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It's National Dog Day! There's a terrific post by jamarattigan about children's book authors and their dogs. Check it out. It's adorable. But first read about how...

I'm getting a puppy!


The pigeon wants a puppy, yes, she really, really does!

Since it's National Dog Day, this is the perfect day to officially announce my good news. Soooooon I'll have my very own doggie woggie!

I got to meet her a few weeks ago, and she is soooo cute.



Say hello to all the nice people, Princess Leia.

She doesn't know it yet, but that's her name. At the moment, she's in North Carolina with her mommy and her litter mates.

But on Sept. 5th, she'll be ready to come to Boston to live with me!! She'll learn her name, how to walk on a leash and all kinds of new things.

Having a puppy is a lot of work! I've been reading up on it and preparing as if I'm having a baby. Which is good, because puppies are sort of babies. Baby dogs anyway. They require a lot more care than a goldfish. Or so I'm told. But don't worry. I'm prepared. *sweats a little*

The anticipation is intense. It's like waiting for Christmas morning. Santa's going to drop a puppy in my lap! I can't remember the last time I was so excited about something. And I also can't remember the last time I felt such anticipation.

Anticipation. The excited kind. It's a nice emotion.

When I write, I often start with an emotion. And sometimes that emotion becomes the overarching emotion for the entire book. Even though every scene has it's own emotion, I like thinking of each of my projects as having one dominating emotion or feeling. Anticipation. Anger. Fear. Homesickness. Alienation.

Some people start with character or setting or a plot point. I almost always start with emotion. Of course there's no wrong way to start! The important thing is that we start, right? But it's an interesting observation that I thought I'd share. So tell me, do you think of your WIP as having one central emotion?

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For those of you going to SCBWI-LA, keep a look out for cardboard "me"! My NYC critique group will be bee-bopping around with a paper version of yours truly in full Heart and Soul costume. I'll look something like this:



It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Edith in the heartiest and souliest costume around!! Is that a cookie-cutter on my head? Why yes, yes it is. Baking supplies make quite the fantastic costume.

This year's pool-side gala theme is heart and soul, and since I can't be there in person, photo "me" will be making the rounds.

Here I am holding "Hannah" at last year's conference. We took her everywhere! She partied like a rock star.



I sure hope someone buys paper "me" a margarita from the Pink Taco. Yum, yum! And get your photo taken with me!! Tag me in the pics so I can see what I've been up to. It's up to *you* to show me a good time. Have fun, ya'll!

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Thank god for the supportive people in my life! I have so many. I think that's why I find this so hilarious.



The dude who designed this has a website of funnies: Stuff No One Told Me If you need a giggle, check it out.

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Back in the day, all my screen names were warnerbrat. This is because when I was...er...younger, I worked for a film company that had a deal with Warner Brothers. It was a nifty job for all sorts of reasons. I got to read movie scripts and work with writers. And I think reading all those scripts really helped me learn dialogue.

Get Free Movie Scripts Here.

Srsly.

Anyway, recently I got to visit the Warner Bros lot again, because now Hubby is a Warnerbrat! WB bought the company he works for. And I got to see my old office, and it brought back a flood of memories.

Like how I used to stalk cute actors like Dean Cain, formerly of the TV show Lois and Clark.

I was in mad, mad love with Dean Cain. I knew which star trailer was his, and I used to walk by it like oh I don't know, a dozen times a day and get thrills watching him perform exciting activities like brushing his teeth. (This is not at all embarrassing to remember.)

Anyway, my unrequited love for Dean was a sickness cured only by meeting the guy who is currently my Hubby. In fact when Hubby & I first started dating, I had this picture of me & Dean blown up and framed in my room (Totally dorktastic of me!):



The first time my future Hubby sees it, he goes, "Who's that guy?"

Me: "Um...Superman?" *giggle, giggle*

Future Hubby: "Hmmm..."

I think like seconds later he launched a discussion about how we should date exclusively. Hilarious. Thanks, Dean!

Anyway, Hubby & I got to make some new memories on the Warner lot.



This is a green screen. We're holding Harry Potter wands & they magically transport you to Harry Potter land. Perfect for a budding children's book author, huh?

I love it that the blockbuster movies of today are based on children's books, don't you?

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Do any of you remember Joey Lawrence and his Whoa! catchphrase from Blossom?



Whoa!

His character was always sort of amazed by the world. That's how I feel *all the time.* Like Whoa, where did the time go? Or Whoa, since I last blogged I've been to the awesome New England SCBWI conference and the fantabulous Book Expo of America. Also I've been dealing with a Whoa-worthy amount of PD.

