Amy Sue Nathan's Blog: Women's Fiction Writers, page 6

The Story Behind The Story – Part 1

Guess what?

I sent The Last Bathing Beauty off to my agent so she could have a final look-see before my April 1 deadline with my publisher. (yes, THIS April 1!!)

After wrapping up Boop’s history with South Haven, I started digging into my own. I had lived in the suburbs of Chicago for a total of 15 years when I discovered Southwest Michigan, thanks to my friend, author Lori Nelson Spielman. (Have you read her books? You should!)

On my drive to meet Lori, I pulled off the road at a scenic spot and couldn’t believe I was a couple of hours from home. It looked like the Carribean. NO JOKE.

Why had no one told me this area existed?

Lori and I met in St. Joseph that day in June 2012 and followed with a few multi-day trips in the next few years.  We solidified our friendship and I fell in love with area. I knew right away in 2012 I wanted to set a novel in a Southwest Michigan beach town. And so it began. After some fits and starts and dozens and dozens of pages and characters that will never see light again, The Last Bathing Beauty was born four years later, in 2016. (More on that process, in time.)

I’m grateful for his short break and some distance from the novel, but it’s the first time ever I think I might miss my story and characters. Therefore, I’m going to blog about researching and writing the book, and about the area and the story itself.  I hope that just makes you even more excited to read it!

Amy xo

Catch our fab temporary tattoos in the 2014 video below! AND new editing and book coaching openings (and a secret discount)! xo

2012

 

 

http://womensfictionwriters.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_2335.mp4

 

Use code POLKA DOT BUNNY for $25 off!

A Big Book and a Two Small Wishes

This is not Pamela Toler’s first rodeo. And by rodeo, I mean, book. She has written books for kids and adults about popular history for years. But this book is different. While for the other books she was under contract with her publishers for a particular book, with WOMEN WARRIORS, Pamela’s agent took HER IDEA on submission. Both ways designate her as a published author. She’s not a ghost writer. But this book is 100% Pamela and her research.

We’ve been friends now for about 10 years and since I no longer live in Chicago I won’t be celebrating with her IRL, but a shout-out on WFW will be the next best thing, because I can share it with all of you. I can project my voice, but chances are I wouldn’t reach all of you if I yelled READ PAMELA’S BOOK.

And, wouldn’t you know? Today is my birthday! I have two wishes.

First, that you check out Pamela D. Toler here. (No, it’s not fiction but I think it’s good to read widely! And truly. Women warriors!? YES.)

 

My second wish is that if you know someone in need of a book critique or a book coach, pass along my name and the special deal (or use it yourself). See, that was easy, wasn’t it?

Next year I’ll get you all party favors.

Amy xo

When The End is the Beginning

Isn’t that always? Literally and figuratively and sometimes religiously (depending on what you believe).

Last week I reached The End of The Last Bathing Beauty. Eighty-thousand words, two timelines. All out of order. What made me thinking typing the words The End really meant anything at all?  Because if I hadn’t acknowledged the milestone, I may have fallen off into an “I can’t do this” cliff. So I had a little accomplishment party with a fancy font and a Facebook post, and I moved on.

And by the time I started receiving pats on the back and congratulatory messages, I spent a whole day integrating the timelines, had this printed out at my local Kinkos so I could revise the entire manuscript in two weeks and send it to my agent so she can mark any HUGE RED FLAGS I should take care of before my April 1 deadline.

So The End? I think not. But I’m excited about the revisions and about the book.

I started writing this — or conceiving the story — in the spring of 2016. THAT IS NOT A TYPO. By the time TLBB hits bookshelves it will be a 4-year-book-baby! That’s longer than it took to write The Glass Wives, though writing to publication took six years.

Anyway, that’s where I am and what I’m doing in addition to my writing clients.

Have any questions about the process or the novel? I’m happy to answer.

Oh heck, I just miss you all. Talk to me.

Amy xo

 

Ever want to know more about working with me on your novel or memoir? 

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Winter Writing!

