Becky Wallace's Blog, page 10
September 18, 2013
Five Books I've Read Five Times
There are so many GREAT books out there. My TBR stack is one-hundred books deep -- that's not a joke. But every now and then I want to read something familiar, something comfortable, something that makes me feel whatever it is I need to feel.
Here are some of my tried and trues, the ones I've read several times and will probably re-read again very soon:
1. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I read this book for the first time when I was in sixth grade and it's stuck with me all these years. It has a headstrong, courageous main character, witch hunts, a pretty sailor boy, and memorable side characters. I think this was the first time I had a crush on a fictional character. Read it. Then come back and we'll have a virtual book club about it.
2. Banner in the Sky . Again, another oldie, but a goodie. This book is about conquering insurmountable odds and courage and defying your parents to reach your goals. I think this is the first book that ever made me cry.
3. City of Bones. My BFF says that it's embarrassing for a grown woman to claim a book with that cover as one of her favorites. Half-naked boy aside, I really do love this book, but probably not for reasons that you would expect. I think of it like a manual. You want to write tension? Read Cassandra Clare. You want to write a memorable love story? Read Cassandra Clare. You want to write an excellent first kiss? Yep. Read Cassandra Clare. The greenhouse scene is the one I refer to every time I write a first kiss. The emotions, the use of other senses, the sheer perfectness of the setting. Make fun all you wish, but I bet you won't write anything that will succeed like this book has. Unless you're JK Rowling. And if JK Rowling is reading this post then...Ohmygosh! JK Rowling is reading my blog!!
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone. You can hate urban fantasy, YA, all fiction books in general, and still recognize the quality of Laini Taylor's writing. The vocabulary, the metaphors, the story telling, the characters -- all of those things are fantastic. It's the kind of book that makes me want to delete every manuscript I've ever written because they will never compare.
5. A Tree for Peter. That picture is from my personal copy of this very lovely children's tale. Originally published in 1941, A Tree for Peter tells a story of a little boy growing up in a shantytown outside a big city. The setting is dark and dreary, but it is a story of hope. With the help of an old vagabond -- and maybe a figment of a lonely boy's imagination -- Peter finds beauty and light in a place where everything appears ugly and dark. My mother read this to us at Christmastime from my great grandmother's old, beat up copy. I found a copy a few years ago and am carrying the tradition on with my own little brood. They love the story and the gorgeous illustrations just as much as I do.
Are any of you re-readers? And if so, what are your favorite books to re-read?
Here are some of my tried and trues, the ones I've read several times and will probably re-read again very soon:
1. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I read this book for the first time when I was in sixth grade and it's stuck with me all these years. It has a headstrong, courageous main character, witch hunts, a pretty sailor boy, and memorable side characters. I think this was the first time I had a crush on a fictional character. Read it. Then come back and we'll have a virtual book club about it.
2. Banner in the Sky . Again, another oldie, but a goodie. This book is about conquering insurmountable odds and courage and defying your parents to reach your goals. I think this is the first book that ever made me cry.
3. City of Bones. My BFF says that it's embarrassing for a grown woman to claim a book with that cover as one of her favorites. Half-naked boy aside, I really do love this book, but probably not for reasons that you would expect. I think of it like a manual. You want to write tension? Read Cassandra Clare. You want to write a memorable love story? Read Cassandra Clare. You want to write an excellent first kiss? Yep. Read Cassandra Clare. The greenhouse scene is the one I refer to every time I write a first kiss. The emotions, the use of other senses, the sheer perfectness of the setting. Make fun all you wish, but I bet you won't write anything that will succeed like this book has. Unless you're JK Rowling. And if JK Rowling is reading this post then...Ohmygosh! JK Rowling is reading my blog!!
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone. You can hate urban fantasy, YA, all fiction books in general, and still recognize the quality of Laini Taylor's writing. The vocabulary, the metaphors, the story telling, the characters -- all of those things are fantastic. It's the kind of book that makes me want to delete every manuscript I've ever written because they will never compare.