PD=Personal Drama. As in, Whoa, going through some serious PD, yo.

I say this sort of thing a lot lately. Using acronymous makes it sound a lot cooler than it is. Also lately, I find myself thinking about that book Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You and hoping that the title is True.

I do always try to think about life as a Big Experience. Pain as useful for some later writing project. Like "Huh, how can I use this sucktastic experience to tell an amazing story?" I swear it makes stuff suck less.

So anyway, yeah. I've been lucky in Books, if not in other ways.

I'm mad late on my NESCBWI recap, and there have already been lots of blogs written about its fabulousness. arialas did a nice roundup here. But I'll add my two cents also. The conference was a bit busier than my usual conference-going because I was running around volunteering and didn't snap any photos. I was the one responsible for the Book Buzz Party. So my image to go with this post will have to be a Bee.


See what a busy bee I've been? I planned a Book Buzz. It's keeping me young.

My favorite workshops were by Lisa Papademetriou and Liza Ketchum.

Lisa's was titled Getting Unstuck in Writing and In Life. Fav takeaways:

*A block is your mind in revision.

*All you have to do is write a bad manuscript. Then you can revise it.

*Be where you are.

*Write to your strengths. Revise to your weaknesses.

*Don't send off pages to your critique group if you're stuck.

*If you're stuck in your plot, reveal a secret.

*Each scene should have a turning point.

Liza's workshop was called He Said, She Said: Dialogue as an Agent of Change. Fav takeaways:

*Think of dialogue as salt for the palate.

*Dialogue is the spine of your story. It shows the story's conflict and reveals the emotional line of the story.

*Read a lot of plays to improve your dialogue.

*Speech is what makes us human.

*We haw over enemies' words.

*If you're writing historical read diaries and letters from the time period. Write down reoccurring phrases.

*Pay attention to what's *not* said.

*Read your dialogue out loud.

Okay dokay. That's my NESCBWI recap. Now for what's exciting at Book Expo America: BEA.

The books I'm looking forward to reading are Matched by Ally Condie (Dutton). This is a Julie Strauss-Gabel book. I luv the books she edits. It's a dystopian novel, set in a world where people are paired with their ideal mates.



Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Harper) is a dystopian novel from the author of Before I Fall, in which love is considered a disease.

I Am Number Four by

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In celebration of National Library Week. I present My Library In Spring along with a gushy post full of library love.



I buy tons of books--I believe in buying books. It supports the industry I love. I also get tons of advance reading copies for "free" by going to events like ALA and BEA. But I still find a need for my local library.

My library has saved my book-queen-butt a bunch of times lately. Like when I wait til the last minute to get the book I need for book club. They always have it. For some reason I continue to be amazed by this. So often I go to the bookstore, and they don't have what I need. Library to the rescue! They have out-of-print books that are hard to find, and books for research. And they have different versions of the same book--if you're into that sort of thing.

And I am. 'Cause the neatest thing happened at book club the other night. We read The Secret Garden, and everyone brought a different copy. Different illustrations, different publishers, different covers, different years. Someone even had a first edition from 1911, she'd bought at a library book sale. It was seriously the neatest!! My book club has all these fabulous people in it, and I'm always nervous about looking like a fool. I could barely contain myself. I may have squealed. But I think being a book nerd in book club is acceptable, yes? ;)

But books aren't the only awesome thing about libraries. They have programs for the community, readings and a lot of them are really gorgeous architecturally.

Check out my favorite Library Porn courtesy of the nerdfighters. Click here for Red Hot Library Smut. Then run to your local library and tell them just how much you're madly in love with them. Give them a big, sloppy, wet, library kiss. <3

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This blog is often about pizza. Why? Because Pizza=Yum. I love, love, triple love pizza. My virtual locket contains many a pie. (Pies.) And Hubby and I are over the moon because two new pizza places are opening in our square! Delicious cheesy doughy goodness in walking distance? Hello summer of pizza love!

Hubby cooks homemade pizzas (I eat them), and we're particularly interested in and curious about the ingredients, the oven and the whole magic pie-making mystic. In our kitchen and beyond. And this weekend we got to participate in building a wood-fired pizza oven. The actual oven. How did we get to be so special? Noooo, we haven't been stalking these pizza joints like desert-starved coyotes. Sheesh. Hubby just happened to be in the right place at the right time early on a Saturday morning. Anywho...

Essentially clay plus hay=oven.

From Pizza Oven Making

From Pizza Oven Making

From Pizza Oven Making

If I ever own a house and have a yard, I am totally building one of these! Wood-fired pizza in my backyard. How awesome would that be? Ya'll are all invited of course. Hungry yet?

