S is for Suck

2 Comments
Hey, all you writers out there. And readers. And people….
Take a look/listen to Maureen Johnson (fab YA author of THIS that I love) and her “DARE TO SUCK” pep talk…..
And, believe me. 
I suck. 
I do!
I suck so bad. 
But then, I rewrite for a thousand hours.
And suddenly, I don’t suck so bad.  
But then I totally suck again. 

How badly do you suck at whatever? Pray tell.

 

S is for Suck

2 Comments
Hey, all you writers out there. And readers. And people….
Take a look/listen to Maureen Johnson (fab YA author of THIS that I love) and her “DARE TO SUCK” pep talk…..
And, believe me. 
I suck. 
I do!
I suck so bad. 
But then, I rewrite for a thousand hours.
And suddenly, I don’t suck so bad.  
But then I totally suck again. 

How badly do you suck at whatever? Pray tell.

 

R is for Reading

3 Comments

I don’t have much to say about this. #1. . . because I’m on vacation now and I’m blogging this three days in advance, and all I can think about is the where I’ll be in just a few hours (not HERE, that’s for sure). And #2. . . because, well, what can be said about reading? It’s one the those glorious pleasures in life. Right up there with cupcakes. Am I write? I mean right? See. . . my mind is already on vay-cay.

I’ve packed the books I’ll be reading while away this week, and can’t wait to board that plane and have 5 hours of (relatively) uninterrupted READING. 
Pure bliss, I say.

So, what are you reading these days? I’d love some suggestions.

R is for Reading

3 Comments

I don’t have much to say about this. #1. . . because I’m on vacation now and I’m blogging this three days in advance, and all I can think about is the where I’ll be in just a few hours (not HERE, that’s for sure). And #2. . . because, well, what can be said about reading? It’s one the those glorious pleasures in life. Right up there with cupcakes. Am I write? I mean right? See. . . my mind is already on vay-cay.

I’ve packed the books I’ll be reading while away this week, and can’t wait to board that plane and have 5 hours of (relatively) uninterrupted READING. 
Pure bliss, I say.

So, what are you reading these days? I’d love some suggestions.

Q is for query letters

6 Comments

Who totally loves rejection? Raise your hand.

The business of sending query letters is brutal. Ask any writer. Ever heard of the slush pile? Well, when you’re an unpublished, unagented author, it’s NOT where you want to be. (Seriously, my stomach churns at the very thought!)

I’m a novelist. It takes me pages and pages (and pages) to say anything. To be asked to describe my story in 300 words is practically torture. But I did it. And it worked. Sure, it took me five years and about a hundred drafts of said query letter. But still.
I’ve heard that there are writers out there who actually excel at drafting query letters. Who are these elusive people? And where were you five years ago?
So, hey, my writerly friends….what has your experience been with querying agents? Sucky? Fun? And what did you learn?

Q is for query letters

6 Comments

Who totally loves rejection? Raise your hand.

The business of sending query letters is brutal. Ask any writer. Ever heard of the slush pile? Well, when you’re an unpublished, unagented author, it’s NOT where you want to be. (Seriously, my stomach churns at the very thought!)

I’m a novelist. It takes me pages and pages (and pages) to say anything. To be asked to describe my story in 300 words is practically torture. But I did it. And it worked. Sure, it took me five years and about a hundred drafts of said query letter. But still.
I’ve heard that there are writers out there who actually excel at drafting query letters. Who are these elusive people? And where were you five years ago?
So, hey, my writerly friends….what has your experience been with querying agents? Sucky? Fun? And what did you learn?

P is for pack

2 Comments

As in….


Packing for the vacation I’m on today.  
California, you are looking great!

“Pack Up” by Eliza Doolittle

A pack of gum. Who doesn’t totally love gum?

Pachyderm.
Hey there, baby elephant. You’re my favorite animal (next to puppies, of course)

Packages
(Especially for a birthday!)

I hope your day is packed full of PACK!!

P is for pack

2 Comments

As in….


Packing for the vacation I’m on today.  
California, you are looking great!

“Pack Up” by Eliza Doolittle

A pack of gum. Who doesn’t totally love gum?

Pachyderm.
Hey there, baby elephant. You’re my favorite animal (next to puppies, of course)

Packages
(Especially for a birthday!)

I hope your day is packed full of PACK!!

O is for. . . . other things (on my list)

8 Comments
Hey. Guess what tomorrow is.
Exactly! It’s my 40th birthday! 
(I know, I know, I’ve heard it before, I don’t look a day over 38 and a half. Sweet of you to say.)
Clicky-click to see the full LIST and see how close I am to finishing!

Alrighty, then. Here we go:

#39- Sleep under the stars.
This didn’t turn out exactly the way I thought it would. Honestly, I saw myself hunkering down somewhere lovely, creek-side, communing with nature (and Brad Pitt somewhere off in the distance strumming a guitar?). But I kind of ran out of time and ended up blowing up an air mattress and dragging it out to my tiny backyard. 

My cozy star-sleeping accommodations.

This was the view above my head.

If you squint just right, you can see two wee stars.

#8 – Run the stadium stairs.
Again, this one didn’t go exactly as envisioned. Thing is, all of the stadiums around here are locked up, unless there is a football game or track meet going on. After driving around for an hour an and half, I finally found some stairs, kind of.   

Trust me. It was a lot higher than it looks. Or was it?
Starting out on stair one.

View from the TOP. Wow…..it’s a long way down!

After driving around for an hour and a half, I ran those stairs then found a Duncan Donuts. Win-win!

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O is for. . . . other things (on my list)

8 Comments
Hey. Guess what tomorrow is.
Exactly! It’s my 40th birthday! 
(I know, I know, I’ve heard it before, I don’t look a day over 38 and a half. Sweet of you to say.)
Clicky-click to see the full LIST and see how close I am to finishing!

Alrighty, then. Here we go:

#39- Sleep under the stars.
This didn’t turn out exactly the way I thought it would. Honestly, I saw myself hunkering down somewhere lovely, creek-side, communing with nature (and Brad Pitt somewhere off in the distance strumming a guitar?). But I kind of ran out of time and ended up blowing up an air mattress and dragging it out to my tiny backyard. 

My cozy star-sleeping accommodations.

This was the view above my head.

If you squint just right, you can see two wee stars.

#8 – Run the stadium stairs.
Again, this one didn’t go exactly as envisioned. Thing is, all of the stadiums around here are locked up, unless there is a football game or track meet going on. After driving around for an hour an and half, I finally found some stairs, kind of.   

Trust me. It was a lot higher than it looks. Or was it?
Starting out on stair one.

View from the TOP. Wow…..it’s a long way down!

After driving around for an hour and a half, I ran those stairs then found a Duncan Donuts. Win-win!

Brought to you by: