(Quoth SB: “The quality of this picture can only partially convey the despondency she displayed upon finding me dressing for work this morning.”)
Mommy has been gone almost a week now. I have been getting intimately acquainted with the interior of my kennel. Is this the life of most dogs, left alone in their house all day to fend for themselves, nothing but a few peanut-butter-filled kongs and a nylabone or two for company?
Sure, my grandmother lets me out to run around and play at noon, and when Daddy comes home in the evening, he makes sure we have a lovely catch and lots of snuggly quality time, but it’s not the same. Where is Mommy? Where is this stupid Ireland place?
I swear, if I find out she’s been going on walks with the castle cats or playing around with the gorgeous blue-eyed grey dog that lives in the garden or feeding carrots (my favorite treat next to peanut butter!) to the castle’s old rescue donkey, or chasing the castle peacocks — well, hell hath no fury like a puppy not played with, I’ll tell you what.
So on Friday, Sailor Boy calls me and is like, “Okay, command decision. We’re driving down to Alexandria tonight and trying to get into the Birchmere.”
Since it usually takes me about three weeks to ease Sailor Boy into the idea of crossing the border into Virginia, I was a bit taken aback. But a few weeks back, we’d been dismayed to discover that both the local DC shows of Jonathan Coulton (one up in awesome Annapolis) were sold out, and SB had been bummed out about it.
So we bundled up against the frigid February night and prepared ourselves for a long wait outside the Birchmere, holding two fingers in the air.
Or not. Actually, the nice lady at the box office informed us that they’d just released a few more tickets, so we bought a pair and walked right in. All that fleece for nothing.
The show, she was awesome. For those who don’t know, Jonathan Coulton is a sort of comedy science fiction folk singer. He is probably most famous for writing the theme song for PORTAL, which is one of the best video games ever. It is certainly one of the only video games whose script is so darkly comedic that I spit out my coke all over my controller while playing. Anyway, JC is a Yalie, and a former Whiffenpoof, and, as I’m sure surprises no one who is actually familiar with the group, a former Spizzwink. He was also a computer programmer until he decided to chuck it all and make a living writing songs about mad scientists in love. This is a WOW machinima video of one my favorite of his songs, “Skullcrusher Mountain::
He also has this great zombie apocalypse/office etiquette song entitled “Re: Your Brains.”
Okay, one more…
Oh my gosh, so funny. And also catchy.
Anyway, on Saturday, I went to the WRW meeting, where Sophia Nash and Diane Whiteside talked about characterization. Sophia is a character charter, and I am not, though I think we seem to think about characters in much the same way, in terms of who they are and what they need. I definitely found that I had the information to put into her charts about my characters — in fact, I surprised myself with how much information I actually had. So it was fun to see a new way into something I already do during story development. For instance, Sophia asked about our character’s favorite possessions, and I was surprised to realize that the characters I was charting did, in fact, have thematic possessions. I never would have put that together on my own.
Diane’s talk was about using astrology to develop characters. I know nothing about astrology. I’m not even sure what my own husband’s sign is. But I imagine it might be a really good way to go about a creating a character, because the “brightside” of astrology — all the good qualities that come with a sign — is matched with “darkside” faults. So you can think about who your character is and what sign that matches best, and then see what the corresponding faults might be. Often, people’s greatest strengths are also their greatest faults. Someone very steadfast might also be very stubborn, for example. Someone very spontaneous could also be very flighty. Someone very perceptive can also be very manipulative. If you’re a writer that often has trouble seeing your character’s flaws, this method might be very helpful to you. It doesn’t even have to match your character’s actual birthday. Though I was surprised to discover that, four books later, I had given a character in SSG a birthday (because it was relavant to plot, which is the only time my characters have actual birthdays) that matched a sign that matched his personality really well. Who knew? SURPRISE!
Also, I am the proud possessor of an ARC of Sophia Nash’s latest, Love with the Perfect Scoundrel. Jealous? It’s a snowstorm story. I’m such a sucker for those. I think I shall read it while sequestered in my own little castle in Ireland. Jealouser?
Hee hee. I’m evil.
Now it’s Sunday, and I’m working on my secret project. I love my secret project. I’m so giddy all the time when I’m working on it. I think often of what Jennifer Lyn barnes wrote about keeping the love, and it’s very fitting that it’s what has been filling my head recently, as Jennifer just sold her “love-book”:
Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s RAISED BY WOLVES, in which a human teen struggles to find her place in the werewolf pack that has raised her since childhood, while dealing with the inexplicable connection she shares with the pack’s newest wolf- a teenage boy, to Regina Griffin at Egmont, by Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown.
