Sarah Fine's Blog, page 8
August 13, 2012
Pictures of a psychologist telling jokes while alone in her office.
Er, hi. It's been awhile since I've posted, but that's because I've spent the last week in Maine with my family, many of whom live nauseatingly far away (like ... in CHINA). So I don't get to see them that often, and it was nice to reconnect.
But I'm back! My last post, for those of you who remember, was all about my nerves as I prepared to give my very first online seminar. I think it went really well! The presentation was on proven strategies to deal with obstacles to a successful writing career, like coping with rejection and writer's block. My next few posts are going to be about writer's block, so please come back on Wednesday and through next week for those!
First, though, as I ease my way back into things ... here are a few screen captures, taken by a lovely and talented colleague of mine as she watched my presentation that day from the safety of her office (which is right next to mine). She managed to capture a range of ridiculous facial expressions ...
Here I'm feeling kind of embarrassed as the moderator
introduces me as a "successful" writer ... it was very generous
considering none of my books have been published yet.
I'm saying something like: "You must FEEL the ICK." If you
want to know what I'm referring to, please check out my posts
over the next week.
Here I am, demonstrating a highly technical and
complicated writerly technique known as BICHOK. I suspect
many of you already know this term, but if you don't ...
again, please stay tuned.
One of my favorites. You know you're in trouble if I ask
you a question while wearing this expression.Overall, giving a talk with only an online audience turned out to be pretty okay once I got into it. The participants were great at using the chat feature to answer and ask questions, so I didn't feel too cut off, and MediaBistro had an awesome moderator, Gretchen, who made me feel very comfortable.
Anyway, I think that's probably more pictures of ME than you wanted to see. So, on Wednesday I'll start talking about a proven effective model for dealing with the nasty things that creep up on us and steal our creative energy and motivation. And you can picture me talking to you about it with some of these expressions on my face. But you totally don't have to.
In the meantime, if you want to see something prettier and more interesting than my face, please check out this review of SANCTUM at the Bookittyblog --and see what you think of the blogger's choices for the "Dream Cast"! She does this kind of thing for many of the books she reviews, which I think is really cool. I'm not a very visual person, so it was neat to see someone else's perspective on how my characters might look. Um ... especially Malachi. *fans self*
Happy Monday, everyone!
But I'm back! My last post, for those of you who remember, was all about my nerves as I prepared to give my very first online seminar. I think it went really well! The presentation was on proven strategies to deal with obstacles to a successful writing career, like coping with rejection and writer's block. My next few posts are going to be about writer's block, so please come back on Wednesday and through next week for those!
First, though, as I ease my way back into things ... here are a few screen captures, taken by a lovely and talented colleague of mine as she watched my presentation that day from the safety of her office (which is right next to mine). She managed to capture a range of ridiculous facial expressions ...
Here I'm feeling kind of embarrassed as the moderator introduces me as a "successful" writer ... it was very generous
considering none of my books have been published yet.
I'm saying something like: "You must FEEL the ICK." If youwant to know what I'm referring to, please check out my posts
over the next week.
Here I am, demonstrating a highly technical and complicated writerly technique known as BICHOK. I suspect
many of you already know this term, but if you don't ...
again, please stay tuned.
One of my favorites. You know you're in trouble if I askyou a question while wearing this expression.Overall, giving a talk with only an online audience turned out to be pretty okay once I got into it. The participants were great at using the chat feature to answer and ask questions, so I didn't feel too cut off, and MediaBistro had an awesome moderator, Gretchen, who made me feel very comfortable.
Anyway, I think that's probably more pictures of ME than you wanted to see. So, on Wednesday I'll start talking about a proven effective model for dealing with the nasty things that creep up on us and steal our creative energy and motivation. And you can picture me talking to you about it with some of these expressions on my face. But you totally don't have to.
In the meantime, if you want to see something prettier and more interesting than my face, please check out this review of SANCTUM at the Bookittyblog --and see what you think of the blogger's choices for the "Dream Cast"! She does this kind of thing for many of the books she reviews, which I think is really cool. I'm not a very visual person, so it was neat to see someone else's perspective on how my characters might look. Um ... especially Malachi. *fans self*
Happy Monday, everyone!
August 1, 2012
If a psychologist makes a joke while all alone in her office ...
Today, I am ... well, I am nervous. At noon, I'll be giving my first online seminar ever, and it will be the final keynote session for MediaBistro's Literary Festival.
As much as I talk about being shy, I'm actually a good presenter. I love connecting with my audience, making them laugh and seeing them respond to what I'm saying and all that great stuff. I do a lot of training at work, and the staff seem to enjoy it (apparently I make a lot of funny faces). I've presented at conferences and to rooms full of CEOs. And I don't get nervous, not anymore. Until today!
