Ellyn Oaksmith's Blog, page 20
March 7, 2013
The Best Part About Mothering Teens
It's all too easy to gripe about the perils of mothering teens: the toxic waste dump your child calls My Room, as in: "it's My Room, My Moldy Coffee Cup, My Lump of Clothes." Also, the Teen Diet, which consists of fat, sugar and whatever healthy thing you serve sitting on their plate while they mentally calculate how many GirlScout cookies they can sneak upstairs after dinner.
Also there is the Teaching Your Teen to Drive moment, which, when you are not driving yourself would involve a fortifying glass of wine beforehand but it's setting a bad example and makes you look like a lush at 3:00 in the afternoon.
Alright, I'm getting to the good part. The good part is trying on clothes at H & M with your young teen who has talked you into a skirt to wear to the Romance Writers of America Conference. Your theory is that although no one will have heard of your book, maybe someone will talk to you if you look interesting, well dressed and awake.
So you try on the skirt. And yell to your daughter, in the dressing room across the hallway. She opens the door and tells you that the skirt is fabulous, which nearly makes you faint. It's a skirt you would never have picked out for yourself although, it's very cute.
Furthermore, your teen keeps opening the door to her dressing room and asks your opinion. You end up laughing about the really bad choices, agreeing on the really good ones. You have a great, great time. Your teen helps you pick out 2 cheap scarves for your parents' exchange students as an Easter present. The whole thing takes less than an hour. You drive across the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in the rain, listening to the radio and talk about nothing in particular.
It's the best shopping trip in recent memory. (I hate shopping.) More than that, it's 3 hours with a kid who is on the brink of flying the nest. High school, sports, boys and college will drag her away from you slowly but surely. Moments like this will become a thing of memory.
And it's a great memory.
Happy Thursday!
Also there is the Teaching Your Teen to Drive moment, which, when you are not driving yourself would involve a fortifying glass of wine beforehand but it's setting a bad example and makes you look like a lush at 3:00 in the afternoon.
Alright, I'm getting to the good part. The good part is trying on clothes at H & M with your young teen who has talked you into a skirt to wear to the Romance Writers of America Conference. Your theory is that although no one will have heard of your book, maybe someone will talk to you if you look interesting, well dressed and awake.
So you try on the skirt. And yell to your daughter, in the dressing room across the hallway. She opens the door and tells you that the skirt is fabulous, which nearly makes you faint. It's a skirt you would never have picked out for yourself although, it's very cute.
Furthermore, your teen keeps opening the door to her dressing room and asks your opinion. You end up laughing about the really bad choices, agreeing on the really good ones. You have a great, great time. Your teen helps you pick out 2 cheap scarves for your parents' exchange students as an Easter present. The whole thing takes less than an hour. You drive across the Lake Washington Floating Bridge in the rain, listening to the radio and talk about nothing in particular.
It's the best shopping trip in recent memory. (I hate shopping.) More than that, it's 3 hours with a kid who is on the brink of flying the nest. High school, sports, boys and college will drag her away from you slowly but surely. Moments like this will become a thing of memory.
And it's a great memory.
Happy Thursday!
March 6, 2013
March 5, 2013
A Fine, Tricky, Balance
Women balance many roles. I know men do this as well, this isn't a slam against men, but hey, I'm a woman. I try to write about what I know. In addition to trying to figure out how much to let the house go to hell in pursuit of grabbing this moment while my first book comes out, I also have to balance how much to work on my new book.
Writing a new book is like dating a new guy. It's fresh, new and easy. No one has read it (although a couple people have read the first draft) and it's simple to fall into the warm embrace of the book that is better -- because it's not out there in the world being knocked around.
Adventures with Max and Louise is out surfing on the wild waves of readers' imaginations, thoughts and caprices. Do I run around trying to help people understand that Adventures is a comedy but it has serious undertones? That's it's a romance but it's not one of the hot sexy stranger type; more on the ridiculous, fumbling scale of sex scenes with some tender moments thrown in throughout?
As usual, the answer is one that my youngest daughter accuses me of using anytime I'm interviewed. The old "Yes and no."
Any working mother, or stay at home mom or daughter/wife/grandmother with more than one thing going on her life knows that life is about finding that tricky balance that enables you to make everyone feel that you are paying attention. But your first obligation is to yourself. Which is what Adventures with Max and Louise is about: taking care of yourself first.
It's not easy. It requires constant self monitoring and many, many deep breaths. And we can all do it. Sometimes.
Writing gives back to me more than I put in. So I'm off to work on my new book.
Happy Reading!
Writing a new book is like dating a new guy. It's fresh, new and easy. No one has read it (although a couple people have read the first draft) and it's simple to fall into the warm embrace of the book that is better -- because it's not out there in the world being knocked around.
Adventures with Max and Louise is out surfing on the wild waves of readers' imaginations, thoughts and caprices. Do I run around trying to help people understand that Adventures is a comedy but it has serious undertones? That's it's a romance but it's not one of the hot sexy stranger type; more on the ridiculous, fumbling scale of sex scenes with some tender moments thrown in throughout?
As usual, the answer is one that my youngest daughter accuses me of using anytime I'm interviewed. The old "Yes and no."