Maggie Stiefvater, who once made waves online with her “I just don’t get romance” post and then a year later sold a big fat werewolf romance to Scholastic (releasing this fall!) has put up a very thought-provoking post furthering her thoughts on love and romance. I think it’s safe to say that Maggie’s opinions on the matter have shifted somewhat in the past year and a half. However, I don’t agree with her current thesis that large gestures don’t work, and only by writing around romance do you get romance. (Updated to add: Maggie has amended herself to “earned” big gestures, which I agree with absolutely — see below.)
For instance, the scene in The Village that she points out as an example of a “small gesture” of love is, in reality, anything but. Here we’ve got Joaquin Phoenix’s character, as stoic and silent as ever a character was, finally breaking through after half a movie’s worth of teasing and being told he’s in love for the “things he refuses to do” and revealing a concrete example of his love — GRABBING her hand, not “refusing to catch her” which she claims he’s done for years. Then he admits in a moving, impassioned, grand speech a few scenes later:
“Why can you not stop saying what is in yours? Why must you lead, when I want to lead? If I want to dance, I
will ask you to dance. If I want to speak, I will open my mouth and speak. Everyone is forever plaguing me to speak
further. Why? What… good is it to tell you you are in my every thought from the time I wake? What good can come
from my saying I– I sometimes cannot think clearly, or- or do my work properly? What gain can rise from my telling
you… the only time I feel fear as others do, is when I think of you in harm? That is why I am on this porch, Ivy
Walker. I fear for your safety above all others. And yes… I will dance with you on our wedding night.”
These things work in tandem with each other. We believe the impassioned speech and we thrill at the big hand grab because of the small gestures that lay the groundwork. And those small gestures all build up to what romance fans like to call “the gut punch moment”: the declaration, the realization, the proposal or the reconciliation, or the love scene, the kiss on the dock in the rain or the “you pierce my soul” letter or “I know” before being lowered into carbonite or any of the thousands of grand gestures that leave the audience breathless and elevated in every romance ever told. You need ‘em both. You need ‘em all.
Shanna Swendson actually has an excellent seriesof posts on this, in which I think she gets to the heart of why “you complete me” doesn’t really work (for Maggie and me, at least). It’s not that it’s the “big gesture” — it’s that it’s the big gesture without the small one. Tom is a shit to Renee, who loves him because, I don’t know, he’s got some kind of idealistic outlook on life that attracts her? His last-minute realization that she actually is worthy of his affection, and not just her kid, is false and hollow, because no “small gestures” accompany it. In fact, the “you complete me” shot is even cropped so that you can’t see Tom is doing the sign language for it as well, which would be a sign that he at least PAID ATTENTION to something Renee showed him once upon a time. Shanna’s point is all about romantic comedy filmmakers focusing on these big gestures without the small ones, or thinking that if you line up the right order of events and a big misunderstanding, you’ll wind up with a romance.
Maggie’s other point is an interesting one, about how the reader is dying for two characters to make a romance happen, and that is, I think, why filmmakers can get away with crap like 27 Dresses and, to an even greater extent, Prince Caspian. Hey, look, we have two attractive people who are not related to one another in this film. Let’s put ‘em together! People will buy it. We don’t have to work on that.
Ugh.
I am always surprised by the attempts made to ’ship my characters. After Secret Society Girl, people were all after a romance between Malcolm and Poe. Lately, I’ve been hearing rumblings about one between George and Jenny, which, I’m sorry, is about as likely to happen as Malcolm and Poe. But the point is that people like it when characters fall in love. But that doesn’t mean that storytellers should just go ahead and toss any old random people together, Because then you end up with, well:
WRONG! Ewwwwwwww…..
Now, this can get a little sticky, because I’m also a huge believer in following chemistry, which is, of course, indefinable. Some people may see massive chemistry between two characters where others don’t. I don’t know how much chemistry the actors in Prince Caspian might have had to whoever made that stupid, stupid decision, but there certainly wasn’t enough to overcome the canon of “eww” that accompanied their romance. I never found there to be any chemistry between the leads in the short-lived TV series Moonlight, which probably accounts a lot for why I found the show lacking. But other people completely loved that romance. On the other hand, I applaud show runners like Rob Thomas for following the chemistry of Logan and Veronica to its natural and delicious conclusion on Veronica Mars. I really don’t think they imagined a romance between those two, but when it became clear that she and Duncan were flat as pancakes on screen, while she and Logan crackled like summer lightning — well, where do you go?