Because today, as I present "Overcoming Obstacles to Becoming the Writer You Want To Be," I'll be in my office, wearing headphones, talking into a webcam, and trying to be charming even though I AM ALL BY MYSELF.
Heh. So, anyway, to occupy you while I climb the walls, here is something that I find quite lovely ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
This, as you might have figured out, is the spine and part of the back of the dust jacket for SANCTUM. I think it is rather badass.
And, because you are here and still reading, I will share with you a bit of news. If you've read any of the first few reviews (there aren't many, but they're *starting* to come in), you may have seen that they mention the ending. I'm thrilled that it's getting that kind of reaction. And if you decide to read it and have that same kind of reaction, this is for you:
YES. The first chapter of the AS-YET-UNTITLED BOOK TWO will be included at the end of SANCTUM! So there's a map, and there's a sneak peek, and oh, yes, a BOOK between those two pieces of awesomeness. I think you might want to pre-order this sexy-fantastic thing (for less than $9 ...). Or, you know, you could enter to win the ARC here (that giveaway ends tomorrow!).
And now, off I scuttle. I won't be around next week, but I'll be back the week after, when I'll be sharing with you bits of the talk I'm giving today, specifically the parts about dealing with writer's block. If you commented on my original post on this topic, your first name/posting name is on my acknowledgments slide. I really appreciated your input, and I will repay it with a little series on writer's block at the end of this month!
As much as I talk about being shy, I'm actually a good presenter. I love connecting with my audience, making them laugh and seeing them respond to what I'm saying and all that great stuff. I do a lot of training at work, and the staff seem to enjoy it (apparently I make a lot of funny faces). I've presented at conferences and to rooms full of CEOs. And I don't get nervous, not anymore. Until today!Because today, as I present "Overcoming Obstacles to Becoming the Writer You Want To Be," I'll be in my office, wearing headphones, talking into a webcam, and trying to be charming even though I AM ALL BY MYSELF.
Heh. So, anyway, to occupy you while I climb the walls, here is something that I find quite lovely ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
This, as you might have figured out, is the spine and part of the back of the dust jacket for SANCTUM. I think it is rather badass.
And, because you are here and still reading, I will share with you a bit of news. If you've read any of the first few reviews (there aren't many, but they're *starting* to come in), you may have seen that they mention the ending. I'm thrilled that it's getting that kind of reaction. And if you decide to read it and have that same kind of reaction, this is for you:
YES. The first chapter of the AS-YET-UNTITLED BOOK TWO will be included at the end of SANCTUM! So there's a map, and there's a sneak peek, and oh, yes, a BOOK between those two pieces of awesomeness. I think you might want to pre-order this sexy-fantastic thing (for less than $9 ...). Or, you know, you could enter to win the ARC here (that giveaway ends tomorrow!).
And now, off I scuttle. I won't be around next week, but I'll be back the week after, when I'll be sharing with you bits of the talk I'm giving today, specifically the parts about dealing with writer's block. If you commented on my original post on this topic, your first name/posting name is on my acknowledgments slide. I really appreciated your input, and I will repay it with a little series on writer's block at the end of this month!
July 30, 2012
A Bit About Paranoia
It's been a while since I did a purely informational post, so I figured it was about time. Today, I chose a light, fun topic: paranoia!
Paranoia involves a heavy dose of fear, but with an added twist that sets it apart from anxiety. See, a person can be anxious about crowds or birds or heights or ... parallel parking (*raises hand*). But with paranoia, there's nearly always an element of they're-out-to-get-me (AKA persecutory beliefs).
My quick and dirty guide to personality disorders is here. The diagnostic criteria for paranoid personality disorder, as laid out in the DSM-IV-TR, describe a pattern of distrust and suspiciousness defined by symptoms like suspecting others are deceiving or harming him/her, doubting the trustworthiness of friends and family, reading hidden negative meaning into casual remarks or events, and bearing grudges in a persistent and unforgiving way (full diagnostic criteria are here). The critical feature that separates these symptoms and makes them impairing is that the suspicion is intense, but also unwarranted and unjustified . Symptoms can't be part of another disorder, such as paranoid schizophrenia (which would require the presence of delusions or auditory hallucinations) or other personality disorders.
There's not a ton of research on what treatments are effective for this disorder because, as you can imagine, folks with PPD don't often show up and ask for help. That would be pretty hard for them. In general, it's rough to deal with a person in the grip of paranoia. Making jokes, arguing with or challenging him/her, asking too many questions ... all likely to go down badly. Prognosis is ... not awesome, let's put it that way.
I was recently talking with a clinician who had worked with a paranoid individual, a person who believed that anyone he came into contact with was part of a big conspiracy to keep him from getting something he needed. The person quickly decided the clinician was part of it, colluding with the others to prevent him from reaching his goal. I started thinking how absolutely frightening it must be ... think about it--if you really believed all these people were trying to hurt you, how terrifying would that be? Where would you turn, if everyone you met was part of it? How lonely and isolating and awful.
