I’ve decided that sitting down to write for long periods of time takes the same amount of focus, energy, and endurance the Olympic athletes need to excel at their sports. Seriously! I sit here day after day, month after month, and sadly, year after year, clacking away at this computer, not moving a single muscle except for those in the fingers, wrists, forearms and eyeballs. But, at the end of each day, I’m exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Then I sleep, and get up to do it all over again the next day.
I read somewhere that Michael Phelps works out for at least 5 straight hours a day. A re you kidding me? Puh-leeze, M-Phelp. I can do twice that without even taking a bathroom break. Apparently, he also consumes 12,000 calories a day. Psh…that’s nothing! With all the café mochas and red licorice I inhale, no doubt I’ve got you beat. I mean, every single Starbucks mocha I suck down is 1000 calories right there…Boom!
You know, I’m starting to believe that writing a novel is way tougher than being a multi-medal winning Olympian. I mean, these guys have their own entourage 24/7 coaching them, training them, massaging them, feeding them, brushing their teeth. We novelists got nothing! They’ve got the added luxury of having other people to compete against, so they have constant testosterone flying around, and instant adrenalin rushes when they watch competitors excelling. All this activity makes it easy to push through the pain and perform.
We writers sit in quiet solitude. No coaches. No competitors in our faces. No massages. No endorsements or money or commercials or free swim caps. Not that I’d wear a swim cap, but still, it’d be nice to have a collection of free ones anyway…you know, so I could create a display above the mantle or something.
All I’ve got is a brain and a pencil!
Okay, and a critique group and a computer. And an iPod and printer. And the internet and books. And all my Facebook and writing friends. And a cushy couch and lots of sweatsuits. And licorice and Coke Zero and café mochas. And Robin and Jay at my disposal 24/7 for brainstorming, last minute critiques, moral support, licorice, Coke Zero and café mochas. And my fantastic running shoes for those daily runs around the vineyard to work out the plot kink sessions. And a pool. And a hot tub. And my puppies to keep me company all day and play with me on breaks.
Okay, I don’t have it so bad. I do think they should start giving out medals for writers, though. And if they awarded them based on sheer endurance (the ability to bear prolonged exertion, pain, or hardship), I’d win the gold!
- Eve
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Three authors discuss writing for children.
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By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/24/2008
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By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/22/2008
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I love TV! Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around watching holiday cartoon specials. (Seriously, how did Snoopy get that scrawny li'l Christmas tree to sprout branches just by waving his hands in front of it?) And in college, if I had trouble falling asleep, I would put on QVC and slowly fade into dreamland while watching a woman (who was always a little too composed for me to fully trust her) try to sell me sweaters and knives.
But...and here's the part which usually gets me labeled weird...I haven't owned a TV in six years. And I don't miss it! As long as Mom and Dad invite me over on Survivor night, and as long as I can catch The Daily Show online, I'm fine.
Plus, those fabulous Readergirlz just launched rgz TV where I can watch interviews with some of my favorite YA authors. So far, they've got Rachel Cohn, Sonya Sones, and Paula Yoo available for my viewing pleasure whenever I want them.
Oh, and I'm on there, too. But I refuse to listen to my own video because I would just obsess over my words for the next several weeks and I'd need that composed woman from QVC to help me fall asleep.
- Jay
Dork Admission: I did watch my video with the sound off, though. How come no one ever told me I talk with my hands that much?
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/19/2008
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I'm in Georgia right now to visit friends and family. But mostly, it seems like I've been hangin' out on I-85. When my son and I arrived at the Atlanta airport, we drove with my folks to Charlotte, North Carolina to spend the weekend with my brother and his kids. My nephew was playing in a soccer tournament and we decided to make it a family event. There were almost a hundred soccer teams playing in the tournament, which meant the Holiday Inn Express we were staying at was filled with under-13 soccer teams...boys and girls.
Now, a weekend like that may sound like H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks to most of you. But for me, it was one thing: Fodder. For. My. Book! I spent Saturday night prying under-13 soccer girls off of my under-13 soccer nephew. (He's adorable, so I couldn't blame them.)
My son was a trooper, and even found ways to pass the time during all the soccer games.
Later this week, since my middle-grade novel is set in Atlanta, I plan to do the following "southern" things in the name of research...
1. Visit a historical section of town to study the architecture.
2. Ride the subway to downtown Atlanta...by myself.
3. And, of course, take a tour of the Centers for Disease Control!
That last one may sound like H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks to most of you, but I can't wait! I'm going to visit the CDC! I'll report back later in the week with more info. And hopefully, with nothing contagious...
Bye, y'all!
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/16/2008
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(I'd like to dedicate this post to the ever-talented writer, singer, picture book reader, Disneyland expert-extraordinaire,
One of the best parts of the SCBWI conference for me this year was watching the always outrageously entertaining Bruce Coville speak. He makes me laugh, cry, gasp and yearn to become a better writer and person. Every time I see him, he spits out so many perfect, poignant Coville-isms, I hardly have the finger power to write them all down. Some of my favorites from this year’s opening keynote speech:
“Push the why. Ask yourself why you want to write the story.”
“The three stages of childhood in American history include child as:
“Kids need heroes.”