Any working mother, or stay at home mom or daughter/wife/grandmother with more than one thing going on her life knows that life is about finding that tricky balance that enables you to make everyone feel that you are paying attention. But your first obligation is to yourself. Which is what Adventures with Max and Louise is about: taking care of yourself first.
It's not easy. It requires constant self monitoring and many, many deep breaths. And we can all do it. Sometimes.
Writing gives back to me more than I put in. So I'm off to work on my new book.
Happy Reading!
March 3, 2013
Guest Interview on writer Emily Wood's Blog -- Tasty Books Tour
Today I'm very lucky to be interviewing the talented Ellyn Oaksmith about her new release Adventures with Max and Louise! So tell us a bit about your story-
What was your inspiration for this story?
I have always been very "streamlined" physically (think cup size), so when I was nursing my 7 months old, and was getting dressed up, I felt really different. And I thought "Could I ever have breast implants?" I really did think about it for a while but then decided no, it would be like being another, sexier person, who I couldn't really identify with. I am one of those frenetic, sometimes awkward people always trying to do 10 things at once, unless I am writing, which really, really focuses me. But also the book is about being stuck, which I was in my 20's, when I was a screenwriter. I ended up working on a fishing boat as a cook in Alaska, which is what re-set my life. That was pretty radical but then again so is Molly's story.
Do you see a little bit of yourself in any of your characters?
Yes, since chose to wrote Molly in the first person and tell the story from her point of view, I really had to identify with her story. My 20's were rewarding and fun but also very trying. If it weren't for my family it would have been much, much harder to center myself. I left LA and came to my family in Seattle and my parents didn't ask me why I left, they just took me in and made me amazing meals and waited for me to ask for help. Which I did. And they gave it unquestioningly and with great generosity. So the sense of family in the story is personal.
About how long did it take you to write the story?
Probably all told 2 years but there were a lot of different versions. I had a hard time figuring out the best point to jump into the story. I could have saved a lot of time if I knew the beginning earlier but I suppose all that time I was building the characters up so it worked out fine. My goal now is to write a book a year. We'll see what happens.
Did you have any trouble writing it at all?
Ha! Depends on the hour, day or second. When things are clicking I am the happiest person on the planet. When I am stuck, I am awful to live with. I try not to let it show and throw a lot of energy into being a good mother and wife but I can't fool my family. I wrote a blog about it. It's basically a love letter to my family.http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
Tell us a little bit about you as a writer-
Do you have any kind of writing schedule?
Absolutely. 10-2 every day. Even if I am sitting there, picking my cuticles and talking to the dog, I am at my desk, trying.
What is your writing environment like?
My huge desk, a gift from my parents, and a lamp. Some reference books. Very simple. If I had anything at all interesting within my reach, it wouldn't work. I do not see how JK Rowling wrote in a cafe. She has amazing discipline. Obviously.
And what would your ideal writing environment be like?
The same. I am a creature of habit.
If you’re ever stuck for an idea, how do you go about finding inspiration?
I go through many, many ideas and vet them out before I write. If a plot isn't working, I never abandon it (unless it's not my genre, which is always a bad idea) because I do many, many plot outlines before I write. And sometimes even when I am reworking a section that doesn't flow, I'll do another outline. But if I am stuck within the plot, like I was in my new book, Divine Moves, I usually find myself getting very tired spinning my wheels trying to fix it. When I relax, and get away from it, I think clearly. Vacations work wonders. Or a walk.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Since 6th grade.
What’s the first thing you can remember writing?
Back to 6th grade. Mrs. Holcomb said "Okay class, now I am going to read a story that is a good example of setting up the scene and the feeling of the story for us." And she read my story about an alley cat who was lost and scared. I was half asleep and when I heard, "Ellyn Oaksmith" I just about fell out of my chair. Someone thought I'd written something good. I will never, ever forget it.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Lillian Hellman wrote something I will never forget. "If you want learn about writing, don't listen to other writers." I think her point is funny but also, it's about living your life very aware of other people, their foibles and inner grace, finding your own personal voice and even if no one ever publishes you, don't give up. It's your journey. If you are enjoying the process then that's the important part. You have to enjoy writing.
Tell us a little bit about you as a person-
How do you spend your time when you’re not writing?
Cooking, walking in the woods. Reading, reading and more reading. I love swimming laps when I can get to the pool. I ski with my kids too. Right now I have a cake cooling and a quiche in the oven. My parents are coming over for lunch. (I'm not writing because I just delivered my new book to my proofreaders. Yipeee!!!)
What’s the best way for you to unwind if you’ve had a hard day?
Cooking. I love chopping, folding, figuring out what works with what. I'm like my dad that way. He used to call my mom and tell her he was stopping at the store on his way home from work. She's a good cook too. My husband says that we are the only people he knows who will talk about meals we've eaten while we're eating. It seems perfectly normal to me.
What are you currently reading?
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Very interesting. She's such a good writer.
What was the last thing you watched?
A DVR'd Downtown Abbey. And a wonderfully sad/funny old movie directed by Steven Soderburgh called King of the Hill. Loved it. Sadly you can only see it streamed on Netflix.
What, to you, would be a perfect day?
I'll go with a winter theme since it's February. A lovely dinner that I woke up and stuffed into the crockpot right before a swim or a walk with my dog. A couple hours reading. My kids are around but they don't ask me for a single thing and want to hang out with me for a couple hours. Dinner with my family. Early to bed. Ideal.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go, and why?
