Stacy DeKeyser's Blog: Reading, Writing, and Chocolate, page 7
October 25, 2012
The wonderful Books of Wonder
Two of my favorite things:
1. Books
2. New York City
It's only natural, then, that I really love Books of Wonder, the amazing little children's bookstore tucked into a side street near the Flatiron Building.
It's one of those places that make New York City a magical place. It's stacked floor to ceiling with books, and original book art, and an awesome collection of rare books. On any given week, you can stop in and meet real authors, and hear their stories, and have a book signed.
When I imagine heaven, I imagine that it's a lot like this bookstore. There's no place like it.
The down side of being one-of-a-kind, though, is that you're on your own in lots of ways. You don't have corporate muscle or bankroll behind you. Without customers and community, such special places can't exist.
So if you're ever in New York, and if you love books, visit Books of Wonder and buy a book or two.
AND, if you're there on Saturday, November 3, I'll be there too, celebrating great middle grade reads with these other awesome authors:
TOMMY GREENWALD- Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Extra Credit
JOE McKENDRY- One Times Square CHRIS GRABENSTEIN- Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers STACY DeKEYSER- The Brixen Witch
Please stop by between 12 and 2pm to say hello and to see what the magic is all about.
And if you can't visit, but you still love books, contribute to the Books of Wonder fundraiser.
The world would be SO boring without places like Books of Wonder. Do you want to live in a boring world?
1. Books
2. New York City
It's only natural, then, that I really love Books of Wonder, the amazing little children's bookstore tucked into a side street near the Flatiron Building.
It's one of those places that make New York City a magical place. It's stacked floor to ceiling with books, and original book art, and an awesome collection of rare books. On any given week, you can stop in and meet real authors, and hear their stories, and have a book signed.
When I imagine heaven, I imagine that it's a lot like this bookstore. There's no place like it.
The down side of being one-of-a-kind, though, is that you're on your own in lots of ways. You don't have corporate muscle or bankroll behind you. Without customers and community, such special places can't exist.
So if you're ever in New York, and if you love books, visit Books of Wonder and buy a book or two.
AND, if you're there on Saturday, November 3, I'll be there too, celebrating great middle grade reads with these other awesome authors:
TOMMY GREENWALD- Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Extra Credit
JOE McKENDRY- One Times Square CHRIS GRABENSTEIN- Riley Mack and the Other Known Troublemakers STACY DeKEYSER- The Brixen Witch
Please stop by between 12 and 2pm to say hello and to see what the magic is all about.
And if you can't visit, but you still love books, contribute to the Books of Wonder fundraiser.
The world would be SO boring without places like Books of Wonder. Do you want to live in a boring world?
October 4, 2012
Wisconsin Book Festival!
I'm so excited and honored to be included in this year's Wisconsin Book Festival. It will be a great 5 days of all things bookish.
August 8, 2012
Writing exercise: The right word in the right place
So much of writing is about choosing the best word to convey exactly what you're trying to say.
As an example, let’s use the following actual true telephone conversation I just had with a customer service rep from a Large Electronics Company.
Large EC: Hello. I’m calling in response to your e-mail. You need help* with your new printer?
ME: Yes. It’s fresh out of the box, but it won’t print. It says the magenta ink cartridge is empty. The cartridge must be defective.
LARGE: Did you call Technical Support?
ME: No, I e-mailed, remember?
LARGE: But did you call? It’s best if you call.
ME: How did you get my phone number?
LARGE: From your e-mail. Have you tried removing and reinserting the magenta cartridge?
ME: Five times. No luck. I finally went out and bought a new cartridge.
LARGE: Are you still having trouble printing?
ME: No, it works fine now.
LARGE: I’m glad to hear that. Is there anything else I can help* you with?
ME: Yes. Can you reimburse me for the cartridge I bought?
LARGE: I’m sorry, I can’t reimburse you. I could have sent you a replacement if you’d called.
ME: How about you send me a replacement cartridge now?
LARGE: I can’t do that, since I’ve already recorded that the problem is resolved. Is there anything else I can help* you with?
ME: Why can’t you just reimburse me the $19.99?
LARGE: I’m not authorized to do that. The best I can do is give you a $25 coupon toward your next purchase of ink.
ME: That’s FINE, thanks.
LARGE: Would you like me to give you a coupon? (Honest to goodness, she asked me this.)
(General rummaging sounds; she finds and recites a coupon code for me.)
LARGE: Is there anything else I can help* you with?