“The seven deadly sins for writers are: Dullness, Repetition, Cliché, Inattention, Perfectionism, Sloth, Clumsiness.”
“Do not follow the trend. Make the trend.”
“A great book is like only itself.”
“Clichés lie dead and leaden on the page.”
“I cannot imagine a greater handicap than lacking a sense of humor.”
“Security is an illusion.”
“Humor is the highest emotion.”
“To act from joy is more courageous than to act from fear.”
And my all time favorite Coville-ism:
“The Creator must have had a sense of humor to place the plumbing so close to the playground!”
Love Bruce Coville. I want to be him when I grow up!
- Eve
(Please check out the Plot This blog for a great recap of Bruce Coville's Plotting workshop!)
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/14/2008
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Dilemma: We don’t want to start reviewing books on our blog, yet there’s a new book all three of us fell instantly in love with. You might say we frequently sing its praises!
Solution: We won’t review the book…we’ll blurb it!
While this book has already received a wonderful blurb by someone named Meg Cabot, we decided to offer our own little nuggets of applause to Robin Benway’s debut teen novel, Audrey, Wait!
But first, here’s how the book is described on its jacket flap:EVERYBODY’S SINGING, “AUDREY, WAIT!”
And now for the blurbs:
Audrey Cuttler’s life hasn’t been the same since that song, “Audrey, Wait!” hit the airwaves. All she wants to do is go to concerts, hang out with her friends, and maybe score a date with the cute boy who works with her at the Scooper Dooper.
But now, her ex-boyfriend’s song about their breakup is at the top of the charts and she’s suddenly famous! The paparazzi won’t leave her alone, the tabloids are trying to make her into some kind of rock goddess, and the Internet is documenting her every move!
Will Audrey ever be able to have a normal life again? Get ready to find out, because it’s time for Audrey to tell her side of the story.
Robin Benway did three things with this story: She. Rocked. It.
- Robin Mellom
When I first heard the premise for Audrey, Wait! I was almost too afraid to start reading it. I thought my hopes were way too high. Turns out, I could’ve set them even higher.
- Jay Asher
Robin Benway, brilliant! Just like when I come across a new tune I need to play over and over, I finished Audrey, Wait!, then flipped back to the beginning and read it all again.
- Eve Porinchak
Run, don’t wait to get your hands on Audrey, Wait! You’ll wonder why you didn’t run faster! Then you'll wonder why you don't run through bookstores all the time. It's so much fun!
- Robin Mellom
If you mix up the letters and punctuation in Robin Benway Audrey, Wait!, you get A Brawny, Auditory Newbie! Coincidence? I think not.
- Jay Asher
I laughed, I cried, I became one with Audrey, Wait! But mostly laughed. My new favorite book!
- Eve Porinchak
Not only do Robin Benway and I share the same first name (which makes me that much closer to being cool someday) but we also share a love of music. And Audrey, Wait! makes you want to write a love song to her as the author for writing such a fantastic book. So fantastic that I had to read it even when American Idol was on. Seriously…it’s that good.
- Robin Mellom
You know that song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen? And you know how that song is so fun, but it’s really hard to figure out which part is the most fun? Audrey, Wait! is just like that!
- Jay Asher
I LOL-ed so many times my stomach hurt. So real. So quick-witted. So wish I had written it first!
- Eve Porinchak
It won't just tickle your funnybone...
it'll rock it!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/12/2008
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Why is it so cool to see my name on someone else’s book? I don’t know, but it is! When I showed my wife, she got the chills, too.
Along with a copy of the book, there were several bookmarks and postcards, such as this…
The full blurb reads: A beautifully intense story. Brooke Taylor hooked me with the very first line and never let go.
And to whet your appetite, here’s that first line: Kori came with a warning label—a black T-shirt that read: DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR ABOUT ME.
What’d I tell you!
- Jay
Dork Admission: Yesterday, I was in a bookstore and stumbled upon several copies of Undone on the shelves. I showed off my debut blurb to a few shoppers…completely forgetting to tell them about my own book one aisle over!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/9/2008
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No doubt, we had fun at the national SCBWI conference. But the highlight for me was Sunday at the Golden Kite Luncheon when Lin Oliver gave a moving tribute to Sue Alexander.
Lin told the story of how SCBWI came to be. She and Stephen Mooser were friends who had just graduated from college in the early 70’s and they had been asked to do some work for an educational publisher. Neither one of them knew much about writing for children, so they tried to find an organization to answer their questions. But there were none. So…they decided to start their own. They ran an ad asking for writers to join their new organization called the Society of Children’s Book Writers. And the first person to answer that ad? Sue Alexander.
Over 35 years later, looking around that glamorous ballroom full of nearly a thousand people, it made me want to cry. I am so proud to be part of an organization so thriving and full of amazing supportive people. Sniff!
The conference inspired me and motivated me (as it does every year) to get back in the saddle and push harder and harder to write the best story possible. Which, for me, meant getting back to revising my middle grade novel, The Happiness Project.
You may remember that I spent quite a while revising that puppy with my new, lovely, Elite Uni-Ball red pen...
And I assumed I had gotten the manuscript into really good shape. But my critiques from Jay have been rolling in (apparently he’s partial to fine-tipped black pens)…
Umm...yeah. I have a lot of work to do.