I recently observed an incident online where an individual was exhibiting some features of paranoia, though that clearly wasn't the only thing going on. One thing was clear, though: arguing was completely useless, and in fact only convinced the individual that more people were out to get him/her.
Sounds like the stuff of a psychological horror novel, no? So ... have you ever known anyone who was paranoid?
Paranoia involves a heavy dose of fear, but with an added twist that sets it apart from anxiety. See, a person can be anxious about crowds or birds or heights or ... parallel parking (*raises hand*). But with paranoia, there's nearly always an element of they're-out-to-get-me (AKA persecutory beliefs).
My quick and dirty guide to personality disorders is here. The diagnostic criteria for paranoid personality disorder, as laid out in the DSM-IV-TR, describe a pattern of distrust and suspiciousness defined by symptoms like suspecting others are deceiving or harming him/her, doubting the trustworthiness of friends and family, reading hidden negative meaning into casual remarks or events, and bearing grudges in a persistent and unforgiving way (full diagnostic criteria are here). The critical feature that separates these symptoms and makes them impairing is that the suspicion is intense, but also unwarranted and unjustified . Symptoms can't be part of another disorder, such as paranoid schizophrenia (which would require the presence of delusions or auditory hallucinations) or other personality disorders.
There's not a ton of research on what treatments are effective for this disorder because, as you can imagine, folks with PPD don't often show up and ask for help. That would be pretty hard for them. In general, it's rough to deal with a person in the grip of paranoia. Making jokes, arguing with or challenging him/her, asking too many questions ... all likely to go down badly. Prognosis is ... not awesome, let's put it that way.
I was recently talking with a clinician who had worked with a paranoid individual, a person who believed that anyone he came into contact with was part of a big conspiracy to keep him from getting something he needed. The person quickly decided the clinician was part of it, colluding with the others to prevent him from reaching his goal. I started thinking how absolutely frightening it must be ... think about it--if you really believed all these people were trying to hurt you, how terrifying would that be? Where would you turn, if everyone you met was part of it? How lonely and isolating and awful.
I recently observed an incident online where an individual was exhibiting some features of paranoia, though that clearly wasn't the only thing going on. One thing was clear, though: arguing was completely useless, and in fact only convinced the individual that more people were out to get him/her.
Sounds like the stuff of a psychological horror novel, no? So ... have you ever known anyone who was paranoid?
July 25, 2012
The delicious and terrible climb ...
It's been awhile since I was on an *actual* rollercoaster, but ...
You're strapped in to the little cart. You can't turn back, because the thing's in motion. You made the decision to get on. No one forced you to do it. This was your choice and yours alone, and you stepped into the metal and vinyl contraption and lowered that bar over your head. Click ... it's locked in place.
Now you're moving. It's easy at first, just a few ups and downs, nothing you can't handle. But you've been on rollercoasters before, so you know what's coming. Every one you've been on has had the same basic design: after the first few swerves and dips, you reach the inevitable build. The slow climb that gives you a collection of seconds to think about what you've committed to. You can see the peak up there, and in a few moments, that's where you'll be.
It's anticipation in its purest form. Nothing else is going on--you are imprisoned in this cart, and the only way "out" is through. But you can't get to the peak faster, either. You can't rush through it and skip the waiting part. Because you're not in control.
Your body is still. Your mind is not. You know that when the rollercoaster hits the peak, you're going to see what awaits you, and then you're going to feel it. And it doesn't matter if it scares the s%!t out of you or not, because it's happening. As soon as it does, you're going to be subjected to forces you can't yet imagine even though you know it's coming. You could scream or smile or hold your breath or claw at your restraints or cry. You could close your eyes or keep them wide open. But the machine is on autopilot.
And you signed up for this ride.
If you're interested in winning an ARC of SANCTUM, go here! If you want to read one of the very first book blogger reviews of SANCTUM, go here!
If you would like to stay right where you are and contemplate what parts of life are like a rollercoaster's delicious and terrible climb, that's okay, too. So tell me--what are we talking about here? What life situations have felt like this? Do you enjoy that kind of anticipation or suffer through every nanosecond? What makes it enjoyable or so not or both?
You're strapped in to the little cart. You can't turn back, because the thing's in motion. You made the decision to get on. No one forced you to do it. This was your choice and yours alone, and you stepped into the metal and vinyl contraption and lowered that bar over your head. Click ... it's locked in place.
Now you're moving. It's easy at first, just a few ups and downs, nothing you can't handle. But you've been on rollercoasters before, so you know what's coming. Every one you've been on has had the same basic design: after the first few swerves and dips, you reach the inevitable build. The slow climb that gives you a collection of seconds to think about what you've committed to. You can see the peak up there, and in a few moments, that's where you'll be.
