Catherine Austen's Blog, page 29

Intrinsic Motivation Running Out

I have to drag myself to the keyboard to finish drafting my new teen novel, Across the Water (a sequel to All Good Children, forthcoming Fall 2011 from Orca Book Publishers). It's not that I can't figure out the ending. It's that I know what horror awaits me in revising my rough draft into something readable, let alone publishable. The return to page one is a tough moment to face.

I would not inflict my first draft on anyone. (In this case, not even me.) My plot doesn't make complete sense. A few characters have names like "KidwithBadHair" and "Teacher1." Several scenes are summarized, e.g.,"Kids go to park, meet bad guy." Pretty much anything I couldn't think up fast enough for my fingers to draft (and I type at 80 wpm easy) is simply converted to asterisks to be filled in later. A good 20% of my first draft is composed of place-holders. It's unreadable.

Not up for much

And now it's almost time to fill in all those place-holders and come up with names and flesh out summaries and rearrange plot points and then, after I'm done all that, there's rewriting and rephrasing and cutting and polishing. And even if I get it into decent shape and my editor actually likes it, I'll still have to write it a couple more times in line with her comments.

Am I up for all that?

Nope. Not even slightly.

So I need some extrinsic motivation. Why should I do this godawful hard work instead of putzing in the yard on a gorgeous spring day?

(1) Joy. Pushing yourself to meet a challenge feels good, and a well-earned rest is so much sweeter than a procrastinating laze. I just worked a weekend round the clock polishing All Good Children for my editor. Monday evening I lazed on the couch, blissfully skimming my completed work. What a beautiful feeling. So yeah, there's joy.

Bird-watching is also joyful.

Inspired mind

(2) Inspiration. By this I mean the giving, not the getting. Last month I read my picture book, My Cat Isis, to my son's grade three class. A few days later, a woman approached me to say that her son was so inspired by my reading that he'd decided to become a writer. His exact words were, "She can do it and she's just someone's mom, so I can do it, too." So yeah, there's inspiring young minds.

Whatever.

Back to work

(3) Money. In January, I received a grant from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Quebec to write Across the Water and if I don't finish the book (i.e.,a little more polished than "KidwithBadHair and Teacher1 go to park, meet bad guy.") I will have to pay the money back. Which will be difficult since I've spent most of it. 

Okay. Back to work.

When intrinsic motivation runs out, it really helps to get paid.

Filed under: authors, books, writing Tagged: children's books, creative process, revising, YA novel

Book Launch Afterword (II)

Success!

About a hundred people showed up at my local library yesterday to help me celebrate the release of my first picture book, My Cat Isis, illustrated by Virginie Egger, published by Kids Can Press earlier this month.

Yes, that read, "a hundred." Good thing my library had such a nice big room to hold them.

Before the launch began, I worried that no one would show. I feared I would have to make Ancient Egyptian crafts by myself all afternoon, while my friend Anni strummed her guitar and my husband consoled me with baklava. 

But when the clock struck two, people began streaming in. I've never had so many hugs in one day before! I was deeply touched by all the friends, neighbours, writers, and readers who came out to celebrate with me.

      

A good half of the guests were under ten. They listened to my story and munched on goodies. Then they beaded necklaces, drew pictures, told fortunes with cootie catchers, and mummified teddy bears (and each other…)

        

I like to throw a party when I launch a book because, honestly, how often does it happen? (Not often. Only twice so far.) 

Thankfully, I had help from my friends and family. Special thanks go to Margaret Little of Michabou Bilingual Bookstore (which handled the book table) and Guy Dubois of the Municipality of Gatineau (which provided the room) for their personal dedication and good cheer.

A couple of songs by my talented friend Anni were just the right follow-up to the reading.

After the stories and music and crafts, there was mingling and munching and even more hugs. 

Thanks to everyone who came out. Publishing a new book is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and I'm so happy to have such great people to celebrate with.