 

A workshop I was scheduled to teach was canceled. BOO! But that means I have time for more writers on my editing and book coaching roster. YAY!

Email me at amysuenathan@gmail.com if you are interested in some kind-hearted, kick-ass feedback on your WIP.

xo,

Amy

Let’s Book It in 2019!

It’s meeeeee! 

New glasses, new haircut, same me (though I Photoshopped out the crow’s feet) .

Where have I been?

Writing The Last Bathing Beauty (due March 1 to my publisher — AAAAH!) and working with writers on their own stories. You know I do that, right? Actually, I’ve been doing it since 2009 when I started reading slush piles for literary agents, two years before my debut novel sold to St. Martin’s Press.

When I come up for air — this blog will come back to life. But for now, if you or a writer your love wants some help, that’s what I’m here for!

Happy New Year, friends! I miss you all!

xo,

Amy

Work on your novel! (or start one)

Need a nudge? I won’t judge! 

Click for details: https://wp.me/P7hF5F-1Nq

Guest Post: When Art Inspires a New Novel

Let’s continue talking about inspiration, shall we? There’s so much noise nowadays, I’m curious what cuts through all of it for my fellow writers.

Today Nicole Meier is here sharing a childhood memory and how it ended up the springboard for her new novel, The Girl Made of Clay.

More soon from me and your favorite authors!

Amy xo

The Inspiring Power of Art

  By Nicole Meier

When I was six years old, my mother took me to the scene of a fire. A passionate patron of the arts, she’d been volunteering her free time at a local college of art and design. The college was tucked into the hills and, sadly, endured an unexpected fire that took down one of the main buildings overnight. When my mother and I arrived, the flames had just recently been put out.

I will never forget the impression that experience left on me. Aside from the overwhelming smell of charred ash, the devastating sight of blackened ruin, and discovery of waterlogged materials soaked by firefighters, was a great sense of loss.

Though I was young and unable to fully understand the event, I understood its power. People’s artwork had been destroyed. To my six-year-old brain, this was devastating.

Now that I’m older, I wonder about the other people it affected. Did the tragedy leave a lasting impression? Did it inspire the resident artists to create and then protect new works, with the knowledge that circumstances could change in the blink of an eye? Did the incident spark a new sense of urgency, pushing them to create deeper and more meaningful work?

In my forthcoming novel, THE GIRL MADE OF CLAY, I tell the story of a famous sculptor whose property endures a dramatic fire. Though the sculptor survives, the event causes him to re-evaluate everything in his life, from his cherished works of art to his forgotten loved ones. Alternating between points of view of a father and his daughter, it’s a tale of forgiveness and redemption. Of heartbreak and second chances. And through it all, art exists at the very center. It acts as a catalyst of new perspectives and healing old wounds. In a nutshell, it inspires.

As the release date of my book draws nearer, and I share the premise with curious readers, I’m struck by the connections people draw. Many listen with interest and then eagerly share their personal experiences with art. When I mention sculpting and clay, they smile and speak fondly of fun art classes they took in school. When I mention my book research–which involved tried and failed attempts on a potter’s wheel–people laugh and recall their own first attempts at painting, drawing, crocheting, and even cake-making! There’s a certain brand of joy that accompanies such stories.

Inevitably, creating makes the heart happy.

It’s amazing how powerful creativity, in any form, can act as a source of inspiration. No matter the medium, art has a unique way of bringing out a tiny muse in each of us. I hope to take more art classes in the future. I welcome the stirred ideas they evoke.

What’s your creative source of inspiration? I’d love to know.

Nicole Meier is a native Southern Californian who pulled up roots and moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband, three children, and one very nosey Aussiedoodle.

Her debut novel, THE HOUSE OF BRADBURY, was chosen as a Best Book of 2016 by Refinery29.

Her new novel, THE GIRL MADE OF CLAY, releases September 25th, 2018 from Lake Union.

Her works have been published in The Oregonian, Cascade Journal, Southern Oregon Magazine, Women Writers Women’s Books, We Heart Writing, Elephant Journal, and more.