It's anticipation in its purest form. Nothing else is going on--you are imprisoned in this cart, and the only way "out" is through. But you can't get to the peak faster, either. You can't rush through it and skip the waiting part. Because you're not in control.
Your body is still. Your mind is not. You know that when the rollercoaster hits the peak, you're going to see what awaits you, and then you're going to feel it. And it doesn't matter if it scares the s%!t out of you or not, because it's happening. As soon as it does, you're going to be subjected to forces you can't yet imagine even though you know it's coming. You could scream or smile or hold your breath or claw at your restraints or cry. You could close your eyes or keep them wide open. But the machine is on autopilot.
And you signed up for this ride.
If you're interested in winning an ARC of SANCTUM, go here! If you want to read one of the very first book blogger reviews of SANCTUM, go here!
If you would like to stay right where you are and contemplate what parts of life are like a rollercoaster's delicious and terrible climb, that's okay, too. So tell me--what are we talking about here? What life situations have felt like this? Do you enjoy that kind of anticipation or suffer through every nanosecond? What makes it enjoyable or so not or both?
July 23, 2012
Fun With First Lines: The winner of the contest ... AND THE ANSWERS
Last Monday, I invited you to play a little guessing game with the first lines from several of my manuscripts. And then I asked some questions. Here they are below, with the answers!
1. Which first line comes from the first manuscript I ever wrote?
ANSWER: B. "If I had fingers, I would dig them into the earth at your feet." That line is from a romance that I wrote in November 2009. An awesome learning experience.
2. Which first line comes from the manuscript I'm working on right now?
ANSWER: D. "By the time we cross into Sinaloa from Durango, I understand that I will never see my home again." This is a YA thriller, and ... I'm gonna go ahead and say it. I'm finishing the first draft of this thing TODAY. Rawr. Interestingly (to me), the process for writing this one was somewhat similar to Factory Ghost, in that I wrote it in three weekends while I was waiting to hear back on something else. That only happens every once in a while, and certainly not with every book.
3. Which first line starts out a manuscript that includes walking personifications of doom and violent death who happen to be very good at Irish dancing?
ANSWER: A. "The chauffeur drove them home from the hospital, maneuvering the amphibious limousine through the waist-deep canals in their Back Bay neighborhood." This is the current first line of an adult romance I wrote last year. I can't wait to share this one with the world. It's pretty fun.
4. Which first line is delivered by a character who is on an airplane?
ANSWER: E. "When you’re cornered, you find out what’s at the heart of you." This line is from a paranormal YA that I will hopefully finish next year! I put it on hold to write Sanctum's sequel and haven't gotten back to it.
5. Which first line is delivered by a character who is the daughter/son of a psychiatrist?
ANSWER: C. "Amy and I picked our way through the thick stand of trees, the only boundary between the high school fields and the cemetery." This line is from a YA thriller that has been indefinitely shelved. But I so love the characters and the premise ... who knows. It might get revived some day.
On Friday it was announced that Ruta Rimas at McElderry/S&S acquired one of my books (well, really, two), but FACTORY GHOST's first line was not included in this contest because it's about to undergo revisions and you never know what will change!
Anyway, the winner! I now realize I made this really really hard. But there was one person who got 3/5 correct, which turned out to be the high score! From now on, I will definitely be more careful and try to frustrate you a little less with my contests. But for today, the winner of the $10 gift card is:
CHRISTINA LEE!
Congrats, Christina! As for the rest of you, thank you so much for being such good sports. This turned out to be so hard that I couldn't help but think that there needed to be a consolation prize for getting 0/5 correct. So I took all the 0/5 folks and tossed their names in a hat and chose another winner of a $10 gift card ...
LTM!
Er ... don't worry, Leigh! You were in excellent company! Happy Monday, everyone!
1. Which first line comes from the first manuscript I ever wrote?
ANSWER: B. "If I had fingers, I would dig them into the earth at your feet." That line is from a romance that I wrote in November 2009. An awesome learning experience.
2. Which first line comes from the manuscript I'm working on right now?
ANSWER: D. "By the time we cross into Sinaloa from Durango, I understand that I will never see my home again." This is a YA thriller, and ... I'm gonna go ahead and say it. I'm finishing the first draft of this thing TODAY. Rawr. Interestingly (to me), the process for writing this one was somewhat similar to Factory Ghost, in that I wrote it in three weekends while I was waiting to hear back on something else. That only happens every once in a while, and certainly not with every book.
3. Which first line starts out a manuscript that includes walking personifications of doom and violent death who happen to be very good at Irish dancing?