  

Filed under: authors, books, picture books Tagged: book launch, children's books, my cat isis, storytime

Book Launch

Need I say more? Well, maybe…

There will be food: grapes, cinnamon cookies, date squares, cheese and crackers — anything with a connection to Ancient Egyptian agriculture, however flimsy — plus coffee, tea, and juices they never even heard of 5,000 years ago. 

The walls will be decorated with pet-related artwork from Lord Aylmer Elementary School students, plus informational posters on a dozen gods and goddesses and lots of Ancient Egyptian fun facts. 

We'll have a couple of games (Name that Cat and Name that Cat Tune) and crafts (Egyptian amulet cootie-catchers).

Singer-songwriter Anni Preslawski will perform two fabulous songs, including "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" (because it's so true).

And of course there will be books. Beautiful books.

So if you're in the National Capital Region this weekend, drop by the launch. (And if you can't make it, be sure to check out My Cat Isis from Kids Can Press.)

Filed under: authors, books, picture books Tagged: Ancient Egypt, book launch, cat books, my cat isis, picture books

On Bookshelves Now!

Cover illustration copyright Virginie Egger

It's out at last! My Cat Isis was released by Kids Can Press on March 1, 2011. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

My Cat Isis is my first picture book, and it's on the list of spring children's titles in Publisher's Weekly. Scroll through to K for Kids Can Press, and you'll see my name amidst dozens of well-known children's writers. Ah. What a nice feeling to be in such good company.

I'll launch the book at my local library, with help from my local independent bookstore, later this month.

Drawing copyright Tomas

A host of elementary students have prepared gorgeous artwork to decorate the launch room – colourful drawings of their pets with the pets' names written in Egyptian hieroglyphs. They are so beautiful, I just can't keep them to myself. Check out these examples:

Drawing copyright Isabella

Perhaps these young artists and their classmates will follow in the footsteps of Virginie Egger, the illustrator of My Cat Isis, whose artistic talent has earned her a long list of Canadian and international awards, including the Governor General's Award for Children's Literature Illustration.  I hope so.

Drawing copyright Mya

Look for a My Cat Isis launch update at the end of March. I offer a party, not just a reading. Expect lots of Ancient Egyptian info, Egyptian date candy and cinnamon cookies, cat-related songs from my talented friends, a craft for the kids and, of course, a story. I can't wait.

Filed under: authors, books, cats, picture books Tagged: book launch, book release, illustrations, my cat isis, picture books

Dreaded Edits

"Editing is the same as quarreling with writers — same thing exactly." 

- Harold Ross, founder of The New Yorker magazine

I am SO happy because I have finished Round One of edits on both my teen novel, All Good Children, and my middle-grade novel, Title Being Rewritten as Part of the Editing Process.

I have not yet heard back from either editor so I am able to live with the sweet delusion that things are almost finished with those two books (though I am nagged by the possibility that I have made a complete mess of them).

It takes me a while to get my head around an editor's suggestions. I'm an optimistic person. When I sell a manuscript, there is a small part of me that hopes I won't have to change anything.

HAHAHAHAHA.

To me, working with an editor is like watching someone perform plastic surgery on my child. Yes, the kid will look better in the end, but he won't look quite like mine. The lopsided grin of a silly subplot, the turned-up nose of sentimentalism, the sticky-out ears of awkward dialogue — these are things I have a hard time letting go of. 

Plus I've already written these books ten times and the thought of doing it again is just exhausting. I really do try my very best in the first place and the idea of another revision (or three, as was the case with Walking Backward, or six, as was the case with My Cat Isis) is overwhelming. Honestly, if I could have made it better, don't you think I would have?

Editing is tough love.

There is always some genuine fear that I cannot do it. Plus there's stubborn attachment to what I've done already, which makes me a tad defensive about suggested improvements. ("A tad?" my editors will shout and laugh.) And there's an unhealthy dose of laziness on top. I'm done those books and onto a new one and it's a beautiful day outside and it's American Idol night and, crap, do I really have to write that stupid book again?

