So I suck at blogging, right?
On Saturday, I was writing up my SISTERS SATURDAY post. I was 95% done and added pictures and all was well and then I ACCIDENTALLY DELETED all of it. And before I could react properly like a normal person and press the back button, I panicked and it all disappeared into cyber space. Can I tell you the depth of my despair? Do you know how very much I hate writing something and then losing it and then having to do it all over again. I simply couldn't do it. So there was no Sister's Saturday again. Sigh. Le fail equals me. Note to self. Look up equal in french, so can make an entire french sentence.
I will post that author's interview again, but I just couldn't make myself do it again after spending over half an hour on it.
I suck. Okay. I suck at some things. Not everything. I don't hate myself that much.
I did write my blog today for the Dear Teen Me site. My letter won't even appear for a few months so that's like the opposite of procrastination. AND. I have been working on my work in progress for a couple hours. So I am accomplishing things. My edits for All That Jaz are in to my editor. I await her feedback on my new subplot and character development.
But first I am going to have a little holiday. Not sure if I deserve it, but I'm taking it anyways. There will be sun. And beach. And heavy sunscreen for my aging screen. Ha ha, I wrote screen instead of skin and that cracks me up so I'm leaving it in! Toot a loo. Back at ya soon!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Tell the Truth Tuesday
1. I am giggly happy about my new title and new cover but it is kind of freaking me out that so many versions of the old cover and title are still lurking around on online bookstores. What if they never get switched? What if people are confused? Worse. What if no one cares? Yeah. I worry about things like that.
2. I am addicted to Protein Bars. I eat them every single day and not just for breakfast some days. I would rather have a protein bar than most normal food. They are best consumed with coffee.
3. My Arc’s for I’m Not Her should arrive in a couple of weeks. This means they will go out in a couple of weeks. This both thrills and terrifies me. I’m Not Her is still in my pristine shiny love phase. Soon the reviews will come in. And as much as we’re not supposed to read bad reviews or pay them any mind. Well. Think about it. What would you do?
4. I am in deep revision mode. I am still wearing the same pair of pyjama pants that I wore two days ago. Even my dog wants me to go have a shower. (I am doing so right after I finish this up in case you’re worried. Or grossed out)
5. Pulling up my socks gives me great pleasure. It’s true. You must try it. When your socks have been on your feet for a few hours and they’re a little slouchy, you reach down and yank them up and it’s insta’ happy feet and legs. Trust.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
New Cover for I'M NOT HER!
So excited to show off the new cover for I`M NOT HER coming out April 1, 2011 from Sourcebooks Fire!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
NEW YEAR'S MEME
And now, without further ado, a MEME!
1. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More time to write. Which I have already lined up since I quit my part time job and will devote that time to writing for a while.
2. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Etched. That sounds almost painful. But. Hmm. How about December 15. Superson's birthday, which is carved into my gray matter. In a good way.
3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Two book deals was pretty darn amazing!
4. What was your biggest failure?
I really wanted to finish my book called INSTINCT, but was working and was not as productive as usual in the writing area. This year I will finish Instinct and one more book as I quit my other job and will have more time to devote to writing.
5. What was the best thing you bought?
Yoga clothes from Lululemon in much smaller sizes than last year! I am now a trendy stay at home mom with Lulu pants. Actually I kind of did a lot of shopping this year.
6. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband. My son. Different reasons, but the people you love always are the cause of celebration, right?
7. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The guy who wrote books about how to molest children and sold them on Amazon appalled me. I think my own reaction to things depressed me at times, but life is about growing, right?
8. Where did most of your money go?
The boy. The cottage. The bills.
9. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Teenage Dream by Katie Perry will always remind me of driving to swim practice with my son.
10. Compared to this time last year, are you...
i. happier or sadder? Happier I think. I’m excited about the new books coming out
ii. thinner or fatter? Actually I am thinner. I lost a lot of weight in 2010. Keeping it off will prove to be the challenge!
iii. richer or poorer? Mostly the same.
11. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I’d done more volunteering at son’s school. I miss seeing him there. This year for sure!
12. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about things I have no control over. Also less time wasting on the Internet.
13. What was your favourite TV program?
Hmmmm. It would have to be GLEE
14. What was the best book you read?
Wow. That`s a really hard choice to make. So I won't. Ha ha.
15. What was your favourite film of this year?
HMM. Not an overwhelming favorite, but I'd have to go with Inception.
16. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to the Cheesecake café and ate a giant piece of chocolate cake. I am right slap in the middle of forty.
17. What kept you sane?
Son`s swim practices when I work out.
18. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I fancy Johnny Depp.
19. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Hug the ones you love hard. We`re not here forever.
20. Word you said often enough that it should have been your catchphrase:
Pokemon.
1. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More time to write. Which I have already lined up since I quit my part time job and will devote that time to writing for a while.
2. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Etched. That sounds almost painful. But. Hmm. How about December 15. Superson's birthday, which is carved into my gray matter. In a good way.
3. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Two book deals was pretty darn amazing!
4. What was your biggest failure?
I really wanted to finish my book called INSTINCT, but was working and was not as productive as usual in the writing area. This year I will finish Instinct and one more book as I quit my other job and will have more time to devote to writing.
5. What was the best thing you bought?
Yoga clothes from Lululemon in much smaller sizes than last year! I am now a trendy stay at home mom with Lulu pants. Actually I kind of did a lot of shopping this year.
6. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband. My son. Different reasons, but the people you love always are the cause of celebration, right?
7. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
The guy who wrote books about how to molest children and sold them on Amazon appalled me. I think my own reaction to things depressed me at times, but life is about growing, right?
8. Where did most of your money go?
The boy. The cottage. The bills.
9. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Teenage Dream by Katie Perry will always remind me of driving to swim practice with my son.
10. Compared to this time last year, are you...
i. happier or sadder? Happier I think. I’m excited about the new books coming out
ii. thinner or fatter? Actually I am thinner. I lost a lot of weight in 2010. Keeping it off will prove to be the challenge!
iii. richer or poorer? Mostly the same.
11. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I wish I’d done more volunteering at son’s school. I miss seeing him there. This year for sure!
12. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worrying about things I have no control over. Also less time wasting on the Internet.
13. What was your favourite TV program?
Hmmmm. It would have to be GLEE
14. What was the best book you read?
Wow. That`s a really hard choice to make. So I won't. Ha ha.
15. What was your favourite film of this year?
HMM. Not an overwhelming favorite, but I'd have to go with Inception.
16. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to the Cheesecake café and ate a giant piece of chocolate cake. I am right slap in the middle of forty.
17. What kept you sane?
Son`s swim practices when I work out.
18. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I fancy Johnny Depp.
19. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Hug the ones you love hard. We`re not here forever.
20. Word you said often enough that it should have been your catchphrase:
Pokemon.
Monday, January 3, 2011
I've Got The Hots For You. Or. Slang Gone Bad.
Before Christmas I was going through page proofs for I’M NOT HER and I came across a note from my editor. One of the female characters was talking to another female about a boy and said, “I think he has the hots for you.”
My editor wrote a comment asking if this expression was dated. I think my cheeks started to burn and then I giggled out loud. Dated! Me?? Well, not exactly me per se, my character- but she was saying something that I put in her mouth. And it was DATED!
Once upon a time I was cool? OMG. Is cool dated too?? OMG. I just thought about how cool I was. And that has to make me totally uncool. It’s a vicious circle this being dated thing.
It’s not like I just realized that my teen years are well behind me, but I thought I still had it. Writing for teens, eavesdropping on teens, thinking I was still “in the know” But, “hots” is something I would have said as a teen and when it was pointed out in black and white- that it is now considered “dated” I realized, Oh my God. I AM DATED.
So I brought it up with some friends who like me because I am older than them and therefore make them feel younger. They laughed when I told them I had to ask for an opinion from parents with teens and a teen boy said, “HOTS? I would never say that. That is lame.”
So then we started talking about what our kids say these days. Our kids are ten years old and younger mind you, but they do manage to filter down some of the slang (sans profanity for a few more years.)
I understand why editors tell us to keep slang out of our books, because it quickly dates them. But sometimes, like “hots” it slips in without even realizing it’s not said anymore. All I can say is thank god for editors. And soon enough my son will be a teen, and I’ll have an urban dictionary right in my home.
My editor wrote a comment asking if this expression was dated. I think my cheeks started to burn and then I giggled out loud. Dated! Me?? Well, not exactly me per se, my character- but she was saying something that I put in her mouth. And it was DATED!
Once upon a time I was cool? OMG. Is cool dated too?? OMG. I just thought about how cool I was. And that has to make me totally uncool. It’s a vicious circle this being dated thing.