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Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich is the author of the fantastic debut novel, 8th Grade Superzero. And I fell madly in love with Reggie’s story long before he had a book deal. Gbemi and I met in a novel writing class, and I got to see her book in its early incarnations—and it was way awesome even back then.



EDITH: You really tap into that awful middle school feeling of embarrassment and hopelessness. Reggie “Pukey” McKnight is infamous for losing his lunch in front of everyone on the first day of school, and he has to work hard to get people to see past his Pukey status.

Funny how something embarrassing like that can slay your confidence and come to define you. I think it’s so easy to feel like a loser—as someone who doesn’t matter. And this book is largely about Reggie coming to realize he can be an agent for change in the world.

I’m always curious about what other writers’ day-to-day looks like. Since we met in a writing class, can you tell us a little about your process? How do you get back to that middle school place in the midst of everyday life?

OLUGBEMISOLA: Heh, sometimes I feel like I never left! Those moments when I trip, or catch a glimpse of myself in a store window and I look *nothing* like the way I think I look in my head...Those episodes from my own childhood, both the mortifying and the confidence-boosting ones, stay with me. Maybe because I did keep a journal then, and even though I don't have those journals now, I'm a firm believer in the idea that writing something down embeds it into one's memory...I'm also lucky because my daughter's school building is elementary, middle, and high school students, and through my involvement in different programs and activities, I get to stay engaged with young people at that age.

EDITH: You do a great job showing us all the characters around Reggie. You’ve got great comedic relief with Joe C. and Ruthie is so strong and smart, and I’m always interested in books with well-developed secondary characters. I really believe these characters have been friends for a long time. How do you go about creating your secondary characters and making their relationships feel like true friendships?

OLUGBEMISOLA: Character is definitely my favorite part of the process. I spend a lot of time (too much) thinking about them, just 'hanging out' with them in my head. One of the most helpful things in that workshop with Kate Morgenroth (when we met!) was that she really pushed me to enjoy writing about Reggie's relationships with his friends and family, and letting the more 'plotty' stuff come later.

EDITH: As a follow up question to that: You mention on your website that you struggled with Joe C—which is so hard for me to believe because he’s so funny. What was the struggle (was it humor related?) and how did you overcome it?

OLUGBEMISOLA: I think that Joe C. started out as kind of a caricature in the very beginning, I had a 'type' in mind, and was using him as just a way to insert some satire, some sarcasm, etc. and he was flat. But when I really started exploring his backstory, and his friendship with Reggie (I have it all in mind through their adulthood!), his story blossomed for me.

EDITH: You do an amazing job with setting. This book *feels* so much like Brooklyn to me. You live there of course, but are there things you do to see your home in a new way? Things you do to make the setting come to life in your work?

OLUGBEMISOLA: Ha! You are really generous. Setting is probably the hardest for me. The only way that I can write it is to think in scenes. So I visualize just about every scene that I write, and 'record' the details that I s

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You're invited to participate in Critter for a Cause.

Who: Critter.

From Blog

What: Critter is a traveling illustration, a muse of sorts, a representation of kidlit art and the connectivity of kidlit bloggers. He travels from town to town and blog to blog. He was created by kidlit artist Ian Sands, and his adventures are masterminded by kidlit writer Christy Evers.

Where: Critter is currently in transit to Montana via Northern California.

When: Critter will travel until Fall of 2010, at which time he will be auctioned off to a lucky winner. The proceeds will go to the children of St. Judes.

Critter hopes you'll follow his adventures and help spread the word! Also you can offer to host Critter in your town! Follow Critter's Adventures here to learn how.

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This weekend I ventured to the Big Apple to meet with my critique group. It's about 4 hours on the bus from Boston. Quite a hike for critique group, huh? Totally 100 percent worth it! Especially since I luv the Bolt bus. Brand new buses, Internet and individual outlets for your laptop.

And it was the first day of Spring! The weather was A-mazing. Sunny and 70 degrees. So we moved from our regular coffee shop type spot to Central Park, Authors Row. Of course.

From Blog

I lived in Manhattan for five years, and these are my girls! It's awesome that we can meet in person again to critique. A good critique group is worth her weight in gold.

Also I find revision and critiques require pizza. There are a number of new pizza joints that have cropped up since I've been away, and I am on a mission to try them all. This one's called Motorino. And it's so delicious I almost ate it all before I remembered to snap the photo. Yuuuuum. I love neapolitan style pizza. My fav.