5. A Tree for Peter. That picture is from my personal copy of this very lovely children's tale. Originally published in 1941, A Tree for Peter tells a story of a little boy growing up in a shantytown outside a big city. The setting is dark and dreary, but it is a story of hope. With the help of an old vagabond -- and maybe a figment of a lonely boy's imagination -- Peter finds beauty and light in a place where everything appears ugly and dark. My mother read this to us at Christmastime from my great grandmother's old, beat up copy. I found a copy a few years ago and am carrying the tradition on with my own little brood. They love the story and the gorgeous illustrations just as much as I do.
Are any of you re-readers? And if so, what are your favorite books to re-read?
September 10, 2013
How I Balance My Jobs
"How do you make the time?" "I'll write when my kids are older." "Your kids must watch a ton of TV.""I think it's neat that you have a hobby." I hear those statements all the time and -- when I'm not at my best -- I let them make me angry. I'm going to respond in this blog post a way I never do in person: I make the time, my kids are young, they're allowed one TV show per day, and writing is a job. Like any regular job, writing requires two things: scheduling and sacrifice. Without those two words, I would never, ever get anything written. I don't want anyone to think I have a perfect work-life balance (that's so far from the truth) but I have found ways to make writing a profession that works for me. I'll share my method if you share yours!
1. I can write anywhere, at any time. When I started writing, I couldn't get anything done unless it was quiet, my kids were sleeping/watching a show/at school. Writing when it's quiet is a luxury. I've had to teach myself how to write in short bursts. Fifteen minutes while I cook, thirty while waiting in the car at sports practice, ten between loads of laundry. Most of my writing is done at the kitchen counter, next to my stove. I probably start and stop a dozen times every day. Is it super effective? Nope. Is it what works right now? Yep. And, by the way, the constant clicking of the keys is pretty soothing to my six-week old. 2. I keep my kids busy. We have coloring time, playdough time, story time (they read to each others sometimes), toy room time, etc. I write on the deck while they play outside, and I created an office/toy area in what used to be our sunroom so I could have Princess Tea with my two-year-old, and help my bigger kids with homework and projects. Sometimes I'm awesome at mothering/writing and sometimes we end up with this:
Eight loads of laundry on Tuesdays. I'm actually proud of this! 3. I don't deviate from The Schedule. This statement is mostly true. I have a new baby, so 'schedule' is something we're working on. However, some things never vary. I get up at 6:30 a.m. If I want to work out it has to happen immediately after school drop off. I start dinner everyday at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays are laundry and cleaning days. I wash all our linens every other Friday. We eat out on Thursdays and Saturdays after games are over. My life is crazy, but it would be worse if I didn't have it all planned out.
4. I don't do a lot of things I want to do. I don't go out with friends very often. I don't watch TV unless I have laundry to fold (SYTYCD is on Tuesdays). I've only had one pedicure this year and I only went because it was for my sister's wedding. I only read when I'm on the elliptical or feeding my baby. These are the sacrifices I was talking about above. And they're totally worth it.
I treat writing like a real job and I always have. It's never been something I do for fun -- the fun is an awesome side-effect!
Tips that I've learned from other authors:
Write at the gym. Sara B. Larson spends an hour working out and an hour writing, while her kids are at the child care center. Saturdays at Starbucks. Brigid Kemmerer gets to Starbucks as soon as it opens on Saturdays and stays there all day. Child Trade. I can't remember which author said it, but once a week she leaves her kids with a neighbor so she can write, and then the swap.