India. I have been a huge reader of Indian literature for a long time. A Fine Balance is one of my favorite books and Salman Rushdie is, well, he's Salman Rushdie. Midnight's Children is one of the most unforgettable books I've ever read. So I have this vision of the country through many, many writers' eyes, both English and Indian. One of my dearest friends, who designed my website, is Indian and we plan on going once our children are older. I really hope it happens. She's so much fun.
And finally where can my readers find you?
EllynOaksmith.com but I have a lot of fun posting on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/EllynOaksmith and Twitter.https://twitter.com/EllynOaksmith Facebook is really interesting for me because I've gotten to know readers over the last year, through their comments and likes. It's so cool to have that interaction. I love it. Twitter is more for jokes, which of course, I love. And I blog on Goodreads.com when I have time.
Thanks for your time and enjoy reading! I really appreciate your interest in Adventures With Max and Louise.
What was your inspiration for this story?
I have always been very "streamlined" physically (think cup size), so when I was nursing my 7 months old, and was getting dressed up, I felt really different. And I thought "Could I ever have breast implants?" I really did think about it for a while but then decided no, it would be like being another, sexier person, who I couldn't really identify with. I am one of those frenetic, sometimes awkward people always trying to do 10 things at once, unless I am writing, which really, really focuses me. But also the book is about being stuck, which I was in my 20's, when I was a screenwriter. I ended up working on a fishing boat as a cook in Alaska, which is what re-set my life. That was pretty radical but then again so is Molly's story.
Do you see a little bit of yourself in any of your characters?
Yes, since chose to wrote Molly in the first person and tell the story from her point of view, I really had to identify with her story. My 20's were rewarding and fun but also very trying. If it weren't for my family it would have been much, much harder to center myself. I left LA and came to my family in Seattle and my parents didn't ask me why I left, they just took me in and made me amazing meals and waited for me to ask for help. Which I did. And they gave it unquestioningly and with great generosity. So the sense of family in the story is personal.
About how long did it take you to write the story?
Probably all told 2 years but there were a lot of different versions. I had a hard time figuring out the best point to jump into the story. I could have saved a lot of time if I knew the beginning earlier but I suppose all that time I was building the characters up so it worked out fine. My goal now is to write a book a year. We'll see what happens.
Did you have any trouble writing it at all?
Ha! Depends on the hour, day or second. When things are clicking I am the happiest person on the planet. When I am stuck, I am awful to live with. I try not to let it show and throw a lot of energy into being a good mother and wife but I can't fool my family. I wrote a blog about it. It's basically a love letter to my family.http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...
Tell us a little bit about you as a writer-
Do you have any kind of writing schedule?
Absolutely. 10-2 every day. Even if I am sitting there, picking my cuticles and talking to the dog, I am at my desk, trying.
What is your writing environment like?
My huge desk, a gift from my parents, and a lamp. Some reference books. Very simple. If I had anything at all interesting within my reach, it wouldn't work. I do not see how JK Rowling wrote in a cafe. She has amazing discipline. Obviously.
And what would your ideal writing environment be like?
The same. I am a creature of habit.
If you’re ever stuck for an idea, how do you go about finding inspiration?
I go through many, many ideas and vet them out before I write. If a plot isn't working, I never abandon it (unless it's not my genre, which is always a bad idea) because I do many, many plot outlines before I write. And sometimes even when I am reworking a section that doesn't flow, I'll do another outline. But if I am stuck within the plot, like I was in my new book, Divine Moves, I usually find myself getting very tired spinning my wheels trying to fix it. When I relax, and get away from it, I think clearly. Vacations work wonders. Or a walk.
Did you always want to be a writer?
Since 6th grade.
What’s the first thing you can remember writing?
Back to 6th grade. Mrs. Holcomb said "Okay class, now I am going to read a story that is a good example of setting up the scene and the feeling of the story for us." And she read my story about an alley cat who was lost and scared. I was half asleep and when I heard, "Ellyn Oaksmith" I just about fell out of my chair. Someone thought I'd written something good. I will never, ever forget it.
Do you have any advice for new writers?
Lillian Hellman wrote something I will never forget. "If you want learn about writing, don't listen to other writers." I think her point is funny but also, it's about living your life very aware of other people, their foibles and inner grace, finding your own personal voice and even if no one ever publishes you, don't give up. It's your journey. If you are enjoying the process then that's the important part. You have to enjoy writing.
Tell us a little bit about you as a person-
How do you spend your time when you’re not writing?
Cooking, walking in the woods. Reading, reading and more reading. I love swimming laps when I can get to the pool. I ski with my kids too. Right now I have a cake cooling and a quiche in the oven. My parents are coming over for lunch. (I'm not writing because I just delivered my new book to my proofreaders. Yipeee!!!)
What’s the best way for you to unwind if you’ve had a hard day?
Cooking. I love chopping, folding, figuring out what works with what. I'm like my dad that way. He used to call my mom and tell her he was stopping at the store on his way home from work. She's a good cook too. My husband says that we are the only people he knows who will talk about meals we've eaten while we're eating. It seems perfectly normal to me.
What are you currently reading?
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Very interesting. She's such a good writer.
What was the last thing you watched?
