Megan Morrison's Blog, page 6
December 16, 2014
BOOK COVER!
I'm over the moon about this! I can't believe that the first book in the Tyme series looks this fantastic. I can't believe that the fantasy world Ruth and I have been building for so long is going to be public so soon. Just a little over four months until it's in readers' hands, where it belongs. My heart is glowing. I'm ecstatic. Here's what I just posted over on EMU's Debuts!
***
I. Love. This. Cover.
Technically, this isn't a "reveal." I've already posted this sucker all over the place. I couldn't not. I can't stop staring at it. It is awesome. It is GREEN. It is VIVID. It's graphic and bold and fairy-tale gorgeous, and I am forever grateful to artist Iacopo Bruno and to the team at Arthur A. Levine Books and Scholastic for sending GROUNDED out into the world looking this spectacular.
Hilariously, some of my students have asked me if I drew this myself.
Uh, no, kids. No, I did not. But I'm glad you think I'm made of magic. Now go and do your homework, while I sit here and stare at this cover.
***
I. Love. This. Cover.
Technically, this isn't a "reveal." I've already posted this sucker all over the place. I couldn't not. I can't stop staring at it. It is awesome. It is GREEN. It is VIVID. It's graphic and bold and fairy-tale gorgeous, and I am forever grateful to artist Iacopo Bruno and to the team at Arthur A. Levine Books and Scholastic for sending GROUNDED out into the world looking this spectacular.
Hilariously, some of my students have asked me if I drew this myself.
Uh, no, kids. No, I did not. But I'm glad you think I'm made of magic. Now go and do your homework, while I sit here and stare at this cover.
December 7, 2014
The Despair-Free Guide to Planning Your Book Launch
I'm going to go ahead and cross-post my EMU's Debuts post here this week!
The Despair-Free Guide to Planning Your Book LaunchOriginally posted on EMU's Debuts
So you’ve written a book, and the launch of your darling debut approacheth with increasing speed. Congratulations! And welcome to hell.
If you’re like me, you innocently went searching for helpful self-marketing checklists and guides that might assist you in preparing for the big day. And then you skimmed through those checklists and choked. I’m supposed to do what now? In how long? With whose cash and time and energy? After that, you sent off a panicky, tearful e-mail to your friend and fellow author Laurie Thompson, who herself recently launched her own spectacular debut, and who promptly met you at Panera for a three-hour, no-frills, no-lies marketing session.
I’m going to pass along the fruits of our conversation, because in three hours, Laurie turned me from a hyperventilating asylum candidate into a serene debut author with a reasonable to-do list. And maybe you, like me, are mortal and get tired. Maybe you have another career. Maybe you have kids. Maybe marketing your book cannot be your full-time, or even your part-time job. And maybe the idea of going into the world and promoting yourself makes you want to die a little. So maybe you need a little soothing, a la Laurie. Here it is.
Prepare - But Don’t Despair.
You don’t have to do everything.
You don’t even have to sell your book. To anyone. As an author, your job is to write a book. Once the book is released, your job is to write another one. Your secondary job is to raise visibility, which means letting people know your book exists. You’re probably already doing that in lots and lots of ways.
When you see a list of things you could be doing, think of them as exactly that. Things you could be doing. Not things you should be doing. Pick out the ones that make sense to you and that you feel capable of tackling. Do those.