So thanks to the folks at SCBWI for putting on a fabulous conference. Nothing but love. And I also want to say thanks to my critique partners, but really…that’s more of a love/hate thing.
Nah, let’s face it…it’s mostly love.
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/7/2008
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One more pic from Jay's workshop on suspense. Do you recognize the book he's reading? It's only the greatest tale of suspense ever written!!!
Laura Rennert, agent to two Disco Mermaids, hosted a get-together in the X Bar for her clients, many of whom were meeting for the first time. Cool authors! Even cooler agent!!!
This is the crew we hung out with through most of the conference. At least, it's as many as would fit at one table for the Golden Kite luncheon.
See y'all in less than a year!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/3/2008
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It was standing-room only at Jay's first non-panel SCBWI workshop. Isn't this the most beautiful audience you've ever seen?
As part of Jay's workshop, he used a Powerpoint slide exposing Bruce Coville's fear of happy-faces. (And yes, it made sense in context. Kind of.)
Of course, the real reason we go to these conferences is to have tons o' fun with others in the children's lit. world. Here's the view from our hotel room, looking down at the Paint the Town Red party.
And here we are, getting ready to make our grand entrance and feeling more nervous than in any previous year.
Jay and the tallest (and nicest) guy at the conference, David LaRochelle.
Robin and Eve and lady in red, Suzanne Young.
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 8/2/2008
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Soon after arriving in L.A., Katie and Sarah Frances presented us with Y'all hats, direct from Mississippi.
Lunch with the Mississippi gals, Rita Crayon Huang, Lee Wind, Will Ferrell, and John C. Riley.
Toasting something very cool (more on that later) with Suzanne Young and Katie.
Jay's first time speaking on the main stage with Yuyi Morales, Paula Yoo, John Rocco, and Lisa Yee.
Jay kickin' butt at the first annual skipping contest through the hotel lobby. (We had to yell "Guffaw!" at the peak of each skip. Don't ask.)
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/30/2008
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I’m a fiddler.
No, you won’t find me balancing on a rooftop, silhouetted by moonlight, playing an instrument with a bow. But for the past couple weeks, I could easily be found on most nights hunched over my desk, glowing in the light of my monitor, endlessly tweaking my Powerpoint presentation.
On Saturday, I’ll be giving a workshop at the national SCBWI conference titled No Bookmarks Allowed: How to Inject Suspense into any Novel. And basically, I’m nervous as hell with a little bit of heck thrown in, too. I know I’ll be fine once I begin talking and there’s no turning back. But until that time comes, I haven’t been able to think about anything but my workshop.
Sometimes I’ll think about creative ways to improve it. But usually I’m just thinking of ways I might potentially blow it.
Also, I’ve been kind of cranky lately. (Shut up! At least I admit it! What’s your excuse!?!?) I’m not normally a cranky person, but I get that way when I don’t sleep. And when there’s a speech coming up that I’m nervous about, I just do not sleep much. I always think there’s a more creative way to get a point across and that I’ll find that creative way if I just stay up and stare at my monitor for another 15 minutes.
Of course, that doesn’t usually work. But I still try!
The past few days, friends have been e-mailing or texting me around midnight. Most of the messages consist of nothing more than Go To Bed. And even though they’re right…boy, that sure makes me even crankier!
What I’m getting at is, I’m actually kind of excited about my presentation. All of those extra 15 minutes (which usually piled on multiple times within the same night) might have paid off this time. But I'm afraid that for the first day-and-a-half of the four-day conference my mind will be distracted. So consider this an apology-in-advance to any of you who might run into Cranky Jay this weekend. I promise, once my workshop is over…it’s party time!
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/27/2008
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Only a few more days till we head down to the national SCBWI conference in Los Angeles. For those who don't know, this is a conference for only the most serious writers and illustrators of children's books. It's a chance to learn from one another, to network, to...
Y'know what? There's no sense in lying. The Disco Mermaids go, year after year after year after year, to have fun! And the height of that fun is reached Saturday night during the afterhours theme party. This year's theme is Paint the Town Red. So here's a li'l behind-the-scenes scoop on how we're planning to make fools of ourselves this year:
Here's Robin adjusting the color of her footwear:
Here's Jay researching "moves" on YouTube:
And here's Eve making sure...um...making sure her costume smells good:
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/25/2008
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- - -
Jay: Okay, who wants to go first?
Robin: Well, you just did.
Jay: Okay, then who wants to go sec--…I mean…third?
Eve: I’ll go…wait, what are we talking about?
Robin: I think this is the last time we’re going to do this.
Jay: Robin’s in a bad mood cuz she had to put off her hair appointment. Nice hat, by the way.
Robin: I like to call it Redneck Chic. Let’s move on.
Eve: I love the hat! And, Jay…you’re wearing a hat too. Speaking of hats, what are you guys most excited about doing at the conference?
Jay: Just for your info, dear readers, Robin’s hat says Pheasants Forever. I think it’s from back home in Georgia.
Robin: Pheasants are forever. Now let’s move on. I’m looking forward to so many of the speakers, including the amazing Jay Asher who had better lose his hat by then…and his attitude.
Jay: It’s a Penguin hat. I’m just trying to represent!