And different types of romance are necessary for different characters. For instance, Maggie derides “common interest” as a reason for romance, and yet, in some cases, it’s why we are rooting for two characters, particularly in stories where you meet each character on their own long, long before they ever encounter the other. I still remember my first reading of Lord of the Rings. When I got to the part where Eowyn (bless her shield-maiden soul) kicks the Witch King’s enrobed hiney and falls into a magical coma, I remember exclaiming, “No! She can’t die. She must live and marry Faramir!” Sailor Boy, reading in the next sleeping bag over (we were in a tent in Australia at the time) was all, “Wait, she doesn’t even know Faramir and is in love with Aragorn.” But you can’t fool this romance reader. Eowyn is awesome and all, but Aragorn is a demigod. It was never going to work out. Meanwhile, Faramir is equally awesome, equally noble, equally mortal, and equally in need of someone to try a little tenderness. They needed to live happily ever after and root the orcs out of Ithilien. You knew that they would be perfect for one another when they finally met and a big part of that was their common interest. they were twin souls, serving twin purposes in their respective cities (the young, intelligent, brave noblemen who pushed the leaders of their city to betterness). They belonged together.
So before I wrote SSG, I wrote four romance novels, none of which were published, and one of which received a rejection letter praising my characterization and writing, but regretting the lack of , well, romance. Ah well, I was still learning the ropes. And perhaps the editor in question didn’t find my romantic gestures (grand or otherwise) as romantic as I do. For instance, I find it profoundly romantic that Poe saved the mouse because Amy said she liked it. I like even more that she doesn’t find out about that for months and months. Now, not a lot of people think of mice as romantic, so…
Right. My point was…something. It was that I wasn’t such a huge success at writing romance novels, but I wrote novels that were not shelved as romance novels and received heaps of reviews praising what RWA likes to call the “romantic elements” of my books.
The last three books I’ve written have been more blatantly romantic than the first two. In Rites of Spring (Break), Amy’s love life goes front and center in the plot line, and I remember half-joking with my romance writer friends that the structure of the story maps to a romantic suspense. Rampant, killer unicorns aside, is a love story. And those of you who have read the first chapter of Tap & Gown in the back of ROSB know that the question of Amy’s spring break romance looms large. But those were vastly different projects, in both conception and execution. In SSG, I had a very different denouement to the love story in mind, but those two crazy kids were like magnets. So I just went with what felt natural — though actually, ridiculous chemistry aside, it took a whole book to make it work in any rational manner (and their trials aren’t over, because these two have a HUGELY rough row to hoe if they really want to date). In Rampant, I had always intended on a love story to get in the way of Astrid’s duty, but I had to “cast” her love interest several times before I had the right kind of chemistry. The first time, he wasn’t interested in her. The second time, she wasn’t interested in him. But then I landed upon Giovanni, and they clicked, and it was gorgeous. It was also really interesting to write, because Giovanni is a markedly different kind of hero than any I’ve written before, and way, way different than Jamie. Oh, Giovanni. I’m a little bit in love with him.
Yes, I just finished writing a big scene between Astrid and Giovanni for KU2. Why do you ask?
Unfortunately, I can’t really talk about their “small gestures” vs. “big gestures” or “common interests” though their romance is the one on my writerly mind, because no one has read that book yet and I am spoiler-averse and it’ll be months and months (and months and months and argggggggh… don’t mind the crazy author in the corner). But I can talk about Rites of Spring (Break) — look away if you have not read the book yet. Look perhaps, to this page, and order yourself a copy (my shameless plug of the day) — and mouse over white text to read ROSB spoilers:
In ROSB, we’ve got this slow-burn romance going on for the first half of the book, but I keep it on the DL, even from the narrator. She has no idea what I’m doing to her. In fact, she’s under the mistaken impression that I’m getting her together with some other guy. Poor girl. Meanwhile, Poe keeps popping up, starting in the first chapter, and showing that the events of Under the Rose have permanently changed their relationship, and that a lot of their antagonism is more based on the fact that they are used to it, rather than actual negative feelings or even disagreements. In fact, they are pretty much on the same page — they have the same sense of duty about the society, the same concerns and insecurities about their future, etc. Who knew? (Ahem. me.) The events are a prelude, meant to disarm and discomfit her around him. Long looks, tete-a-tetes, and odd moments of tenderness — none of which add up to anything taken on their own, but set the stage for Amy’s upcoming “duh” moment, which happens when Poe, after saving her life, drops her off at the cabin. “Big gesture” alert: Amy looks out the window and what should she see? Poe pacing in front of her cabin, undecided between coming back and saying — something, but what? — to her, and leaving, letting things stay as they are.