From Blog

Another great thing about visiting the city is that I try to take time to see a show or visit a museum. This time I visited the Tim Burton exhibit at the MOMA. It was super cool. His private collection of scribbles and drawings dating back to high school show the evolution of an artist. This one is called Untitled Romeo and Juliet.

From Blog

I like how they have little cities on their heads. Nothing says true love like matching hats. ;)

If you can get yourself to New York City before the end of April, definitely check it out. I find illustrations like this to be really inspiring.

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Wow. I've been gone a loooooong time. Where have I been? What have I been doing?

Clickity, clickity. My fingers typing fast and furious on a keyboard.



(This is not my keyboard, but it is rather awesome.)

My bum glued to a chair.



(This is not me nor my chair, but it is rather awesome.)

My mind awhirl in a dreamland.



(This is not my brain, but it is rather awesome.)

I have been working! Writing and revising my novel--what I like to call gussying.

Gussying sometimes leaves little time for blogging. But I'm back! Yay! Hopefully soon with more author interviews! Would you like that? Would 'cha? Would 'cha?

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Yesterday I attended the American Library Association's (ALA) midwinter exhibits. Basically it's a preview of all the books that publishers are coming out with in the near future, as well as a viewing of what's on their current list. Book lovers paradise? You betcha.

And if you know what you want, and you ask nicely, you can rack up quite the tower of awesome.



So freaking excited about these books! But only looky, no touchy! Yes, *you* Edith Cohn.

My friend Angelina has been trying to hold me to my self-imposed revision deadline, and when I tweeted about my 20 ARCs, she emails me the following:
Remember, you can't touch those 20 ARCs until you finish your revision (evil smile). Now, I must get back to my reading...
-angelina, the jealous hypocrite

Isn't it great to have friends who keep you in line? *runs to hide behind tower of awesome*

Speaking of friends, I met a ton of fantabulous new book people at the ALA Tweet Up. This was the after-party event hosted by Mitali Perkins and Deborah Sloan. I got to meet Sharon one of my virtual writing friends in person and a ton of other kidlit tweety birds.

And it wouldn't be book paradise without our favorite authors. I got to meet Jo Knowles! And see an interview with Kristin Cashore, Lois Lowry, and MT Anderson.



MT Anderson's writing advice? Eat your broccoli. And you can avoid moralizing by introducing DOUBT into the equation. He takes what he fears is true and creates a world to explore what happens.

And one of the best things about ALA is matching the author and her book for an impromptu signing! We made Holy Cupala sign her debut novel Tell Me a Secret.



I get a little giddy around this many books and writer peeps. Giddy does not photograph well. But my friends look nice! Holy's on the right, and the one on the left is my new writer bud Anindita!

It rocks to have events like ALA in my new hometown!

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By popular demand (and by that, I mean all five of you who've asked to see this), I give a tour of my new digs. Sit back, relax, if you were actually here, I'd offer you a cup of tea, but since you're not I offer you virtual hugs *squeeze*...enjoy!

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Yesterday's Urban Dictionary word of the day was santaclaustrophobia , a fear of too many Santa Clauses. Too many. As in more than one. But, but...you say. It's true, there are singular Santas that can be quite frightening. Like here and here and here. But that's not what we're talking about with santaclaustrophobia. We're talking red suits and white beards galore. Jolly, jolly times a thousand. Sound like just the stuff of nightmares? No, no. Take a look:





Santa Con!! Wikipedia explains this nonsensical event here. Santa Con happens in many big cities usually around the 10th of December.

The above pics are from Santa Con NYC--taken a few years ago. Though I was also lucky enough to catch it this year on my way out from critique group. I love, love, love, love Santa Con. Almost as much as I love reuniting with my NYC critique group, but not quite. Because you gotta admit the awesomeness of a ladybug reunion is well, darn near jolly overload. Now that I live in Boston, I take the bus to NYC every few weeks for critique group. It rocks. So much that if I asked them to, they would dress up as Santa for me so I could get my fix. Ladybugs, Santa can have wings!!

Because whatever the opposite of santaclaustrophobia is, I have that. Get a pile of Santas in the room, and Edith jolliness will occur. 2010 resolution, attend Santa Con as actual Santa. Ideally as a Santa with a book deal. 'Cause you know, top of the resolution list is to kick the pre off my pre-published status. Kick it to the curb! Thunk. So, who's in? Who wants to be a Santa with a book deal?

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I used to be the SCBWI Critique Connections Online Coordinator for the Tri- Regions of Southern California. Wow, that is a loooong title. Due to my recent move to New England, I am no longer a southern CA girl. So I passed my crown (They gave me a crown. Okay, they didn't really, but sometimes I wore one just for fun), to my bud, Sheryl who, as you can see was perfect for the job because she looks great with things on her head.