Editors are special people. They can squeeze a few revisions out of even the most overwhelmed, lazy, stubborn writer. I think they all read Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People as part of their training. (That book is not about how to manipulate people into doing your bidding. I'd thought it was — that's why I borrowed it from the library — but no, it's about being a better person and seeing things from other points of view. Or at least I think it is — I didn't read it through.) 

Editors are delicate in their phrasing. They never say, "I love this story except for the incredibly stupid scene on the playground." Never. Not once do the words "incredibly stupid" pass an editor's lips (not while the writer is around). Instead they say, "The character motivation in the playground scene is a bit blurry."

Editors don't say, "It's a great beginning but the end is dull as dishwater." Nope. Those words would not win writer friends. Instead they say, "The ending doesn't have quite the punch it needs."

Editors don't complain, "Oh my god, it goes on forever!" No. They say, "Readers of this age might get distracted by your witty digressions." (All right, maybe they don't say "witty". They're kind, not ingratiating. They're not trying to win votes.)

Editors usually follow the critique sandwich of praise-problems-praise, e.g., "I love this book. The characters are lively and the dialogue shines. However, [insert list of suggested changes without ever using the words "incredibly stupid" and holding back on half of the needed changes so as to encourage revisions not suicide]. You have a beautiful writing style. I'm very happy to be working on this book."

Like most writers, I'm used to rejection, so the praise parts of that sandwich really do win me over and make me tackle the list of changes. I'll give my kids new noses and pin back their ears. Then when my editors get back to me with Round Two of edits, saying, "The nose is just where we want it. Now let's get to work on the chin," I'll be up for one more try. Plastic surgery is addictive.

Much as I dislike the editing process, I can't help suspecting it's a lot worse from the editor's point of view. Oh well. At least we'll have a good-looking book at the end of it.

Filed under: authors, books, writing Tagged: books, children's books, children's novels, creative process, editing, revising, writing

How not to Conquer Internet Shyness

The genuine me (not a soul-sucker)

I've been reluctant to blog this week because I lost control of myself on the world wide web. No, I didn't freak out. Not that kind of loss. A more subtle kind. 

Someone — with the best intentions of promoting me as an author — signed me up to a slew of blogs and microblogs and networking sites, and then posted strange things on my behalf and publicized strange profiles of me and connected me to a roster of strange people without my knowledge. I just saw it all last Friday. It creeped me out.

I know they meant to help but it was a case of technological savvy gone awry:

I did not like seeing a picture of myself above the words, "Catherine Austen writes not only for children's minds, she writes for their souls." (But I do like the ambiguity: is it a heavenly pursuit or a diabolical plan?)
I felt uncomfortable being friends with a complete stranger whose tagline is "God-fearing Christian." (Perhaps my soul-saving/collecting hobby prompted the relationship?) 
I was ashamed to discover that I'd recommended books I've never read and followed the tweets of hundreds of people I don't know exist.
And I was particularly embarrassed to see that I have difficulty spelling my own name.

I would keep it to myself but there's a slim chance that someone encountered those profiles or posts I never made, and I really don't feel good about that. I'm old-fashioned. I prefer my relationships to be genuine.

The only tweets I've followed so far

There are dozens of sites out there where you can list yourself and connect with others. And that's great if you're really listing yourself and choosing your connections. It's not so great when someone you've never met is listing and connecting you without your approval. Identity is at the core of the human psyche — we go to great lengths to build and maintain it — and it's deeply disturbing when someone tweaks your identity and plasters it in places you've never even heard of.

This experience has taught me the ease with which someone can reinvent a person and the damage they can do without intending any. It hasn't cured my internet shyness (though it has sparked an intriguing hi/lo YA plot outline). But maybe it's the kick in the pants I need to pull up my virtual socks. 