Unbeknownst to Poe, his indecision is moot. Amy instantly grasps what he would be saying were he to come back, and knowing that is enough to change things. Poe likes her.
And really, knowing is half the battle. Because Amy? Not so much with the pretending. She can’t go back to her former antagonist relationship with him. Not given what she knows. So she needs to confront Poe either way: tell him no way is that shit going down, or okay, you’re cute, let’s make out in the sand. (Which they do — “big gesture again”.)
The interesting thing about how their relationship played out, though, to me, is that the power dynamic was not what I expected. Adolescent understanding of a power dynamic is that the person who knows how the other person feels is the one with the power. (This is why you kept your crushes a secret in high school.) Amy knows Poe likes her, therefore, she should be the one in control. And she is for about one chapter. It’s in her hands if things go any farther — if they have a date, if they kiss. After that, the power shifts rather dramatically, and I wasn’t expecting it, though I felt that, in the end, it made for a much more mature romantic storyline. Poe wasn’t going to be embarrassed to be “discovered,” as Malcolm was sure he would. He was going to own it.
I remember seeing an interview with Kristen Stewart, where she was talking about her vision of Bella in the Twilight movie, and how she had the power in that relationship because there was no question of what she wanted; Edward might be torn, but she knew. She wanted to be a vampire and to be with Edward. Well, Poe wanted to be with Amy, and once he thought there was a chance of that happening (which he didn’t back at the cabin, but with the date and the making out, well, he went for it), he had all the power. The power of conviction and of clarity. Yes, he could still be rejected, he could still be hurt by her, but there is a core of strength to honesty that can’t be touched by those things, and it’s a core that Poe hadn’t often had a chance to display in the series. He’s sneaky and manipulative, but not, apparently, when it comes to love. And it trumps any card that Amy attempts to play. I really, really liked that. He could be a deeply flawed person and he could even be wrong about their relationship, but he was absolutely forthright about his own feelings, and that’s incredibly powerful, especially compared to Amy’s wishy-washiness. Honestly? She didn’t stand a chance. He had to be rewarded for such a big step for his character, though also in keeping with his character, who despite his manipulative nature, is very blunt honest and dedicated. And those were all small gestures, but together, they were a tidal wave.
But because of that, in the end, Poe didn’t have to do a lot of “winning” of Amy, and it was Amy who had to go to Poe’s house for the big romantic gesture and reconciliation. And, if I’ve accomplished my goal, you believe her (and Poe believes her, which is a more difficult prospect) because of all her small turning points coming up to that — how she looks for Poe, and thinks of Poe, and is deeply, deeply, fundamentally hurt when she thinks Poe doesn’t trust her — which hurts even more because of how nakedly honest he’s been to her– so hurt she makes herself vulnerable to Darren. That what is going on here is something more than gratitude, and might need to be explored.
Which brings us up to Tap & Gown, where the story is far from over.
I feel that I’ve perhaps wandered far from the original purpose of this post, but what can I say? I’m a hopeless romantic. I love it all, the character perfection and the gut punch moments and the big romantic gesture and the tiny, infinitesimal moments that add up to a love story.
I’ve been off my computer and off the internet for the past week. It’s actually been quite a freeing experience. The last month was an incredibly stressful one, professionally, so removing myself from the merry-go-round/echo chamber/take-your-pick was actually quite relaxing and recharging. I’ve been able to think quite a lot about my work, especially the second killer unicorn book, which is shaping up nicely. I don’t really talk about it much on the blog, but that’s primarily because nothing i say will make sense to people who haven’t even read the first one. There are more killer unicorns.
(In passing, the winner of the box o’ books giveaway is LIVIANA.)
I’ve also been able to reflect some on the year that’s passed, which I had not taken stock of in the slightest. This has been a huge year for me,and one in which I’ve always, always been playing catch up. I have never not been behind in some major way. I hope to change that pattern next year.
