Dawn Metcalf's Blog, page 17

Driving Through the Fog

This morning, I'm driving through the fog.

"Turn your lights on as soon as you get out of the house," my husband advised me. "And drive slowly." I did. I had no choice. The world was thick and billowing and white tinged with a grey undertone etching the whorls parting as the car moved forward. I could only see a few feet in front of the vehicle, the entire neighborhood had been swallowed by it, all the details gone. I knew what should be there, but suddenly I found that I'd forgotten and it made me cautious and unsure. I drove slowly with the lights on, hoping that other cars would show a similar kindness. I was wary of any bicyclists or joggers that might be on the road.

"It might not be a pea-souper," I thought, "but it was at least a hearty tomato bisque."

I miss my friends in England.

Mentally berating myself for getting distracted, I gave my head a little shake as I made that awful turn onto the main road, checking twice for lights and holding my breath as I hit the gas. All clear. The houses fell away again and I was alone. I debated turning around, try another route, but I doubted it would be much different so I kept going the way I've always gone. It was eerie how the world opened up, scene by scene, only to disappear into whiteness behind me. The fog lit briefly as I drove by an open field, knowing that the sun must be shining off somewhere to the east although I couldn't see it. A crow appearing out of nothing, flapping its wings and diving back into the mist was something worth seeing.

I'd store that image for later.

A traffic light blinked into existence and then so did cars and buses and buildings so that, for a brief instant, we were all together in this, and then it slid away again as the green arrow ducked behind cloudy curtains and I followed a haunted trail of tail lights hardly-seen through the mist. It was as if the route had been brushed with thickening layers of glaze.

I was driving in a fog through a fog and then I wasn't. I had to blink to make sure I hadn't missed something, done something wrong somewhere, but it was the sun coming out and shining down hard on the fields past the intersection and everything was edged-bright and crystal-clear. All the colors sharpened, leaping out at my fog-addled eyes: the yellow-orange of the buses with their black bumble stripes, the green of the trees, the red of the stop sign, the heavy grey of the road. The only white was on the sides of houses and the occasional car. Now I could drive! The tension I hadn't realized in my shoulders was gone, rested and relaxed. I knew this route--it was simple!--I'd done it a million times before. My brain could switch to automatic and think of other things besides what lurks in white shadows or what happened before, everything was forward: onto the next thing and the next and the next, do the To Dos, get the job done. Once the fog had passed, I could enjoy the ride instead of concentrating on the mechanics and the pitfalls and the associated stress. I wasn't distracted by errant thoughts or other roads. The drive was easy and it was beautiful.

This wasn't an analogy for writing, but it could be.

Happy Friday! Forge onward!

The Hunt is On!

You may have noticed a certain quietude on the blog lately. This is a combination of the High Holidays and a slew of things happening that I can't talk about (yet) but as soon as I can, you know I will! One of those things is now happening--or is soon-to-be-happening--and it's that I'm taking part in the YA Scavenger Hunt!

For those who do not know of this brainchild of Beth Revis & Colleen Houck's, click on the original announcement post from Colleen's web page and bask in the brilliance! Bottom line: if you want to get original content and win a TON of books from these amazing YA authors (and me), then grab your horn, your gear and keep your eyes peeled to join the Hunt starting Thursday, October 3rd at 12 PST til Sunday, October 6th at noon PST.

Can you wait? I can't wait!



GO TEAM BLUE!

A Successful Tuesday

Okay, despite this rather close-to-the-mark gif, I can say that (so far) this Tuesday rocked!* I have, in no particular order:

1) Successfully woke, packed, made breakfast, lunch and snack for my two kids going off to school for the first time this 2013-2014 school year,
2) Sent off my edited manuscript, INVISIBLE, to my editor for her review,
3) Had a date with my husband to see a matinee of THE WORLD'S END (which was a lot of laughs),
4) And successfully did not cause the end of the world by doing anything remotely resembling anything Dawn may have done in the Buffyverse.

All in all, a pretty Good Day!

Now: onto the next project...! *waggles eyebrows*


* Although I never could get a handle on Thursdays...

More "Firsts" (For Me & Indelible!)