To do: Celebrate winterlude

I know I should blog more often and find some Facebook friends and read some tweets and post more recommendations on GoodReads. I know that. There's probably a lot I'm missing by not networking online. (Then again, there's a lot I'm missing by not walking in the woods every day and not ordering Bluesfest tickets in advance and not fostering a puppy — and they're all a little higher on my to-do list.)

Maybe social marketing is part of being an author these days. And maybe I will get around to it sometime. But it will really be me that time.

Until then, if you've encountered me online recently anywhere other than this blog, my website, or my dated Facebook page and profile, then it wasn't really me you encountered and you should disregard anything I said. Thanks.

Enough said. I'll blog again next week - honest I will - about how my edits are going on my teen novel, All Good Children, due out this fall from Orca Book Publishers (if I ever finish those edits, that is).

Filed under: authors Tagged: online identity, social marketing, social profile

Picture These Gorgeous Cats

While you're anxiously awaiting the release of My Cat Isis, take a look at some of my other favourite picture books about cats. (I've linked to amazon.ca pages for more information, but you can order any still in print from your local independent bookstore.)

Clever Cat, written and illustrated by Peter Collington (Jonathan Cape, 2000)

This book is funny and intelligent, hence ideal for cat lovers (naturally attuned to things funny and intelligent). It tells the story of a a seemingly extraordinary cat who learns just how clever all the lazing, tinned-food-eating felines around him really are. Collington's detailed pictures capture every emotion on the hero's sweet face and match his text perfectly. A good choice for readers of all ages, especially older ones.

Cat and Mouse, written and illustrated by Tomek Bogacki (Douglas & McIntyre, 1996).

Bogacki's illustrations are gorgeous and rich and gentle and moving and I just want to fall into them. His cat and mouse books are beautiful stories of friendship and small adventures, ideal for the very young (cat lovers or not). Also try Cat and Mouse in the Snow, and any other Bogacki cat and mouse book you can get your hands on.

Mouse, Look Out!, written by Judi Waite and illustrated by Norma Burgin (Dutton, 2001)

I often return to this book for inspiration. It's a gorgeous read-aloud, poetic and musical with just a bit of repetition that never tires (though I'm quickly tired by repetition). The illustrations match the text in beauty and depth, and give kids something to search for on each page, as they follow a mouse through an abandoned house with a cute little killer on his trail. The cat is not the hero in this one, and the ending will satisfy even the youngest fans of all species.  

The Cat who Liked Potato Soup, written by Terry Farish and illustrated by Barry Root (Candlewick, 2003).

Don't let the title put you off: this is not the story of a fussy eater. It's about an old man and his cat, and it's one of those rare books that capture a lifetime in a tiny tale.  The writing is elegant yet homey, nicely brought to life by the moody illustrations. Serious but entertaining, substantial but light-hearted – in the best sense of making your heart feel light – this is a beautiful book for all ages, especially older children. 

Not Red Cat, White Cat

Red Cat, White Cat, written by Peter Mandel and illustrated by Clare Mackie (Henry Holt, 1994).

It's a sad state when you can't find a photo of one of your favourite cat book covers. Red Cat, White Cat is a rhyming book of opposites that some lucky people have a copy of. (Red Cat, White Cat is also the title of a book subtitled, China and the Contradictions of Market Socialism, but that one's not for toddlers.) Mandel's text is sweetly simple, a couple of words per page, brought to life by Clare Mackie's vivid illustrations. (You get a sense of her whimsical style from her cover of First Comes Love, written by Jennifer Davis.) Gorgeous and fun for the very young. 

Wabi Sabi, written by Mark Reibstein and illustrated by Ed Young (Little, Brown, 2008).

This is a sophisticated story of a cat in search of the meaning of his name. No, it's not the Japanese horseradish, wasabi. It's the Japanese philosophy of beauty found in simple ordinary life, wabi sabi. What better to embody that than a cat? Beautiful haiku and stunning collage illustrations, this book is gorgeous on all counts.

Bad Luck Boswell, written and illustrated by Diane Dawson Hearn (Simon & Schuster, 1995).