Anyhow, as a person with a formerly large title, I am feeling important enough to step on my Go Green soap box. Because I have discovered something huge. HUGE. It is going to save the planet, people.

If you have an iPhone or an iTouch (and possibly a Blackberry, though I'm not as familiar with those), you don't have to print critiques for your buds. EVER. (I meet in person with my critique group. If you meet online, then chances are, you're already doing things electronically & you don't need an iPhone for that, just a computer.)

If you meet in person & you're looking to go green, here's how it works. Take your bud's manuscript. Most likely, unless you live on Planet Mumu, it is in Word. Comment bubble the hell out of that baby using Word's comment feature. Go to "Insert" and then "Comment." If you've never used this feature in Word, welcome to 2009. You're late, but we still love you.

What I also often do is write a little paragraph summarizing my thoughts at the top of the person's manuscript. How? Just type it in. Dear Sheryl, You rock. Your characters are made of awesome. Yours, Edith

Okay, then, (and this is the cool part), you go to "Print" like you normally would to print out your bud's pages. BUT you do NOT print. There is a button (or at least on a Mac there is...see the trouble when you try to give technology advice...*sigh*)...anyway, there is a button in the bottom left labeled PDF. Click that and tell it to Save as PDF. It takes a picture of your bud's manuscript pages along with your comment bubbles and anything else you wrote. Then you email the PDF file as an attachment to your email.

Now take your iPhone or your iTouch (or before I got an iPhone, I dragged my laptop, although that's less fun), and be on your merry way to Critique Group. Once you're there, just whip out your phone (uh, hmmm...that sounded dirty somehow. chuckle, chuckle.) Anyway, take out your phone, find the file in your email (this literally takes two seconds), and wallah! You can read and discuss. Then right after discussing you can email the file to your bud so she has a copy. I've found it's best not to do this beforehand, because people sometimes get defensive if they've had time to read what you wrote and form an argument about what you've said. (Ahem, ahem, I myself have never become defensive when emailed comments in advance. Okay, so it was me! If you're meeting me in person, don't give me the freaking comments in advance people.)

Advantages:
1. You'll never lose critique pages with handwritten notes!
2. That giant pile of critique papers in your house, poof, no more!
3. Many editors and agents use the comment bubble feature in Word. Great thing to familiarize yourself with and get used to using.
4. No more straining your eyes trying to figure out your bud's handwriting. What is that scribbled in the margin? I should what?? Go eff myself?! (I seriously thought someone had written that once. Tears formed in my eyes, my heart rate went off the charts. It was all very dramatic. But no, it was just sloppy handwriting & I eventually figured out what it said--I can't remember, but it was *not* that I should eff myself.)

So there you go, my first soap box. If you are a diehard paper lover, and this just doesn't work for you, by all means, paper away! Above all, you gotta do what works for you! Great writing come

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I hardly ever blog specifically about my quest toward publication. For a bunch of reasons--one being that it takes so much longer than most people understand to perfect a novel and become a great writer. Years. Lots of them. And while it's awesome that I have so many caring friends who are interested in seeing me succeed and want to run right out an buy my novel, to confront questions about it on a regular basis is just not very fun. "Hey, are you published yet?"

"Nope. Still working on that revision."

One week later:

"Hey, are you published yet?"

"Nope. Still working on that revision."

"I know someone if you need help. She can check your spelling."

"Ah...."

Yeah. When I got my super amazing agent, I didn't publicly announce it. Not because it wasn't a milestone in my career that I am to this day pinching myself with glee over, but because it would cause a flurry of emails and conversations like the above. And worse, it felt like bragging. It still feels like bragging. I'm incredibly uncomfortable writing this post. Maybe because I have so many friends still searching and submitting, and I know how annoying it can be sometimes to read about other people's success. I have a hard time telling if I'm being annoying or not. BUT, I cannot let Agent Appreciation Day come and go without celebrating my agent who so richly deserves it.

Super Sleuth Agent Lady!

Jennifer Mattson of Andrea Brown Literary

Who no joke has read my manuscript at least a dozen times, and given me the most careful and thought out notes imaginable. And who during my freak outs says perfect things like, "Have the courage of your convictions!" Which makes me feel brave and powerful so I can slay the doubt demons and get back to work.

I am crazy lucky to have an agent who is so editorially talented and who understands the writing process so well. And I love it that she's read so many children's books. You'd be surprised how many agents don't take time to read what's currently being published. To find someone who gets my writing and can talk kidlit? Magic.

