Page by Paige

Housewifery and other new experiences

2007-07-25T19:42:26Z

I just put some laundry in, and now I'm parked on the couch watching Dr. Phil and waiting to move it over to the dryer. I'm feeling really sluggish on my manuscript. I opened it up and it's currently floating in the background of my desktop, taunting me with my inability to move my butt and work on it. I'm hoping this will get me started. But it's just one of those days...

Grrrr....

I'm married, and other atrocities!

2007-07-24T19:09:16Z

I filled out the FAFSA today, to cover my second year of graduate study. I have a pretty cushy assistantship, but if I want to continue to pay off my credit cards, I need to take out student loans to cover my excess tuition and fees.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is not to talk about the financial minutae that is filling out a FAFSA (though if you've ever done it, you know it's about as clear as any other government document). The purpose of this post is to say, holy sh*t, I'm married!

You see, the FAFSA has a question very early in the form asking, "As of today, what is your marital status?" Wow... I got to check the "married" box! Yay me.

I've been trying to go on writing binges, but it's been hard. The aftermath of a wedding is almost as crazy as the planning. There's the thank you notes, putting away the gifts, washing all the new dishes and towels, not to mention the fact that we started moving into a new apartment just before the wedding. We had about half our stuff left to move after, so now I'm trying to put all that stuff away. And then there's the numerous trips to Goodwill, finally offloading all the mismatched flatware from my college days, the chipped plates, threadbare towels and old sheets.

Since I live in a campus building, our walls are pure concrete, which means when we want to hang things I have to call the maintenance guy to come and drill in these scary screws. So now I'm off to put post-its all over the walls to mark where I want the holes drilled.

Oh yeah, and at some point, I need to write...

Books, writing, and getting up off the couch

2007-07-17T16:01:00Z

Today looks like rain, so my plan is to go to Starbucks, pick up and overpriced but oh-so-tasty grande iced chai, then head back to the apartment to finish the last of my thank you notes. Then I'll be going on a serious writing binge.

Also, I'll be nursing my bug bites. I'm majorly allergic to mosquitos, and each bite, regardless of how much I do or do not scratch, swells up to catastrophic, half-dollar size monstrosities shaped like states or countries. Ick. I've got about six on my back alone. I wish benadryl made a continuous spray anti-itch cream so I could get to them. I say this, because I recently discovered the joys of continuous spray sunscreen, which has kept me burn-free during my solitary reading jaunts to the local public pool. Cry freedom, I say!

I'm almost done with "Bitter is the New Black" by Jen Lancaster. I'm enjoying it's trashy, snarky style and burning right through it, though I have ZERO sympathy for Jen (it's a memoir). Hard to get invested when you'd like to kick the main character in the teeth sometimes. After I'm done (which I suspect will be sometime today), I'll either pick up one of the other books I purchased at Borders during a "Buy three get one free" frenzy, or I'll reread Harry Potter 6. My last HP is on order and should (!!!) arrive on Saturday. Please oh please. I spent the weekend hanging out with friends and friends of friends where we geeked out about HP, the movie, and the upcoming book. Neville is my favorite character, so I really hope he whips out some badass spell and has a hero moment in the final book. Ugh, can't even wait. Barnes & Nobles has a second by second countdown until the book's release date. I am DYING!

Ok, I'll never get to my writing binge if I don't start on the first step, which is the chai.... I'm off. I'll post my first progress on the novel post this evening (if all goes well, though if all goes TOO well, I'll still be writing and won't have time to write about writing, which all sounds exhausting...).

Old married ladies write too!

2007-07-08T03:21:49Z

I'm back, I'm married, I'm honeymooned, and I'm ready to write!

I was a little nervous about getting back on the wagon, but luckily, Alison Kent has come up with something to get me going. Seventy Days of Sweat will hopefully get me over the starting hump and back into the game.

So for the next seventy days, I will be writing between 4 and 6 pages each day. And hopefully by the end, I Was A Teenage Pseudonym will be a fully formed, fully finished novel.

One can only hope...

Scotland was spectacular, aside from that pesky terrorist attack!

a little bandwagon jumping...