ANSWER: A. "The chauffeur drove them home from the hospital, maneuvering the amphibious limousine through the waist-deep canals in their Back Bay neighborhood." This is the current first line of an adult romance I wrote last year. I can't wait to share this one with the world. It's pretty fun.
4. Which first line is delivered by a character who is on an airplane?
ANSWER: E. "When you’re cornered, you find out what’s at the heart of you." This line is from a paranormal YA that I will hopefully finish next year! I put it on hold to write Sanctum's sequel and haven't gotten back to it.
5. Which first line is delivered by a character who is the daughter/son of a psychiatrist?
ANSWER: C. "Amy and I picked our way through the thick stand of trees, the only boundary between the high school fields and the cemetery." This line is from a YA thriller that has been indefinitely shelved. But I so love the characters and the premise ... who knows. It might get revived some day.
On Friday it was announced that Ruta Rimas at McElderry/S&S acquired one of my books (well, really, two), but FACTORY GHOST's first line was not included in this contest because it's about to undergo revisions and you never know what will change!
Anyway, the winner! I now realize I made this really really hard. But there was one person who got 3/5 correct, which turned out to be the high score! From now on, I will definitely be more careful and try to frustrate you a little less with my contests. But for today, the winner of the $10 gift card is:
CHRISTINA LEE!
Congrats, Christina! As for the rest of you, thank you so much for being such good sports. This turned out to be so hard that I couldn't help but think that there needed to be a consolation prize for getting 0/5 correct. So I took all the 0/5 folks and tossed their names in a hat and chose another winner of a $10 gift card ...
LTM!
Er ... don't worry, Leigh! You were in excellent company! Happy Monday, everyone!
July 20, 2012
Book Deal News: FACTORY GHOST (AKA: That thing I wasn't supposed to write ... but did)
This is a bit surreal.
In the fall of 2011, things were a bit hectic. I had the deal for SANCTUM, and I was smack-dab in the middle of writing the sequel. In September, I interrupted that project to write the partial for SCAN that went on submission in October.
I write to cope. And when I'm on sub, I cope hard. Once SCAN was with editors, I needed to stay busy, even though I knew that if it was acquired, I'd need to write the rest of the book on a very tight deadline. But for some reason, I didn't feel like immediately jumping back into Sanctum2 once I'd taken a break with it.
Aaaaand then I got an idea. Sneakily, guiltily, I wrote a few chapters. I sent them to Brigid Kemmerer, because she is very honest and frank (on top of being a brilliant writer), and I knew she'd slap me upside the head if I was getting involved in a project that was a total waste. But she got back to me quickly and basically said "GO GO GO!"
So I went went went, and three weeks later, FACTORY GHOST was finished. It's sort of like Phantom of the Opera meets Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, set in a fictional Asian society. Writing it was intense to say the least. But I'm *really* proud of it. And yesterday evening, this came out in the Publishers Weekly Children's Bookshelf:
And thank you, blog friends, for being part of this with me. I am so, so fortunate to be part of this community.
In the fall of 2011, things were a bit hectic. I had the deal for SANCTUM, and I was smack-dab in the middle of writing the sequel. In September, I interrupted that project to write the partial for SCAN that went on submission in October.
I write to cope. And when I'm on sub, I cope hard. Once SCAN was with editors, I needed to stay busy, even though I knew that if it was acquired, I'd need to write the rest of the book on a very tight deadline. But for some reason, I didn't feel like immediately jumping back into Sanctum2 once I'd taken a break with it.
Aaaaand then I got an idea. Sneakily, guiltily, I wrote a few chapters. I sent them to Brigid Kemmerer, because she is very honest and frank (on top of being a brilliant writer), and I knew she'd slap me upside the head if I was getting involved in a project that was a total waste. But she got back to me quickly and basically said "GO GO GO!"
So I went went went, and three weeks later, FACTORY GHOST was finished. It's sort of like Phantom of the Opera meets Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, set in a fictional Asian society. Writing it was intense to say the least. But I'm *really* proud of it. And yesterday evening, this came out in the Publishers Weekly Children's Bookshelf:
Ruta Rimas at Margaret K. McElderry Books has acquired at auction Sarah Fine's Factory Ghost, a gothic YA novel about a 16-year-old girl who moves in with her father, the resident doctor for the town's slaughterhouse, and discovers that the myth of the factory ghost may not be a myth at all. Publication is set for winter 2014. Kathleen Ortiz of New Leaf Literary & Media did the two-book deal for North American rights.Thank you, Brigid, for encouraging me to write this book even though the timing was all wrong. Thank you, Kathleen, for not freaking out (out loud, at least) when I told you I was writing another book instead of the books that were already under contract (and for supplying the color coded schedules to make sure I don't miss any of my deadlines. And for, you know, selling my books). Thank you, Ruta, as well as the entire McElderry team, for being so enthusiastic about this story.