You can find THE GIRL MADE OF CLAY HERE and you can connect with Nicole here

nicolemeierauthor.com

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Days 29, 30, 31 I’m So Glad We’ve Had This Time Together #31DaysofInspiration

Welcome to the 17th
#31DaysofInspiration post!

 

I can’t believe it’s the end of August! It’s been fun to track the writing inspiration as it has struck me. I think it’s good to be conscious of what effects us so that we can be proactive in the future.Maybe instead of waiting for inspiration to reveal itself it’s a better idea to search it out, slip a lasso over its neck, and drag it along.

As this week comes to a close I realized that more than anything else, I’ve been inspired by the story I’m writing. It’s what compels me forward, makes me shut off the TV, and eat Cheerios out of the box for dinner. I’m eager to see how it gets to The End, and the only way to do that is to write it.

I’m fortunate right now, and I know at some point there will be a rough patch where I think it’s all a hopeless, stupid mess. Maybe then I should scurry back to the blog and remember what kept me going in August.

I’m trying to figure out how the blog will best serve me and all of you in the future…so there’s more to come, that’s for sure. But what that will be, is ups for grabs at the moment.

Sometimes I miss the mommy blogging days!

Amy xo

Days 25, 26, 27, 28 When A Break Provides Inspiration (More than Once) #31DaysofInspiration

I’m distracted, it’s true, but I’m still thinking about what inspires me to write. Here are a few:

Yesterday, two author friends asked me to read pages of their WIP.
My relapse into Shiny New Idea Syndrome that has some spillage into The Last Bathing Beauty.
A manicure.

I’m probably not being completely fair with the first one — because reading non-published work can inspire me as well. But yesterday I read pages by two of my published author friends whom I admire. I was flattered to be asked for my opinion on specific story matters. This served as a reminder of my own ability to get the job done and sort of know what I’m doing. (I’ve written three novels, so yes, I know I can do it, but still. Writers always have doubts.)

When I called my agent to share bits of my Shiny New Idea (which she liked, we’re brainstorming) we acknowledged that it shared an era with The Last Bathing Beauty. This was accidental, but true. She noted that maybe that midcentury was “my thing” and that that might be a good “thing.” I realized how much research I’d done on the early 1950s, and that maybe (probably) my agent was right. Has book four provided me with a new niche? We’ll see, but it definitely inspired me.

I’ve gone through all the stages of natural, tips, acrylic, and gel nails over the years, but one thing stays the same. I prefer the way my hands look when my nails are polished. I see my hands all day long tapping at the keyboard and it bothers me if they look unkempt (to me) which means some kind of plain or wacky manicure. While I’m an accessory maven, I can’t type with bracelets on and rings sometimes bother me. I love earrings and necklaces, scarves, pins, and shawls, but you can’t SEE those unless you’re looking in the mirror.  I enjoy “doing” my nails while I watch TV (Heaven forbid I do only one thing at a time, I know). I relax when I do my nails. It gives my brain a much needed break. (As a am a trend-hopper I’m now using nail wraps. Best. Thing. Ever. No dry time. Right back to typing.) This inspires me because what’s better than a relaxing but productive break?

Not your thing? Totally mine!

It’s just about 9:15 am and as Mitzi takes her first nap of the day, I’m ready for my second cup of coffee and to get busy.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

What’s inspiring you to write today?

xo Amy

PS On second thought, Mitzi may be onto something. I had a bout with insomnia last night which is rare for me. Might be nap time.

Days 20, 21, 22, 23, 24- Writing with Accountability #31DaysofInspiration

No, that title isn’t a joke. Or click bait. This week got away from me.

But even when Monday turns into Friday on the blog, I connect daily with my accountability buddy, author Pamela Toler. Pamela and I have been friends for about eleven years, and last Fall we agreed to document our daily writing plans. It started with Pamela, who was under deadline. She wanted to share her intentions for the day. We reasoned (perceptively) that this would also give us a way to share other tidbits of our lives since I’d moved away from Chicago (where we met) a year before. There were no more monthly lunches on the calendar, so we transitioned to daily emails.