Eve: Pheasants. Penguins. Who cares? I’m excited to meet blog readers like Suzanne Young and Laura Ludwig Hamor, who I’ve only met cyber-ly! And Christy Raedeke, who I only got to hang with a little bit in Big Sur.
Robin: Yes! And Rachel Cohn and David LaRochelle and…and…oh, who am I kidding…I can’t wait to get soy lattes all day long from the Starbucks in the lobby!
Eve: OMG! I was just going to say the same thing! Except my drink of choice is a café mocha. We are the same person, Robin!
Jay: You definitely are. Each year at the conference…each and every morning!…I’m told to get up early, go downstairs, and bring back your coffees while you “put your faces on.”
Robin: Thanks, Jay. Extra hot…don’t forget! Hopefully we’ll make it down in time for the faculty parade, where each faculty member says one inspired word into the microphone. Do you want to give our readers a hint as to what your word will be, Jay?
Eve: Ooh! Do not say something generic like creative or imagine. You should say…
Robin: Wait, you didn’t tell Eve yet?
Jay: No, back when I came up with it, it would’ve just frustrated her. But I think she’d like it now.
Eve: Wait, I know! Your word is…wait, why would it frustrate me? Is it menopause???
Robin: You’re right. It would’ve frustrated her.
Eve: What IS it? Loser? Cellulite? Dumb blond? No, that’s two words.
Jay: Come here, I’ll whisper it to you. [Jay whispers his word.]
Eve: Oh! NEVER would have guessed that one! Funny. Yes, maybe it would have frustrated me a few months back. But not now. Thanks for telling me!
Jay: Okay, Robin, what year did you first attend the conference?
Robin: My first year was 2003. The theme was the Mad Hatter Tea Party or something. I drove down by myself for one day and ended up crashing in Eve’s room that night. I remember thinking…I could make a habit out of this.
Eve: That’s right! We all hardly knew each other then. I remember sitting in my room with Jay chatting about how much I loved his new project, and insisting that he keep working on it. Back then it was a little thing called, Baker’s Dozen. Most of you now know it as Thirteen Reasons Why!
Jay: I remember that conversation so well! When you told me you loved my book, I remember thinking, “I think we could become really good friends.”
Robin: Awww. This is getting so cute. Let’s do more cute! When was your first year, Jay? What was that like?
Jay: 2000 was my first year…and it wasn’t so cute at first. I knew absolutely no one and I was so shy back then. But I ended up befriending Kathleen Duey, and she introduced me to so many cool people. By the end of the conference, I was more determined than ever to stick with this. And then, Eve, I think you came to the conference two years later, but we never even talked.
Eve: Yes, 2002 was my first. I had just moved to Cali, knew no one at the conference, but met a fabulous group of girls the first day--April Fritz, Kelly DiPucchio, Hope Vestergaard, Alice Pope, Lisa Wheeler--and they made me feel right at home. I do remember seeing a strange guy sitting all alone at the Saturday night luau dressed like the Hawaiian Punch logo-guy and playing a ukulele!
Jay: Yep. That was embarrassing…cuz NO ONE ELSE DRESSED UP THAT YEAR!!!
Robin: But this year, things will be much different!
Eve: Yes, because it’s not a luau, so you won’t need that ukulele. Don’t bring it. No, seriously. Don’t.
Robin: Right! This year will be very different. Jay’s book is out and he’s on the faculty and he’s going to be the hit of the conference. For me it’ll be different because…oh, wait…it won’t be different at all. Except we’ll be dressed in red!!!
Jay: Hey, Robin. I’m actually starting to like your Pheasants Forever hat. You look good in it.
Eve: Leave her hat alone!
Jay: No, I’m serious. I like it!
Robin: For real ya’ll, pheasants are forever.
Eve: Oh! Oh! I know! Your one word should be I’maNewYorkTimesBestsellingAuthorLookAtMeLookAtMe.
Robin: Or how about EveAndRobinWillBePublishedSoon.
Eve: Oh, oh, or MillionDollarContractsMovieDealsAndTheWholeShabangForBothOfYou.
Robin: Or ILoveEveAndRobinMoreThanLifeItself.
Eve: IWouldBeNothingWithoutThem.
Jay: [walks away]
Robin: Jay! We’re sorry.
Jay: I’m just getting more coffee.
Eve: Maybe his one word should just be creative.
Robin: Yeah. Creative. That’s good!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/23/2008
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As I’m furiously completing this draft of my YA masterpiece, I’m constantly checking in with my novel and screenwriting reference books to make sure that I’m staying on track, avoiding common amateur mistakes, and following three-act structure, plot, and character rules.
One of these “how to write” books had a great exercise for keeping an author focused on his/her overall goals for the novel. I cannot remember which book suggested this piece of advice, but it is brilliant.
Create your own Magna Carta.
Your own personal Magna Carta is simply an honest list of things you like and dislike when reading stories. That’s it!