And thank you, blog friends, for being part of this with me. I am so, so fortunate to be part of this community.
July 16, 2012
Quick Contest: Fun with first lines.
I'm deep, deep into the first draft of something utterly crazy, so in the spirit of that, I thought we could play a game. Mostly because I'm too fried to think of anything intelligent to post.
So.
Below are first lines from several of my manuscripts. None of which are under contract by the way--these are not lines from Sanctum or Scan or their sequels. Below are lines from two trunked mss and three that have yet to see the light of day but probably will in the future. I pretty much never share excerpts from things I've written, so today will be a wild and crazy departure from the usual! Yay?
Here's what I thought we could do. I'll give you the lines and then ask a few questions. The person with the most correct answers wins a $10 gift card. If more than one person gets all answers correct, I'll flip a coin or use a random number generator to choose the winner. We can call this my so close to 500 followers it BURNssss contest, okay?
Okay, here are the first lines ...
A. "The chauffeur drove them home from the hospital, maneuvering the amphibious limousine through the waist-deep canals in their Back Bay neighborhood."
B. "If I had fingers, I would dig them into the earth at your feet."
C. "Amy and I picked our way through the thick stand of trees, the only boundary between the high school fields and the cemetery."
D. "By the time we cross into Sinaloa from Durango, I understand that I will never see my home again."
E. "When you’re cornered, you find out what’s at the heart of you."
And here are the questions ...
Which first line comes from the first manuscript I ever wrote?Which first line comes from the manuscript I'm working on right now?Which first line starts out a manuscript that includes walking personifications of doom and violent death who happen to be very good at Irish dancing?Which first line is delivered by a character who is on an airplane?Which first line is delivered by a character who is the daughter/son of a psychiatrist?Okay, friends, happy guessing! Feel free to share a first line from your own work if you so desire. At the very least, it will make me feel a bit less self-conscious. Winner will be announced next Monday!
So.
Below are first lines from several of my manuscripts. None of which are under contract by the way--these are not lines from Sanctum or Scan or their sequels. Below are lines from two trunked mss and three that have yet to see the light of day but probably will in the future. I pretty much never share excerpts from things I've written, so today will be a wild and crazy departure from the usual! Yay?
Here's what I thought we could do. I'll give you the lines and then ask a few questions. The person with the most correct answers wins a $10 gift card. If more than one person gets all answers correct, I'll flip a coin or use a random number generator to choose the winner. We can call this my so close to 500 followers it BURNssss contest, okay?
Okay, here are the first lines ...
A. "The chauffeur drove them home from the hospital, maneuvering the amphibious limousine through the waist-deep canals in their Back Bay neighborhood."
B. "If I had fingers, I would dig them into the earth at your feet."
C. "Amy and I picked our way through the thick stand of trees, the only boundary between the high school fields and the cemetery."
D. "By the time we cross into Sinaloa from Durango, I understand that I will never see my home again."
E. "When you’re cornered, you find out what’s at the heart of you."
And here are the questions ...
Which first line comes from the first manuscript I ever wrote?Which first line comes from the manuscript I'm working on right now?Which first line starts out a manuscript that includes walking personifications of doom and violent death who happen to be very good at Irish dancing?Which first line is delivered by a character who is on an airplane?Which first line is delivered by a character who is the daughter/son of a psychiatrist?Okay, friends, happy guessing! Feel free to share a first line from your own work if you so desire. At the very least, it will make me feel a bit less self-conscious. Winner will be announced next Monday!
July 11, 2012
The Kindness Project: Gird Your Loins
Too often kindness is relegated to a random act performed only when we’re feeling good. But an even greater kindness (to ourselves and others) occurs when we reach out even when we aren't feeling entirely whole. It’s not easy, and no one is perfect. But we’ve decided it’s not impossible to brighten the world one smile, one kind word, one blog post at a time. To that end, a few of us writers have established The Kindness Project, starting with a series of inspirational posts. We post the second Wednesday of every month.
Now, let's gird.
Would you like to know one of the most common conversations I have with parents who come to me for help with their children?
It goes something like this:
Me: Wow. This is all so stressful for you. You're working really hard right now. What are you doing to take care of yourself?
Parent: My kid is my first priority. I need to make sure he's okay first, then I'll worry about myself.
Me: One moment, please. I need to find my soapbox. It's in here somewhere. *rummages behind desk*
Ever been on an airplane? Do you listen to the flight attendant? The part about the oxygen mask? If you're sitting next to a child or someone who needs assistance, you're supposed to put on your own mask FIRST, and then help the other person.
Why?
Because if you don't, you might lose your ability to help because you didn't care for yourself.
We are humans. We aren't limitless. At some point, we run out of gas. Whether it's as a parent, a partner, a friend, whatever, without self-care, it's going to be a FAIL.