A DVR'd Downtown Abbey. And a wonderfully sad/funny old movie directed by Steven Soderburgh called King of the Hill. Loved it. Sadly you can only see it streamed on Netflix.
What, to you, would be a perfect day?
I'll go with a winter theme since it's February. A lovely dinner that I woke up and stuffed into the crockpot right before a swim or a walk with my dog. A couple hours reading. My kids are around but they don't ask me for a single thing and want to hang out with me for a couple hours. Dinner with my family. Early to bed. Ideal.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go, and why?
India. I have been a huge reader of Indian literature for a long time. A Fine Balance is one of my favorite books and Salman Rushdie is, well, he's Salman Rushdie. Midnight's Children is one of the most unforgettable books I've ever read. So I have this vision of the country through many, many writers' eyes, both English and Indian. One of my dearest friends, who designed my website, is Indian and we plan on going once our children are older. I really hope it happens. She's so much fun.
And finally where can my readers find you?
EllynOaksmith.com but I have a lot of fun posting on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/EllynOaksmith and Twitter.https://twitter.com/EllynOaksmith Facebook is really interesting for me because I've gotten to know readers over the last year, through their comments and likes. It's so cool to have that interaction. I love it. Twitter is more for jokes, which of course, I love. And I blog on Goodreads.com when I have time.
Thanks for your time and enjoy reading! I really appreciate your interest in Adventures With Max and Louise.
Why Every Writer Should Have a Dog -- Guest Post on Angie Derek's Blog - Tasty Reads Blog Tour
1) They are great vacuums. You won’t have to take a break from writing when your sandwich falls on the ground. Although you will lose your lunch.
2) They are great listeners, although their advice is not the best.
3) They never talk back. Like children.
4) They never ask for money. Like children.
5) They will force you, in the worst weather, to get outside and exercise. Mudding trails or dark paths? No problem. Your dog will remind you several times a day that it is time to get outside.
6) They force you to talk to other people. Even when your mind is consumed with plot points, your dog will run up to other people, pee on their picnic and force you to apologize and explain how exactly he got off his leash.
7) They become the family therapist. No matter how tense the situation, a good dog can always bring levity to the matter at hand, forcing even the most stressed out person to smile.
8) You never have to cook for them although they will ask you for dinner about 75 times a day.
9) You never have to write alone. Your dog will listen to plot points and character development ad nausea, as long as you are holding a hot dog.
10) Friends may come and go; some will disappoint but a dog remains true blue and always happy to share your life.
11) And last but not least, a shelter dog will always know that you picked him or her out of all the other dogs and will remain truly grateful.
2) They are great listeners, although their advice is not the best.
3) They never talk back. Like children.
4) They never ask for money. Like children.
5) They will force you, in the worst weather, to get outside and exercise. Mudding trails or dark paths? No problem. Your dog will remind you several times a day that it is time to get outside.
6) They force you to talk to other people. Even when your mind is consumed with plot points, your dog will run up to other people, pee on their picnic and force you to apologize and explain how exactly he got off his leash.
7) They become the family therapist. No matter how tense the situation, a good dog can always bring levity to the matter at hand, forcing even the most stressed out person to smile.
8) You never have to cook for them although they will ask you for dinner about 75 times a day.
9) You never have to write alone. Your dog will listen to plot points and character development ad nausea, as long as you are holding a hot dog.
10) Friends may come and go; some will disappoint but a dog remains true blue and always happy to share your life.
11) And last but not least, a shelter dog will always know that you picked him or her out of all the other dogs and will remain truly grateful.
Interview on Lily Pond Reads, part of my Tasty Reads Blog Tour
Today I want to welcome Ellyn Oaksmith to the blog! Thank you Ellyn for taking the time to answer a few questions for us :)
Ellyn - I love how your husband calls romance books "porn for women." What did he think about Shades of Grey? :)
Lily - I believe that Shades of Grey was the book that had he started on the whole 'porn for women' thing when one of my friends significant others decided to open to a random place and read it. The challenge was that no matter what page they open it to, there will be a smutty scene.. But let me tell you Ellyn, he has very few chosen words for Shades of Grey and none of them are great lol.
Here we go:
1. Tell us a little about your recent release?
Adventures with Max and Louise is about a 25 year old girl who gets stuck in the role of caretaker. Like a lot of women Molly assumes the mothering role when her own mother dies and instead of dating and being engaged with life, she stagnates. Even her career is anonymous -- she assumes the identity of Diner X to review restaurants for a Seattle Newspaper and blog but no one knows who she is, least of all, herself. In an effort to move on, she is prompted, by her well-meaning sister, to get plastic surgery to remove some scars from the past. But there is a mix-up in surgery and Molly accidentally gets breast implants. And they change her life.
2. How did you first come up with the inspiration to write The Adventures with Max and Louise?
My inspiration for Max and Louise came while I was driving my old SUV to pick up my preschooler with my baby strapped her car seat in the back. I was tanned and relaxed after a cruise in Mexico (which I hated but it was more relaxing than every day life) and I thought of how good it felt to slip on a dress during the cruise with my fuller figure. I was nursing, so for the second time (my 1st pregnancy was the 1st) I had curves. I thought, "Could I ever have breast implants?" My decision was no, after years of having an athletic, streamlined figure it would be foreign, like having another personality. Of course in real life this doesn't happen to women with implants although some have increased confidence. The characters of Max and Louise popped into my head at that moment. The book didn't write itself but the plot sure
did.