My Magna Carta:
LIKES
First-person point of view
Simple writing
Intense love stories
Humor (even intense dramas must have some)
Realistic characters, plot, setting, dialogue
Likeable characters
Makes me laugh and/or cry
Suspense
Surprise or twist endings
Multicultural (to me this means using characters from a variety of backgrounds; rich, poor, different customs, be liefs, religions, philosophies)
DISLIKES
Third-person POV
Pretentious writing or characters
Verbose writing or overuse of fancy words
Overly quirky characters
Unrealistic characters
Characters who speak too young/old for their ages
Mean-spirited or selfish protagonists
Slow/quiet
Overly depressing, disturbing, no comic relief, no hope (see: House of Sand and Fog, The Road)
Fancy, rich-people settings
Lame endings (out of the blue or abrupt)
Contrived Multicultural (Specifically, the use of token characters with pigment, trying to pass as “multicultural” writing. Drives me crazy! “Culture” implies a way of life, NOT a shade of pigment. Stepping down off soapbox now…)
For me the exercise is so simple, yet so useful. It’s a constant reminder of what I want (and do not want) to accomplish in telling a story. If I can just stick all the things I love to see in novels into my own novel, then I’ll be satisfied as an artist. Easier said than done, of course!
8 days to go until I hit my deadline. I just hope I’m doing my Magna Carta proud!
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/21/2008
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We've definitely got the moves. Now all we've gotta do is get our costumes ready for the afterhours party.
This year's theme? Paint the Town Red.
Bring it!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/19/2008
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Since Jay and Eve are busy reading my manuscript, they don’t have time for blogging right now. So you get me…again!
This time I need some advice. (Jay and Eve aren’t even able to provide basic friendship needs! But that’s okay. I asked them to read my book and ignore my
calls. They’re taking this very seriously!)
Question #1: My husband is leaving to go do some workin South America. Which means I’ll be doing the single-mom thing for a while. Waaaahhh! But now I can’t decide how to spend my time while he’s gone. Should I a) rearrange the furniture; b) scrub the bathrooms; or c) get a babysitter and go see a movie?
Question #2: If I was to get a babysitter and go see a movie, should I go see that Mamma Mia! movie? Or is that Batman movie as good as everyone says?
Question #3: I’ll change the subject now…my 6-year old son has become totally obsessed with Hannah Montana. Is this normal? Or am I a bad mother?
Question #4: Seriously…Mamma Mia! or The Dark Knight?
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/16/2008
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I have finally put down my red Uni-Ball Vision Elite pen because I'm done with my revisions. Woo-hoo!!! And we all know what that means…my son gets to eat fresh vegetables again! No more pizza and tofu dogs on a regular basis. At least, for a little while.
I have now passed my manuscript on to Jay and Eve so they can work their magic and make my somewhat decent story into an awesome story. They’re the best, I’m tellin’ ya!
I started on this manuscript almost two years ago when I attended a humor workshop put on by the lovely Mary Hershey. During that workshop, we did a writing exercise and I came up with a character, Carly, who is from The South and has an obsession with hair products. (Hmmm…wonder who's eerily similar to that description…)
Anyway, I wrote about me...I mean, Carly...and got a few chapters in when I realized that she had absolutely no story to go along with her. And for many months, I couldn’t come up with anything. But then, I had one of those flashes, the kind that hit you quickly and you stop what you’re doing and just stare for a while. It happened to me at 7 a.m. when I was in the middle of putting a load of whites into the dryer. I just stared at the dial and thought…Wow, I might be on to something here!
And now, 18 months later, I’ve finally put the finishing touches on that little idea I had while cleaning socks and underwear. What’s it about? Well...um…let’s see. It’s about a girl who discovers this thing that does this stuff and her mom tells her all this other stuff and she can’t figure out what to do with the stuff and the thing that her mom told her about...and stuff.
Yeah, I’m bad at summaries. In fact, when I first pitched this idea to my agent, it took me about half an hour to describe what I wanted to do. She was so wonderful and patient and didn’t even take a bathroom break during my long rambling attempt at a summary. Love her!
So that’s what Jay and Eve are for. Their job is to not only make the book rock, but to help me figure out how to summarize 175 pages of stuff into about 3 sentences. Until then, what I can tell you is the title: THE HAPPINESS PROJECT.
And when I handed copies over to Jay and Eve, I even gave them a girl and a boy version.
Can you guess which Mermaid’s which?
- Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/14/2008
Blog: The Disco Mermaids (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Yes, it can be done.
After briefly chatting with Suzanne Young the other day via email about her numerous books, and the fact that she can crank out a first draft in 4 days (yes, I said 4 days!) I felt motivated. And, admittedly, slothful, lame and inadequate. But mostly motivated. Makes my 18-day deadline seem quite silly...and attainable!
A few days ago I had a minor "procedure" to remove a "thing" that hopefully will not turn out to be a "melanoma," or "carcinoma," or any other malignant "oma" for that matter. It was a pain in my ass (not literally, but close!) but ended up being a blessing because the derm dude had to cut a little more than anticipated. And it hurt. And there were a bunch of stitches and blood and a giant bandage and I cannot shower for several days or exercise for a week! (Insert sympathy *here*)
See the silver lining yet?
Well, turns out my procrastination tactics have all been thwarted! Running...not allowed. Hot tub...can't get wet. Sleep...hurts too much. Softball...not gonna happen. Tanning...do I need to go there? All I can humanly do is sit and write. The situation over the last few days has taught me that I really can keep my butt in the chair and write a crap-load of words. I mean, a lot of words. And all strung together they even seem to make some sort of sense! At this rate I really think, for the first time this month, that I'll meet my crazy deadline.
Funny thing, too, is the serendipitous timing of this "procedure." In my YA novel, I'm now going back to the beginning to revise the part where my main character heads to the doctor for test results that will reveal if she does, in fact, have a deadly disease. Now, of course, my potential deadly disease is a lot less ominous than her deadly disease. But, the situation has provided me with some authentic feelings of anxiety about having a deadly disease (which I've never faced before). And, I am therefore infusing a lot more real emotion into the scene that was impossible to tap into before. So, it's a good thing all around. And y'all know how much I love my research!
Special thanks to my new writing coach, Eric Elfman, who cracked the whip, Agent Laura for her everlasting patience, Greg "H" Guss, fellow Bruin who emails me motivational messages like, "Hey, I just wrote 10 pages during the America's Got Talent commercial break...what have you done?" and, of course, Robin and Jay for...um...generously bringing me all those buckets of Australian Kookubura Licorice (the red kind) from Trader Joe's and a keg of Diet Coke...I'm thanking you in advance because I know you two are going to show up any day bearing inspirational gifts. I'm waiting by the door...
Si Se Puede!
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/12/2008
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There are several questions I get asked about Thirteen Reasons Why almost every time I do a school visit or book club event. One question concerns the characters (other than Clay) mentioned on Hannah's cassette tapes. They want to know how those people reacted to being singled out as reasons for her suicide. How did it affect them?
My answer? I have no idea.
Once I recorded...I mean, wrote...Hannah's words, and conveyed Clay's reactions, my contribution to the story was finished. Whatever happens outside of those 288 printed pages (or 5 compact discs) is entirely up to each reader.
But I won't disagree with the following two-part student project. In fact, I absolutely love their ideas...as well as how they're presented. If you haven't already read the book, don't be afraid to watch. Nothing will be spoiled for you. The only scene I wrote is at the beginning, when Clay first receives the package of tapes.
Everything else is brand new...and brilliant!
Part 2
- Jay
P.S. Did you notice my book made two cameos? That is so cool!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/10/2008
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I never tire of hearing a good "How I Got Published" story. Before I sold my book, I took comfort in the often unpredictable ups-and-downs of other writers. Many of them struggle for years, searching for their perfect age-group or genre or writing style. And when they find it, it often takes years to find the perfect story within that bracket. And when they find that story, they then need to write that story and find an editor who can convince a publisher to buy it...which can add even more years to an author's personal journey.
This post is not about one of those journeys.
But first, I need you to think back. If you're a writer, think back a year-and-a-half. What were you working on back then? Eighteen months ago, I’d just finished editing Thirteen Reasons Why for Razorbill. I was still on Cloud 9, feeling that my thirteen years of slowly learning the craft had finally paid off.
What was my friend and fellow-blogger Suzanne Young doing a year-and-a-half ago? She had just decided to become a writer, so began working on her very first novel. (Please, dear reader, now would be a good time to find a chair...and sit in it.) In the ensuing eighteen months, Suzanne wrote a total of nine young adult manuscripts. That's right…nine YA manuscripts...eighteen months! (Warning: Do not attempt the math because the answer will make your brain go kablooey.) Were all of those manuscripts brilliant? Probably not...at least, it makes me feel better to assume they weren't. But a mere nine months after beginning her writing journey, she signed with a literary agent.
Several months went by, and I received a very nice e-mail from Suzanne about Thirteen Reasons Why. We did a little shop-talk and it became clear that she was not in the best author/agent relationship. So she parted ways with her agent and did some submitting on her own, getting extremely positive feedback from editors. And then, after stumbling across her blog, another literary agent contacted her. This new agent was extremely excited about Suzanne and was soon submitting her novel Smitten Kittens.
Within a matter of weeks, three publishing houses were fighting over Suzanne. This past Monday, she signed a two-book deal with Razorbill.
What I'm saying is, Suzanne's learning curve looks more like a ninety-degree-angle!
So how did she do it? I have many theories, but they mainly come down to this: It's internal. She just gets it! When it comes to characters, emotional tension, how to time a joke, and pitch-perfect dialogue, she knows how to get the idea out of her head and onto her computer in one clean sweep. Her writing process is a lot like an improv comedian. What comes out simply works.
But it can be frustrating, too. Several times, she would send me an opening chapter to a new book and ask me if it was any good. I would start to read it, laughing out loud, and another e-mail would pop up asking me to stop reading because she'd just rewritten that chapter. Not edited it. Rewritten it! New actions. New dialogue. New jokes. So I would start reading the new version, and another e-mail would pop up with the subject line Stop Reading!
And in the time it took me to write and edit this post, Suzanne probably wrote three chapters in her second book for Razorbill...and rewrote each chapter three or four times.
Congratulations, Suzanne! Eve, Robin, and I are doing the Book Deal Dance in solidarity with ya!!!
- Jay
To read more about Suzanne, here are some more links. (Notice how many blogs she contributes to. She just can't stop those fingers from typing!)
Yapping About YA
Lipgloss Lit
2010: A Book Odyssey
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/7/2008
Blog: The Disco Mermaids (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I figured I could post about the state of our economy or the massive job layoffs across the country or the outrageous gas prices, but really, I’m more concerned about pens.