Laurie and I went through her super-maxi-extreme-ultra checklist of doom, and together we identified some things that I want to keep on my personal, sane-person list, such as:Create the story around your book - your one-or-two-sentence Why - and be ready to share it. This isn’t an elevator pitch; it’s an answer to the question “Why did you write this?” or “What was your inspiration for this book?” or “What does this book mean to you?” It’s the story behind your story, and it will provide your publisher’s publicity department, as well as librarians, teachers, and booksellers, with a handy hook for generating interest in your book.Make postcards and bookmarks, because they’re useful for all sorts of things. Send them to stores and libraries, or drop some off at local places. (Honestly, the mailing-list thing? I dread it. Researching to build the lists and finding the time to write hundreds of notes and print labels and apply postage... That’s all extremely daunting to me, so it’s one of those things that I’m going to do as I can, when I can. A few notes a week. I’ll target the stores I care about, and the libraries within driving distance that I might actually be able to visit.) Remember, once your book is out, it’ll be out for a while. Not everyone has to buy it on the actual launch date.Make some fun swag for giveaways and launch events, if you’re doing those things. People like free stuff. Keep it cheap and thematic. Tap into your circle of talented friends and family. My brother knows how to make chainmail, so he’s creating some really neat giveaway bookmarks for me. People also like food, so cupcakes will make them happy, but swag is nice because it might rattle around in a purse or a coat pocket for a while and remind people of you.Do you have an online presence? Good for you. Social media can be overwhelming, but again, you don’t have to do everything. Pick one or two things and manage them as you will. Maybe a blog and a Twitter feed. Maybe a Facebook page and your web site. Maybe just one of those things. Update at your own speed. Yes, it’s fun to be able to find authors online and see cool new fresh content on their super nifty pages, but you know what? An author’s lack of (or lackluster) media presence has never yet stopped me from buying a book I’ve heard great things about.Shake your trees. Even if they are small trees and seem insignificant and not terribly fruity, go ahead and give them a shake. Your experiences and connections matter. Make a list of anyone in your life, past or present, who might support you (e.g. send a postcard to the current librarian of your old elementary school and tell them Hi, I used to go there, and I would be so thrilled to think of my book sitting on the very same shelves where I used to hide from all the other kids and cry my way through recess… Or maybe don’t do that, because that’s oversharing).Make a little press kit that’s easy to give people. Quick and dirty. Your bio, your book synopsis, your contact info (and your agent’s). Get fancy with it, if you want. Or don’t.Do the things you’re good at, in which you can take pleasure, and in which your genuine joy and excitement about your book will shine through. People don’t like pushy, saccharine nonsense; but they will like you. So do what’s authentic for you. I personally love using iMovie, so I had fun making my book trailer. And I love my students, so my “launch party” will actually be a library event, held within walking distance of my school, so that all my kids (who are middle-schoolers and can’t drive) can be there.And then, once you’ve figured out the few things that matter most to you, let the rest of it go.
Now, it’s true that most publishers do expect varying amounts of self-promotion from their authors, so certain responsibilities may be handed to you, and as a professional, you’ll have to sort that out. Stuff will come up that you need to do. Stuff will fall into your lap that you ought to try to say yes to, for the sake of visibility. And some stuff - maybe even some really neat-o stuff - will come your way, if your book gets a lick of positive attention from the right source, so have your ducks in a row. All I’m saying is that if you don’t suddenly transform into a highly experienced publicist and throw over the rest of your life in order to haunt Twitter for the next six months, that’s okay.
Because you know what? The bottom line here - and it’s not exactly cheerful, but I think it’s freeing - is this: No matter how hard you throw yourself at self-marketing and promotion, it’s very hard to tell which of the checklist items will actually translate into sales. Even if you do ALL THE THINGS, you should prepare yourself for the fact that, after your launch, there may be very little fanfare. Just do what feels right. Do what you can. And make sure to enjoy it, because this is your baby, and you earned this joy. Don’t let some well-meant but soul-sucking checklist take this moment away from you.
Finally, remember that while the launch date feels enormous, it’s actually only a big deal to you and your loved ones. It’s a big splash followed by a long, leisurely, less attention-getting swim. Books take a long time to grow into their full, true readership, and that part can’t be forced (if it could, then every giant advance that a publisher gambles on would turn out to be a bestseller success). Your authentic audience will build organically over a long period of time as readers pass your book from hand to hand and give it the ultimate praise: “You have to read this.”
And then maybe, just maybe, they’ll search for you on Twitter. And maybe, if you feel like it, you’ll be there waiting.
This post was made possible by the gifted and generous Laurie Thompson.
The Despair-Free Guide to Planning Your Book LaunchOriginally posted on EMU's Debuts
So you’ve written a book, and the launch of your darling debut approacheth with increasing speed. Congratulations! And welcome to hell.
If you’re like me, you innocently went searching for helpful self-marketing checklists and guides that might assist you in preparing for the big day. And then you skimmed through those checklists and choked. I’m supposed to do what now? In how long? With whose cash and time and energy? After that, you sent off a panicky, tearful e-mail to your friend and fellow author Laurie Thompson, who herself recently launched her own spectacular debut, and who promptly met you at Panera for a three-hour, no-frills, no-lies marketing session.
I’m going to pass along the fruits of our conversation, because in three hours, Laurie turned me from a hyperventilating asylum candidate into a serene debut author with a reasonable to-do list. And maybe you, like me, are mortal and get tired. Maybe you have another career. Maybe you have kids. Maybe marketing your book cannot be your full-time, or even your part-time job. And maybe the idea of going into the world and promoting yourself makes you want to die a little. So maybe you need a little soothing, a la Laurie. Here it is.
Prepare - But Don’t Despair.
You don’t have to do everything.
You don’t even have to sell your book. To anyone. As an author, your job is to write a book. Once the book is released, your job is to write another one. Your secondary job is to raise visibility, which means letting people know your book exists. You’re probably already doing that in lots and lots of ways.
When you see a list of things you could be doing, think of them as exactly that. Things you could be doing. Not things you should be doing. Pick out the ones that make sense to you and that you feel capable of tackling. Do those.