3. Which character did you find easiest to write and why? Do you ever base characters on people you know?
The dad was the easiest because I based him on my dad. My dad is not a Seattle Police officer but he is the calm in the storm, the person you call when you have a flat on the interstate (which my husband did within weeks of meeting me), the kind of dad when you are blathering on about the great science fiction idea you have will stop you and say "That doesn't sound like something you'd write." So yes, I totally do. I have a great family so in some ways, they are all in there. But I don't attach their names or tell them. Maybe I should tell my dad. Anything beautiful and romantic is something my husband would do, if he had time.
4. How did it feel to publish your first book?
Like someone let me into Baskins and Robbins and said, "Go for it. Here's your mixing bowl, Load it up." That really happened to me in high school (no mixing bowl) and my friend probably should have been fired because she was closing the store. And don't tell my kids because that was stealing.
5. What inspired you to become an author?
I really had no choice. It's like breathing. A therapist once told me that when I went through a hard time that I'd received a gift. I "acted in" instead of acting "out" like some other people who ended up in jail. I went inward and turned things around until they made sense to me. I do that every day. That, my family and my faith in God saves me every minute of every day.
6. Do your characters ever try to take over your writing?
Do they ever. I know it sounds really weird to people who haven't experienced this but it's the same feeling that a little kid has when the the devil on their shoulder says, "Steal that candy bar. It'll taste good and no one will ever see." This person speaks to you and opens a door and if that voice is interesting, you open the door. If that person has a lot to say and is part of this family for a reason, you go a little further. Sometimes it leads to a dead end and you feel like you've wasted time. But this lady named Faye showed up in my mind and changed the plot and theme and direction of my new book, Divine Moves. She is a God-fearing, no-nonsense, says what's on her mind kind of gal. I want to be more like her.
7. What is the current book you are reading or the last book you have read?
I am reading (I had to go look it up but I love it) State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Anything that woman writes is magic. And Maya Angelou is my hero too. Both of them are old souls who have so much to share, so much wisdom. I feel like their wise-cracking younger sister but that is incredibly presumptuous of me. I wish.
8. How would you describe your writing style?
What I try for is humor laced with sadness. I've tried writing books that didn't have any humor. They were awful. I come from a family that tells jokes and laughs in the most hideously inappropriate places. My aunt told me hilarious story at her own husband's funeral. It was about the corpse and how they accidentally gave it a tan and put on sunglasses because there was a miscommunication with the funeral director. Yesterday I was given a stranger's medication at the pharmacy and went ahead and swallowed it before I looked at the bottle. This is my life. Some parts are really sad but if you don't laugh, you're lost.
9. Why did you choose the genre you write and what do you like about it?
Okay, I keep jumping ahead to the next question accidentally. I feel like this genre chose me. I am that girl that gets into the wrong rental car while on honeymoon and the driver, who is 20 years older than I am is really pretty happy that this young blond is sitting next to him. And my husband is in the identical white car behind us wondering if he should laugh or come get me. Stuff like this happens to me almost every day. I move a little too fast in life sometimes. My husband told me on our 17th Anniversary that being married to me is great but "weird." I worked on a fishing boat, went to Smith college. Worked as a screenwriter and met gobs of famous people. My life is a mash up of extreme highs and lows. I could really use some normality. Still waiting for it.
10. What do you ultimately hope people get out of your books?
Honestly, this might sound lightweight because I do cover some heavy themes, particularly in my new book but I really just want to entertain people. I want to help them relax and unwind and forget about the bills, in-laws, exams, whatever it is that drives them into the arms of a book. I want my book to be their excellent vacation. That's really it. They can change their own lives and control their own destiny. I just want to be the groovy soundtrack that they listen to along the way. That would be ideal.
Thank you so much for your time and interest. Happy Reading!
Ellyn Oaksmith
Ellyn - I love how your husband calls romance books "porn for women." What did he think about Shades of Grey? :)
Lily - I believe that Shades of Grey was the book that had he started on the whole 'porn for women' thing when one of my friends significant others decided to open to a random place and read it. The challenge was that no matter what page they open it to, there will be a smutty scene.. But let me tell you Ellyn, he has very few chosen words for Shades of Grey and none of them are great lol.
Here we go:
1. Tell us a little about your recent release?
Adventures with Max and Louise is about a 25 year old girl who gets stuck in the role of caretaker. Like a lot of women Molly assumes the mothering role when her own mother dies and instead of dating and being engaged with life, she stagnates. Even her career is anonymous -- she assumes the identity of Diner X to review restaurants for a Seattle Newspaper and blog but no one knows who she is, least of all, herself. In an effort to move on, she is prompted, by her well-meaning sister, to get plastic surgery to remove some scars from the past. But there is a mix-up in surgery and Molly accidentally gets breast implants. And they change her life.
2. How did you first come up with the inspiration to write The Adventures with Max and Louise?
My inspiration for Max and Louise came while I was driving my old SUV to pick up my preschooler with my baby strapped her car seat in the back. I was tanned and relaxed after a cruise in Mexico (which I hated but it was more relaxing than every day life) and I thought of how good it felt to slip on a dress during the cruise with my fuller figure. I was nursing, so for the second time (my 1st pregnancy was the 1st) I had curves. I thought, "Could I ever have breast implants?" My decision was no, after years of having an athletic, streamlined figure it would be foreign, like having another personality. Of course in real life this doesn't happen to women with implants although some have increased confidence. The characters of Max and Louise popped into my head at that moment. The book didn't write itself but the plot sure
did.