Since I’m in the middle of revising my middle grade novel, and since I’m the type of person who revises using the mark-the-paper-like-mad-with-red-pen method, I am very particular about my red pens. Very particular.
It can’t be felt or ballpoint or fiber or gel. And especially not quill. That’s just weird. I like my pens to be, oh…how do you say…the kind that move. You know, the ones that just glide across the page without any effort and spit out just the right amount of ink that is very visible, not too faint, and not too bold. Yeah, see, I had just that pen. Had! And I made it through almost fifty pages of revisions with such a pen. Then it up and left the planet. I can’t find it anywhere!!!
However, a new pen has come into my life. You see, my husband and I decided to take out a home equity line of credit [see opening sentence] and when the lady came to our house to have us sign the documents, she said, “Sign here…and here…and here…” Which I did, and then I realized that she had handed me the most wonderful, gliding, graceful pen on the planet! (Other than the one I lost.) I asked her where she got it and she told me Costco and then she snatched it from my hand.
So now that we have all this extra money available due to our new home equity line of credit, I went out and bought a value pack of 16 Uni-Ball Vision Elite pens. Twelve of which are black, three are blue, and one is red.
One.
Which means I’d better not lose this pen, too. Otherwise, I will be posting about the state of our economy and complaining about the lack of good red pens in this country!
-Robin
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/4/2008
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I have 27 days and 27 nights left until my self-imposed deadline for completing my YA novel is upon me! The lack of hours isn't what's scaring me, though. It's the fact that my once sweet, simple love story has drifted over to the dark side and become something I hadn't seen coming. Which is ironic because the book's main theme is facing our fear of the unknown. And I've got some serious Unknown-O-Phobia right now. Isn't that like art imitating life imitating art or something? I don't know. Maybe I've been chewing on too many licorice sticks.
All I know is that these new ideas are popping out of my head and shooting through my fingers into the keyboard and splattering onto the computer screen and creating a story that is very different from the one that is so neatly outlined on my giant dry erase board. The story now has more tension, more adventure, more stakes, and more...well, um...freaky stuff. But, see, this didn't start out as a freaky story. And I didn't think I had it in me to write freaky stuff. Don't get me wrong...it's not like Saw or Halloween or The Strangers freaky stuff. It's more like "M. Night Shyamalan / I see dead people" weird stuff. And that kind of story excites me and creeps me out at the same time.
My dilemma now is...Do I continue on this Stephen King route? Or do I delete everything I've written in the last 48 diet coke-intoxicated hours and return to my Nicholas Sparks roots? It's a tough one. Sweet and simple? Or tense and freaky? Light and breezy? Doomed and dark? I'd like to think of myself as a pretty light and silly person. But, in truth, I tend to be drawn to darker books. For some reason, darker and more serious books make me think harder and stay with me longer than lighthearted books.
Of course, when I sprung these new ideas on my critique group partners yesterday, I think they were a little perplexed. The consensus was that while the new tone and plot points are certainly riveting, they don't fit with the original vision of the book. My problem is that the original vision was feeling a bit boring and stale to me, and the shake up injected new life into the story. And it's exciting to think of this novel as a new, never been done before, strange, but compelling (in a train wreck kind of way) project.
The artist in me tells me to take a risk and blow it out and go with the freaky-deaky flow. But the practical side of me tells me to keep it simple, stick to the vision and finish the sappy love story. Not sure. Maybe filling my body with more guar gum, red dye and artificial carmel coloring will give me some clarity.
- Eve
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 7/1/2008
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During my three days at the American Library Association conference in Anaheim this past weekend, I averaged four hours of sleep per night. So if you find any grammatical errors in this post, here's what you should do...
Get. Over. It.
On Friday night, Penguin Young Readers held a fancy schmancy dinner for librarians, educators, and award committee members. At each table sat an author. One at a time, each author spoke about his or her latest book. I happened to bring up the fact...a few times...that I work at a library, which had the same effect as a neon Applause sign hanging over my head. (So that was nice.) Afterwards, a bunch of Penguins marched to a nightspot to continue the chit-chatting, including Ingrid Law, Jon Scieszka, Jacqueline Woodson, John Green, and myself.
The next morning, I headed out to the exhibition room and stood in the presence of as many famous authors as I could. The biggie for me was Laurie Halse Anderson. And when her hand touched my chest while posing for a photo, I swear I felt some superauthor force pass into me.
That afternoon, Feiwel & Friends hosted a bunch o' bloggers in a suite (sweet!), where I got to hang out with the bloggers behind Fuse #8, Jen Robinson's Book Page, and GottaBook.
That night...Disneyland! Followed by IHOP shenanigans and a brief visit to my bed.
Early the next morning, it was time for speed-dating with children's authors! A whole bunch of us marched into a room where about 30 tables were stocked with around eight librarians each. I began my journey (totally by coincidence) at table 13. I talked about my book, answered questions, then moved to a new table whenever the whistle blew. So fun! Afterwards, all of the authors gathered for a group photo. What you can't see is the wall of camera-packin' librarians in front of us.
From there, I went to my first of two autographing sessions. And let me take this moment to say that the behind-the-scenes Penguins who made my first ALA experience so wonderful are some of the coolest (and cutest!) people in the biz. [I know Robin and Eve are gonna tell me to take down the "cutest!" comment, but it's true...and I'm tired, so No.]