Laurie and I went through her super-maxi-extreme-ultra checklist of doom, and together we identified some things that I want to keep on my personal, sane-person list, such as:Create the story around your book - your one-or-two-sentence Why - and be ready to share it. This isn’t an elevator pitch; it’s an answer to the question “Why did you write this?” or “What was your inspiration for this book?” or “What does this book mean to you?” It’s the story behind your story, and it will provide your publisher’s publicity department, as well as librarians, teachers, and booksellers, with a handy hook for generating interest in your book.Make postcards and bookmarks, because they’re useful for all sorts of things. Send them to stores and libraries, or drop some off at local places. (Honestly, the mailing-list thing? I dread it. Researching to build the lists and finding the time to write hundreds of notes and print labels and apply postage... That’s all extremely daunting to me, so it’s one of those things that I’m going to do as I can, when I can. A few notes a week. I’ll target the stores I care about, and the libraries within driving distance that I might actually be able to visit.) Remember, once your book is out, it’ll be out for a while. Not everyone has to buy it on the actual launch date.Make some fun swag for giveaways and launch events, if you’re doing those things. People like free stuff. Keep it cheap and thematic. Tap into your circle of talented friends and family. My brother knows how to make chainmail, so he’s creating some really neat giveaway bookmarks for me. People also like food, so cupcakes will make them happy, but swag is nice because it might rattle around in a purse or a coat pocket for a while and remind people of you.Do you have an online presence? Good for you. Social media can be overwhelming, but again, you don’t have to do everything. Pick one or two things and manage them as you will. Maybe a blog and a Twitter feed. Maybe a Facebook page and your web site. Maybe just one of those things. Update at your own speed. Yes, it’s fun to be able to find authors online and see cool new fresh content on their super nifty pages, but you know what? An author’s lack of (or lackluster) media presence has never yet stopped me from buying a book I’ve heard great things about.Shake your trees. Even if they are small trees and seem insignificant and not terribly fruity, go ahead and give them a shake. Your experiences and connections matter. Make a list of anyone in your life, past or present, who might support you (e.g. send a postcard to the current librarian of your old elementary school and tell them Hi, I used to go there, and I would be so thrilled to think of my book sitting on the very same shelves where I used to hide from all the other kids and cry my way through recess… Or maybe don’t do that, because that’s oversharing).Make a little press kit that’s easy to give people. Quick and dirty. Your bio, your book synopsis, your contact info (and your agent’s). Get fancy with it, if you want. Or don’t.Do the things you’re good at, in which you can take pleasure, and in which your genuine joy and excitement about your book will shine through. People don’t like pushy, saccharine nonsense; but they will like you. So do what’s authentic for you. I personally love using iMovie, so I had fun making my book trailer. And I love my students, so my “launch party” will actually be a library event, held within walking distance of my school, so that all my kids (who are middle-schoolers and can’t drive) can be there.And then, once you’ve figured out the few things that matter most to you, let the rest of it go.
Now, it’s true that most publishers do expect varying amounts of self-promotion from their authors, so certain responsibilities may be handed to you, and as a professional, you’ll have to sort that out. Stuff will come up that you need to do. Stuff will fall into your lap that you ought to try to say yes to, for the sake of visibility. And some stuff - maybe even some really neat-o stuff - will come your way, if your book gets a lick of positive attention from the right source, so have your ducks in a row. All I’m saying is that if you don’t suddenly transform into a highly experienced publicist and throw over the rest of your life in order to haunt Twitter for the next six months, that’s okay.
Because you know what? The bottom line here - and it’s not exactly cheerful, but I think it’s freeing - is this: No matter how hard you throw yourself at self-marketing and promotion, it’s very hard to tell which of the checklist items will actually translate into sales. Even if you do ALL THE THINGS, you should prepare yourself for the fact that, after your launch, there may be very little fanfare. Just do what feels right. Do what you can. And make sure to enjoy it, because this is your baby, and you earned this joy. Don’t let some well-meant but soul-sucking checklist take this moment away from you.
Finally, remember that while the launch date feels enormous, it’s actually only a big deal to you and your loved ones. It’s a big splash followed by a long, leisurely, less attention-getting swim. Books take a long time to grow into their full, true readership, and that part can’t be forced (if it could, then every giant advance that a publisher gambles on would turn out to be a bestseller success). Your authentic audience will build organically over a long period of time as readers pass your book from hand to hand and give it the ultimate praise: “You have to read this.”
And then maybe, just maybe, they’ll search for you on Twitter. And maybe, if you feel like it, you’ll be there waiting.
This post was made possible by the gifted and generous Laurie Thompson.