2007-06-17T03:20:49Z

8 Things Meme

1. My favorite summer show is "So You Think You Can Dance" on Fox. I can't even begin to describe how glued to my television I am when this show is on. It's like American Idol, but with serious talent. Oh yeah, and while America gets to vote on the bottom three boys and bottom three guys, the judges realize America isn't smart enough and have the final say on ousting the contestants each week. I love this show. And this is why

2. In college, I got a minor in rock and roll ... seriosly. To help satisfy the requirements, I took Music of the Beatles and a class on Jimi Hendrix. As a result, I can identify any Beatles song by the shortest of clips, tell you who wrote it, who's singing and playing which instruments, and which album it's from.

3. I bit my nails every single day of my life until I started wearing an engagement ring. It's the only piece of jewelry I wear every day. My fiance designed it himself.

4. As a kid, I thought nothing bad could come get me in the night as long as I was completely covered by my sheets, head to toes. Sometimes it got hot or hard to breath, but I wasn't about to let someone (or something) snatch me in the night.

5. Also as a kid, Unsolved Mysteries scared the bejesus out of me. But I still watched it every day when I was home for the summer. Sometimes, driving down the highway at night with my parents, I'd look out the window to see if there were bodies of the missing people out there ... I was a wierd kid.

6. If you want to put a smile on my face, play "Feel Flows" by the Beach Boys. That song never fails to get me smiling and grooving around.

7. I drink Classic Coke. Probably at least three per day. And I prefer it out of the can. Fountain Cokes are a close second, but I hate drinking them out of those plastic bottles. They go flat and taste too much like syrup. I am convinced McDonald's has the best Coke on the planet.

8. Wendy's is my favorite fast food place, and I order the same thing EVERY TIME. #1, plain, with cheese, and a coke to drink.

In other news, this time next week, I'll be MARRIED.

Wow...

Sound Effects

2007-06-13T17:39:44Z

I'm sitting in my office, and I think someone is dragging large bags across the linoleum floor outside my door. It's the strangest sound, almost like a fierce wind is blowing over my head or a waterfall is picking up speed. It took me a moment to realize where the sound was actually coming from. I must have looked like quite a freak looking all over my office to figure out where the air or water was coming from...

Work is unbelievably slow today. I may ditch out and work on Pseudonym for the rest of the afternoon. A needs a new cell phone, so that will be taking up my evening.

And it looks like Meg Cabot will be coming in to do an interview with A (he works in public radio) and record a version of her newest blog. I'm pretty excited, as I will surely "drop by" the studio and meet her. I'm sad that the newest Queen of Babbly book comes out on the 26th... we leave for our honeymoon on the 25th, and I would love to have such a fun book to read on the 8 hour flight. Oh well, I've got the second and third Jessica Darling books to keep me company in preparation for the August release of Fourth Comings.

I'll post a teaser this afternoon!

Workin' hard

2007-06-11T23:00:01Z

I added another 2,000 words to Pseudonym today, as well as constructing a very detailed chapter outline. Twelve chapters plus a prologue and an epilogue. I'm really proud of myself. I've got the romance aspect all worked out, the conflict is there. I've got some snappy dialogue ... doesn't it feel good to be working hard on something you really believe in? I'm hoping tonight I'll finish another chapter. Then maybe a little something for Teaser Tuesday? We shall see.

And a question for writerly-types. How long is your synopsis?

A writing binge

2007-06-11T03:50:52Z

I added 2,600 words to Pseudonym tonight. The new apartment has a dining room, and I set my laptop up at the table, right next to the window where I can smells A's (fiance) basil and oregano growing. I sat down to polish some things since the edit-re-edit fiasco, and lo and behold wrote an entirely new chapter. And by the way, my experiment in writing page by page has failed miserably. I've written two chapters, the middle of a third, an entire fourth, and about three pages of something that will come towards the middle-to-end section, maybe around chapter 9 or 10. It helps me to just write what I'm inspired to write, and it also helps me develop a better sense of direction when filling in the gaps. I can write towards something, instead of writing into the abyss. Maybe that makes me a less-skilled writer, but I'm inclined not to care.

A and I went to our wedding ceremony location to shore up some details. Only 13 days now, and we needed a bit of a rehearsal before the rehearsal. I was reminded how much I love the location, right in the middle of our campus with a stream running down the side. Lot of trees, greenery, stone buildings. Picturesque. A is slightly wedding retarded, so I need to explain everything to him as if he were a 5 year old (and I mean that in the most loving sense). Sometimes he looks at me with a 'what the hell are you talking about' kind of look (like when I tried to tell him that the bridesmaids carry flowers, to which his response was "But why?" Try explaining that one...). But that's partly why I love him. He's practical in this mad scientist sort of way. He's insanely creative (a writer and musician), yet lacks some of that traditional, every day sort of knowledge. And well, weddings are usually nothing if not traditional.