3. Which character did you find easiest to write and why? Do you ever base characters on people you know?
The dad was the easiest because I based him on my dad. My dad is not a Seattle Police officer but he is the calm in the storm, the person you call when you have a flat on the interstate (which my husband did within weeks of meeting me), the kind of dad when you are blathering on about the great science fiction idea you have will stop you and say "That doesn't sound like something you'd write." So yes, I totally do. I have a great family so in some ways, they are all in there. But I don't attach their names or tell them. Maybe I should tell my dad. Anything beautiful and romantic is something my husband would do, if he had time.
4. How did it feel to publish your first book?
Like someone let me into Baskins and Robbins and said, "Go for it. Here's your mixing bowl, Load it up." That really happened to me in high school (no mixing bowl) and my friend probably should have been fired because she was closing the store. And don't tell my kids because that was stealing.
5. What inspired you to become an author?
I really had no choice. It's like breathing. A therapist once told me that when I went through a hard time that I'd received a gift. I "acted in" instead of acting "out" like some other people who ended up in jail. I went inward and turned things around until they made sense to me. I do that every day. That, my family and my faith in God saves me every minute of every day.
6. Do your characters ever try to take over your writing?
Do they ever. I know it sounds really weird to people who haven't experienced this but it's the same feeling that a little kid has when the the devil on their shoulder says, "Steal that candy bar. It'll taste good and no one will ever see." This person speaks to you and opens a door and if that voice is interesting, you open the door. If that person has a lot to say and is part of this family for a reason, you go a little further. Sometimes it leads to a dead end and you feel like you've wasted time. But this lady named Faye showed up in my mind and changed the plot and theme and direction of my new book, Divine Moves. She is a God-fearing, no-nonsense, says what's on her mind kind of gal. I want to be more like her.
7. What is the current book you are reading or the last book you have read?
I am reading (I had to go look it up but I love it) State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. Anything that woman writes is magic. And Maya Angelou is my hero too. Both of them are old souls who have so much to share, so much wisdom. I feel like their wise-cracking younger sister but that is incredibly presumptuous of me. I wish.
8. How would you describe your writing style?
What I try for is humor laced with sadness. I've tried writing books that didn't have any humor. They were awful. I come from a family that tells jokes and laughs in the most hideously inappropriate places. My aunt told me hilarious story at her own husband's funeral. It was about the corpse and how they accidentally gave it a tan and put on sunglasses because there was a miscommunication with the funeral director. Yesterday I was given a stranger's medication at the pharmacy and went ahead and swallowed it before I looked at the bottle. This is my life. Some parts are really sad but if you don't laugh, you're lost.
9. Why did you choose the genre you write and what do you like about it?
Okay, I keep jumping ahead to the next question accidentally. I feel like this genre chose me. I am that girl that gets into the wrong rental car while on honeymoon and the driver, who is 20 years older than I am is really pretty happy that this young blond is sitting next to him. And my husband is in the identical white car behind us wondering if he should laugh or come get me. Stuff like this happens to me almost every day. I move a little too fast in life sometimes. My husband told me on our 17th Anniversary that being married to me is great but "weird." I worked on a fishing boat, went to Smith college. Worked as a screenwriter and met gobs of famous people. My life is a mash up of extreme highs and lows. I could really use some normality. Still waiting for it.
10. What do you ultimately hope people get out of your books?
Honestly, this might sound lightweight because I do cover some heavy themes, particularly in my new book but I really just want to entertain people. I want to help them relax and unwind and forget about the bills, in-laws, exams, whatever it is that drives them into the arms of a book. I want my book to be their excellent vacation. That's really it. They can change their own lives and control their own destiny. I just want to be the groovy soundtrack that they listen to along the way. That would be ideal.
Thank you so much for your time and interest. Happy Reading!
Ellyn Oaksmith
March 1, 2013
Trying not to Sound Like an Idiot
Being interviewed for a magazine or blog is unlike any other experience in my life. Writing responses is easy. My approach is the cliff diver's. Throw oneself off the rock and hope for the best. Sometimes it works. Sometimes you read what seemed so clever 5 days ago and cringe. The tougher trick is sounding intelligent in person.
Yesterday, after dealing with a family crisis, running in heels and what I hoped was a clean outfit, I met with and was interviewed by a lovely writer named Julie. She writes for 425, a local magazine. We'd met last spring when she interviewed me for an online article for Knockers, which is what Adventures with Max and Louise was called when it was self published. She's a writer, mother and painter so we had a lot to talk about.
It was a fun, lively conversation. Julie understands all too well the demands of juggling writing, kids, a part-time job and yes, she even paints portraits on commission. I have no idea where she finds time to do half of this, let alone raise 3 kids.
Things went swimmingly until Julie asked me how I felt about my supposed success. I stared off into the busy cafe, wondering what to say. Luckily Julie's 5 year old daughter provided some distraction, so I had a moment to think. I knew, without a doubt that this was murky water.