November 28, 2014
GALLEYS!
I've always loved Christmas. As a kid, of course, I was all wound up about it. I remember that one time, to keep myself awake waiting for Santa, I finger-spelled every song in The Sound of Music. Alas, I eventually grew up, and though like C.S. Lewis I have no fear of childishness, I can't make myself a child again. The night-before-Christmas anticipation that I used to experience has long since faded. Now I just enjoy the general merriment and sing-songery that lasts from Thanksgiving to New Year's.
So last night, when proper Christmas-Eve jitters seized me for the first time in decades, I barely knew what to do with myself.
"My galleys are coming," I told my husband. "Tomorrow. They're coming tomorrow. The UPS update says that they're coming between 9 and 11:30."
I had a hard time getting to sleep, and this morning, I woke up at 5. Like a kid on Christmas morning. Only Santa doesn't have a sleigh, kids, he has a fleet of brown planes and trucks, and according to Santa's super fancy web site, as of 5:51am, my present is already scanned and out for delivery.
It's 6:39am as I write this.
WOE BETIDE the UPS truck if it gets here after 11:30.
I am going for a walk.
I went for a walk with my family. It was rainy. We came home. My son and I have built every Lego. Every train track. I've worked out some anticipation on the treadmill. It is 9:12. YOU HAVE TWO HOURS AND 18 MINUTES, TRUCK.
I know I sound crazy. But after ten years of work, and whole lot of patience, to know that there is now a very short and finite period of time before I'm holding, not quite my book, but a pretty close approximation in my own hands?
I SOUND CRAZY BECAUSE I FEEL CRAZY.
9:44am: HAPPINESS:
I love the team at Scholastic. They are amazing.
Cheryl Klein, Sharismar Rodriguez, Elizabeth Starr Baer, Elizabeth B. Parisi, and Shannon Rice are amazing. Iacopo Bruno - also amazing. I know I am leaving out a lot of people whom I have not met or heard of yet and who had a hand in this, and they are all AMAZING.
All I can do right now is look at this beautiful book, and page through it, and realize that it's real. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. YOU ARE AWESOME.
*KISSES THE WORLD*
So last night, when proper Christmas-Eve jitters seized me for the first time in decades, I barely knew what to do with myself.
"My galleys are coming," I told my husband. "Tomorrow. They're coming tomorrow. The UPS update says that they're coming between 9 and 11:30."
I had a hard time getting to sleep, and this morning, I woke up at 5. Like a kid on Christmas morning. Only Santa doesn't have a sleigh, kids, he has a fleet of brown planes and trucks, and according to Santa's super fancy web site, as of 5:51am, my present is already scanned and out for delivery.
It's 6:39am as I write this.
WOE BETIDE the UPS truck if it gets here after 11:30.
I am going for a walk.
I went for a walk with my family. It was rainy. We came home. My son and I have built every Lego. Every train track. I've worked out some anticipation on the treadmill. It is 9:12. YOU HAVE TWO HOURS AND 18 MINUTES, TRUCK.
I know I sound crazy. But after ten years of work, and whole lot of patience, to know that there is now a very short and finite period of time before I'm holding, not quite my book, but a pretty close approximation in my own hands?
I SOUND CRAZY BECAUSE I FEEL CRAZY.
9:44am: HAPPINESS:
I love the team at Scholastic. They are amazing.
Cheryl Klein, Sharismar Rodriguez, Elizabeth Starr Baer, Elizabeth B. Parisi, and Shannon Rice are amazing. Iacopo Bruno - also amazing. I know I am leaving out a lot of people whom I have not met or heard of yet and who had a hand in this, and they are all AMAZING.
All I can do right now is look at this beautiful book, and page through it, and realize that it's real. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. YOU ARE AWESOME.
*KISSES THE WORLD*
November 27, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving
It's very easy to get caught up in the idea that there's not enough time and I'm not doing enough. I let myself get derailed by that idea almost every day. Either I'm coming up short as a mom, a wife, a teacher, or a writer - whatever the category, there's always room for panic. Just yesterday, I was trying to organize some book marketing stuff and was sucked into a black hole of terror and self criticism.
But at the start of this school year, I made myself a promise. I'm going to be grateful for the awesome year ahead of me, no matter what. That doesn't mean I'll never worry, but it does mean that when I start to spiral, I have to notice how awesome my worries are and how lucky I am to have them. I have to slow down, breathe, and be grateful.
Thanksgiving seems like a really good day to do that.
I'm so thankful that my four-year-old is healthy and happy. He loves to build, and sing, and read, and make puzzles, and kiss, and hug, and show us what he's doing. He knows all the words to Good King Wenceslas, and when he sings "Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither!" it never fails to slay me.