It’s not like I just realized that my teen years are well behind me, but I thought I still had it. Writing for teens, eavesdropping on teens, thinking I was still “in the know” But, “hots” is something I would have said as a teen and when it was pointed out in black and white- that it is now considered “dated” I realized, Oh my God. I AM DATED.
So I brought it up with some friends who like me because I am older than them and therefore make them feel younger. They laughed when I told them I had to ask for an opinion from parents with teens and a teen boy said, “HOTS? I would never say that. That is lame.”
So then we started talking about what our kids say these days. Our kids are ten years old and younger mind you, but they do manage to filter down some of the slang (sans profanity for a few more years.)
I understand why editors tell us to keep slang out of our books, because it quickly dates them. But sometimes, like “hots” it slips in without even realizing it’s not said anymore. All I can say is thank god for editors. And soon enough my son will be a teen, and I’ll have an urban dictionary right in my home.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Sisters Saturday with the Amazing Michelle Zink- Author of The Prophecy Trilogy
Michelle Zink doesn't have any sisters in real life, but she sure created a memorable and unique sister relationship in her Prophecy of the Sisters Trilogy. Actually I think it's kind of a shame Michelle didn't have a sister, because she would be a GREAT one! Michelle is so generous in spirit both with readers and other writers. She also seems like a most amazing mom! Maybe she wasn't meant to have a sister because she had so much to share with the rest of the world!!! Truly, Michelle is a wonderful person and an amazing author!! So let's talk about the sisters in her story!
Michelle: Lia and Alice don't have a typical twin relationship. Bonded by their shared history and the inherent connection that comes with being a twin, they have never been close, per se. Alice is secretive, her moods mercurial, while Lia is more of a what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of person, at least in the first book. The two almost circle each other (figuratively speaking), always wary of sharing too much or getting to close. I don't have any siblings. The relationship between Lia and Alice is completely fabricated, but I wanted to create a fantasy that was more than just action moving the plot forward - one that explored the psychological underpinnings of the struggle between the light and dark parts of our nature.
Best villain: Alice Milthorpe from Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
So. What did the sisters in Prophecy hate about each other?
Michelle: I don't think Lia and Alice were ever able to hate each other. When Lia almost drowns in the river, it's Alice who pulls her from the water. Their respective roles in the prophecy make it almost a foregone conclusion that they will be enemies. Even when the fate of the world lay in the struggle between them, I think they're still always trying to reconcile their opposing roles and personalities with the connection as twins that they can never deny.
Deep. You have created an amazing world in this series. So...if not hate, what did they love about each other?
Michelle: Even love is too simple a word to describe their relationship. I think Lia admires Alice her confidence and spirit while Alice secretly wishes she had Lia's capacity for goodness. You'll see more of this in their interaction in Circle of Fire, the third and final book in the trilogy. There's a little teaser for you!
Ohhh... that sounds delicious and I can't wait. What a great story of internal struggle (with great external struggle to partner and contradict it) So, without giving spoilers (and if anyone hasn't already started this series, go pick up the first book NOW!) what is an important lesson about sisters from your books?
Michelle: As things build to a fever pitch in Circle of Fire, you'll see Lia struggle with her own darkness until the lines between the sisters and their actions on behalf of the prophecy are blurred. I hope the take away is that we DO have control over our own destiny. That while fate may play a part, nothing is more powerful than the choices we make on our own behalf. I also hope it will illustrate what I believe to be the truth about human nature; we're all a combination of light and dark. We have to learn to forgive one another - and ourselves - our failings and to hold out hope, always, that the better parts of our humanity will win out in the end.
EEEK. (Falls in heap of longing to read Circle of Fire) Now. Rumor has it you have a new series coming out. May I be one of the many to say.....YAY!!! Is there a sister relationship in your new series? If so, what’s it like?
Michelle: There isn't! There's a bit of a brother story, but my female main character in the new book is an only child.
So good news, more Michelle Zink books to read in the future! Thank you so much for stopping by to talk about the Sisters in the Prophecy trilogy, Michelle!
Unlock the Prophecy...
August 1, 2011
Prophecy of the Sisters
Twin sisters Lia and Alice Milthorpe have just become orphans. They have also become enemies. As they discover their roles in a prophecy that has turned generations of sisters against each other, the girls find themselves entangled in a mystery that involves a tattoo-like mark, their parents’ deaths, a boy, a book, and a lifetime of secrets.
Lia and Alice don’t know whom they can trust.
They just know they can’t trust each other.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)