So, 2008…
On January 1st, Sailor Boy and I left for a research trip to Europe. It was a miserable trip. SB was sick for the first half of it (like, “perhaps we need to find a hospital here in Naples” sick) and I got an unrelated illness by the end of the trip, resulting in the most uncomfortable plane ride of my life (I begged him to put me out of my misery the entire way back over the Atlantic, during which my ears did not pop in the slightest), and two weeks of “in bed, do not want to get up” abject misery. Scene from my birthday, which occurred a few weeks after:
SB: What do you want to do for your birthday?
Me: (sniffling) Um, get me some nice takeout and a very special movie from Netflix?
It was BAD.
However, I don’t regret the trip. The research I was able to do for Rampant brought the book alive in a way I hope shows up on the pages. Location scouting, man. It’s a blast. It’s actually quite funny to look at these pictures now, since I spent so many months putting them into a book. On one level, I know this (left) is the cloisters at the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, the cathedral of Rome, but in my heart it’s the Cloisters of Ctesias, which in Rampant is actually just down the hill. Discovering this cloisters, especially given how many in-cloisters scenes I’d already written, was a truly incredible gift. It was like seeing my book come alive. The second great discovery of the trip was Cerverteri (pictured above). I’d already planned on setting a big scene there, but visiting it gave me the ability to interact with the setting a good deal more and really dig in there
Sadly, a research trip was unnecessary for book 2.
I got better by the end of the month, and flew to Florida for a writing retreat with TARA, whereupon I discovered a bit of a mix-up between when I thought my next book was due and when my editor did. Cue panicked fevered writing and editing for the next three months. (I also managed to squeeze a NINC conference in there somewhere.)
I finished up just in time to attend another writing retreat, this one with my critique partner Carrie Ryan. Lots of drinking with Kresley Cole and Amanda Brice ensued. (No wonder Sailor Boy doesn’t trust that I work at these things!)
On a personal note, SB and I spent a good amount of time that spring looking for houses. No luck.
And, just like that, it was summer. Summer, the relaunch of my website, and the release of Rites of Spring (Break). I did three signings (one with Nora Roberts!), and had a lot of fun with my promotional Rose & Grave tattoos. Reviews of the book were generally good, and I made a best of summer list with none other than Salman Rushdie. My favorite part, however, was seeing all the comments appearing on the ROSB discussion page. This book was a huge turning point in the series, and I was pleased to see it connect with so many readers. I also got my first fan art.
Also, I got to see my first two foreign editions released, as Secret Society Girl came out in Russia and Brazil.
In July, Sailor Boy and I found a house. More whirlwind, as we barreled toward closing and all that entailed (finding a mortgage, home inspectors, packing, moving, etc.) compounded by the fact that SB was studying for his bar exam.
July 29-30: SB takes exam.
August 1: Close on house.
August 2: Leave for honeymoon.
August 15: Return from honeymoon, move into house.
During this time, we also managed to get ourselves a puppy, whom we picked up on August 17. Of course, you all know and love Rio, the ersatz star of this blog. I can’t believe how big she’s gotten since this picture was taken. Of all the amazing, extraordinary things that have happened to me this year, I really think the addition of this dog into my life tops the list.
Anyway, back to work. As the whirlwind of house and puppy-acquisition drew to a close, I threw myself into finishing up Tap & Gown, the last SSG book. I felt so nostalgic about the characters, I started the secret story project. I received the cover of my first YA. I received the cover of T&G.
I did a LOT of dog-walking.
With the fall, came the election, and I grew obsessed. I practically lived on fivethirty-eight.com. I settled into our new neighborhood, SB settled into his new job, Rio settled into life as a pampered puppy. I also got sick. Very, very sick. So sick that I tore a muscle in my ribs coughing. Twice in one year. I’m apparently a sickly person. SB and I had our first anniversary around this time, too, and I was well enough to go out for that.
Two couples close to me had babies. I did revisions for Tap & Gown and first pass for Rampant. I received the ARCs of Rampant. December rolled around, and life settled in enough for SB and I to buy some furniture and start really getting the house set up (it’s an ongoing project). We chose a design aesthetic and are slowly incorporating it into all elements of our home.
My family came for Christmas. Rio turned 6 months old on Christmas Day. I spent an entire week cooking. No, really, the whole week. Now my family is gone (sniff) and I am planning out my next few months of writing, spending quality time with SB, and cuddling Rio.