I'm thankful that my husband constantly fights the good fight against entropy, carving a tunnel through the housework and sundry adult responsibilities so that I can write. I'm thankful that whenever I start to doubt my powers, he's there like a good second, handing me sharp swords so I can duel the inner critic.
I'm thankful for students who trust me with their ideas and experiences. I'm thankful for the former student who come back to see me the other day to return a book he borrowed last year, and who tucked a heartfelt, tear-jerker of a thank-you note into that book.
I'm thankful that the galleys for GROUNDED look gorgeous, and that I'll receive them in the mail tomorrow - I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't WAIT to hold them. I'll probably kiss them. I'm thankful for author friends who are there to reach out and steady me when I feel like there's no way I can possibly organize my life.
Finally, I'm thankful that today is a big family day and that I get to spend it with my kiddo and husband, my mom and dad, and my siblings and their spouses (and my sister's brand new, beautiful baby girl!).
In fact, it's time to go and peel some apples and sweet potatoes, and to be grateful for the fact that when I want apples and sweet potatoes, I can go to the store and get them.
Oh, who am I kidding? My husband went to the store.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
But at the start of this school year, I made myself a promise. I'm going to be grateful for the awesome year ahead of me, no matter what. That doesn't mean I'll never worry, but it does mean that when I start to spiral, I have to notice how awesome my worries are and how lucky I am to have them. I have to slow down, breathe, and be grateful.
Thanksgiving seems like a really good day to do that.
I'm so thankful that my four-year-old is healthy and happy. He loves to build, and sing, and read, and make puzzles, and kiss, and hug, and show us what he's doing. He knows all the words to Good King Wenceslas, and when he sings "Bring me flesh and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither!" it never fails to slay me.
I'm thankful that my husband constantly fights the good fight against entropy, carving a tunnel through the housework and sundry adult responsibilities so that I can write. I'm thankful that whenever I start to doubt my powers, he's there like a good second, handing me sharp swords so I can duel the inner critic.
I'm thankful for students who trust me with their ideas and experiences. I'm thankful for the former student who come back to see me the other day to return a book he borrowed last year, and who tucked a heartfelt, tear-jerker of a thank-you note into that book.
I'm thankful that the galleys for GROUNDED look gorgeous, and that I'll receive them in the mail tomorrow - I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't WAIT to hold them. I'll probably kiss them. I'm thankful for author friends who are there to reach out and steady me when I feel like there's no way I can possibly organize my life.
Finally, I'm thankful that today is a big family day and that I get to spend it with my kiddo and husband, my mom and dad, and my siblings and their spouses (and my sister's brand new, beautiful baby girl!).
In fact, it's time to go and peel some apples and sweet potatoes, and to be grateful for the fact that when I want apples and sweet potatoes, I can go to the store and get them.
Oh, who am I kidding? My husband went to the store.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
November 15, 2014
It's All Happening
I got on a magical ride back in 2003 with my friend and the co-creator of Tyme, Ruth Virkus. The ride was called Let's Write A Fairy-Tale Series.
The first nine years of the ride were slow. Sometimes surprising. Often delightful. Usually difficult. But always
s
l
o
w.
In 2012, the ride got faster. Acquisitions. Revisions. Line edits. Copy edits. First pass pages.
And then the little car rounded a bend and started to climb a steep, clickety track. I'm sitting in it now, pitched back, staring up, listening to the click click click click click
click
GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL moved up from being a Summer 2015 title to being a Spring 2015 title. What I thought would be a July (or something) release date is now April 28. APRIL 28.
click
My editor, the indefatigable Cheryl Klein, sent me the beautiful jacket copy that she wrote for the book (the text that will appear on the cover, the inside flaps, and the back of the book jacket). Suddenly I was able to see lots of small pieces all together in one place: her words, other authors' encouraging blurbs, the ISBN, my bio, and little shocking realities like $17.99 US / $20.99 CAN, reminding me that oh, yes, this has all been fun and games, hasn't it, but the idea here is that now this book needs to sell.
click
Also listed on the jacket copy is the name of the artist who is illustrating the cover of GROUNDED: Iacopo Bruno. The cover is not final yet, but as soon as I saw Iacopo Bruno's name, any lingering cover-anxiety I might have had vanished forever. Because, in case you're not familiar with this man's work, his jackets are total show-stoppers.
click
My friend Melissa Anelli sent me a Google Hangout chat with a link in it. Unsuspecting, I followed the link. Oh God. GROUNDED is on Amazon. I called my mother. She preordered a copy. Sale #1.
click
The Scholastic Spring 2015 Online Preview went live yesterday. In Middle Grade, at 11:59, Cheryl speaks about GROUNDED with the love and confidence that she has shown throughout this entire process. Even since way back in 2004, when she gave my very early first draft some tough love and told me she wanted to see it when it was rewritten. (Also, in this preview, you can catch a very quick glimpse of the not-yet-final book cover. It's sensational.)
click
I don't know. I can never predict what the next surprise will be. But for the next five months, I know the surprises will just keep coming, making everything realer and realer, closer and closer, and then - and THEN -
click.