1. I can write anywhere, at any time. When I started writing, I couldn't get anything done unless it was quiet, my kids were sleeping/watching a show/at school. Writing when it's quiet is a luxury. I've had to teach myself how to write in short bursts. Fifteen minutes while I cook, thirty while waiting in the car at sports practice, ten between loads of laundry. Most of my writing is done at the kitchen counter, next to my stove. I probably start and stop a dozen times every day. Is it super effective? Nope. Is it what works right now? Yep. And, by the way, the constant clicking of the keys is pretty soothing to my six-week old. 2. I keep my kids busy. We have coloring time, playdough time, story time (they read to each others sometimes), toy room time, etc. I write on the deck while they play outside, and I created an office/toy area in what used to be our sunroom so I could have Princess Tea with my two-year-old, and help my bigger kids with homework and projects. Sometimes I'm awesome at mothering/writing and sometimes we end up with this:
Eight loads of laundry on Tuesdays. I'm actually proud of this! 3. I don't deviate from The Schedule. This statement is mostly true. I have a new baby, so 'schedule' is something we're working on. However, some things never vary. I get up at 6:30 a.m. If I want to work out it has to happen immediately after school drop off. I start dinner everyday at 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays are laundry and cleaning days. I wash all our linens every other Friday. We eat out on Thursdays and Saturdays after games are over. My life is crazy, but it would be worse if I didn't have it all planned out. 4. I don't do a lot of things I want to do. I don't go out with friends very often. I don't watch TV unless I have laundry to fold (SYTYCD is on Tuesdays). I've only had one pedicure this year and I only went because it was for my sister's wedding. I only read when I'm on the elliptical or feeding my baby. These are the sacrifices I was talking about above. And they're totally worth it.
I treat writing like a real job and I always have. It's never been something I do for fun -- the fun is an awesome side-effect!
Tips that I've learned from other authors:
Write at the gym. Sara B. Larson spends an hour working out and an hour writing, while her kids are at the child care center. Saturdays at Starbucks. Brigid Kemmerer gets to Starbucks as soon as it opens on Saturdays and stays there all day. Child Trade. I can't remember which author said it, but once a week she leaves her kids with a neighbor so she can write, and then the swap.
August 23, 2013
Small Miracles and Kind Strangers
(This post is long, but I promise it's a good one!)
My uncle, Paul Winkelman, is so very, very talented. If you've seen High School Musical or the opening ceremonies of the Utah or Greece Olympics, then you've seen some of his choreography. If you've watched Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance, then you've watched some of his pupils.
In other words, Paul is made of awesome and he helps lots of other people/projects become incredible works of art.
In September, Paul is taking a team of college-aged ballroom dancers to China to perform at an international Folk Dance festival.
When Paul called to see if I could hand deliver the team's passports to the Chinese Visa office, I of course said yes. (Maybe some of the awesome will rub off if I help? Maybe.)
Now getting Visas to anywhere, especially China, is a complicated process. You need invitation letters, gads of paperwork, duplicate pictures, itineraries...you get the idea. I should have known that there were going to be a few issues. (I mean, hello, I flew to Brazil on an expired Visa, but that's a story for another day).
Here's where the first miracle comes in: I convinced my friend Stacy to come with me on this adventure. If it would have been me and my newborn baby, what happened next would have been impossible.
The line at the Visa office wasn't awful for a government agency. We waited thirty minutes, and then it was our turn at the window. I shoved the package through the little slot, smiled at the girl, and planned to turn around and walk away.
Nothing is ever that simple.
"Go to the copy machine," the visa-processor said. "Make a copy of every passport and one invitation letter for every eight passports. Collate the paperwork, sort it into groups of eight, highlight the names each invitation letter refers to and come back to my window."
I looked at Stacy, at the pile of paperwork, at my hungry baby and said, "I'm sorry, what?"
She, quite patiently, explained the process again and added, "And be back at 12:30. We close for lunch then."
It was 12:05.
Here's the second miracle: The copy machine charged a quarter per page. There were 32 passports and 36 other pages that needed to be copied. Where in the world was I going to get $16 in cash? For some inexplicable reason, I had $8 in quarters in my purse. Eight. Dollars. (No wonder my purse weighed so much). I also had six dollars in cash. It wasn't enough, but I didn't worry. I figured I could borrow some money from Stacy.