If I said I didn't feel like a success, I'd sound ungrateful. I have a book published, something I've dreamed of for years. But it's one book and early days. Who knows what could happen to it?
After cobbling together a response, I asked Julie to read my answer back to me. I wasn't at all sure what I'd said. It was one of those moments where it felt like I was watching a movie instead of doing the actual talking.
I had said something about "not trusting success, trusting work instead." Julie looked closely at me, because we'd talked about how hard it was to craft a painting, or article or book to the point you'd want to share it with other people. And how bad it felt when you jumped the gun. I'm pretty sure she thought my answer was reasonable, something she'd agree with herself, were she in my position.
Given that Julie manages to write, paint, teach and manage 3 kids, I'm certain, at some point, she will be in my position. I just hope that when her time comes, she has someone interviewing her as talented and sympathetic as she was yesterday. Because when she's running in heels, breathless from whatever the day brings, someone ought to be there to help her come up with the right answer.
Part of success is getting to meet people like Julie. And having a chance to keep writing. And that is more than enough.
Thank you for reading.
Yesterday, after dealing with a family crisis, running in heels and what I hoped was a clean outfit, I met with and was interviewed by a lovely writer named Julie. She writes for 425, a local magazine. We'd met last spring when she interviewed me for an online article for Knockers, which is what Adventures with Max and Louise was called when it was self published. She's a writer, mother and painter so we had a lot to talk about.
It was a fun, lively conversation. Julie understands all too well the demands of juggling writing, kids, a part-time job and yes, she even paints portraits on commission. I have no idea where she finds time to do half of this, let alone raise 3 kids.
Things went swimmingly until Julie asked me how I felt about my supposed success. I stared off into the busy cafe, wondering what to say. Luckily Julie's 5 year old daughter provided some distraction, so I had a moment to think. I knew, without a doubt that this was murky water.
If I said I didn't feel like a success, I'd sound ungrateful. I have a book published, something I've dreamed of for years. But it's one book and early days. Who knows what could happen to it?
After cobbling together a response, I asked Julie to read my answer back to me. I wasn't at all sure what I'd said. It was one of those moments where it felt like I was watching a movie instead of doing the actual talking.
I had said something about "not trusting success, trusting work instead." Julie looked closely at me, because we'd talked about how hard it was to craft a painting, or article or book to the point you'd want to share it with other people. And how bad it felt when you jumped the gun. I'm pretty sure she thought my answer was reasonable, something she'd agree with herself, were she in my position.
Given that Julie manages to write, paint, teach and manage 3 kids, I'm certain, at some point, she will be in my position. I just hope that when her time comes, she has someone interviewing her as talented and sympathetic as she was yesterday. Because when she's running in heels, breathless from whatever the day brings, someone ought to be there to help her come up with the right answer.
Part of success is getting to meet people like Julie. And having a chance to keep writing. And that is more than enough.
Thank you for reading.
February 19, 2013
Just Crazy Enough
I had heard, before Harper Collins published my book, that many writers obsessively check their book's ranking on Amazon.com or through other outlets. Mine debuted a week ago and I have yet to take a single peek.
Am I paranoid, disinterested or too insanely competitive to even look? No, I'm just the same person who walked my 5 year old to her first bus ride to kindergarten, anxiously holding her hand. I watched a huge bus swallow her little form, snap shut it's door and disappear down the winding road.
I trudged home holding my 2 year old's chubby hand, spending the day doing whatever chores and games the day required. I thought about my kindergartner but I didn't worry. She was a tough, smart kid.
When she came home I let her unravel the story of her day. I went to information night and signed up to volunteer after my daughter had made her first friend. When I showed up in the classroom my daughter ran up and said "hi," before returning to her blocks or letters or paint. This was her gig. I was a footnote.
Oddly enough, that's the way I feel about my book. If people love it, fabulous. But I already do. That time, care and love is already inside my book's pages. If people respond, it's because the book or story or characters hit a chord inside that person that already existed before they read the first page. Furthermore, people's tastes change dramatically from day to day, year to year. It's completely beyond my control.
After I put Adventures with Max and Louise on the bus, (feels like dog years, it's been so busy,) I went home to struggle with a rough draft of a book called Divine Moves. It's a complicated, ornery, hopefully funny book that is about 80 pages too long. My beloved and faithful first readers are helping me decide where to prune, sculpt and shape Divine... into something I can share with the world.
And when it goes on sale, I'll have another one waiting for me at home so I won't be tempted to spy on my own book. If I ever started, I feel like it would drive me crazy. And I'm already just crazy enough. Ask my friends.
Am I paranoid, disinterested or too insanely competitive to even look? No, I'm just the same person who walked my 5 year old to her first bus ride to kindergarten, anxiously holding her hand. I watched a huge bus swallow her little form, snap shut it's door and disappear down the winding road.
I trudged home holding my 2 year old's chubby hand, spending the day doing whatever chores and games the day required. I thought about my kindergartner but I didn't worry. She was a tough, smart kid.
When she came home I let her unravel the story of her day. I went to information night and signed up to volunteer after my daughter had made her first friend. When I showed up in the classroom my daughter ran up and said "hi," before returning to her blocks or letters or paint. This was her gig. I was a footnote.