The first nine years of the ride were slow. Sometimes surprising. Often delightful. Usually difficult. But always
s
l
o
w.
In 2012, the ride got faster. Acquisitions. Revisions. Line edits. Copy edits. First pass pages.
And then the little car rounded a bend and started to climb a steep, clickety track. I'm sitting in it now, pitched back, staring up, listening to the click click click click click
click
GROUNDED: THE ADVENTURES OF RAPUNZEL moved up from being a Summer 2015 title to being a Spring 2015 title. What I thought would be a July (or something) release date is now April 28. APRIL 28.
click
My editor, the indefatigable Cheryl Klein, sent me the beautiful jacket copy that she wrote for the book (the text that will appear on the cover, the inside flaps, and the back of the book jacket). Suddenly I was able to see lots of small pieces all together in one place: her words, other authors' encouraging blurbs, the ISBN, my bio, and little shocking realities like $17.99 US / $20.99 CAN, reminding me that oh, yes, this has all been fun and games, hasn't it, but the idea here is that now this book needs to sell.
click
Also listed on the jacket copy is the name of the artist who is illustrating the cover of GROUNDED: Iacopo Bruno. The cover is not final yet, but as soon as I saw Iacopo Bruno's name, any lingering cover-anxiety I might have had vanished forever. Because, in case you're not familiar with this man's work, his jackets are total show-stoppers.
click
My friend Melissa Anelli sent me a Google Hangout chat with a link in it. Unsuspecting, I followed the link. Oh God. GROUNDED is on Amazon. I called my mother. She preordered a copy. Sale #1.
click
The Scholastic Spring 2015 Online Preview went live yesterday. In Middle Grade, at 11:59, Cheryl speaks about GROUNDED with the love and confidence that she has shown throughout this entire process. Even since way back in 2004, when she gave my very early first draft some tough love and told me she wanted to see it when it was rewritten. (Also, in this preview, you can catch a very quick glimpse of the not-yet-final book cover. It's sensational.)
click
I don't know. I can never predict what the next surprise will be. But for the next five months, I know the surprises will just keep coming, making everything realer and realer, closer and closer, and then - and THEN -
click.
November 2, 2014
Really. Everything.
"Many writers have to teach in order to put bread on the table. But I have no doubt teaching sucks away the creative juices and slows production. 'Doomed proposition' is too strong, but it's hard, Jessica. Even when you have the time, it's hard to find the old N-R-G."
-Stephen King, interview in The Atlantic
One of the many things I admire about Stephen King is that he remembers what his life was like before he was successful, and he doesn't sugar coat it.
Making time for writing is hard. It is so hard. It is hardest when the weekend comes, and the teaching is "done" for two days, so it feels like life should open up a bit and give me room for writing, but it doesn't. There is still so much, so much, so bloody awful much to do that by the time the doing is all done and the boy is asleep and the laptop is finally open, the old N-R-G is gone.
When I got my book contract, I was so happy - and I still am. Ecstatic. But I also sat down and looked hard at the pressing deadlines, and what they would mean when balanced against my teaching job and my son and the sundry daily responsibilities of being alive, and I wondered How on earth? My husband said, "I'll do everything. Don't worry. I'll make sure that you can write." And I admit that I thought, Really? Everything?
Here are the things my husband did this weekend.
Grocery shoppingTook out the trash, recycling, and compostChanged the cat litterSwept the floorsFixed the broken bed frameWent to the hardware store for more planks to support the box springPut away every puzzle and toy in the house about five timesCleaned the dishesCleaned the kitchenDid the laundryBathed the boy
And here are the things I did this weekend:Revised 60 pages
I'd be dead in the water without him. It really would be a doomed proposition. But I'm lucky enough to have someone by my side who thinks that what I'm doing matters, and who is willing to do everything else so that I can have this chance.
Thank you, honey. I love you.
-Stephen King, interview in The Atlantic
One of the many things I admire about Stephen King is that he remembers what his life was like before he was successful, and he doesn't sugar coat it.
Making time for writing is hard. It is so hard. It is hardest when the weekend comes, and the teaching is "done" for two days, so it feels like life should open up a bit and give me room for writing, but it doesn't. There is still so much, so much, so bloody awful much to do that by the time the doing is all done and the boy is asleep and the laptop is finally open, the old N-R-G is gone.