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Six weeks of living like a crazy person, I emerge. My things are in drawers, and the cardboard monster has been laid to rest. His cardboardiness will recycle to plague someone else. I now have what actually resembles a pretty killer home. We made our first fire, enjoyed our first snow, and even had our first snowy bike ride.



It turns out beach bikes are great for sand and snow.

There are a few renovations remaining--which I won't bore you with. But it's good to be next to normal.

And being next to normal means someday soon, I'll be wearing book goggles again. What are book goggles, you ask? Book goggles are when you are so deep into your book that you see it everywhere. Like you watch a movie that is nothing like your book, but you see your book, and you think about your book as it relates to this other unrelated story. My friend Sara has a great post about book goggles, along with a killer photo! Check it out here.

A toast to peace and harmony and getting back in the book goggle groove!

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How can it really be December 2, an entire month since I last posted? How?? It's like waking up from a dream, only you find out it was a coma, and you've missed a month of your life, and by the way, you're being held prisoner by a giant cardboard monster.



Help! Save me from his cardboardiness! The moving madness has gone on and on and on. Longest move in history. I'm finally sleeping in my apartment, and the renovations are coming along, but we are still without a kitchen. It's been months since I had one of Hubby's pizzas! It's tragic folks. A girl needs homemade pizza during revisions. I am officially sick to death of eating out. And I cannot wait to have a refrigerator again! And coffee....oh brewing coffee how I miss you!

I set out the coffee maker on a make-shift table and got everything all ready. I even found a bag to put over it, so when I was finished the coffee maker wouldn't get covered in sawdust. 'Cause ingesting strange white flakes can't be good for you. (Renovations caused an early white Christmas in our apartment.) And Hubby goes, "Um...how are you going to wash the filter out after you make it?" Dang it! No coffee for us. These are the troubles you run into when you don't even have a kitchen sink. Can't clog my wee little bathroom pipes with coffee grains.

So that's my life right now. I spend a lot of time looking for things. Like you know, I set the box cutter down, then I spend twenty minutes looking for where I laid it. Clutter. It's no one's friend.

Hopefully, hopefully this weekend we can get our kitchen back, and knock out the rest of this unpacking. Pray to the renovation gods for me! And if you don't hear from me for awhile, I got eaten. Cardboard monsters have very large teeth.

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Welcome back to The Big Road Trip Two where Edith and Hubby make their cross-country journey to becoming New Englanders. I've yet to tell you about the most fantabulous part of our trip where I got to have lunch with Super Sleuth Agent Lady or just "my agent" if you're not into fancy titles. Of course, I am and Super Sleuth Agent Lady has earned her title by A. Tirelessly believing in my book (and its innocence). B. Sniffing out editors for it to go to, and C. Spying every spot in my manuscript where I poorly explain myself. Oh and did I mention the margaritas? They arrived in martini glasses! Fancy? You betcha! 'Cause that's how we roll. ;)

But it's not all fun and games on this road trip! After my terrific lunch, disaster struck, and Hubby got sick, sick, sick. His fever was so high it was ridiculous. Wifey had to bring cold rags to his head, and search the city high and low for soups. We have a running joke in our marriage about his love for soup, because I have seriously never seen someone with such an affection for soup. And the fact that I just as passionately *hate* soup (reminds me of being sick), makes his love for soup something of a comedic point in our relationship. So I promptly accused him of getting sick on purpose so he could have an excuse to drink soup in bed all day. Even in his fevered state, Hubby agreed it was fabulous. Particularly after I assured him that he wasn't going to die, nor did he have swine flu--only the regular flu, which is terrible, but at least doesn't involve symptoms I call the "unmentionables." Thank the road trip gods for sparing us the dreaded swine flu!

Anyway, so back on the road both of us in a weakened state, we routed the GPS to Boston, sat back and became mesmerized by the bright colored leaves that blew all over the highway. So mesmerized that we didn't notice the Tom Tom had routed us through....

Canada???



Hubby and I look at the approaching Canadian border, then at the toppling piles of our many belongings occupying every available inch of our car. And recalling the last time we went through Canada for vacation where we were thoroughly searched including a half an hour spent in the Canadian office waiting for them to decide we were not in fact terrorists, we thought Oh noes!

But the great news about having a car full of your most prized possessions is that chances are passports are among them. So faced with losing hours to turn back, we decided to take our chances and turn our American road trip into...an International affair!

And what a great thing it ended up being because Canada is gorgeous in fall! And we made it through both sides of the border with minimal anal probing, though I could barely keep a straight face, because Hubby and I got the giggles thinking about silly things like anal probing. I know, I know. We're so immature. Sigh.