Oddly enough, that's the way I feel about my book. If people love it, fabulous. But I already do. That time, care and love is already inside my book's pages. If people respond, it's because the book or story or characters hit a chord inside that person that already existed before they read the first page. Furthermore, people's tastes change dramatically from day to day, year to year. It's completely beyond my control.
After I put Adventures with Max and Louise on the bus, (feels like dog years, it's been so busy,) I went home to struggle with a rough draft of a book called Divine Moves. It's a complicated, ornery, hopefully funny book that is about 80 pages too long. My beloved and faithful first readers are helping me decide where to prune, sculpt and shape Divine... into something I can share with the world.
And when it goes on sale, I'll have another one waiting for me at home so I won't be tempted to spy on my own book. If I ever started, I feel like it would drive me crazy. And I'm already just crazy enough. Ask my friends.
February 12, 2013
10 Thing No One Tells You About Publishing Your First Book
1) Once you've finally published a book all those people who asked you, for years, if you've ever been published and whose eyes glazed over when you mumbled something about "screenplay options," will disappear. They will be replaced by people who will tell you their Great Book Idea. It usually involves a dead relative or something they found in their garage. You will listen because it actually is better than what you are working on.
2) You read once about Peg Kehret, a local children's author, saying that you publish, thinking that it will be this seminal moment and you'll pass your own stack of books on the dining room table and life goes on. She's right. But it still feels great.
3) Your husband will accuse you, with a huge smile, of getting "too big for your britches," as you fold laundry and do the dishes. You tell him you're going to bed because being Too Big for My Britches requires a lot of rest. He laughs.
4) Your kids will ask if this means anything for them. Yes, I will say, it means you have to do more housework. They ask for more TV.
5) The dog will try to negotiate another walk into the schedule.
6) Your sister will be exactly the same person who told you, 35 years ago, "I'm not sure you know the difference between fiction and reality." True story. I still don't.
7) Your friends will be super happy and confused because, as usual, you have given them too many weird details.
8) Your relatives will be supportive, thrilled and having more babies. You will lose the ability to keep track of them.
9) That one person who lets their dogs run on your lawn, causing your dog to throw himself at the blinds and break them, making you thunder downstairs and stop writing will call her dogs away, (after one poops) and say "I heard about your book. Congratulations!" You will almost start crying.
10) You will have a lot of fun, for one day and then it's back to work.
2) You read once about Peg Kehret, a local children's author, saying that you publish, thinking that it will be this seminal moment and you'll pass your own stack of books on the dining room table and life goes on. She's right. But it still feels great.
3) Your husband will accuse you, with a huge smile, of getting "too big for your britches," as you fold laundry and do the dishes. You tell him you're going to bed because being Too Big for My Britches requires a lot of rest. He laughs.
4) Your kids will ask if this means anything for them. Yes, I will say, it means you have to do more housework. They ask for more TV.
5) The dog will try to negotiate another walk into the schedule.
6) Your sister will be exactly the same person who told you, 35 years ago, "I'm not sure you know the difference between fiction and reality." True story. I still don't.
7) Your friends will be super happy and confused because, as usual, you have given them too many weird details.
8) Your relatives will be supportive, thrilled and having more babies. You will lose the ability to keep track of them.
9) That one person who lets their dogs run on your lawn, causing your dog to throw himself at the blinds and break them, making you thunder downstairs and stop writing will call her dogs away, (after one poops) and say "I heard about your book. Congratulations!" You will almost start crying.
10) You will have a lot of fun, for one day and then it's back to work.
February 8, 2013
Classic John Irving at his Best
If it weren't for book club I wouldn't have finished this amazing book so let's be thankful for books clubs. They might be a hotbed of gossip and sometimes you read books that seem like a total waste of time but John Irving is one of my favorite authors and this might be his best. A Prayer for Owen Meany and The Cider House Rules are, to me, much more accessible. They aren't, like this book, teaming with so many nuts jobs that you long for a simple, charming character. But this one, about half way into the book turns into something else.
It's a powerhouse of both story and message because these characters are almost un-Godly in their strangeness and yet, that is the point. They are as flawed and strange and downright creepy as much of humanity and in the end, you end up loving them. This is a tight wire act that few writers can achieve. I myself, as a writer, tend to write characters that I'd want to hang out with because I do hang out with them, in my head. Mr. Irving has created people so uniquely outrageous that this book shines very brightly by the end. It's a beacon of hope for humanity in the face of terrible, Hitler-strength mayhem and destruction and guess what? The good guys win. But not with out some horrible losses. Don't give up on this book. There is a paragraph at the end that states more eloquently than I ever could, why I write. Mr. Irving doesn't know me and yet he saw straight into my soul. He's in a class by himself.
It's a powerhouse of both story and message because these characters are almost un-Godly in their strangeness and yet, that is the point. They are as flawed and strange and downright creepy as much of humanity and in the end, you end up loving them. This is a tight wire act that few writers can achieve. I myself, as a writer, tend to write characters that I'd want to hang out with because I do hang out with them, in my head. Mr. Irving has created people so uniquely outrageous that this book shines very brightly by the end. It's a beacon of hope for humanity in the face of terrible, Hitler-strength mayhem and destruction and guess what? The good guys win. But not with out some horrible losses. Don't give up on this book. There is a paragraph at the end that states more eloquently than I ever could, why I write. Mr. Irving doesn't know me and yet he saw straight into my soul. He's in a class by himself.