In other words, you must be kind to yourself. However you feel it. Be gentle. I'm not saying to let yourself off the hook, to lower your standards, but I am saying that if you want to keep your emotional reserves full enough to have something left for others, you should maybe be willing to forgive yourself when you mess up. If you want to have the energy to reach out ... and to keep reaching out ... and to give the best of yourself instead of the burned-out leftovers, you've got to treat yourSELF as a precious resource. Bottomless? No. Renewable? YES.
I could say a lot more about this. I work in a high burn-out field, and I've seen talented, generous clinicians get totally fried and leave the field because it just ate them up, because they gave and gave and gave until they had nothing left. I've also seen similarly gifted professionals thrive and have decades-long careers. One of the differences between these two groups is self-care. The latter individuals set the boundaries around themselves and worked within them, took time away from the work to nurture themselves, and asked for help when they needed it.
It's not a question of whether you deserve it. Or whether you have time for it. It's a matter of necessity. If you want to have the energy to do great things, KIND things, generous and beautiful things that make our community better, that brighten others' lives and help them to persist, to have hope, to pass along that kindness to those who need it ... be kind to yourself.
Me: *steps off soapbox*
Parent: *stares*
(note: you know I'm not just talking about parenting, right?)
Here are the other fantastic folks posting for The Kindness Project today:
Now, let's gird.
Would you like to know one of the most common conversations I have with parents who come to me for help with their children?
It goes something like this:
Me: Wow. This is all so stressful for you. You're working really hard right now. What are you doing to take care of yourself?
Parent: My kid is my first priority. I need to make sure he's okay first, then I'll worry about myself.
Me: One moment, please. I need to find my soapbox. It's in here somewhere. *rummages behind desk*
Ever been on an airplane? Do you listen to the flight attendant? The part about the oxygen mask? If you're sitting next to a child or someone who needs assistance, you're supposed to put on your own mask FIRST, and then help the other person.
Why?
Because if you don't, you might lose your ability to help because you didn't care for yourself.
We are humans. We aren't limitless. At some point, we run out of gas. Whether it's as a parent, a partner, a friend, whatever, without self-care, it's going to be a FAIL.
In other words, you must be kind to yourself. However you feel it. Be gentle. I'm not saying to let yourself off the hook, to lower your standards, but I am saying that if you want to keep your emotional reserves full enough to have something left for others, you should maybe be willing to forgive yourself when you mess up. If you want to have the energy to reach out ... and to keep reaching out ... and to give the best of yourself instead of the burned-out leftovers, you've got to treat yourSELF as a precious resource. Bottomless? No. Renewable? YES.
I could say a lot more about this. I work in a high burn-out field, and I've seen talented, generous clinicians get totally fried and leave the field because it just ate them up, because they gave and gave and gave until they had nothing left. I've also seen similarly gifted professionals thrive and have decades-long careers. One of the differences between these two groups is self-care. The latter individuals set the boundaries around themselves and worked within them, took time away from the work to nurture themselves, and asked for help when they needed it.
It's not a question of whether you deserve it. Or whether you have time for it. It's a matter of necessity. If you want to have the energy to do great things, KIND things, generous and beautiful things that make our community better, that brighten others' lives and help them to persist, to have hope, to pass along that kindness to those who need it ... be kind to yourself.
Me: *steps off soapbox*
Parent: *stares*
(note: you know I'm not just talking about parenting, right?)
Here are the other fantastic folks posting for The Kindness Project today:
July 9, 2012
Meeting Online Writing Friends In Person.
Ah, the joke's on me.
I chose to return to blogging the morning after I spent an evening with a bunch of writers. It was a good evening. A really good one. But that means I'm blogging late at night (because I've been writing like a fiend for the past few days and didn't plan posts ahead).
I gave him an ARC of SANCTUM.
Commence anxious freakout in 3...2...This evening, I met some writers who I had previously only known online. Two of them, Matthew MacNish and Kristen Wixted, are writers/bloggers with whom I have corresponded semi-regularly. This is a picture of me and Matt, which I only have thanks to the thoughtfulness of Kristen, because apparently I am the only writer on Earth who is not in possession of a swanky smart phone.
I find the relation between expectations and reality rather fascinating. There is plenty of research that shows how crucial expectations are in shaping our perceptions of reality. And I guess my expectations for the evening were borne out, because I expected Kristen and Matt to be awesome and they absolutely were (if you don't follow them yet, you should).
But certain moments throughout the evening reminded me how our online personas gradually take shape in the minds of others, little bits and pieces that coalesce into a solid impression. Like when Kristen stated that she was kind of surprised that I seemed so able to talk to people because I often mention how introverted and shy I am here on the blog.
