Chris Baty's Blog, page 199

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 22

Today’s cover was designed by Tanner Woodford, based on a novel-in-progress being written by Michael S. Lareaux:

The Golden Sword Travel Adventure Company by Michael S. Lareaux

Russ Cordero has always been a fan of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Even as a youth, when he wasn’t above a street brawl or a midnight ride through Niles Canyon, fantasy games, movies, and novels held a special fascination for him.

Now a father of three on the far side of forty, Russ looks back on his life and finds mostly satisfaction, mixed with a vague sense of loss. He’s grateful for his children and his wife, but part of him misses the adventures of his youth, both the real ones and the ones played out in movies, books, and overnight Dungeons and Dragons marathons. If only there were one more great adventure…

It’s said that a man should be careful what he wishes for. On his birthday, Russ’s best friend hands him a strange, gilded envelope. Inside is a piece of parchment and an address. The parchment is a voucher, guaranteeing the bearer “An Adventure Like No Other” with the Golden Sword Travel Adventure Company. His friend refuses to elaborate on exactly what it means.

It isn’t long before Russ finds himself driving through a town, looking for the address in the gilded envelope, and it isn’t long after that he finds himself in a thoroughly unfamiliar place. It’s a place straight out of every fantasy novel Russ has ever read. The trouble is that Russ has no idea how to return home, or why someone in this new world seems intent on killing him. 

About the Designer

Tanner Woodford is the executive director of the Chicago Design Museum, an adaptable and non-traditional organization that aims to unite, inform, and inspire the Chicago design community. From nine-to-five, he is a lead interaction designer at Morningstar, a provider of independent investment research. For the past decade, Tanner has taught and lectured on design history, interaction design, and motion graphics in academic and professional circuits.
 

Wrimos Around The World: Of Graveyards, Old Tombstones, and Finding Writerly Grace

One of the best parts of NaNoWriMo? The incredible community of writers. This week, we spotlight Danielle Bowers  in Boston, MA:

Danielle: One day I was out photographing an old graveyard and I realized it was the perfect place to write. It was quiet and if people see a solitary person sitting in the graveyard, they’ll leave them alone.

The graveyard that I like best is pretty old: the newest graves were placed in the mid-1880 so visitors are rare. My only company is birds, squirrels and the occasional deer from the woods. When the late afternoon sunlight filters down through the leaves and the only sounds I can hear are birds and the wind rustling leaves, it’s magic.

What is unique about where you are writing from? 

Danielle: I don’t need to wear headphones to tune out distractions and it is so quiet that I can concentrate better without the music playing. The sober air of the place makes it easy to focus. Stopping to check email or text with a friend feels out of place and wrong.

My previous book was set in Salem, Massachusetts during the height of the Salem Witch Trials. Working in the graveyard helped set the tone and visual aids. Some of the names that appeared in the book came straight from gravestones I saw while writing.

How would you describe your writing set-up in six words?

Danielle: I am writing with dead people.

Do you have any writing tips that have been inspired by your process this year?

Danielle: Keep writing. Don’t stop. Writing is a muscle that needs to be exercised daily and your story won’t be what you want immediately. You have to keep working it and every page will see you getting better.

At first you’ll stumble, but with every lap you’ll move easier, you’ll know where to place your feet, until you’re finally running with the grace you dreamed of.

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 21

Today’s cover was designed by Santiago Carrasquilla, based off of a novel being written by Ladia Jones.

The Last Day With My Mother by Ladia Jones

This is my account of the last days with my mother as she entered the nursing home. It talks about the struggles and rewards of her life as a nursing home patient; our relationship as we grew closer to each other during the process and the lessons she taught by living this process.

My mother passed away in September 2013 and I am writing this book as a tribute to her. 

About the Designer

Santiago is a designer and artist from Colombia currently working at Sagmeister & Walsh in NYC.

NaNo Coach: How to Rise Above the Chaos and Write Your Story

This season we’ve brought on published authors to serve as NaNo Coaches to help guide you to reaching 50,000 words. Our second week’s NaNo Coach, Stephanie Watson, shares her words of wisdom below:

In November of 2009, I wrote a NaNo-novel in longhand, in a series of spiral notebooks. In December, my husband and I got pregnant with our first child, and in February, my nine-year marriage ended. 

To recap: book, baby, KABOOM.

During the months that followed, I experienced drama usually reserved for grocery-store novels with gold embossed covers. The divorce court date and Ivy’s birth happened in the same week. My ex chose to not be involved in Ivy’s life, and I became a full-time single parent. The late-night feedings and wonky sleep schedule left me exhausted on a level I could not have imagined, even in my fiction-writer’s brain. I started back to work as a freelance web writer in a mental fog: juggling deadlines, late-night feedings, diapers, doctor visits, bills, laundry and what to make for dinner. Stories, like sleep, became a distant memory.