Okay, so here's a first: INDELIBLE's sequel is already available for pre-order! Happy one-month anniversary, Book One of the Twixt series! WOW!

So may I be the first to formally introduce you to the title for Book Two: INVISIBLE! (And, no, I don't believe that we'll be doing a clear plastic cover, no matter how cool that might be...) There is no cover art to share just yet, but you can imagine that if INDELIBLE featured one of the Folk's signatura, you might pick up on the theme.

And, in other BIG news, Serena Chase gave INDELIBLE a *glowing* recommendation in USA Today! (I had to read it twice to believe it and then broke out in Happy Dancing!)



Okay, this isn't my real happy dance, but Glee is so much cooler than me!

Here's an excerpt:

"Wow. I mean, WOW. This book blew. Me. Away. I fell in love with Indelible Ink and his twin sister, Invisible Inq...But Ink and Inq aren't the only freshly drawn characters. The entire society of the Twixt is colorfully diverse and surprisingly visual. Even though the author uses an enviable brevity of words in describing each individual, readers will have no difficulty "seeing" these characters. Fans of fae fantasy, YA paranormal and modern fantasy will adore this novel and find themselves willingly trapped within the Twixt. Read. This. Book!"

So here I am, blissfully content with myself and the universe. So: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UNIVERSE!!!

"Firsts"

I wrote before about the allure of innocence, how something pure and honest has its own allure as opposed to aloof and brooding (which obviously has its own allure, too). Many people have written me about how they were surprised and pleased to find out that Indelible is a book of Ink's "firsts" as opposed to Joy's, a turn-around from most YA books and that they love Ink all the more for it. This makes me happy. I *like* that story--one where the guy gets to feel things and not be put down about it because it feels real. Guys feel. They fall in love and freak out and have their hearts broken and rage at the world, which is tough to do if you're also supposed to be aloof, all-knowing and oh-too-cool. So I think this is the sort of story that needs to be told and is, in fact, a treasured trope although moreso in movies than in books. (One key exception is Mercedes Lackey's series featuring Vanyel Ashkevron, but I digress.) I scoured my brain for examples of what I mean and here were some classics that popped to mind:



In Say Anything, Lloyd was in love with Diane. That was it. Nothing else mattered and he wasn't too scared to say it, to admit his fears ("I want to get hurt!") and put it all out there: to ask her out, to screw up, to want to make it better, to drop everything and commit. He was terrified and yet, at his core, he was the strongest character out of all of them. It had one of those present-to-feeling moments I've ever seen, when a guy is instantly in touch with being overwhelmed:

Diane: "Are you shaking?"
Lloyd: "No."
Diane: "You're shaking."
Lloyd: "I don't think so."
Diane: "You're cold."
Lloyd: "I don't think I am."
Diane: "Then why are you shaking?"
Lloyd: "I don't know. I think I'm happy."



That exhilarating spark of something new and precious that strikes like a hammer to the chest is the moment that I think of as far more "sexy" than "sweet." Similarly, Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack Dawson of Titanic was clearly more experienced and confident in the ways of the world than elite debutante, Rose, it was also clear that as soon as he met her, you could have--to borrow an old-fashioned phrase--"knocked him over with a feather." He was totally, utterly, completely head-over-heels smitten. (And that sweaty hand print scene in the car reminded me oh so much of the same one in Say Anything.) While movies like Chasing Amy, Sleepless In Seattle and You've Got Mail are all great examples of guys being struck by their feelings with that same jaw-dropping awe, these were mature men with a handle on life. Movies like cult-classic Starman starring Jeff Bridges as an alien stranded on Earth in an ex-husband's body, Meet Joe Black starring Brad Pitt as Death in the body of a convenient smooth-talking jaywalker, and Big starring Tom Hanks as a kid trapped in his grown-up self captured more the sense of grown men with child-like perceptions drinking in the world, fresh and wide-eyed with wonder. That is what made them irresistible to the women in their stories, refreshingly honest and appreciative of the little things like trampolines and apple pie.