During my frantic copying session, Stacy carried my baby a half-mile back to the car to add more change to the meter. Guess what? She used the last of her change and her credit card to make sure I didn't get a ticket.
So there I am, panicking, sweaty, and without another penny to feed the machine. The security guard, who was stationed nearby, gave me the last two dollars. Even just typing that makes me want to cry. He didn't know me, but he helped me.
And he wasn't the only one. At 12:25 a flight attendant (who was also waiting for her visa to be processed), helped me collate my huge stack of paper.
"Go get back in line. I'll finish this," she said, shooing me away. And she did.
I took the first stack of passports and waded back into the fray of wait-ers. At 12:31, I finally made it to the window.
"Can we start with these? The others are being put in order."
The passport processor took the stack and then shut the window in my face. I can't blame her. People kept getting in line behind me. She wouldn't have gotten a lunch unless she cut us off somewhere. I just happened to be the recipient of the window slam. (She totally redeemed herself later).
Stacy, my always optimistic friend, smiled and said, "Let's find some place great to have lunch!"
So we did.
At this point, you're probably thinking, "What else could go wrong?"
Well...it's visas for a trip to China. Because of the type of invitation letter, they had to register for an atypical type of visa but no one knew that until we were at the window. Instead of sending us away again, visa-processing girl helped us white out, fill-in and alter every application. How many government workers actually help you? Not many in this type of position, I'm sure.
Guys, I could have looked at the day as a disaster, but I was too amazed by all the small miracles and wonderful people. Eight dollars in quarters? Friends who are willing to calm hungry babies and pay for your parking? Security guards who spot you change? Flight attendants who help you collate paperwork?
The evening news makes it easy to forget how many good people there are in the world. But they are out there. I don't know the names of these people, but I'm so very, very grateful for their help.
These small acts of kindness will have a big effect on the thirty-two people who get to go China and the thousands of people who get to see their show!
Simple acts make great things possible.
My uncle, Paul Winkelman, is so very, very talented. If you've seen High School Musical or the opening ceremonies of the Utah or Greece Olympics, then you've seen some of his choreography. If you've watched Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance, then you've watched some of his pupils.
In other words, Paul is made of awesome and he helps lots of other people/projects become incredible works of art.
In September, Paul is taking a team of college-aged ballroom dancers to China to perform at an international Folk Dance festival.
When Paul called to see if I could hand deliver the team's passports to the Chinese Visa office, I of course said yes. (Maybe some of the awesome will rub off if I help? Maybe.)
Now getting Visas to anywhere, especially China, is a complicated process. You need invitation letters, gads of paperwork, duplicate pictures, itineraries...you get the idea. I should have known that there were going to be a few issues. (I mean, hello, I flew to Brazil on an expired Visa, but that's a story for another day).
Here's where the first miracle comes in: I convinced my friend Stacy to come with me on this adventure. If it would have been me and my newborn baby, what happened next would have been impossible.
The line at the Visa office wasn't awful for a government agency. We waited thirty minutes, and then it was our turn at the window. I shoved the package through the little slot, smiled at the girl, and planned to turn around and walk away.
Nothing is ever that simple.
"Go to the copy machine," the visa-processor said. "Make a copy of every passport and one invitation letter for every eight passports. Collate the paperwork, sort it into groups of eight, highlight the names each invitation letter refers to and come back to my window."
I looked at Stacy, at the pile of paperwork, at my hungry baby and said, "I'm sorry, what?"
She, quite patiently, explained the process again and added, "And be back at 12:30. We close for lunch then."
It was 12:05.
Here's the second miracle: The copy machine charged a quarter per page. There were 32 passports and 36 other pages that needed to be copied. Where in the world was I going to get $16 in cash? For some inexplicable reason, I had $8 in quarters in my purse. Eight. Dollars. (No wonder my purse weighed so much). I also had six dollars in cash. It wasn't enough, but I didn't worry. I figured I could borrow some money from Stacy.
