Jo Knowles's Blog, page 18
February 21, 2012
Win an advance copy of SEE YOU AT HARRY'S!
Would you like a chance to read an advance copy of SEE YOU AT HARRY'S?
Debbi at DEBTastic Reads is giving away a copy! All you have to do is visit her blog and leave a comment HERE.
Thanks Debbi!!!!!!!!!!
xo
Debbi at DEBTastic Reads is giving away a copy! All you have to do is visit her blog and leave a comment HERE.
Thanks Debbi!!!!!!!!!!
xo
February 20, 2012
Whispers
Next month, I have the honor of being the author mentor at the Whispering Pines Writers' Retreat in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. Being a mentor involves leading a workshop, being on a first pages panel, and reading manuscript submissions from participants.
Over the weekend, I received my packet of manuscripts. I've never done one-on-one critiques in a conference setting like this, so I am both excited and a little nervous. I want to offer the most helpful feedback I can. But the thing about feedback is that everyone needs something different. Some people thrive on getting blunt, bare bones criticism. Others can be destroyed by it. Some thrive on praise and use it to fuel them to take their work to the next level, while others mistake it as a green light that they are "done" and wind up subbing their work too early.
When you're in a writing group or class, you get to know the kind of feedback that's most helpful to each individual, and you can tailor your responses depending on what helps each particular writer. But in the case of a conference, where you've never met the people you're offering feedback to, it's a bit more tricky.
Yesterday, I asked a generic question on Twitter about what kind of feedback people would like to receive from a conference-type critique. Here are what people said:
"Honest, direct and hopefully it includes some encouragement and positive qualities about the writing!!!"
"For me it would be something I could walk away with to improve my writing overall. What I need to work on. What I'm doing well."
"Is it working? Is it strong enough to survive in today's market? Is it unique?"
"If it's an editor, a contract is the best feedback. Otherwise it depends how far along the ms is."
"I'm looking to hear what works or sounds interesting, and what doesn't, strengths/weaknesses, etc. A request to sub is a perk."
So that was very reassuring, and, I suppose, obvious. But I've never done this before! My goal though, is to point out what works and gently point out what might not be. Balance. Balance balance balance.
I browsed through the submissions to get a sense of the stories I'd be submerging myself in over the next several weeks. They are vastly different. Humorous, adventurous, serious. Each has its own unique whisper of hope. I can see the care that went into preparing every submission. And I can sense the love of the projects in each synopsis. These whispers seem to say, "This is what I want to my manuscript to be. This is what I want my manuscript to do."
How exciting to be a part of their journeys to get there.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
What is your manuscript's unique whisper? What do you want it to be? What do you want it to do?
Over the weekend, I received my packet of manuscripts. I've never done one-on-one critiques in a conference setting like this, so I am both excited and a little nervous. I want to offer the most helpful feedback I can. But the thing about feedback is that everyone needs something different. Some people thrive on getting blunt, bare bones criticism. Others can be destroyed by it. Some thrive on praise and use it to fuel them to take their work to the next level, while others mistake it as a green light that they are "done" and wind up subbing their work too early.
When you're in a writing group or class, you get to know the kind of feedback that's most helpful to each individual, and you can tailor your responses depending on what helps each particular writer. But in the case of a conference, where you've never met the people you're offering feedback to, it's a bit more tricky.
Yesterday, I asked a generic question on Twitter about what kind of feedback people would like to receive from a conference-type critique. Here are what people said:
"Honest, direct and hopefully it includes some encouragement and positive qualities about the writing!!!"
"For me it would be something I could walk away with to improve my writing overall. What I need to work on. What I'm doing well."
"Is it working? Is it strong enough to survive in today's market? Is it unique?"
"If it's an editor, a contract is the best feedback. Otherwise it depends how far along the ms is."
"I'm looking to hear what works or sounds interesting, and what doesn't, strengths/weaknesses, etc. A request to sub is a perk."
So that was very reassuring, and, I suppose, obvious. But I've never done this before! My goal though, is to point out what works and gently point out what might not be. Balance. Balance balance balance.
I browsed through the submissions to get a sense of the stories I'd be submerging myself in over the next several weeks. They are vastly different. Humorous, adventurous, serious. Each has its own unique whisper of hope. I can see the care that went into preparing every submission. And I can sense the love of the projects in each synopsis. These whispers seem to say, "This is what I want to my manuscript to be. This is what I want my manuscript to do."
How exciting to be a part of their journeys to get there.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
What is your manuscript's unique whisper? What do you want it to be? What do you want it to do?
February 16, 2012
Thankful Thursday: Something My Mother-in-Law Said
Yesterday I collected the mail and discovered a letter to me from my mother-in-law. This might not sound out of the ordinary, but my mother-in-law only lives twenty minutes away, so a letter from her, well, is. Out of the ordinary.