Finally in New England, we got to see the progress on the renovations to our rental house. And after a Halloween cupcake from Kick Ass Cupcakes (this is literally their name. Did I mention my town was cool?),



I was sugared up and back on a plane with costumed flight attendants, crossing the country yet again. The moving adventure continues, as I get all our furniture and boxes on a truck to join us in our new home where finally, I can focus on my novel again. Aaah.....I can't wait!

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Hello from the road where Hubby and I are enjoying our cross-country journey: The Big Road Trip Two. If you're interested in The Big Road Trip Uno, click here. On our current journey, we've crossed seven states so far. California, Nevada, Utah...



Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, where we are currently hanging our coats in Chicago!





Chicago is a great city because you can enjoy both fine art and pizza art.




You know there had to be pizza! ;) This is my first deep dish and eh, I dunno. The toppings were tasty, but overall, it's more cake than pie. Very sweet and of course, heavy on the dough. We ate at what is probably a total tourist trap, but we wanted to try Gino's East 'cause it's like famous or whatever. Anyway, it was fun. I love planning vacations around pizza! It's how life should be lived. Til the next slice... Read the rest of this post

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Moving. In some ways it's awesome. No matter how many times you do it, it's a new adventure. It's a chance to form new habits. To discover new people, new restaurants, new places. It stimulates the mind in new ways.

In response to my Facebook update, "Edith Cohn's life is officially chaos," my nomadic, free-spirited sister says, "Mmmmm... isn't it wonderful...? What the hell would you do with order? How would you EVER be inspired if everything was neat and clean and tidy in life??? I am so excited for your chaos! MUAH."

My sister has a way with words, and when you put it like that, it sounds kinda cool. So even though I'm a tad grumpy that the timing is in the middle of my novel revision, and that my stuff is in a box for over a month...and most importantly that I'll be leaving behind some of my bestest friends... *cries* * cries* *cries* To make a play on the title from one of my favorite picture books, moving is not a box!



I mean look at the trees on my new bike path! I get to discover fall again!


I've missed you, Autumn!

And I get to be closer to NYC where I also have bestest friends!


And if you don't count the teeny, tiny guest house we lived in for one miserable year in Long Island (which I don't), we get to live in our first actual house!!


It's a mansion! Okay, okay, we only get the 2nd floor. But we get two whole bathrooms (key to a stable marriage, wouldn't you say?) and the location cannot be beat! And the house has sooo much character! And ghosts. I'm sure there are ghosts. Because across the street is the public library (another awesome feature) where there is a photo from the early 1900s of cool looking people who lived in my hood--possibly in the same house! There is so much history on the east coast. And I also have history here. I'll be closer to my family and friends in NC, which will be a direct flight away! And closer to Vermont where I have some awesome in-laws who've allowed me to invite myself over for Thanksgiving dinner. ;)

And Hubby and I will cross the country again. The Big Road Trip Two! Well, actually it's like number six or something, but it's the second journey I'll document on the blog. The main stop will be Chicago where I will get to visit my agent! Yay!

East coast, Edith. It's not a box. It's a brave New England adventure. MUAH!

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I’m thrilled to welcome debut author Jill Alexander who’s written a real southern treat of a book. The Sweetheart of Prosper County features a cast of colorful characters that leap off the page and make Prosper County a place you’ll want to visit.



EDITH: The story is fourteen-year-old Austin Gray’s, and like a lot of kids, Austin wants to fit in. But there’s a mean-spirited boy at her school, Dean Ottmer who’s making that difficult. I was so happy to see a book that tackles bullying at the high school level. Dean Ottmer feels so much like 10th grade to me. Just when I thought he couldn’t possibly get meaner, he did. We all want to know how to create villains with a string of insults as rich as Dean’s. What can you tell us about writing good antagonists?

JILL: With all my characters, I try to tell the truth. In Dean’s case, the truth is he’s an acid-tongued bully who uses verbal slams as a way of gaining attention. It’s the thing he’s good at. So I went there, to the dark side. I drew not only on my awkward teenage memories, but also my experience as a high school English teacher. Through Dean I did what bullies, high school bullies in particular, do. They sniff out their victim’s self-perceived flaw, usually physical, and attack it publicly. Relentlessly. Consistently so that the “verbal slam” becomes a part of the victim’s identity. Such is the case with Austin in THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY, and it drives her to take control of her own image.

When it comes to writing antagonists, my advice is to be as true to them as you are to your main character, and hold nothing back. Be careful! I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I had a wicked good time creating Dean-O and his dialogue. When you don’t spit snark on a daily basis, it certainly is intoxicating when you start writing it.

