Joyce Magnin's Blog, page 15

The SOP Writer's Theme Hymn

This came to me from my friend Priscilla Strapp, an excellent writer in search of a publisher.Here is the "Theme Hymn" for writers who don't want to plot every last detail before they begin: Lead Kindly Light by John Henry Newman to the tune of Lux Benigna:

Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark and I am far from home; Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene--one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that...

He was such a bad writer they . . .

took away his poetic license. Ha! Milton Berel said that. Gotta love Uncle Milti.He also said, "Laughter is an instant vacation." Here are some other writerly quotes I like. How about you. Like to add any.

All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you; the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and sorrow, the people and the places and h...

Me and My Chucks

Here's the thing, Many people have been curious about why I wear Chucks, soley chucks (ha, pun) Let me explain. I have difficult feet. I always did. I have a heal of a time finding shoes that don't make me want to cry. My foot is wide, my arches high and I pretty much shattered my left ankle several years ago in a car accident. All three of these things make it difficult for me to find a shoe that fits and feels comfy enough to wear for longer than five minutes. No stilettos for this girl. B...

My Most Fabulous Day--so far

Here's the thing, and it's a pretty great thing. I just returned from Nashville where I attended my publisher's sales conference, actually a launch party for their fall 2010 line. I had such a great day. Actually I was in Nashville for five days. I stayed with my dear friend and author extraordinaire, Nancy Rue. We talked writing and books and played with her two Lab pups. On Wednesday I met my editor, Barbara Scott and since I was tad early, we went, where else? To Starbucks and talked about...

We are not elves!

Here's the thing, I'm supposed to be leaving for my publisher's sales conference this afternoon. When I told my daughter the first thing she said was, "what are you going to wear, Mom?" um, that was a good question because we writers pretty much get to work in our jammies or sweats and no one knows and no one cares. But occasionally we are lured out of our dens to attend some kind of public function. Which I enjoy. I love meeting people. I think it's the only way readers know that writers are...

Easter 1966

Here's the thing. That's me with my Mama and my dog Polly. If you look closely enough you'll see my sister, Elaine horsing around in the back. Please note the Princess Leia hair-do. Mom was so creative. George Lucas consulted her about Princess Leia's hair. Mom did it first. BTW, check the gams on my mother. I remember the day my father took the picture. I was only smiling becuase the sun was bright. Yet, as I think back I'm pretty sure I insisted on the yellow dress from JC Penney and matchi...

Sprouting Crab Apples

Here's the thing, I don't think I talked about this but the season of Lent was always kind of a mystery to me, something that both amused and mystified me as I
considered it one of the deeper aspects of faith. But it also came across to me as something trivial as I remember watching my playmates as a child claiming to give up sweets or meat on Friday or to stop punching their little sisters. It just seemed silly. But over the years I've come to see Lent as a deeply personal time and one in wh...

Not Your Granny's School Lunch

Here's the thing, every so often I have lunch duty at school. It's fun. No really it is. I enjoy spending time with the kids, opening their milk and Gogurt yogurt containers and having it spurt across the room or onto my shirt. I enjoy lifting the lids from small cups of fruit filled to the brim with juice that always, always, always spill all over the place. (Note to manufacturer: Please don't fill the cups to the brim. It's messy.) I like cleaning up spills and vomit. Okay, not vomit—too of...

What Does Emily Dickinson have to do with Final Fantasy?

Here's the thing—it wasn't what I expected. I went to the midnight store opening Monday night/Tuesday morning to purchase my copy of final Fantasy XIII. I had hoped that there would a large turn-out of gamers and that some would be dressed as their favorite FF characters. But alas and alack I saw no Moogles, no Cloud, no Sephoroth, Fran or Tidus. Just folks, just plain folks out at midnight to get one of the most loved fantasy RPG's of all time. Okay, that's my opinion but I think it's pretty...

Anticipation--It's making me crazy

Here's the thing, I am supposed to be editing Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise and/or writing Griselda Takes Flight but I wanted to talk about oral surgery, seeing how it is so fresh on my mind. My husband was supposed to take me Monday evening but he got stuck on a job. Now the old Joyce would have seized this opportunity and cancelled the appointment but, and you'll be so proud of me, I called my dear sweet friend Rebecca and without a moment's hesitation she said, "Sure, I'll be right th...