When I got my book contract, I was so happy - and I still am. Ecstatic. But I also sat down and looked hard at the pressing deadlines, and what they would mean when balanced against my teaching job and my son and the sundry daily responsibilities of being alive, and I wondered How on earth? My husband said, "I'll do everything. Don't worry. I'll make sure that you can write." And I admit that I thought, Really? Everything?
Here are the things my husband did this weekend.
Grocery shoppingTook out the trash, recycling, and compostChanged the cat litterSwept the floorsFixed the broken bed frameWent to the hardware store for more planks to support the box springPut away every puzzle and toy in the house about five timesCleaned the dishesCleaned the kitchenDid the laundryBathed the boy
And here are the things I did this weekend:Revised 60 pages
I'd be dead in the water without him. It really would be a doomed proposition. But I'm lucky enough to have someone by my side who thinks that what I'm doing matters, and who is willing to do everything else so that I can have this chance.
Thank you, honey. I love you.
October 28, 2014
Calling All Hours
If there's anyone out there who feels bored and would like to give me some of their extra time, please send it post haste.
Don't you wish it worked like that?
I remember boredom. I remember being in grade school and, after several weeks of summer, feeling bored. And I'd say, "I'm bored," and my mother would say "Boredom comes from within," in this theatrically wise voice, like she was dispensing prophecies in a carnival tent.
Man, I have a great mom. She was right about all the things.
Here's the statistical time breakdown for the past week. Don't worry, this is highly mathematical and accurate, in that I am making it up as I go.
TIME USAGE:
90% - Sick child
75% - Teaching, prepping for teaching, meetings for teaching, substitute teaching plans
50% - Dead car battery resulting from broken auto lock mechanism, and oh guess what a rotator belt or some other kind of special belt, who knows, you're not a mechanic so you can't fight this anyway, needs replacing. So there, budget.
40% - Dealing with the bills that are starting to roll in from the surgery, which is even more fun than you would think!
30% - Trying and totally failing to provide any meaningful support to younger sister who is about to have her first child (about 2 weeks to go!)
20% - Carving unnecessarily elaborate pumpkin, then abandoning other two pumpkins to the ants.
5% - Futile attempts to make house unfilthy
0.0000001% - Writing
The thing is, the writing's going great. I'm about 75% of the way through this revision, and I believe it's a big, strong step in the right direction. But I can't get near it at the moment - there's too much in play. Sure, you say, but you have time to write this blog post. You could be writing your book. True, I reply, but let me paint you a picture. As I write this post, sick child (whose fever just broke and so is now acting like nothing bad ever happened) is putting stickers on my feet, Cars is playing in the background, there is stale apple juice all over the left side of me, and I think the cats are doing something weird because there is a smell. In a few minutes we need to go pick up husband, who has no car because of dead battery/broken belt thing. I can write under these circumstances, but what am I really going to get? This blog post.
So it's not a writing week. Okay. Sometimes, time can't be made, or squeezed, or borrowed, or stolen. Sometimes, you just gotta let it go. Cue Frozen soundtrack.
Don't you wish it worked like that?
I remember boredom. I remember being in grade school and, after several weeks of summer, feeling bored. And I'd say, "I'm bored," and my mother would say "Boredom comes from within," in this theatrically wise voice, like she was dispensing prophecies in a carnival tent.
Man, I have a great mom. She was right about all the things.
Here's the statistical time breakdown for the past week. Don't worry, this is highly mathematical and accurate, in that I am making it up as I go.
TIME USAGE:
90% - Sick child
75% - Teaching, prepping for teaching, meetings for teaching, substitute teaching plans
50% - Dead car battery resulting from broken auto lock mechanism, and oh guess what a rotator belt or some other kind of special belt, who knows, you're not a mechanic so you can't fight this anyway, needs replacing. So there, budget.
40% - Dealing with the bills that are starting to roll in from the surgery, which is even more fun than you would think!
30% - Trying and totally failing to provide any meaningful support to younger sister who is about to have her first child (about 2 weeks to go!)
20% - Carving unnecessarily elaborate pumpkin, then abandoning other two pumpkins to the ants.
5% - Futile attempts to make house unfilthy
0.0000001% - Writing
The thing is, the writing's going great. I'm about 75% of the way through this revision, and I believe it's a big, strong step in the right direction. But I can't get near it at the moment - there's too much in play. Sure, you say, but you have time to write this blog post. You could be writing your book. True, I reply, but let me paint you a picture. As I write this post, sick child (whose fever just broke and so is now acting like nothing bad ever happened) is putting stickers on my feet, Cars is playing in the background, there is stale apple juice all over the left side of me, and I think the cats are doing something weird because there is a smell. In a few minutes we need to go pick up husband, who has no car because of dead battery/broken belt thing. I can write under these circumstances, but what am I really going to get? This blog post.