...which makes me think of the TV show Pushing Daisies with Lee Pace, the pie-maker, and those big brown eyes as he inhaled the second-chance to dare to bring back his first love, Chuck. The same doeful expression has been shared by small screen "innocent heroes" such as Fred Savage's Kevin Arnold experiencing first love in Wonder Years or real-life brother Ben Savage's Corey Matthews doing same with love-of-a-lifetime Topanga in Boy Meets World (or even when he guest-starred in Party of Five who gave us heartthrob Matthew Fox, most recently of LOST and World War Z...which brings us back to folks like Brad Pitt).

All of which is to say that I think a guy's "firsts" can be innocent, tender and pretty darn hot!

I Have Strong Feelings About Strong Characters

I'd like to take a moment and point you to another post here where Sophia McDougall writes about hating strong female characters, nailing something I've been trying to express for years. You see, I *love* strong characters (both male and female) but what I love about them isn't, perhaps, the usual definition of "strength" but that they are complex, strong in many different ways, even when that strength can be perceived as a weakness (e.g. the ability to cry without apology).



I love what Sophia writes about Sherlock Holmes, one of my favorite characters and reboots of the current generation. Is he strong? Of course, but not, like, that way. [Caveat: unless you are played by Robert Downey Junior who played up the badassery of his boxing days in the steampunked film version.] Sherlock Holmes is, as she puts it: "a brilliant, solitary, abrasive, Bohemian, whimsical, brave, sad, manipulative, neurotic, vain, untidy, fastidious, artistic, courteous, rude, polymath genius."

All true. Is there strength in the character? Sure! But he doesn't need to have a weapon or punch people in the face to prove it. He has an unparalleled mind (except for his nemesis, Moriarty, and a certain woman who got away, Irene Adler--look at that: a 1:1 ratio!) and some serious issues including weaknesses of character that would be glaring without strong counterpoints: drug addiction, arrogance, socially grating, egotistical and smug. Yet we LOVE Holmes. Like Dr. Watson, we can't seem to help ourselves. Plunk these sorts of characteristics into a female lead, and who do we get?



Lisbeth Salander is no Sherlock Holmes.

We are less forgiving of *most* kinds of characteristics to be placed into our female protagonists save they be "strong" or "unique" in their power. Why is that? Why when we see them being reserved, introverted, artistic, sensitive, quirky, geeky, brilliant, or shy is it perceived as a weakness? When they are arrogant, socially grating, egotistical and smug, they are even more weak and so are the writers who write them. Woman-haters. Slut shamers. Anti-feminists. Self-haters. And maybe, sometimes, this is true; and maybe, sometimes, we write about the *HUGE* variety of characteristics that exist inside the human experience regardless of their exterior plumbing!

I write strong characters. I write weak characters. I write characters that I admire for their idealism, loyalty, tenacity and self-confidence. I write characters that make me cringe, making bad decisions and wrong decisions and faithfully believe things I do not, myself, believe. What I try to write are TRUE characters and those are the ones I like to read most (with a particular soft spot for tragic heroes, those who stand by their beliefs despite everything) and think there is a strength in that which belongs to ALL of our characters, because that's what it's like to be human.

Have a comment? Comment! I want to talk about this one.

It All Comes From Somewhere

I know one should never respond to criticism and loathe as I am to speak out, I feel I must say something.

So: for those who have been reading INDELIBLE and think that the relationship between the father and daughter is "unrealistic," "a television trope" or "horribly cliché," I can only surmise that you did not have the joking, snarky, friendly-slash-familiar relationship with your parents based on equal parts pun damage and mutual respect as I had with my parents. And that's okay. *Someone* has to be sane around here!

;-)



And, yes, I grew up with paper and glitter and pompoms and string as well as rope swings, model trains, silk screens, American Flag face paint and spaghetti noodles hanging from the ceiling. I kid you not. This should explain much, if not everything.

A Smile for Today

This is me today.

Happy, smiling, proud of my accomplishments, I am here, today, being myself: a wife, a writer, a friend, a mom (and all the various hats that go with these things). I don't know about normal people, but sometimes in the messy chaos that can be the day-to-day happenings filled with To Do's and Want To's and Can't Get To's tinged with unexpected disappointments and unmet expectations, random craziness and scheduled sanity, I get bogged down by the enormity of the little things and forget that it's the Big Things that really matter. These are the times I need to remind myself to take a moment and realize just how far I've come in achieving some of my Big Dreams that I always wanted to do "someday" and sometimes it's good to get it into my head that "someday" is "today."