My original plan after writing the 2009 NaNo-novel was to type it up and jump into revisions. But, as I bounce-walked around the house with Ivy strapped to my chest (the only place she would nap), I would look rather cynically at the spiral notebooks on my desk. How could I ever return to that story in the middle of all this? I couldn’t even string together a cohesive sentence, much less a chapter.

But you know how stories are. Like babies, they tug at your hem no matter how busy you are. The story haunted my thoughts as I washed bottles or patted Ivy to sleep. I started jotting revision notes on recipe cards, and scheduled secret dates with my novel. I can’t run away with you, but I can meet for half an hour.

Something in me needed to write, even in the midst of all the craziness, or perhaps because of it. My old life and morning writing routine were gone. I had less time and energy than before. My character was stuck in the middle of a world full of trouble and she had to keep going. And so did I.

I waited till Ivy was sleeping through the night, then started revising every day in small, snatched moments. After almost 18 months, I finally finished a new draft of the novel on November 1st—just a few weeks ago. It took longer than I predicted, but I did it, in the midst of making meals and trips to the park and writing websites and interrupted showers.

If my life had not exploded, I never would’ve learned that it’s possible to write when things are very, very crazy. And that it can actually be a gift to have limited time to create. If you only have an hour with your story, you cut to the chase faster. You don’t fritter away time on Twitter or Facebook. With just a handful of minutes till the next interruption, your writing takes on a vital urgency. I have something to tell you and only five minutes to do it. So listen up.

So here we are in mid-November, mid-NaNo, mid-novel. Your characters are in deep trouble and perhaps you have no idea how (or if) they’ll get out of it. You may be wondering why you took on this insane challenge to write a novel in 30 days, because you were already up to your neck in busy, and you have to thaw the turkey and clean the house and respond to a bunch of work emails and a kid is pounding down the bathroom door as you read this.

We are all in the thick of it. Life has us surrounded. In stories, that’s the good part, where you get to see what a character is made of. Rise up and write in the middle of the craziness. Let the events and emotions of your life inform and fuel your work. This is your chance to show the world that you are made of strong stuff.

Stephanie Watson is the author of The Wee Hours, Elvis & Olive, and Elvis & Olive: Super Detectives, which was a 2008 NaNoWriMo project. She also teaches writing workshops, performs comedy improv and chases after her 3-year-old daughter Ivy. 

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 20

Today’s cover was designed by Bill Klingensmith, inspired by a synopsis written by L. Summers:

The Quest for Queen Calafia by L. Summers

This high adventure-fantasy chronicles the quest of two independent and highly spirited ‘tweens’ to unearth the true story of Queen Calafia, the mythical warrior queen of California.

Upon discovering a five-hundred-year-old map, budding eco-warrior Tallys Mayfield and best friend/aspiring prophetess Cassandra Joy find a portal to a terrestrial paradise known as Isla de Californie. Queen Calafia is held prisoner there by the villainous sorcerer Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, known throughout history as the most ruthless of the Conquistadores.

Tallys and Cassandra learn of Guzmán’s plans to defeat Queen Calafia and her fierce women warriors by raising an army from the dead to hasten a total ecological collapse. But in order to restore the Queen to her throne, the girls must first convince her that theirs is a world worth saving.

About the Designer

Bill Klingensmith is a partner as well as director of branding and design solutions for Headwater Foods Inc. of Rochester, New York. Headwater is a diverse and integrated, soil-to-table, Community Food Enterprise that creates a value-filled, year-round supply chain of local, top quality, sustainable foods for the greater Rochester area and the Northeast Region. Klingensmith also runs Mydarndest, an Independent creative studio where he creates design solutions through various print and digital media for clients and community partners.

Five Tips for NaNoWriMo: Week Three

NaNoWriMo’s Lead Forums Moderator, Heather Dudley, helps you light your writing on fire (Hunger Games reference intentional) this week:

Week Three: oh, how I love thee. Week Three is where I slow down, or in some cases, towards the end of the week? Catch on fire again and finish in a blaze of glory.

Here are my 5 tips for surviving the last half of NaNoWriMo:

Change your space.
Get some sleep.
Switch your writing time.
Battle up with word wars and sprints.
Take care of yourself.

NUMBER ONE: Change your space.

If you’ve been writing in the same hole in your house since day one, change it up. Go to a coffee shop. A book store. Heck, I’ve been known to take over the low counter at Waffle House, where there’s no internet and endless fresh coffee. Change your view, change what’s around you. You never know what might inspire you.