ME: God no. Thank you for your help*.
LARGE. My pleasure. If you need further help*, please—
ME: I know. Please call Technical Support.
LARGE: Yes. Would you like that number?
*Writing exercise: In place of the word “help” please insert a more precise, accurate verb, such as confound, frustrate, aggravate, hose.
July 23, 2012
Win a signed copy of THE BRIXEN WITCH
There's a giveaway going on over at Goodreads, today until August 23.
Ten signed copies are up for grabs.
Good luck to all!
Ten signed copies are up for grabs.
Good luck to all!
July 9, 2012
New events on the calendar
Some great news to celebrate the launch of The Brixen Witch:
The book is an Editor's Pick for July on Amazon.
Signings coming up! I hope to see you there!
Saturday, August 11
Bayswater Book Company
Rt. 25B Main St.Center Harbor, NH 03226603-253-8858
Tuesday, August 21
7:00 pm
Boswell Book Company
2559 N. Downer Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53211
414-332-1181
The book is an Editor's Pick for July on Amazon.
Signings coming up! I hope to see you there!
Saturday, August 11
Bayswater Book Company
Rt. 25B Main St.Center Harbor, NH 03226603-253-8858
Tuesday, August 21
7:00 pm
Boswell Book Company
2559 N. Downer Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53211
414-332-1181
June 14, 2012
We interrupt this blog to climb Mt. Everest
So I just read how all the cool kids are climbing Mt. Everest.
See? Here they are, approximately 600 of them: (Those antlike dots? Those are people.) This is at about 25,000 feet. Twenty-five THOUSAND FEET.
This photo was taken by climber Ralf Dujmovits on May 18, as he turned back before reaching the summit. Though he's an experienced climber, Mr. Dujmovits nevertheless ignored the obvious: Everyone is doing it.
Oh sure, 4 of those tiny ant-sized people died during the expedition pictured above. But out of 600, that's not too bad, right?
Apparently, anyone can do it. So why not me? I wonder how hard it is to sign up for a Mt. Everest climb. Let's see how far I can get without having to fork out any $$.
A few vital stats before I delve into the process:
Age: 53 (That's right. What of it??)
Height: 5 foot 6
Weight: 130 lbs
General health: Great
Cardio health: Average-to-sedentary
Mental health: TBD
Weight-lifting ability: I'm guessing a 30-lb backpack would do me in quickly. How much could a tank of oxygen weigh, anyway?
OK, off I go to research. Stay tuned.
See? Here they are, approximately 600 of them: (Those antlike dots? Those are people.) This is at about 25,000 feet. Twenty-five THOUSAND FEET.
This photo was taken by climber Ralf Dujmovits on May 18, as he turned back before reaching the summit. Though he's an experienced climber, Mr. Dujmovits nevertheless ignored the obvious: Everyone is doing it.
Oh sure, 4 of those tiny ant-sized people died during the expedition pictured above. But out of 600, that's not too bad, right?
Apparently, anyone can do it. So why not me? I wonder how hard it is to sign up for a Mt. Everest climb. Let's see how far I can get without having to fork out any $$.
A few vital stats before I delve into the process:
Age: 53 (That's right. What of it??)
Height: 5 foot 6
Weight: 130 lbs
General health: Great
Cardio health: Average-to-sedentary
Mental health: TBD
Weight-lifting ability: I'm guessing a 30-lb backpack would do me in quickly. How much could a tank of oxygen weigh, anyway?
OK, off I go to research. Stay tuned.
May 31, 2012
In Which I Prove that Watching Old TV Shows is Considered "Working"
I couldn't fall asleep last night, so I fired up an episode of the old Dick Van Dyke Show online.
(Not only is this show funny, it's packed full of writing lessons: Pacing, dialogue, characterization; humor. You could do lots worse than try to pick apart one of these episodes and apply it to your story's structure. And have a lot less fun.)
I chose an episode called "Just a Friendly Game of Cards." I've seen every episode of this series probably a zillion times, but I haven't seen THIS episode in a long time--not since I started writing seriously--and for the first time, my writer's brain was struck by the structure of this episode. It started with a summary of the entire plot, revealing *everything*, then played out that plot in a prolonged flashback.
It was hilarious, and it worked, but today I'm still trying to figure out WHY it worked, and WHY writer Carl Reiner decided to structure that episode the way he did.
Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?
In the meantime, I might have to hope for insomnia again tonight, to try and figure out this puzzle.