Now might be the perfect time to point out about my name. You see, I have a career in college administration to look forward to. I love it, and even if I became the next Meg Cabot or Sarah Dessen, I'm not sure if I could leave it. Thus, my name not really my name, but actually a conglomeration of my name and A's name, and not in the traditional married sense. A pseudonym of sorts (see where my inspiration came from?), though not really because I didn't pull the name out of my ass. It's a pair of family names, names that are made up of various middle names, a professional name. You know, like Demi Moore wasn't born 'Demi,' but adopted that as a professional name. So there, the cat's out of the bag.

Well, I think it's time to crawl into bed, as I work early tomorrow morning like a big kid. I'm sure I'll probably lay my head on the pillow and begin to think of numerous plot ideas, scenes, and bit of dialogue. That's what usually happens when I go on a writing binge just before bed. I'll take a pen and my notebook to write down some of the truly inspired bits.

I really love this novel...

Reading, Writing... no 'rithmatic

2007-06-07T16:50:36Z

Since my edit/re-edit fiasco, I've done some pretty good writing on Pseudonym. I've managed to hammer out a lot of "how the hell do I get from here to there" dilemmas, polished my original pages, and written some pretty good dialogue. I realized I can't have a YA about a girl writinga romance novel without some sort of romance for her. And thus, a new character was born. A character I actually like very much.

I'm about to finish (as in, twenty pages away) Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. I'm enjoying it, though mostly because I'm about to embark on my own European vacation, during which we've left ample time to be spontaneous. Otherwise, I think the writing might be a bit bland. Well, not bland, just a bit subdued. Maybe it's because I just came out of Sloppy Firsts, which is pretty much the definition of spunky writing. I'm going to give a couple more Maureen Johnson books a shot. Definitely will read The Burmudez Triangle, because Christ, the controversy is just too good to pass up.

And because I can't remember if I've said it yet, I am so excited for watchmebe on getting agent-ed! I can't wait to walk into my local bookstore and see Caliban on the shelves, though I'm sure she feels the same way x100000000!

pagebypaige @ 2007-06-05T18:59:00

2007-06-05T23:03:08Z

In the midst of a move from one apartment to another (both of which have copious and unavoidable flights of stairs), dinner becomes a free-for-all. Tonight I ate what I had handy, food that didn't require dishes, that I could cook in the toaster over (which I had thoughtfully brought over in the last load). Tonight my dinner consisted of:

-2 cheese quesadillas
-1 peach
-many many cheetos cheese puffs

Good lord, I might just turn orange.

On the writing front, we have a big fat slap in the face. Remember the POV switch that I was so jazzed about? Well, it actually caused my little mind to grind to a screeching halt. The writing wasn't as good, and I just couldn't get it there. So I went back ... Square one ... Luckily, my inspiration is back, and I've almost finished another chapter and created a new character. Ow ow! Writing is great

This post is about writing

2007-05-31T23:16:10Z

Change to first person POV? Done. Though really just a rudimentary edit. I'm pretty sure the pages are still a little choppy. I've decided to charge ahead with the new course, then go back and edit those to fit in. I know I did the right thing, because now I'm chomping it at the bit to write more. Before I was getting a little stuck. I'm just a first person kinda gal. Maybe it's a crutch, but I don't like how hard you have to work to break down the wall between reader and character when you're in third person. I'd much rather welcome my readers right into the mind of my main character. I've also made a bold decision to break down the "fourth wall," so to speak. I'm writing the book as if aware of the reader. It started as just a temporary fix for a little bit of backstory, but I found I really liked the way it read. So no I've shored it up, and my main character is talking right to my reader. I love it ... we'll see if agents feel the same way. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now I need to focus on finishing!

Oh, and three more weeks until the big wedding. I'm not taking my laptop on my honeymoon, but I will be taking some blank notebooks. Nothing like 8 hours on a plane to get some work done...

pagebypaige @ 2007-05-30T14:09:00

2007-05-30T18:24:36Z

I just finished "Sloppy Firsts" by Megan McCafferty. I really wasn't expecting to like it, though I'm not sure why. I love cheeky/funny YA chick lit with a strong voice, but I tend to be turned off by writing that's really aware of how funny/cheeky it is. For some reason I went into the book thinking it would be obnoxious. Well, color me wrong. I freakin' loved it. Jessica Darling (awesome choice for the character's name) was a bitchin' badass babe much like myself and my posse in high school. Dry, sarcastic, hopeful yet woefully depressed (thought in a purely teen drama way, not a clinical way). I'm really excited to read the next two, and was even more excited to see that the fourth comes out in August.