NUMBER TWO: Get some sleep.

Sleep? During November? Are you mad, woman? Actually, no! Studies have linked lack of sleep with reduced productivity time and time again. Even losing an hour a night can throw off your circadian rhythms and leave you operating at less than full capacity. Abandon the late-night type-fest, and get some zzzzs. Your brain will thank you.

NUMBER THREE: Switch your writing time.

Are you a night owl? Try writing first thing in the morning. (See number two!) Go to bed an hour earlier, and wake up an hour earlier. Already writing at 7:30 AM? Try writing on your lunch break.

NUMBER FOUR: Word wars and sprints.

@NaNoWordSprints are a great way to boost your word count, fast. If you aren’t a Twitter fan (although you don’t need an account to play along) the Word Wars, Prompts, and Sprints forum is happy to oblige with a dizzying array of options for challenges, prompts, wars, and sprints, around the clock, with participants around the globe.

Don’t feel the social thing? Set a timer for ten minutes, and write furiously for that time period. Do it again, this time trying to beat your own count.

NUMBER FIVE: Take care of yourself.

This one should really be number one, but well, we writers never do things the way others do, right? Take a moment to pamper yourself. November is a crazy busy time for most of us for a variety of reasons. Take some time out of the day for de-stressing. A favorite beverage, a phone call with a good friend, a walk outside (if you’re in a place where the weather permits), a round at the gym, anything.

Do something to take care of your body and your mind. My favorite way to de-stress is to hit the local British tea room. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is delightful, and it makes me feel like I’m walking in the footsteps of the literary giants, scribbling on notebooks in cafes.

So what’s your favorite way of de-stressing during November? Are you a tea, coffee, or [other] kind of person?

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 19

Today’s cover was designed by Felix Sockwell, inspired by a novel being written this November by Young Writers Program participant, Gina P.:

The Christ Nebula by Gina Perry

Father Crawford is a miracle verifier who has spent years travelling the world verifying miracles for the Catholic Church. After 20 years without a single bona fide miracle, Father Crawford is weary and succumbing to cynicism. He no longer finds himself investigating weeping statues and apparitions of the Virgin Mary; instead, he is repeatedly presented with Jesus in the form of various snack-based food products.

With his faith being tested, he makes his way to the north of England to investigate a reported miracle—the ‘Jesus Christ Pork Scratching’—only to discover that the two adolescent girls who found this ‘miracle’ wear the marks of the stigmata, and hold the key to a miracle that’s bigger than any of them can imagine.

About the Designer

Felix Sockwell is an avid futboler and ornery Texan who honed his skill as a promotional and advertising art director before moving from TX to San Francisco in early 1997, later co-founding B.I.G., Ogilvy’s Brand Integration Group in NYC. In 1999, Sockwell forged his own practise, concentrating solely on the art and science of identity design and illustration. He frequents NY but digs Maplewood, NJ. 

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 18

Today’s cover was designed by Alberto Rigau, inspired by a novel being written by Matthew Silkin during National Novel Writing Month:

People with Numbers by Matthew Silkin

In the distant future, everyone has a random number floating above their heads. Though these numbers have caused more segregation and violence than ever before, nobody seems to know where they came from. And, quite frankly, nobody seems to care. Except for one person.

559, real name Riley, decides to investigate the true purpose of the numbers. But as he delves further into the meaning of the numbers, he discovers something that was hidden many years ago—for a very good reason.

Now, with strange people without numbers chasing him, his girlfriend kidnapped, and nobody to trust, Riley learns not to dig into the past, because all you get is dirty…

About the Designer

Alberto Rigau lives and works from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Early exposure to his father’s architectural practice motivated a freelancing career that later transformed into Estudio Interlínea and the publishing imprint Editorial Revés. Alberto’s work has been recognized by various organizations and exhibited in various countries, magazines and books. He currently lectures on design thinking as a tool to ignite meaningful cultural experiences and teaches typography at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas.

30 Covers, 30 Days: Day 17

Today’s cover was designed by Von Glitschka, inspired by a novel-in-progress written by Natosha McCrary.

The Travelers by Natosha McCrary

There are seven timepieces bestowed on the human race by a being known only as the Watchman. Each piece resides in the care of a different family, and resides in differing points in time.

The Watchman’s sole purpose is to protect the timeline from those who seek to destroy or use it to their own advantage.