The last time we visited, I gave her an ARC of See You At Harry's. I knew she'd been very curious about the book, mainly because I have been working on it for YEARS. She knew how much I had struggled every step of the way. But not why.
I am always a little afraid to share my work with people I love and respect, but especially with my in-laws, who are so well-read. So smart. So... oh, I don't know. Thoughtful. Precise with their words. I never want to disappoint them.
Anyway, this letter from my mother-in-law was a response to the book. And it is beautiful. A work of art in itself, I think. And I will always cherish it.
Today, I am thankful for her closing words, in particular, from one who watched the very long journey of the making of this book. Sometimes, it is the simple moment of hearing from a dear one, "I know. I know where this all came from." that makes you cry with relief to be understood, but also to be relieved of that thing you've been carrying for so long. There is a moment when you must let go. When you must, in the words of Merrit Malloy, "give it away."
This letter has made me realize, that moment has already come.
The courage it took to write this book, to live with it in your heart day in and day out, is not lost on me. "When all that's left of me is love, give me away." You know truly and from the depths of your heart what that means.
Thank you, Pat. For your beautiful, kind and generous words. And for understanding.
The last time we visited, I gave her an ARC of See You At Harry's. I knew she'd been very curious about the book, mainly because I have been working on it for YEARS. She knew how much I had struggled every step of the way. But not why.
I am always a little afraid to share my work with people I love and respect, but especially with my in-laws, who are so well-read. So smart. So... oh, I don't know. Thoughtful. Precise with their words. I never want to disappoint them.
Anyway, this letter from my mother-in-law was a response to the book. And it is beautiful. A work of art in itself, I think. And I will always cherish it.
Today, I am thankful for her closing words, in particular, from one who watched the very long journey of the making of this book. Sometimes, it is the simple moment of hearing from a dear one, "I know. I know where this all came from." that makes you cry with relief to be understood, but also to be relieved of that thing you've been carrying for so long. There is a moment when you must let go. When you must, in the words of Merrit Malloy, "give it away."
This letter has made me realize, that moment has already come.
The courage it took to write this book, to live with it in your heart day in and day out, is not lost on me. "When all that's left of me is love, give me away." You know truly and from the depths of your heart what that means.
Thank you, Pat. For your beautiful, kind and generous words. And for understanding.
February 15, 2012
February 14, 2012
February 13, 2012
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
One of my favorite hymns is "There is more love somewhere," an African American folk song included in Singing the Living Tradition. I have spent too much time this morning trying to find more information about the origin, but I am a horrible researcher, so I'm sorry for my lack of information. Basically, it goes like this:
There is more love, somewhere
There is more love, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more love, somewhere
There is more hope, somewhere
There is more hope, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more hope, somewhere
There is more joy, somewhere
There is more joy, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more joy, somewhere
There is more peace, somewhere
There is more peace, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more peace, somewhere
When you are surrounded by singers young and old, some belting out the words, some almost whispering them, some doing their best to harmonize, these words have the magic to build you up and help you believe in the possibility of finding whatever it is you're looking for–to keep on, 'til you find it.
Lately, in my own life, there has been a lot of sadness and a lot of happiness flip-flopping in my heart. And I've felt this odd struggle between joy and sorrow, and my guilt for feeling both. Sometimes, in the same five minutes.
But yesterday, as I sang this song with my dear community, I let the words comfort me. Encourage me. It was as if the voices around me were sharing this one hope: for goodness, in all the forms it comes in. There is more love. There is more hope. There is more joy. There is more peace. Whatever life throws at us, there are these beautiful, basic things, somewhere. And hearing all those voices sing those definitive words together, as if they were a true promise, that somewhere? Was right there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
What has moved you lately?
There is more love, somewhere
There is more love, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more love, somewhere
There is more hope, somewhere
There is more hope, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more hope, somewhere
There is more joy, somewhere
There is more joy, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more joy, somewhere
There is more peace, somewhere
There is more peace, somewhere
I'm gonna keep on, 'til I find it
There is more peace, somewhere
When you are surrounded by singers young and old, some belting out the words, some almost whispering them, some doing their best to harmonize, these words have the magic to build you up and help you believe in the possibility of finding whatever it is you're looking for–to keep on, 'til you find it.
Lately, in my own life, there has been a lot of sadness and a lot of happiness flip-flopping in my heart. And I've felt this odd struggle between joy and sorrow, and my guilt for feeling both. Sometimes, in the same five minutes.
But yesterday, as I sang this song with my dear community, I let the words comfort me. Encourage me. It was as if the voices around me were sharing this one hope: for goodness, in all the forms it comes in. There is more love. There is more hope. There is more joy. There is more peace. Whatever life throws at us, there are these beautiful, basic things, somewhere. And hearing all those voices sing those definitive words together, as if they were a true promise, that somewhere? Was right there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
What has moved you lately?