(Not only is this show funny, it's packed full of writing lessons: Pacing, dialogue, characterization; humor. You could do lots worse than try to pick apart one of these episodes and apply it to your story's structure. And have a lot less fun.)
I chose an episode called "Just a Friendly Game of Cards." I've seen every episode of this series probably a zillion times, but I haven't seen THIS episode in a long time--not since I started writing seriously--and for the first time, my writer's brain was struck by the structure of this episode. It started with a summary of the entire plot, revealing *everything*, then played out that plot in a prolonged flashback.
It was hilarious, and it worked, but today I'm still trying to figure out WHY it worked, and WHY writer Carl Reiner decided to structure that episode the way he did.
Any thoughts from the peanut gallery?
In the meantime, I might have to hope for insomnia again tonight, to try and figure out this puzzle.
April 30, 2012
Inventory! What's inside a writer's bag
If I were to clean out the bag I carry to writer's group every Tuesday, here is what I would find:
- 3 notepads
- 3 pens
- extra pair of reading glasses
- cute little case of tiny office implements (never opened)
- a list of group members' phone numbers and addresses
- a quotation from Flaubert: "It is a delicious thing to write, to be no longer yourself but to move in an entire universe of your own creating." (Thank you, Susan)
- a copy of my first-ever submitted manuscript, attached to corresponding first-ever rejection letter, circa 1997 (Thank you, Highlights for Children).
- a small stack of Brixen Witch bookmarks to share.
- mini pack of Kleenex (empty)
- Post Office receipt from last November
- receipt for Girl Scout cookies (3 boxes, yum!)
- brochure for a local book festival (last year's)
- 3 Hersheys kisses
- paper clips
- Tic Tacs
- allergy eyedrops (kitties come to the meetings!)
- rubber bands
- a group photo from last summer's annual garden luncheon :)
- half-empty water bottle of questionable age
- 9 copies of last week's WIP chapter, with comments
What's in YOUR writer's bag??
- 3 notepads
- 3 pens
- extra pair of reading glasses
- cute little case of tiny office implements (never opened)
- a list of group members' phone numbers and addresses
- a quotation from Flaubert: "It is a delicious thing to write, to be no longer yourself but to move in an entire universe of your own creating." (Thank you, Susan)
- a copy of my first-ever submitted manuscript, attached to corresponding first-ever rejection letter, circa 1997 (Thank you, Highlights for Children).
- a small stack of Brixen Witch bookmarks to share.
- mini pack of Kleenex (empty)
- Post Office receipt from last November
- receipt for Girl Scout cookies (3 boxes, yum!)
- brochure for a local book festival (last year's)
- 3 Hersheys kisses
- paper clips
- Tic Tacs
- allergy eyedrops (kitties come to the meetings!)
- rubber bands
- a group photo from last summer's annual garden luncheon :)
- half-empty water bottle of questionable age
- 9 copies of last week's WIP chapter, with comments
What's in YOUR writer's bag??
April 26, 2012
Top ten reasons why I love Missouri librarians
1. They can keep a 750-attendee conference running as smoothly as if they did it every day.
2. They treat books like treasures, and authors like rock stars, even after you show them photos of yourself as a goofy little kid with a book in your lap.
3. Their passion for sinfully rich chocolate cake.
4. They can keep a tech-challenged author from fluttering around like a nervous idiot when she doesn't know how to connect her computer to the PowerPoint projector--because they know exactly how to get her connected.
5. Their cool Hunger Games necklaces.
6. Their touching stories of how their middle school students, many of them responsible for younger siblings, sympathized with Victoria in Jump the Cracks because of their common bond as caretakers for little kids.
7. They know how to dress for a party.
8. Their beautiful paper flowers made from "shredded books" (but not real books!)
9. They introduce you to other authors who you've admired from afar (hiya Kirby Larson and Lisa McMann!), and who also turn out to be lovely, fun people.
10. They value kids, and prove it, by giving them places of honor at a fancy banquet.
Thank you to MASL, the Missouri Association of School Librarians, for inviting me to your 2012 spring conference! I'll never forget it!
April 4, 2012
Something to think about
Here's a bit of writing advice that strikes a cord with me. How about you?
If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it—bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn't belong there.
-- John Steinbeck
If a scene or a section gets the better of you and you still think you want it—bypass it and go on. When you have finished the whole you can come back to it and then you may find that the reason it gave trouble is because it didn't belong there.
-- John Steinbeck