About the Designer

Von is principal of Glitschka Studios, a multi-disciplinary design firm in Salem, Oregon. The studio shines as a creative hired gun for ad agencies, design firms, and in-house corporate art departments all around the world. Von speaks and writes on the topic of design, creativity, brand identity, marketing and is an adjunct teacher of digital illustration and author of five books. He is also one of the top content providers of skill based courses on design and illustration for Lynda.com. When he’s not working on his unique illustrative design, he can be found reading a good book or writing a short story.

Come Write In Anywhere! Brian McCann on How to Grow Your Write-In Event

NaNoWriMo’s Come Write In program has partnered with bookstores and libraries around the world for four years. This November, for the first time, we’re welcoming community spaces of all kinds to become novel-writing havens. 

In today’s installment of Come Write In Anywhere!, intern Steve Genise chats with Brian McCann, Assistant Manager of the Boardwalk branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library in Kansas City, MO, about caffeine patches, and how to start a writing movement:

So first, can you tell me a little about yourself and how you decided to first participate in NaNo? 

I found a used copy of No Plot? No Problem! in 2005, and it was like a revelation.  Sadly, I discovered it in January and had to wait until 2006 for my first real NaNoWriMo experience.  Like many people, I had waffled for years about whether I was really a writer or not, and No Plot was just the kick in the pants I needed to find out.

What do you do to prepare for and host your write-ins?

Our write-ins are really about generating word count.  I have prompts and word wars ready for use, but we often don’t need them. Mostly I provide the environment (chairs, power strips, coffee) and try to stay out of the way.

Last year we had NaNoWriMo’s volunteer Municipal Liaisons, and NaNoWriMo-success-story Gennifer Albin (Crewel) talk about how NaNo works and why it can be so transformative.  

So you do allow coffee? This is a library…

Coffee gets the green light at my branch. We are lucky enough to have a Starbucks and Caribou Coffee nearby, but in case people can’t get there, I might supply some caffeine patches. If I have any to spare.

This year you’ve managed to expand NaNoWriMo events to your entire library system. What did you do to convince the other managers to introduce NaNo? What held them back before?

Mostly I talk and talk and talk it up.  Sometimes it’s direct: “I heard there’s an author who lives near your branch. Have you considered inviting her for NaNoWriMo?”

Sometimes it’s more of a reach: “Oh, do you have a fall birthday?  Well, you know what else is in the fall? NaNoWriMo!” 

Really, no one had heard of this glorious event, so a lot of what I’ve been doing is spreading the word and building awareness.  I also found library staff at various branches who were passionate about writing and got them onboard, too. Passion is a valuable resource.

I also took advantage of our most prime resource—Wrimos!  We’re required as a system to ask for evaluations of our programs, so I asked our writers to also include why NaNoWriMo is so awesome and powerful and fun and transformative.  Their comments are a hard thing for even the most anti-literary person to ignore.

What advice do you have for others who are thinking of starting up a Come Write In event in their area, or are looking to expand the ones they already host?

The first thing I recommend is to just make a start.  Literary movements have to grow over time, so don’t burden yourself with having a fully developed writing community your first year out.  Maybe your first year, you’ll just host some write-ins and promote it by word of mouth, like I did.  Maybe you’ll tap into a local college’s English department.  A lot, a little—it doesn’t matter.  Just make sure to get something on the calendar and to let your writers know about it. (Don’t know who the writers are?  Then just tell everybody!)

The second thing I recommend is to keep looking ahead.  Writing communities need to grow, so make sure to give them chances to do that.  Our second year, we added a kick-off party to our write-ins.  The next year we had a bigger kick-off with a published NaNo author.  The next year we added a “Now What?” event in December to help people take NaNoWriMo into the rest of their lives with them.  Just keep it moving. 

As you do all this, remember to think big.  Yes, you want to plan how your library or bookstore or coffee shop can host NaNo events in the future, but what about other branches?  Can you get them involved?  Share with them any pointers you’ve learned, what worked, and what didn’t.  Write a blog or an article for your organization and share it on Facebook. 

I wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested in what I’ve been doing with NaNoWriMo, but I submitted proposals to my library system as well as state-wide and national conferences where I could teach a session on the impact that NaNo has had on my library and our writers.  And guess what?  Half of our library branches are hosting NaNo activities, and I’ll be presenting in March to librarians across the country about how great NaNoWriMo is.  (And I get paid for this!).

So, I guess to sum up: start wherever you can, keep looking ahead, and think bigger than your building.

Brian McCann is the Assistant Manager of the Boardwalk branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library in Kansas City, MO. We aren’t sure what kind of boardwalk a land-locked state like Missouri has, but you can find out more about his library and his NaNoWriMo programs (and perhaps his mysterious boardwalk) here!