So it's not a writing week. Okay. Sometimes, time can't be made, or squeezed, or borrowed, or stolen. Sometimes, you just gotta let it go. Cue Frozen soundtrack.
October 20, 2014
Other People's (Awesome) Books
Recently, lots of my fellow debut authors at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency have released their first books, and I've had the honor of getting to participate in each of their launch weeks.
Laurie Thompson released her debut, BE A CHANGEMAKER, which is a knockout nonfiction guide for young people who want to turn their passions into crusades. If you know a young person - or any person, really - who is passionate about changing their community or their world, but who isn't quite sure how to go about it, give them this book! Here's the video post I contributed to Laurie's launch week, over on EMU's Debuts - and here's a picture of Laurie and me at the launch! You'll hear more from Laurie in the near future, since she's also about to release two amazing picture books: MY DOG IS THE BEST and EMMANUEL'S DREAM. How fantastic are those covers?
Lindsey Lane's debut, EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, is one of those books you won't be able to stop thinking about. It's about the disappearance of a teenage boy, but it's about so much more, too; Lindsey gives readers a glimpse into the world of a small town and its many diverse people. The way she describes people's feelings and behavior - it's so specific, there's no getting away from the truth of it, and the truth hurts. But it's also beautiful. And bittersweet. And terrifying. I love this book. Here's the video post I contributed to Lindsey's launch week - and I don't mind saying I'm pretty proud of this video, although I guess I'm mostly proud of the Emus who contributed to it. They did a fantastic job bringing to life a whole cast of characters who don't even exist in the book - but could.
Finally, Amy Finnegan's first novel, NOT IN THE SCRIPT, is, as the kids like to say, totes adorbs. It's rare to find a teen romance novel that's squeaky clean, but this book fills the bill, and I have zero concerns about including it on my middle-school classroom shelves. Amy also researched this book to the hilt, so it's a truthful glimpse of what life would be like if you were the teenage star of a hit TV series and spent your days on a set - so for young readers who dream of Hollywood, this is a great choice. And here's the post I contributed to Amy's launch week!
Someday soon - very soon, and getting ever sooner - it'll be my launch week, and the Emus will be helping me push GROUNDED out there into the big bad universe. Until then, it's pretty amazing getting to be part of so many wonderful writers' blossoming careers, and I'm learning tons from being witness to their wit, energy, and graciousness as they step out into the world as Authors, capital A.
And so, hooray for the Emus! Can't wait till it's my turn.
Laurie Thompson released her debut, BE A CHANGEMAKER, which is a knockout nonfiction guide for young people who want to turn their passions into crusades. If you know a young person - or any person, really - who is passionate about changing their community or their world, but who isn't quite sure how to go about it, give them this book! Here's the video post I contributed to Laurie's launch week, over on EMU's Debuts - and here's a picture of Laurie and me at the launch! You'll hear more from Laurie in the near future, since she's also about to release two amazing picture books: MY DOG IS THE BEST and EMMANUEL'S DREAM. How fantastic are those covers?
Lindsey Lane's debut, EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, is one of those books you won't be able to stop thinking about. It's about the disappearance of a teenage boy, but it's about so much more, too; Lindsey gives readers a glimpse into the world of a small town and its many diverse people. The way she describes people's feelings and behavior - it's so specific, there's no getting away from the truth of it, and the truth hurts. But it's also beautiful. And bittersweet. And terrifying. I love this book. Here's the video post I contributed to Lindsey's launch week - and I don't mind saying I'm pretty proud of this video, although I guess I'm mostly proud of the Emus who contributed to it. They did a fantastic job bringing to life a whole cast of characters who don't even exist in the book - but could.
Finally, Amy Finnegan's first novel, NOT IN THE SCRIPT, is, as the kids like to say, totes adorbs. It's rare to find a teen romance novel that's squeaky clean, but this book fills the bill, and I have zero concerns about including it on my middle-school classroom shelves. Amy also researched this book to the hilt, so it's a truthful glimpse of what life would be like if you were the teenage star of a hit TV series and spent your days on a set - so for young readers who dream of Hollywood, this is a great choice. And here's the post I contributed to Amy's launch week!
Someday soon - very soon, and getting ever sooner - it'll be my launch week, and the Emus will be helping me push GROUNDED out there into the big bad universe. Until then, it's pretty amazing getting to be part of so many wonderful writers' blossoming careers, and I'm learning tons from being witness to their wit, energy, and graciousness as they step out into the world as Authors, capital A.
And so, hooray for the Emus! Can't wait till it's my turn.