So that’s my year in review. Personally, it was a huge one: new house, new family members, major lifestyle changes. Professionally, it was more of an even keel. I didn’t sell any new contracts (a few foreign rights sales, though), though I did write two books and see three releases. This is the first year in a while there hasn’t been a major turning point in my career. In 2005, I sold my first book. In 2006, I saw my first release. In 2007, I sold my second and third contracts, one of which was my first YA. 2008, professionally, has been more about transitioning into a mature career - no longer a debut,no longer a sophomore effort — as well as gearing up for 2009: my first YA release, the conclusion of my first series, my first year with two book releases.
In terms of art consumption, I have to admit I’ve been generally more impressed with my television watching experiences than my book reading. The first half of the year was generally disappointing in terms of reading. I read a few historical romance novels I really liked (The new Madeline Hunter, the Sherry Thomas debut), which was great and renewed my interest in them (I’d been growing a little bored with historicals recently that weren’t also paranormal like Colleen Gleason’s series or Libba Bray’s). But I also read a bunch of hugely hyped books that were a let down. This fall, I hit a great streak of fabulous YA novels: Disreputable History, Gamer Girl, the Hunger Games, and Graceling, and 2009 is going to be awesome on that front, I just know it! (Mostly because I’ve read a lot of the books already.) I think in 2009, I’m going to have to go back to keeping a list of books I read, because I honestly can’t remember a lot of what I’ve read this year. Sailor Boy and I bought season tickets to a local theater, though the shows we’ve seen so far have been mostly duds, with the pleasant exception of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, a “documentary musical” about the evangelical Christian community in Colorado Springs. But my favorite art this year have been the TV shows: How I Met Your Mother, The Wire, Dexter. Movies? Eh. I’m having a hard time even remembering movies I saw this year. I liked Wall-E well enough, but it was no Incredibles. It’s hard to love a movie where you spend 75% of the time thinking to yourself, “If they kill this little robot, I’m going to march up to Pixar and slap John Lasster right in the kisser.” There’s emotional manipulation (with which I am more than familiar) and then there’s emotional manipulation. To be honest, I think my favorite was the documentary of the making of the Cirque de Soleil/Beatles show, LOVE.
So that’s it. My year in review. It was a very challenging, very busy, very life-changing, very fulfilling year. I enjoyed it a lot, and I’m really looking forward to 2009, in which:
I turn 30.
Barack Obama becomes the President of the United States
I finish my office
Rampant is released
Tap & Gown concludes the Secret Society Girl series
Rio turns one
I write a book I’ve been excited about for a long time but haven’t had the chance to devote time to yet
As for goals… well, you just saw two of them. There are others, and other tentative plans, but they aren’t blog-ready yet.
Okay, it’s official. It’s finally December, which means that I can go around humming “Silver Bells” with impunity for the next 25 days, and Sailor Boy can get peeved (because he claims it’s his least favorite of all the Christmas Carols, while it is in my top three, easy) and in retaliation, sings the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” which has these heartwarming lyrics:
You’re a bum
You’re a punk
You’re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God its our last
Nice, huh? I tell you, I adore that man.
ANYWAY, the point of this post is that in honor of this fabulous holiday season, I am holding a month of giveaways. Let’s call it the NINETEEN DAYS OF XMAS — that’s right, every (week) day, from now until December 25th, I’ll be doing a giveaway here on the blog! And it’s all kind of different fun stuff, too. A sampling:
Signed Books
ARCs
Boxes (yes, whole boxes!) of mystery books in a variety of genres
My books
And other special prizes!
And there’s a special prize on December 15th for fans of the Secret Society Girl series — one that everyone is eligible to receive just by signing up for my newsletter. (Please note: you do NOT have to be a member of Yahoo to sign up for the newsletter. There is a “mailing list” option.) Sign up before December 15 to be eligible!
Today’s giveaway is a signed copy of the National Book Award finalist, THE RULES OF SURVIVAL, by Nancy Werlin. Oooh…. Aaaaaaah.
Comment now to enter! Come back tomorrow for more prizes! Yay, December!
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In other news, check out the auction going on right now to benefit author Jo Leigh, who lost her husband to cancer earlier this year. Leigh is an extraordinary author and woman, and some of the items up for auction would make fantastic Xmas presents. Go now and bid! (I already have.)
Wow, guys. Pray you don’t get this thing, whatever it is. It’s VIOLENT. I’ve been sick for a whole month now, and every time I think it’s letting up, I relapse.