One morning, since it was November and Nanowrimo, I titled the email Pamowrimo. Get it? This evolved into PamoAmo when I hitched my own writing wagon to the plan. (And the creativity doesn’t stop there, folks.)

As of today, there are more than 765 PamoAmo emails in my inbox.

We write to one another 7 days a week. Holidays. Birthdays. Doesn’t matter. Pamela wrote to me from France. I wrote to her from NYC. We write whether we’re writing or not — but one thing we really have in common is we both work pretty much every day. Sure there are exceptions. Many fewer for Pamela than for me.

I think we’ve missed a day or two, but not more than that in 9 months. We check in am or pm and who ever writes first, writes first. Sometimes it’s quick, sometimes not. Sometimes we answer the emails (if need be), sometimes not. This has proven to be the best way I know to get daily support. Not only am I sharing my intentions with my friend — I’m scoping out the day for myself. I see it all in front of me in more than a to-do list. But you know why it works? Because it’s fun. It’s the sharing of intention, goals, news, and random tidbits with a friend. There is no judgment, though there is advice is we ask for it.

And there are presents!

Pamela sent me my very own Accountability Bunny. I hung it on a cabinet door in my living room and see it when I write. It reminds me that there’s someone in it with me! Pamela has her accountability bunny and Wonder Woman on her desk.

No wonder she’s super productive, right? (Pamela is an author, freelance writer and a historian. Check out her website, her blog, and her new book which comes out on my birthday).

I’m not sure how this next part started, but our daily emails also include a clever subject line. Or at least I think they’re clever. Again, whoever is first, is first. We always include PamoAmo, the date, and–may I present — the edition.

Here are some of my favorites:

The Transgender Politics Edition
The Hot Tub Edition
The I Have Nothing Clever Edition
The My Work Load is Light, Why Can’t I Get More Done Edition
The Mr Rogers Edition
The Headsmack Edition
The it’s not Wednesday yet Edition
The Velcro Cat Edition
The Introvert Edition
The Midday Pizza Edition
The Ick Edition

Can you see why this is one of my favorite parts of the day? We’re serious about our writing, we’re serious about our friendship, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

I think that’s a good way to be in general, don’t you?

What inspired you to write today?

xo Amy

 

 

 

 

 

Days 18 & 19 When The Shiny New Idea Breaks Through #31DaysofInspiration

Let’s face it, I’m not inspired enough to blog every day. Or even to write ever day. I’ve never been an every day writer. I’m an every day editor, reviser, rewriter — but when I’m drafting a story I purge it onto the page and then I need a break.

Hence, no writing or blog post yesterday.

But, breaks inspire me. I think about my characters while I’m cruising the local Acme. I untangle plot knots while I’m changing out my manicure.

This morning as I sipped my second cup of coffee and read the book du jour, and early copy of Hazel Gaynor’s The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter (fabulous), I saw the last scene of an unwritten, not-fully-realized NEXT book. It played out like a movie in my brain, as these things tend to do. So I rummaged for a pen (why do I never learn??) and picked up the notebook I’ve dedicated to the cause of my Shiny New Idea. I scribbled down the scene.

I’m exhausted.

For a new book idea to take hold while I’m deep into writing another book is a blessing and a curse. I have to jot down all the ideas that pop to mind for this new story — and like in When You Give a Mouse a Cookie one thing just seems to lead to another and another. It’s exhilarating and it’s distracting. I do not think it’s a subconscious procrastination tactic (though I gave that some serious thought) because I am still enamored with The Last Bathing Beauty. I even know what I’m writing today which is a big deal considering I’m a planster (that my plotter/pantser combo I talk about in my Fall WF workshop and what I’ve always claimed to be).

I won’t say anything about my Shiny New Idea except that the idea came from a magazine article, similar to how the idea for The Last Bathing Beauty came from a newspaper story. And that the last scene involves a pie. Now, I know what you thinking –that sounds sweet, right?