in The Gilmore Girls. Next week, I'm going to post some of the interviews that she conducts with the boys in her school, so you can get an idea of what she's like.

WIN A COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Comment on any of the Love-Shy posts this week to win a signed copy!

Love-Shy – the research

So once I got home from the UK, I started to research loveshyness. It isn't an Official Disorder, so some of the information out there is sketchy. I had two main resources:

1. There really is a loveshy forum online. Some of it was pretty confronting – there are a lot of very unhappy people on there, and sometimes I felt kinda creepy, reading their posts without responding to any of them. But it was very interesting – a lot of Nick's opinions and experiences were inspired by those guys.

2. A book by Dr. Brian G. Gilmartin. Dr Gilmartin did some amazing research interviewing loveshy men, and found some really weird correlations – like that loveshy guys are more likely to have a dairy allergy, enjoy citrus fruits, listen to classical music etc. They also almost exclusively pined for sweet, small-breasted pretty girls with long, brown hair – a very romantic and sweet fantasy, unlike the big-breasted blonde bombshells that we usually associate with male fantasies. Dr Gilmartin has some really interesting theories about what causes loveshyness. For example, he says that genetic research performed in Nazi Germany found that strong, athletic boys generally had confident, happy mothers. Boys with anxious or depressed mothers received less testosterone in the womb, and as a result grew up more timid. Because of this timidity, they were often ostracised from their peers at a very young age, which created a vicious cycle of anxiety and rejection, that just got worse and worse as the boys grew older.* The second half of Dr Gilmartin's book focusses on treatment, and wanders into some very strange territory featuring ESP and reincarnation, which is perhaps why it never received more scientific attention.

So after that I did a lot more reading about anxiety disorders and treatment. Most of what I was reading was incredibly dark, and I started to wonder… how on earth was I ever going to write a funny book about this very serious condition, without totally trivialising it?

More on that tomorrow.

WIN A COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Just comment on any Love-Shy post this week to win a signed copy!

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*I think it's important to note that this research was all done 30-odd years ago, so many of the men interviewed would have been born in the 1950s. I hope that society has somewhat moved on from then, and that shy boys find it a little easier.

Love-Shy is here! (plus giveaway)

This wonderful box of books arrived today, so I'm going to spend this week telling you a bit about Love-Shy.

This, as many of you already know, was my NaNoWriMo book of 2010. But it started its life in the adorably eccentric seaside town of Tenby, in Wales, over breakfast with my very dear friend Sarah, who is also a TV writer and all-round Awesome Person.

We were eating eggs and bacon and sipping cups of steaming hot tea, and passing the Sunday papers back and forth. And in the magazine, I read an article about a psychological condition called loveshyness. It only affects boys and men*, and basically makes them chronically shy – even terrified – around women. The article talked about a 40 year old man whose only physical contact with a woman (other than his mum) had been shaking hands once in a job interview. I was intrigued. My first thought was… I have to write a YA novel about this. Over the next few days, I sketched out a basic plot outline for a novel (with the amazing Sarah's help and wisdom).

Tomorrow, I'm going to tell you a bit more about the condition, and my research process. Then on Friday I'll talk about how I wrote a romantic comedy about a crippling anxiety disorder. And then next Monday I'll post an excerpt!

WIN A SIGNED COPY OF LOVE-SHY! Just comment on any Love-Shy post this week to WIN A COPY!

 

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* This is actually a bit complicated. There are plenty of anxious, shy girls, but we live in a society where shyness in a girl is more socially acceptable. Shy girls aren't ostracised as much in the playground. Shy girls get approached in bars by confident guys. It just doesn't happen so much the other way around.