I mean, I live in my skin, so that's pretty funny to me, because I make my living talking to people, and I'm usually able to function in social situations with a minimum of awkward (note that I did not say NO awkward). However, what goes on inside me--the part of me that takes place in my own head--is what I often describe on my blog and on Twitter, and that's all Kristen had to go on. My inside experience. It affected her expectations. She maybe (you'd have to ask her) expected the inside me, but she met the outside me. Both of them are real, of course, but only one of them is visible. The other ... you just have to take my word for it. We all have that kind of thing going on, right? (right?!?)
Online, we get the chance to describe ourselves to others, both to show and to tell. It's a unique opportunity, this melding of synthetic and organic. I'd say it's the opportunity to create a completely synthetic self, but I don't believe that. Personality leaves its fingerprints all over the place. But sometimes, when we meet in person, it takes a while to reconcile the show with the tell.
Has this happened to you? Have you been caught by surprise when meeting an online acquaintance/friend in person for the first time? What were your expectations and how did they compare to reality?
I chose to return to blogging the morning after I spent an evening with a bunch of writers. It was a good evening. A really good one. But that means I'm blogging late at night (because I've been writing like a fiend for the past few days and didn't plan posts ahead).
I gave him an ARC of SANCTUM.Commence anxious freakout in 3...2...This evening, I met some writers who I had previously only known online. Two of them, Matthew MacNish and Kristen Wixted, are writers/bloggers with whom I have corresponded semi-regularly. This is a picture of me and Matt, which I only have thanks to the thoughtfulness of Kristen, because apparently I am the only writer on Earth who is not in possession of a swanky smart phone.
I find the relation between expectations and reality rather fascinating. There is plenty of research that shows how crucial expectations are in shaping our perceptions of reality. And I guess my expectations for the evening were borne out, because I expected Kristen and Matt to be awesome and they absolutely were (if you don't follow them yet, you should).
But certain moments throughout the evening reminded me how our online personas gradually take shape in the minds of others, little bits and pieces that coalesce into a solid impression. Like when Kristen stated that she was kind of surprised that I seemed so able to talk to people because I often mention how introverted and shy I am here on the blog.
I mean, I live in my skin, so that's pretty funny to me, because I make my living talking to people, and I'm usually able to function in social situations with a minimum of awkward (note that I did not say NO awkward). However, what goes on inside me--the part of me that takes place in my own head--is what I often describe on my blog and on Twitter, and that's all Kristen had to go on. My inside experience. It affected her expectations. She maybe (you'd have to ask her) expected the inside me, but she met the outside me. Both of them are real, of course, but only one of them is visible. The other ... you just have to take my word for it. We all have that kind of thing going on, right? (right?!?)
Online, we get the chance to describe ourselves to others, both to show and to tell. It's a unique opportunity, this melding of synthetic and organic. I'd say it's the opportunity to create a completely synthetic self, but I don't believe that. Personality leaves its fingerprints all over the place. But sometimes, when we meet in person, it takes a while to reconcile the show with the tell.
Has this happened to you? Have you been caught by surprise when meeting an online acquaintance/friend in person for the first time? What were your expectations and how did they compare to reality?
June 25, 2012
Mental Health Break.
As a mental health professional, I'm very much in favor of mental health, including my own.
So many good things are happening right now, but I can also detect in myself the signs of stress, and I know I need to take a few weeks and focus.
I'll be back on Monday, July 9th. I'll have a map to share, awesome news to announce, ARCs to give away (if you're a book blogger and you want to give one away on your blog or have a copy to review, email me?), the tale of how I met Matthew MacNish IN PERSON to tell (it's going to happen! Yes, it is!), and more psychologically informative blah blah blahing to do! That includes a summary of all your input and perspectives on writer's block--and thank you once again for generously contributing them!
But for now, I have deadlines to meet, a story to write, a presentation to prepare, an office to move, and a Matthew MacNish to meet in person (that part will be fun, but I think I have to drive to Cambridge, which will likely be ... not fun).
Have a wonderful two weeks, folks! I can't wait to catch up with all of you when I get back!
So many good things are happening right now, but I can also detect in myself the signs of stress, and I know I need to take a few weeks and focus.
I'll be back on Monday, July 9th. I'll have a map to share, awesome news to announce, ARCs to give away (if you're a book blogger and you want to give one away on your blog or have a copy to review, email me?), the tale of how I met Matthew MacNish IN PERSON to tell (it's going to happen! Yes, it is!), and more psychologically informative blah blah blahing to do! That includes a summary of all your input and perspectives on writer's block--and thank you once again for generously contributing them!
But for now, I have deadlines to meet, a story to write, a presentation to prepare, an office to move, and a Matthew MacNish to meet in person (that part will be fun, but I think I have to drive to Cambridge, which will likely be ... not fun).
Have a wonderful two weeks, folks! I can't wait to catch up with all of you when I get back!