This modern folktale about a cat that brings bad luck everywhere he goes has stayed on my bookshelf through many purges. I just can't give that forlorn face away. Like any good folktale, Hearn's story is full of action, with fun-to-read text and vibrant illustrations. There is kindness and cruelty, hope and fear, a villain and a hero – that's the cat – and a very happy ending. What's not to love?

Puss in Boots, written by Philip Pullman and illustrated by Ian Beck (Knopf, 2001).

Puss in Boots is my favourite fairy tale – tricking an ogre never tires for me and, oh, those boots! While I'm partial to the original Perrault tale, I haven't read a version I didn't like. My son adored this updated and expanded rendition by Philip Pullman and Ian Beck, and so did I. Additional characters, problems, and asides make for an adventurous book. Fun to read aloud but equally excellent for older children to read quietly (except the giggling) on their own.

There now, that's enough to keep readers in purrs and whiskers until My Cat Isis  comes out in March. (Written by Catherine Austen and illustrated by Virginie Egger, Kids Can Press, 2011.)

Maybe one day Virginie and I will be on someone else's list of favourite cat books for the very young. I hope so.

BTW, all book covers on this page – and anywhere else on the web – are copyrighted material (illustrators hold copyright to their cover illustrations), so please use only for promotional purposes (promotion of the book, that is, not of your own stuff) with proper publishing credits. Don't put them on T-shirts. (I know it's tempting, but it's illegal.)

Filed under: books, cats, picture books, writing Tagged: bad luck boswell, cat and mouse, cat books, cat who liked potato soup, cats, clever cat, mouse look out, my cat isis, picture books, puss in boots, red cat white cat, wabi sabi

My First Picture Book

Cover illustration copyright Virginie Egger

My picture book, My Cat Isis, is due for release in March 2011, but my clever publisher, Kids Can Press, already has it listed on the web. Check out their forthcoming Spring 2011 list. I'm there as official Kids Can Press author. The book exists on Amazon, Chapters, Barnes and Noble – go ahead, look it up - although it's not even bound yet.  Cool, huh? I now have two books to my name.

I love reading and writing picture books, but I love, LOVE, LOVE the process of having one published. Not for the pride and glory (although it does make me glow to think, "That's my book!") What is most thrilling for me is the process of handing off a few hundred words to a gifted editor who matches it with the talents of an incredible artist and works through every detail with a dedicated publishing team and, presto, they turn it into something gorgeous and rich and absolutely wonderful.

When I first recevied the colour pages of My Cat Isis, I could not stop looking at them. I made my husband and kids read them repeatedly. I spread them out whenever someone came to visit. I carried the cover page in my purse, in case I bumped into anyone I knew in the mall. (A casual, "Have you I shown you my book yet?" is never out of place.) I thought of making an iron-on transfer for a T-shirt, surrounded by arrows and capitals reading, "MY NEW BOOK!" (I might do that yet.)

Friends who like picture books read the pages and comment and exclaim along with me. Others – and that's most people – glance at a page or two and say, "Cute."

"No, no, no," I want to tell them. "You don't understand." I should dig out my original manuscript and present it in one hand. "It used to be this," I'd say, waving three boring pages in their faces. "And now it's this!" I'd shout, hugging the awesome glossy collages to my heart.

Some people just don't get it. Everyone understands the thrill of having a novel published, but not everyone understands the thrill of having a picture book published. Especially for a writer who is not an artist. I can hear those non-comprehenders thinking, "It's 500 words. What's the big deal?"

The big deal is that the whole thing began with my 500 words. And look at it now – it's a work of art. From slush pile to art – that's a very big deal. I am one lucky writer. Not for the pride of a publication credit, but for the joy of being part of a magical process of transformation. That may sound over the top (I'll leave that bit off the T-shirt) but it has been a magical process for me. 

Next time I'll write about some of my favourite cat-related picture books to peruse while waiting for the release of My Cat Isis.