February 10, 2012
My favorite 4-letter word is...
DONE!
I just sent my editor my revision of Living With Jackie Chan! *dances*
Fred has picked out some music to help me celebrate.
George is unsure about this.
I know I still have a long way to go on this one, but with each stage, it feels like I've reached some significant point on the journey. This weekend I'm going to take a brief pause to catch up on a million things I've neglected while frantically trying to finish this revision (cleaning, taxes, e-mail backlog, intimidating TBR pile), but then it's time to get to work on the next "thing" which feels both daunting and exciting.
Hope you all have an amazing weekend!
xo
I just sent my editor my revision of Living With Jackie Chan! *dances*
Fred has picked out some music to help me celebrate.
George is unsure about this.
I know I still have a long way to go on this one, but with each stage, it feels like I've reached some significant point on the journey. This weekend I'm going to take a brief pause to catch up on a million things I've neglected while frantically trying to finish this revision (cleaning, taxes, e-mail backlog, intimidating TBR pile), but then it's time to get to work on the next "thing" which feels both daunting and exciting.
Hope you all have an amazing weekend!
xo
February 8, 2012
February 6, 2012
This weekend, I...
This weekend, I...
Watched a bad movie
Made chocolate-ship pancakes
Drank a margarita
Visited with my in-laws
Wrote a letter
Mailed a book to a friend
Held a cat
Lugged wood in from the shed
Changed a cat box
Emptied the compost bucket
Stood by the pond and daydreamed
Held a baby
Thought about reading for myself
Read to my son instead
Brainstormed plans for a benefit run
Left my comfort zone
Retreated back
Watched a football game
Made baked bananas Foster
Bought a bottle of Saint Germaine
Vacuumed the house
Folded laundry
Spent too much time online
Cursed myself for not working on my revision
Read a nice review of PEARL
Freaked out over a review of SEE YOU AT HARRY'S
Sought comfort from a friend
Prayed for another
Meant to call my mother
Benefited from Tylenol pm
Fretted about the carpool
Bought ink for my printer
Wondered for the thousandth time if I will ever finish my revision
Found out I will be going to Saint Louis next fall
Counted my blessings
Listened to poetry
Felt disappointed when the Patriots lost
Consoled my son
Went to bed
And said good-bye to another weekend.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
Write to the prompt, "This weekend, I..."
Watched a bad movie
Made chocolate-ship pancakes
Drank a margarita
Visited with my in-laws
Wrote a letter
Mailed a book to a friend
Held a cat
Lugged wood in from the shed
Changed a cat box
Emptied the compost bucket
Stood by the pond and daydreamed
Held a baby
Thought about reading for myself
Read to my son instead
Brainstormed plans for a benefit run
Left my comfort zone
Retreated back
Watched a football game
Made baked bananas Foster
Bought a bottle of Saint Germaine
Vacuumed the house
Folded laundry
Spent too much time online
Cursed myself for not working on my revision
Read a nice review of PEARL
Freaked out over a review of SEE YOU AT HARRY'S
Sought comfort from a friend
Prayed for another
Meant to call my mother
Benefited from Tylenol pm
Fretted about the carpool
Bought ink for my printer
Wondered for the thousandth time if I will ever finish my revision
Found out I will be going to Saint Louis next fall
Counted my blessings
Listened to poetry
Felt disappointed when the Patriots lost
Consoled my son
Went to bed
And said good-bye to another weekend.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Monday Morning Warm-Up:
Write to the prompt, "This weekend, I..."
February 1, 2012
Please read the letter that I wrote...
Have you heard of The Month of Letters Challenge?
A friend told me about it on Twitter. At first I thought, "That's sweet." And then I thought about it some more and decided, "I'm totally going to do that!"
So I shared the link on Facebook and now other people are joining me! *waves to Erin Dionne and Rebecca Siegel* Not only that, but another person offered to send ME a letter! *waves to Jennifer Armstrong*
When I was young, I knew all of my friends' handwriting. I could tell as soon as I discovered a note in my locker who it was from, just by the way the person made a J. Today, I could probably only name a few.
So, I'm signing up for this challenge. I hope you'll join me. :-)
A friend told me about it on Twitter. At first I thought, "That's sweet." And then I thought about it some more and decided, "I'm totally going to do that!"
So I shared the link on Facebook and now other people are joining me! *waves to Erin Dionne and Rebecca Siegel* Not only that, but another person offered to send ME a letter! *waves to Jennifer Armstrong*
When I was young, I knew all of my friends' handwriting. I could tell as soon as I discovered a note in my locker who it was from, just by the way the person made a J. Today, I could probably only name a few.
So, I'm signing up for this challenge. I hope you'll join me. :-)