The book did serve me a hefty slap in the face, though. I realized that my experiment in writing in third person for "I Was A Teenage Pseudonym" (working title) is just not going to cut it. First of all, the industry practically demands first person narratives these days. But not only that, third person just isn't me. It's not my voice. And I really think that all I have to hope for in this mad game of publishing is the strength of my voice. What does this mean? It means I need to spend this week going back over my pages and penning them in first person ... sigh. Though I know it'll only strengthen my work. Thus, completely worth the effort.

Don't you just love moments of enlightenment like that?

And ps- I am woefully aware that using "Sloppy Firsts" as an inspiration for ANYTHING is dangerous, what with Kaavya and all that jazz. Though after reading it, I can certainly see why she stole it... It's good stuff. ; )

This post is not about writing

2007-05-24T18:56:10Z

I am exhausted ... writing, reading, working, planning a wedding, and keeping up with all the finales of my favorite shows. It's insanity! And as much as I'd like to blog about just all the shows I love so dearly, let's just go with the reader's digest version:

American Idol The only time I liked Jordin was when she sang "I Who Have Nothing." Every other time, kinda screechy, a bit too cheeky. Blake is thanking his lucky stars he didn't win, because now he has a chance to be a legitimate artist. I like Melinda. Bah...

Grey's Anatomy WTF? Burke left, Christina looks like a drag queen in her dress, Meredith continues to be insane, McDreamy flirts with her SISTER, Alex ditches Ava, who in turn ditches him, and George and Callie (who I love, but looks like a linebacker every time she stands next to him) are either having a baby or breaking up. Jesus... I miss the fun, comic, lighthearted-yet-drama-filled season 1. Grrr...

The Office Oh my God, you do exist. Prayers = answered. Jim + Pam. "It's a date." Best hour of television all season.

Lost Best TWO hours of television all season. Some people may not like the game changer, but I LOVE IT. And might I add, that when Jack's wife showed up at the hospital and the doctor said to him "You're a hero twice," I paused the Tivo and said to my fiance, "I think this is a flash forward, not a flashback." I CALLED IT. Poor Charlie. Wish it had been Claire. At least we never have to hear her screech "Charlie! Stay away from my baby!" ever again.

Gilmore Gilrs Still sad. They got screwed. RIP Loreleis

The Bachelor Andy was a snoozer, Tessa seemed really lukewarm. Whatevs, just watched because I was bored.

Wow, it's a wonder I get anything done with all those shows to watch...

But now my shows are on summer hiatus, and it's time for summer replacements. Most people say this with a shudder or a twinge of distain. Nope, not me. I love summer shows. So you think you can dance? Oh yes my friend, I think I can. Hell's Kitchen? Hot enough for me. And the new Fox reality show about directors? On the Lot? I'm addicted after one episode. Hmmm ... all these shows are on Fox. Probably because most of their programming sucks during the regular season, so this is their time for total domination.

And because I'm a multi-tasker with a very active brain (the little mouse who runs the wheel in there likes to be entertained), I write and watch at the same time. So this summer is shaping up to be a great one, both for the novel and for the continued rotting of my brain.

Reading is sexy....

2007-05-21T23:19:31Z

What I've read thus far in 2007 (that I can recall from memory while sitting here in front of Seinfeld reruns):

Just Listen ... Sarah Dessen
An Abundance of Katherines ... John Green
Looking for Alaska ... John Green
This Lullaby ... Sarah Dessen
The Namesake ... Jhumpa Lahiri
Lamb ... Christopher Moore
A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing ... Melissa Banks
The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters ... Elisabeth Robinson
Queen of Babble ... Meg Cabot

Sitting on my bedside table: Sloppy Firsts by Meg McCafferty, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen, and 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. After that, I'm diving into the Scott Westfeldt books, recently spotted on the shelf at the Ed Library.

I love summer.

Ok, be honest...

2007-05-16T01:55:52Z

Raise your hand if you cried at the series finale of Gilmore Girls....