Filed under: authors, books, writing Tagged: cat books, children's books, illustrations, my cat isis, picture books

Where do you get your Ideas?

The new kitten

People always ask writers, "Where do you get your ideas?" (Okay, not many people have asked me that yet, but once I have more titles to my credit, they'll start asking.)

Really good ideas for a book – the sort of premises Michael Chricton is famous for – don't come along every day. But bad ideas are a dime a dozen, sparked all the time by everything around us.

Angel Kitten Astral Projects

For example, we just got a new kitten. He's goofy, loving, infuriating, adorable, full of beans – everything a kitten ought to be. And he's a fountain of picture book ideas.

Angel Kitten's Evil Twin

How about Curious Kitten's Big Adventure (aka Kitten Slips inside the Clothes Dryer and Goes Thunk, Thunk, Thunk), Curious  Kitten's First Snowfall (aka Locked Outside at Minus Twenty Degrees), or Curious Kitten Meets the Squirrel Gang (aka Kittens Shouldn't Play with Peanuts)?

Kitten Richard III

Kitten variations of the classics come to mind as I watch my other, older pets grow to love the adorable new kitty.

Why Cats are not Pack Animals

There's Hansel and Gretel and Kitten (aka Dump the Kitty in the Woods), Kitten Crusoe (aka Bon Voyage, Kitty!), and Kitten Peter Pan (aka, I Thought He Could Fly).

Where's Kitty?

My old dog Charlie barely looked at the kitten when he first arrived. He was 8 weeks old, smaller than a squirrel but just as attractive. Charlie would stand near him, giving sideways glances, trembling on the edge of self-disclipline, and suggesting several picture books from the human point of view (Don't Eat that Kitten!) and the dog point of view (Kittens on Toast).

Worth a Thousand Words

A lack of ideas is rarely a problem for writers. It's fleshing out a premise into a plot and writing a story around it that's the hard part. To make that easier, it's best to weigh each idea carefully and work on the very best.

So let's see… my first picture book is My Cat Isis, in which a boy compares his cat to the Egyptian goddess she was named for. That was a good idea which became a great book. Maybe I should stick with that theme and compare our new kitten to his namesake.

Nah. That might not work for the new guy, Play-doh (although he is surprisingly stretchy). I'll wait for further inspiration – he's sure to provide it.



Filed under: authors, books, writing Tagged: children's books, creative process, inspiration, kittens, my cat isis, picture books

QWF Gala

 

Gala crowd at Lion d'Or

My writing blahs were blown away last week at the Quebec Writers' Federation Gala in Montreal. It was even bigger and better than I'd expected – definitely worth the drive.

Mingling with other writers, celebrating local literature, consuming free wine and hors d'oeuvres… it was just what I needed to renew my interest in the written word.

Host Andy Nulman

After the food and music came the award ceremony proper, with a dignified procession of sponsors, speakers, readings, and prize recipients. Like all good award ceremonies, this one was hosted by a comedian who filled the intervals with jokes, confessions, and laughter. Check out the QWF coverage of the ceremony.

 

Me, Caryl, Monique

The most fun for me was meeting the two other finalists for the QWF Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature: Monique Polak and Caryl Cude Mullin. Lovely ladies both, they were great company – for an evening and a competition.

Caryl won the Prize for her novel, Rough Magic (Second Story Press), a delightful take on Shakespeare's Tempest. Monique was nominated for The Middle of Everywhere (Orca Book Publishers), a moving novel set in Canada's north. (My Walking Backward is also from Orca – they've had a great year for award nominations.)

After the party, I lingered in Montreal for a day with my husband, sans enfants, and that was just as fun as the gala. Altogether the trip left me renewed – and since I came home to three P.D. days in a row, that's a good thing. Now it's back to school, back to work, and back to my work-in-progress.

Filed under: authors, books Tagged: children's book award, children's books, middle of everywhere, QWF, QWF Awards 2010, rough magic, walking backward