EDITH: I find myself always curious about titles, and I know from listening to your agent speak at conferences that your book used to be called A Hood Ornament in the No-Jesus Christmas Parade, which is now the title of the first chapter. To give readers a hint of the book’s setup, can you talk a little about the meaning of this working title, and how it eventually came to be The Sweetheart of Prosper County.

JILL: The original title came from an observation Austin makes regarding the girls she sees riding on the hoods of cars in the local parade and her view of the hypocritical, town mayor’s banning Jesus-themed floats. Although the phrase captured the story and reflected the voice, it came with a concern. Putting Christmas in the title affects when booksellers display the book. And it’s definitely not a Christmas book. My fantastic editor Liz Szabla suggested early on in revisions to explore other title options. We tried taking “Christmas” out, but we lost the oxymoron with “No-Jesus.” Thus, we lost the ironic humor of a Christmas parade that excluded Jesus.

But thank goodness for Team Sweetheart! I turned in a short list of possible titles, moving away from “Hood Ornament.” Liz and my publisher Jean Feiwel settled on THE SWEETHEART OF PROSPER COUNTY. I was thrilled. It was the obvious title for the book; I was just too close to the story to see it. It spoke to everything: the iconic sweethearts, the small-town setting, Austin’s quest. When Rich Deas, the art director, came up with the cover idea of putting a prize-winning bantam rooster, posed like a little Napoleon sitting for his formal portrait, we had the humor. Great books are collaborations. The Feiwel & Friends team rocks.

EDITH: One of the things I love about your book is the insight we get into Austin’s best friend, Maribel’s life. Maribel is Latina, and readers of your book get a front row seat at a quinceañera. I was in Denver recently, and in my touring, I happened upon a quinceañera party on a bridge. I snapped a picture, which I’m going to include, because I think it’s so fortuitous that your book was waiting on my doorstep when I got home. Who or what was your inspiration for Maribel and her fantabulous quinceañera?

JILL: I went to my first of many quinceañeras when I was teaching. It is a beautiful coming-of-age celebration. No one girl inspired Maribel’s quince, but I hope the depiction in Sweetheart honors all the girls who shared this special time in their lives with me.


A quinceañera celebration that Edith spotted in Denver

EDITH: You do an amazing job developing secondary characters, which is why almost all my questions are about them. I adore the way you used the word “marshmallow” to describe Sundi Knutt’s character and make the girl Austin aspires to be like more than just a parade princess. Do these zinger secondary characters just come to you or do you work to develop them?

JILL: Well, first let me say thank you very much for the compliment. I suppose I write “zinger” characters because I love to watch “zinger” people. Growing up in a family of eccentrics, I’m fond of the unique. I keep a “characteristics” list in my journal that is somewhat evocative of Eudora Welty’s circus freak photographs from the 1930’s. For example, I recently became fascinated with a 400+ lb flea market vendor who sat in the bed of his truck and held a ladies hand mirror while he plucked hairs from his third chin with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Really. He’ll be in a book one day. How would you like to bring home a date to meet that?

EDITH: Being from the south, I adore that your book is genuinely southern. On your website you define southern gothic writers. Can you talk to us a little about what that means and what southern authors influence your work?

JILL: The definition I wrote for my website is this: Southern Gothic writers tell their stories through quirky outsiders bound in a rural setting where truth is found in the ironies of life. This is the heart of what I know and live. I am completely under the spell of Flannery O’Connor, Eudora Welty, Truman Capote, Harper Lee. I’m also a student of Texas songwriting storytellers like Robert Earl Keen, Don Henley, and the very young but brilliant Miranda Lambert. I like the sharp edge of the simple truth lived by common, everyday rural folks.

EDITH: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us about you and your book!

The Sweetheart of Prosper County (Feiwel & Friends, 2009) is now available in hardcover. Shop your local bookstore or click here to purchase from Indiebound.

You can also visit Jill’s website and Jill’s blog

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Kimberly Sabatini is interviewing pre-published authors on her blog, and she asked me to do one! You can read all about my favorite books and my class with Sarah Dessen and how I move across the country more than most people change their socks: Here.

I'll be back soon on the blog with an Interview with amazing debut author, Jill Alexander. And then The Big Road Trip Two! I'll be documenting my cross-country journey as Hubby and I make the move, this time to Brrrrr...Boston!

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Melodye newport2newport has posted a fantastic interview with the fabulous sarazarr about her new book ONCE WAS LOST. Sara is the author of the National Book Award finalist, STORY OF A GIRL and SWEETHEARTS.

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