During my frantic copying session, Stacy carried my baby a half-mile back to the car to add more change to the meter. Guess what? She used the last of her change and her credit card to make sure I didn't get a ticket.
So there I am, panicking, sweaty, and without another penny to feed the machine. The security guard, who was stationed nearby, gave me the last two dollars. Even just typing that makes me want to cry. He didn't know me, but he helped me.
And he wasn't the only one. At 12:25 a flight attendant (who was also waiting for her visa to be processed), helped me collate my huge stack of paper.
"Go get back in line. I'll finish this," she said, shooing me away. And she did.
I took the first stack of passports and waded back into the fray of wait-ers. At 12:31, I finally made it to the window.
"Can we start with these? The others are being put in order."
The passport processor took the stack and then shut the window in my face. I can't blame her. People kept getting in line behind me. She wouldn't have gotten a lunch unless she cut us off somewhere. I just happened to be the recipient of the window slam. (She totally redeemed herself later).
Stacy, my always optimistic friend, smiled and said, "Let's find some place great to have lunch!"
So we did.
At this point, you're probably thinking, "What else could go wrong?"
Well...it's visas for a trip to China. Because of the type of invitation letter, they had to register for an atypical type of visa but no one knew that until we were at the window. Instead of sending us away again, visa-processing girl helped us white out, fill-in and alter every application. How many government workers actually help you? Not many in this type of position, I'm sure.
Guys, I could have looked at the day as a disaster, but I was too amazed by all the small miracles and wonderful people. Eight dollars in quarters? Friends who are willing to calm hungry babies and pay for your parking? Security guards who spot you change? Flight attendants who help you collate paperwork?
The evening news makes it easy to forget how many good people there are in the world. But they are out there. I don't know the names of these people, but I'm so very, very grateful for their help.
These small acts of kindness will have a big effect on the thirty-two people who get to go China and the thousands of people who get to see their show!
Simple acts make great things possible.
July 27, 2013
Deadlines Don't Really Matter
At least not where babies are concerned. My new little munchkin arrived on July 25, four days before she was scheduled. But who complains when things are delivered before deadline?
In other news, I'm taking a few weeks off from blogging. I've got a new project that's keeping me busy!
July 22, 2013
THE ACTUAL AND TRUTHFUL ADVENTURES OF BECKY THATCHER Has a Cover!!
You've read about my wonderful critique partner, Jessica Lawson, and how she's saved my manuscripts a time or seven. And today, she's revealing the cover to her fantastic Middle Grade novel, THE ACTUAL AND TRUTHFUL ADVENTURES OF BECKY THATCHER, on the WriteOnCon Blog.
I love this book, guys! The main character is spunky and kindhearted and a world-class troublemaker. I'm so thrilled you will get to read about the real Becky Thatcher soon!
So head on over to WriteOnCon and learn more about it there. You can find more out about Jess, agent information, and writing in general on her very helpful blog Falling Leaflets or follow her on twitter @JS_Lawson. Trust me. You want to. She's pretty freaking awesome.
July 20, 2013
Write What You Love?!? Huh?
We hear that sentence all the time in the publishing world.
What does that even mean? Does it mean write in the genre you love best? Does it mean to write about the things you love to do? I love to bake...should I somehow mix that into my stories?
It's one of those sentences that fall into the category of "write what you know." Yes, because I totally know magic and princesses and giant, man-eating animals.
Ummm...not so much and yet the story that finally got me a book deal is about all of those things (the man-eating animals are only a very, very small portion).
This subject has been on my mind a LOT. I've been restricted to bed rest for the past three weeks. No worries, people! Baby and I are fine. I just have stupid lightheaded spells and am forced to stay down so I don't fall down. It's no biggie.
Writing a book with dozens of characters and three major plot lines is tricky for a dizzy girl. I was having a really hard time ordering my thoughts to keep all that stuff straight.
And then BAM! I have a sparkly new idea for a much simpler story that involves things I love and things I know about!
It's fun and a light and very, very different from anything I've written before. And I can keep the characters straight even when I'm feeling dizzy. I wrote 6K in two days, which is miraculous when I'm feeling good. Are they good words? That's debatable.
There is a point to this blog post, in case you were starting to wonder.
Sparkly new story is easy. Big fantastical project is hard. Should you write stories that you love? YES. Should you write stories that challenge you? SO MUCH YES.
Writing isn't always fun, guys. You can't always write the stuff you love or the stuff you know. But sometimes, it's nice to take that advice (whatever it means) and play with new stories. It may remind you why you started writing in the first place.
What does that even mean? Does it mean write in the genre you love best? Does it mean to write about the things you love to do? I love to bake...should I somehow mix that into my stories?
It's one of those sentences that fall into the category of "write what you know." Yes, because I totally know magic and princesses and giant, man-eating animals.
Ummm...not so much and yet the story that finally got me a book deal is about all of those things (the man-eating animals are only a very, very small portion).
This subject has been on my mind a LOT. I've been restricted to bed rest for the past three weeks. No worries, people! Baby and I are fine. I just have stupid lightheaded spells and am forced to stay down so I don't fall down. It's no biggie.
Writing a book with dozens of characters and three major plot lines is tricky for a dizzy girl. I was having a really hard time ordering my thoughts to keep all that stuff straight.
And then BAM! I have a sparkly new idea for a much simpler story that involves things I love and things I know about!
It's fun and a light and very, very different from anything I've written before. And I can keep the characters straight even when I'm feeling dizzy. I wrote 6K in two days, which is miraculous when I'm feeling good. Are they good words? That's debatable.
There is a point to this blog post, in case you were starting to wonder.
Sparkly new story is easy. Big fantastical project is hard. Should you write stories that you love? YES. Should you write stories that challenge you? SO MUCH YES.
Writing isn't always fun, guys. You can't always write the stuff you love or the stuff you know. But sometimes, it's nice to take that advice (whatever it means) and play with new stories. It may remind you why you started writing in the first place.
July 9, 2013
Book Review: THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US
Don't be so shocked. Two book reviews in a week is sort of a record for me too. It means that I've had a lot of time on my hands and that I've read two great books! Those are things we should cheer for!
You may remember that I reviewed Kasie (pronounced KAY-see, for those of you who wondered) West's debut PIVOT POINT a few months ago and loved that it was a paranormal that read like a fantastic contemporary. So it's no surprise that THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US was a fantastic contemporary.
Here's why:
Lots of YA characters are sarcastic, but MC Caymen Meyers manages to have dry wit without being bitter. Sometimes teen angst gets to me, guys. Yes, most teenagers are the (self-appointed) centers of their personal universes. Everyone and their dog is out to destroy said teenagers' lives. Caymen has plenty of reasons to be bitter, to lash out at her mother, to hate being poor, and spending all of her spare time at their (slightly creepy) family-owned doll store. Does Caymen make jokes about her life? Of course. Does she accept it and do the best she can to enjoy the good points? Yep. I love that Caymen faces her reality with a sense of humor, but without spending every moment counting her woes. There are times when she's a bit selfish, a typical teenager, but they are tempered by her love for mother and her acceptance of who she is. *claps* Nicely done, Kasie.
Parents exist and are flawed people. Parents want what they think is best for their children. Now what they think is best may be a far distance from a) what their child wants and b) what may actually be the best. I love that the parents are loving, imperfect individuals and that they figure both into the plot and into the character development.
The story is sexy without the sex. I really loved and appreciated the slow-building relationship between Caymen and Xander. They start out as friends and become more than that. It's sweet and real, and the kind of relationship you wish every teenager could experience.
As I said in my tweet right after I finished book, the story is the Perfect Summer Read. It's flirty and fun with great characters and fantastic dialogue. If you're looking for something to read poolside or at the beach, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US is a perfect fit.