And Terry Trueman stopped by. Terry! Trueman!
I don't have any photos from the Best Books for Young Adults pizza party, but John Green, Nancy Werlin, Steve Kluger, and I joined a bunch of teens for hotdogs and hamburgers. (Just kidding! It was pizza. But I'm really tired, so you have to forgive the lame joke.)
When I first walked in, a group of four girls walked up to me and were kind of shy. Eventually, one of them found the courage to say, "I just wanted you to know that I loved Looking for Alaska." And then her friends started busting up and told her that I wasn't John Green. (But don't feel bad for me...she liked my book, too!) Unfortunately for John Green, I pointed him out to the girls and we played a little prank on him. They told him they were big fans of his...and that they loved Thirteen Reasons Why.
Then I signed books for another hour at the Baker & Taylor booth...with Lisa Loeb!!! No, seriously! Look!!!
Near the end, I had a wonderful discussion with my publisher, Ben Schrank, outside of the exhibition area. Over my fourth- or fifth-cup of coffee of the day, we talked about the future of Thirteen Reasons Why and my future dreams as an author. We talked about taking chances. And we talked about... Forget it, I'm tired, and I still have two pictures to go.
No ALA is complete without a little competition between gangs of librarians. Have you ever seen your neighborhood librarians perform a choreographed dance with bookcarts to the music of Weird Science or Thriller? It's truly one of the weirdest things you'll ever see in your life...
Before leaving Anaheim, I had to squeeze in a few hours at Disney's California Adventure. Somehow, although I went to two theme parks in two days, I didn't get a single photo of myself. But in this one, starring Jen Rofé of Andrea Brown Literary running down a street which really isn't there, my shadow does make a cameo appearance.
Okay, goodnight.
- Jay
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 6/28/2008
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Hi everyone! Jay is off to ALA this weekend, which means...we have the blog all to ourselves. Woohoo!!!
By: Disco Mermaids,
on 6/26/2008
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36 days. That’s what I’m giving myself to finish this YA romance, work-in-progress, year and a half of research, changed the plot at least twenty times, labor of love, sweat and tears, great American teen novel.
July 31st, 2008. That’s my deadline. The day the Disco Mermaids leave town and head to the annual SCBWI national conference in Los Angeles. I told my agent I’d have the draft to her sometime this summer, and we’ll be getting together at the conference. So, the pressure’s on!
This is pretty much how I tackle all giant projects…slow, slow, slow, plan, plan, plan, re-think, re-think, research, research, think some more, do some outlining, then…GO!
Realistically, I’m about 1/4 finished. Because I’ve changed the main plot so many times, the beginning has been reworked to death (no pun intended, as this is essentially a story about a young girl learning to die with dignity). This is exactly how I wrote my first novel, Ring of Fire, as well. I wrote, edited, re-wrote, critiqued, and revised the first six chapters for three years! Then, when I finally had the exact beginning I wanted, and created a general outline of the remaining ¾ of the book, the rest of the writing went really quickly. I actually spent one entire month sitting at my dining room table, sucking down Diet Coke and red licorice (a surprisingly delicious combo!), writing like a madwoman for 10-12 hours a day.
Remember that, Jay and Robin? When you couldn’t get me on the phone or email for days at a time, and then you’d pop by my house to check if I was still alive, and you’d find me greasy-haired and sweaty with licorice in my un-brushed teeth, surrounded by crushed empty Coke cans? Well, prepare yourselves because that time is upon us again.
I’m afraid you won’t see much of me for the next 36 days. Unless, of course, you happen to be shopping in Trader Joe’s and wander down the sweets isle (it’s the third from the left), and accidentally drop some Australian Kookabura red licorice into your cart, then find yourself driving through my neighborhood. Then, and only then, should you walk into my house and disturb me. Thanks in advance!
- Eve
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Hi Eve!
okay, you totally made me laugh with this line of thought. But here's a thought...
would it be NEW scoring, like the gymnastics and diving, where the execution is multiplied by the level of difficulty of the novel, or would it be the old perfect Mary Lu/Nadia 10 system?
hmmm....
have a great Sunday!
Lee
Eve, take a break-from writing AND the olympics. Watch the recent Daily Show with Dennis Leary, and get inspired!!!
Okay, I didn't need to hear that about the Starbucks mochas, thank you very much.
Do we have to learn the dolphin kick?
Oh no!!! Mochas might get banned as performance enhancing elixirs!
Keep training and aiming for the gold, though!!
Hm... I don't know if I could keep up in a writing olympics, but give me some twizzlers... all gold, Baby!!!!
Here here! The self-discipline required to be a writer is gargantously tougher than all that mamby-pamby "athletic" training.
And this Writing Olympics, hmmm. I think there may be something to that...I'ma gonna look into it.
Aw - you didn't get the special massage-while-you-create package? Don't worry, I'll send Franz over in the morning.
Eve - you are a funny little thing! this post is great!!!
And you are right on. We need some perks! some pre-published perks :-)
xoxo
Ah, but how many athletes are there out there who worked their tails off and didn't make the Olympic team? Yikes . . . I'd rather focus on the winners. Go for the gold!! SF