So this is me today.

:-)

Here's to YOU today, "someday" and always!

Like Roses for Chocolate, a.k.a. the INDELIBLE Launch Party

Okay, I'll admit it: half the fun of having a book launch is coming up with great swag and a theme to show off your book cover. I've had incredible luck with my cover design for INDELIBLE and having been sitting on pins & needles waiting for an excuse to showcase it as the Belle of the Ball and here was my chance, a.k.a. my launch party!

Anyone who knows me (or at least has been following this blog) knows that, for me, this boils down to two major considerations: food and scheme. By "scheme" I mean, "how many shiny things I can find to make everything pretty," and by food, I of course mean "chocolate."

I knew I wanted to capture the feeling cover art by using flowers and chocolates that reflected the almost glowing yellows, oranges and browns of the burning rose brand. I decided in the interest of not tempting Fate--knowing my propensity for injuring myself close to major life events--I wisely steered clear of trying anything involving fire/burnt/burning (proving, yes, I *DO* learn) and even refrained from doing something completely insane like making long stem candy roses petal-by-petal or using elaborate molds (which, I knew after the painted skull lollipop experiment a.k.a. the LUMINOUS launch, can take an awfully long time and lead to errant babbling and/or drooling), so I decided to do something only slightly insane: creating chocolate rose candies in the appropriate colors that could be simply picked up and eaten.

Easy peasy! I found colored white chocolate and dark chocolate microwavable wafers and poured them into simple rose molds, popping out a dozen at a shot. Pop! Pop! Pop! They looked lovely...but plain. And then I discovered that instead of doing all solid-colored flowers, I could *marbleize* them...oooOOOooo! Okay, so I went a little more insane:



If "insane" means gorgeously decadent, then color me insane! Oh, wait... (P.S. Yum!)

Indeed, they made a pretty picture! All I needed then were the right accoutrements to set the stage like bookmarks, a copper rose, mottled gold serving bowls, bunches of champagne grapes (an inside joke from the book!), bronze-colored napkins and yellow-orange roses, which I was able to snag from a local supermarket:



So luscious! Almost like they were MADE for this event! I can't tell you how happy these made me!!!

I stood back proudly, knowing that I'd scratched that hostess itch without making myself (and my family) too bonkers. After all, this is how EVERYONE celebrates their launch, isn't it? ...Yeah, well, that's how I roll.



The finished display displayed!

Thus prepped, I couldn't wait to go back to The Odyssey Bookshop to welcome my newest book into the world! The wonderful staff is smart, friendly and professional and always has something fun waiting in the wings--this time it was rose-stenciled glitter tattoos (that were a huge hit with everyone and lasted for DAYS!) painted expertly on by the Odyssey's teen intern who was both a delight and an expert at minimizing sparkle damage!

Then I got to talk about the inspiration for the story, my favorite characters and parts from the book, a little about my writing journey and a short-n-sweet passage highlighting Joy and Monica (because I don't think friendship gets enough good press--don't get me wrong, romantic love is wonderful, but it's our friends who support us through a lifetime of thick and thin and being "just friends" is often much, much more than "just" enough! In fact, I had my best friend of 20+ years there in the front row and my bestest best friend, a.k.a. my husband, there with my kids!) The night ended with signings and laughter and chocolate, which is, in my opinion, the best way it could go.

*And* I got to sign a giant poster of INDELIBLE that will be offered up as a prize in some upcoming Odyssey Books shenanigans as well as a bunch of copies which are available for purchase at Odyssey Books should you miss one of the other signings going on. I don't want you to miss out! (Click here for more information!)

All in all, a perfect evening. Here's proof:



Dream BIG! Because dreams can come true.

Happy Dance & TGIF!

My launch event was last night and I'm still riding the giddy high with this song stuck in my head as I bounce around my kitchen, so here it is so I can invite you to join me in a TGIF Happy Dance! *HOORAY!*

It's "Tree Hugger" (from the Juno soundtrack) by Antsy Pants and Kimya Dawson.

Enjoy!

:-)