As such, I’ve not been much with the getting work done, though I’ve read a few books:
The entire John Adams miniseries with Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney
Fifty First Dates
The first five minutes of Walk the Line (then I was quite sure they were about to kill both the dog and the brother and turned it off)
We also gave Rio a bath. She’s almost forgiven us, but that’s probably only because I’ve been sneaking her leftover turkey. She’s so fluffy now. Fluffy and HUGE. Thirty pounds, we’re sure. And five months old. And more beautiful than ever. It’s ridiculous how gorgeous she is. Most dogs go through an awkward adolescent phase. She’s has not. Every time we take her out, people stop us on the street to tell us what a pretty dog she is.
Now, if only she would learn “stay,” she’d be perfect.
Yesterday, Sailor Boy and I raked the yard. Ah, the glories of home-ownership! Now, I’m from Florida, and this is the first year I’ve had a yard and have also lived in a place where the leaves fall. In Florida, if a palm frond falls, we just drag it out to the curb. But we had a ridiculous blanket of leaves in our heavily-treed new backyard. This is what it looked like:
And after we raked it all up, the pile was the size of Nikita, our car. Here’s Rio and me in front of the pile:
Things I learned: How To Use a Tarp to Drag Leaves To Your Curb. No, seriously, is this how northerners spend all their autumns? John Adams totally did not do this, did he?
You like my blue fuzzy fleece? I think it makes me look kind of like Grover, but it’s windproof, so I adore it beyond all rationality. Because you see, the other glory of home ownership is paying for your own utilities. I have become a lover of all things fleece.
Ugh, four more months of cold weather. Can I just hibernate now?
Though, despite the winter weather, I am happy. Thanksgiving was a whirlwind, what with all of the traveling across state lines to visit family and meet brand new infant nephews and all. I had my own private moment of thankfulness this morning, as I lay in bed (wearing fleece, though not my Grover jacket) and listened to the rain patter on the windows of my house — my own home! — with my wonderful husband asleep beside me, and my adorable puppy (who can finally be trusted in bed with us!) asleep on my legs. I am a lucky, lucky woman.
What actor should be cast in the movie/TV version of the books?
What kind of underwear do the characters wear? Does George go commando?
And many many more!
I love participating in this thread. It’s so great to see how many different takes readers have on the books. How they see the characters, what draws them in. Sometimes, they pick up on aspects of the story I had no idea was there! (I now understand when I see Harry Potter fanfic with unlikely romantic pairings.)
In other news, I couldn’t stop thinking about the topic from yesterday, perfect guys/girls and their place in story. I think we may have only scratched the surface in the ensuing discussion, and I look forward to continuing it.
In other, other news, Rio has experienced a religious conversion:
She has been going after this toy every time we walk into our local pet store, and finally, I realized that it must be a mandate from the divine. So now we’re a family of mixed faith. It’s cool. (She has to give up the pig ears, though!) We’re going to change her name to Nahar* and just roll with it.
__________
* I thought Rivka would be cute, but SB says it should be Hebrew for River.
The winners of yesterday’s JESSICA Z Giveaway are:
Leslie of cuteonthecheap.com
and
Maureen McGowan
You know the drill!
In passing, if you are one of the winners of previous days’ giveaways and you do not contact me by Monday, I’ll draw new names. I’m totally hard core like that.
So if I’d been on my game, I’d be having a fun guest blog with the author of today’s giveaway right about now. Unfortunately, between deadlines, the new house, Rio, and family emergencies, it kind of got away from me. Bad, Diana.
Today’s giveaway is two copies of the debut novel CYCLER, by Lauren McLaughlin. The book has one of the highest-concept premises I’ve heard in a while (unsurprising, given McLaughlin’s screenwriting creds): Once a month, teen Jill McTeague becomes a boy for four days.
Talk about a bad period.
Her family’s horror at their daughter’s “condition” has led them to take extreme measures. Jill’s “boy self” is imprisoned in her room during his cycle, and Jill is instructed to repress all memories of her time spent as a boy. But their actions backfire, creating in Jill a split “boy” personality named Jack who is not only interested in Jill’s portion of their shared life, but doesn’t want to be imprisoned anymore.
Sailor Boy and I both devoured this novel, and I was fascinated with its exploration of gender identity. From the description above, you might imagine that this is a very dark book. Not at all! But there are some chilling underpinnings to the story. In an effort to make sure that Jack doesn’t “bleed” into her portion, Jill — in concert with her anti-feminist mother — has ruthlessly excised any aspect of her life or personality that may be viewed as “unfeminine.” Stuff like sports. Yeah, you read that right. Scary.
I was regularly reminded of the activities in those “scared straight” camps, where the instructors are under the delusion that men who act like men and women who act like women are no longer homosexual, as if forcing traditional gender roles will have an impact on sexual orientation? If Jill acts “like a girl” will the boy inside her disappear? As the first in a series. many of these question are not fully answered by the end of the book.
As my books regular deal with issues of the intersection of feminism, femininity, and cultural expectations of the same, I was fascinated by this exploration. (More on that when I talk about RAMPANT. RIght now we talk about CYCLER.)
It’s a great book for discussion, and we definitely had a lot in my living room after we finished!
So it’s been a week of highs and lows Chez Diana. Low: We didn’t get the house we offered for. High: Booksigning! Low: Another house we were interested in went into contract before we found out about not getting the first house, so we couldn’t even offer on that one. High: New York Observer put me on a list with Salman Rushdie!
We capped off the week with a Fourth of July Trip out to the Eastern Shore, and an afternoon spent waterskiing, tubing, wakeboarding… (I’m really only good with the tubing). Sailor Boy took me sailing. These are all highs. Last night we were supposed to go watch a midnight showing of The Goonies but everyone involved was far too worn out to attempt it.
In other news, Angie of Angieville has read Rites of Spring (Break) and commented on it, here.
A highlight of the review (which is happily spoiler-free):
This book…how I loved this book. I loved the increasingly mature way Amy deals with her friends. Her experiences with Jenny in the previous volume have made her more sensitive, I think, to the delicate emotions and motivations at work among her fellow Diggers. Despite their rank, wealth, brains, looks, or attitude. I loved how the class of D177 coalesces in this book. They stand up for each other. They notice things. They’re not so quick to judge.
Nice words on a rainy Saturday morning. I really enjoy Angie’s reviews. Even if I don’t agree with her take (she was not as big a fan of Keturah and Lord Death as I was), I find that she always picks really fascinating parts of the story to comment on. They aren’t what most reviewers choose to mention and they always make me think.
Not much focus to the blog today, is there? I’ll probably be spending the bulk of the day housekeeping and working on SSG4, that is, if I’m well-behaved. If not, I’ll be experimenting in the kitchen and reading. I have a whole bunch of new books. What are you all up to?
There’s always so much to do when you get home from a vacation. Like, unpack, and then look around in dismay at all the stuff (mail, email, bills, work, laundry — and seriously, there was more laundry, which makes me wonder what species of brownie or sprite was wearing my clothes when I was in the Caribbean) that somehow piled up while you were gone.
So Sailor Boy* and I spent a little while doing housekeeping and bookkeeping yesterday. And we came to the rather unfortunate conclusion that we have no more space on our bookshelves. The shelves are packed, two and three deep, stacked tight with all of our books — old school textbooks, from both undergrad and grad school, his novels, and my gazillion, fabajillion books.
My solution: buy another bookshelf. SB’s solution: Get rid of some of my books.
You’d think he’d know me better, after all these years.
His argument is that a good proportion of these shelves (or rows on shelves) are dedicated to TBR (i.e., “to be read”) and that a lot of them haven’t moved from that position in the last three and a half years. If I didn’t read these books in three-and-a-half years, I’m not going to read them now, he argues.
I say that’s untrue. After all, it was almost two years after Gina Black encouraged me to read Flowers from the Storm that it finally floated to the top of the pile and caught my interest. (It was great! Thanks, Gina!)
But I can admit that there are a lot of these books on the shelves that I am never going to read. I get a ton of books every year at conferences or trade shows (I have ARCs from 2006 BEA, books that might not even be in print anymore, that I have not read), and they are not all to my taste or interest.
But SB is afraid, with good reason, that if I start going through them and putting them into piles of “may read someday” and “will admittedly probably never read” — well, one of those piles just isn’t going to go very far. Because I like to believe I’ll read them all, someday. It’s someone’s book, that they labored long and hard over.
What to do, what to do… ____________________________________ * For those of you following, Sailor Boy read both Under the Rose and Rampant this weekend, then lamented that he hadn’t brought Rites of Spring (Break) with us. Have you put in your order?
And there’s a special prize on December 15th for fans of the Secret Society Girl series — one that everyone is eligible to receive just by 
Today’s giveaway is two copies of the debut novel 