I couldn't contain the waterworks as soon as the Jeep pulled up to the party... I'm really going to miss this show. It's a shame, because they really could have done more with another season. Following Rory on the campaign trail? Meeting all the other kooky reporters? Watching Lorelei try to add a tennis bubble to the inn? And Paris's bedside manner in med school? *Sigh* All that could have been....

And ps- No Paris in the finale???? WHAT IS THAT?!?!?!?!?

Um, yeah... wow!

2007-05-09T01:39:30Z

I've been really enjoying my summer ... and I mean REALLY enjoying it. Eating outdoors at my favorite restaurants, walking around town in the beautiful weather, and, oh wait, what was that?

WINNING A HUGE AWARD!

Yes, that's right dear readers. In my other life as a graduate student, I won an award and scholarship for the top graduate student in my program. WOW. It was a total shock. I completely wasn't expecting it ... so what I'm saying it ... I'm kind of a big deal. People know me... !!!!!!

On the writing front, I'm still a busy bee. Loving what's coming together. I know it's "Teaser Tuesday," but I'm going to hold back. Just trust me when I say, this is my favorite work I've ever written, and I'm really proud of it.

I'm currently watching Gilmore Girls (on TiVo), the second to last episode! :( I love this show, and even though it's falling off this season, I will miss it dearly. It was really the first show I watched with my mother, and eventually my younger sister. Even after I left for college, my mother would call me and say, "Did you watch Gilmore last night?" Lorelei inspired me to buy one of those long sweater jackets (from JCrew, which I still have in my closet!). Rory inspired me to get bangs. I wanted to move to Connecticut, I fell in love with Jess (and the fiance looks much like him, much to my chagrin), and I was finally given permission to utilize all my obscure pop culture references in rapid fire witty conversation. At my bachelorette party in two weeks, I will surely pour one out for the ladies Gilmore. Rest in peace... and on my bookshelft in the form of the DVD seasons I will soon acquire.

A (not so) busy Bee

2007-05-03T18:34:17Z

All day, I've been singing in my head, "Writing writing writing, let's get this novel rolling, writing writing writing, a BOOK!" to the tune of "Rawhide." That's right, I'm a nerd. I've sketched out Chapter 3 and am really happy with how it's rounding out. Things are just flowing nicely, and thus far writer's block hasn't been a big problem. Yay me!

So far I'm enjoying my summer. I'm happy I decided not to take class. Today I woke up at 10:45, didn't shower, rolled out to Target at noon, and have spent the rest of the day watching "Law & Order" and reading "People" magazine. Awesome. I'll get back to working soon enough (summer Orientation and whatnot). In the meantime, it's writing, laziness, and wedding planning. And I couldn't be happier.

Teaser Tuesday!

2007-05-01T15:47:15Z

Sigh.... Summer is the best. I have a couple meetings today, but they're really low key with people I really enjoy talking to. Other than that, I plan on getting a big Wendy's cheeseburger (#1, plain, with cheese, and a coke... my staple fast food) and picking up the rest of my wedding invites from the printer.

And then? I'll be out in the grass with my trust iBook working away at "I Was A Teenage Pseudonym."

And here's a (big) taste for ya:

“How do you spell ‘tumescent’?”
Haylie looked up from her U.S. history book to stare at her best friend. It was always like this, Haylie struggling to keep up while Emma rocketed towards the stratosphere.
“I don’t even know what that means,” she replied.
“Slightly tumid,” Emma clarified, or attempted to anyway.
“Once again, I don’t even know what that means.” Haylie gave up and returned to her chapter on Prohibition-era America.
“Swelling,” Emma added, pushing her friend for help.
“I think you’re just going to have to pull out the dictionary. Or better yet, your chemistry book! Isn’t that what I’m here for?”
“You’re here to offer moral support as I mentally and spiritually prepare for a chemistry exam tomorrow,” Emma laughed. “But right now, I’m taking a break to work on the sequel.”
“Spring Yearning?”
“Winter Longing.”
“Nice,” Haylie giggled. “And I’m sure it’ll be great, but I don’t think your mother will like it if you fail to graduate while writing it.”
“I don’t think my mother is going to like it period,” Emma replied, “and that’s why she’ll never know about it.”
“Emma, you are a legend.”
“Only in your mind, oh best friend of mine.”
Emma really had Haylie to thank for the book. Soon she would say she blamed Haylie for everything, but that would come later. The pair had been best friends since their mothers had plopped them down next to one another on the first day of kindergarten. Since then, each would go to the ends of the Earth (or the end of the street, whichever their mothers would allow) for the other.
And that’s why, when Emma spotted the shiny new digital camera under glass at the downtown photography shop, she knew her best friend just had to have it. Haylie entered the world through her photos and never took a step without a camera in her pocket. The pocket-sized piece of equipment sparkled underneath a shiny silver case. It would be perfect for Haylie’s upcoming eighteenth birthday, and not just because Haylie would love it. Emma had always loved to give gifts that she knew, just knew, would be the most perfect thing ever to be wrapped in colorful paper. It was like a high, watching someone, particularly her very best friend, open a perfect gift. Now if only Emma could afford it.
She’d thought about it for days, trying to figure out how to come up with the money, and that’s when she opened her box of journals, filled with stories she’d written to enter her own world. One journal was filled with journeys to the past, while another was filled with trips to the distant future. She visited foreign lands and neighboring towns, written about yesterday and today, and explored endless loves. Her most recent achievement had been to finish a full-length manuscript for a romance novel, written with Emma’s trademark irony injected into every bodice rip and every passionate kiss. It was written solely for herself and Haylie’s own enjoyment, a parody so sharp that even the truest fan could both swoon and chuckle The book had made Haylie dissolve into giggles and turn seven shades of bright red with shock. Emma had called it Autumnal Desires, which she saw as a hilarious send-up of the Fabio-adorned books at her local drugstore. This would be it. Emma would extract a chapter and submit it to some online contest for housewives and mothers who hoped to someday escape their picket-fenced prisons by hitting the romance novel “big time.”
Only it hadn’t happened that way. No, not at all. True, Emma had sent her chapter in to Bliss Publication’s “Make Us Sweat” contest. And she would have won, if only the editors at Bliss hadn’t wanted to publish the damn thing. That had been quite a day indeed. Emma, fresh from school and cracking the spine on her dreaded chemistry book, heard her cell phone chirp in her trademark ring (that sounded like an actual phone, Emma detested those hollow digital pop songs).
“May I please speak to Emma Arnett?” the clipped, business-like voice came from the other end of the line.
“This is she.”
“Oh, hello. This is Lydia Hudson at Bliss Publications. I’m calling regarding your submission to our ‘Make Us Sweat’ contest.”
Emma’s stomach flipped. Yes! She would buy the camera tomorrow, on her for-emergencies-only credit card, then pay it off with the winning check once it arrived. Haylie would love it, and it would certainly solidify Emma’s “best best friend ever” title. Only it didn’t happen that way … it was better.
“Ms. Arnett, we loved your story. It was so fresh and funny, while still showing it could fit in alongside any of our most prolific romance writers. We’re starting a new division of Bliss, one for the modern woman. We’ll be abandoning the traditional airbrushed covers, shooting for something a bit more fresh, more hip, yet still romantic. I’ll get right to the point here. I noticed you mentioned the story was part of a larger work. We think it would be perfect as the debut title for our new imprint.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Emma could barely grip her phone. Her heart was pounding into her throat. It was so loud she feared Lydia Hudson would ask her to turn down her stereo.
“If the rest of the pages are as strong as the ones you’ve already sent, I'm just sure it'll be a hit. We’ll pay you, and then we’ll publish it,” Lydia repeated, slower for her obvious stunned audience.
Emma didn’t know what to say first. It’s already a whole novel! It’s underneath a pile of underwear in my dresser! You want to publish me? I just turned 18! I can’t pass chemistry! I’ve only kissed one boy! What do I know from romance? You want to PUBLISH ME?!
“I’d need to use a pseudonym,” was all she could think to say.
“Oh of course dear, most of our authors do. No one wants to read a romance novel written by their son’s kindergarten teacher!”
And that’s how Emma Arnett became Emelia Chase. It was so easy, it bordered on comical. Autumnal Desires was the first title from Stiletto, the newest imprint for Bliss. At every Borders and Barnes and Noble the country over, Autumnal Desires could be found in a specially-designed cardboard display case shaped like a stiletto, shiny as if covered in black patent leather. Emma had braced for any kind of ripple, but so far nothing really changed in her life. The book was selling well, but nothing to kick up a fuss over. Her recent 18th birthday ensured she could keep the contract away from her mother and the advance stored safely in a brand new savings account. Not a thing changed at Perry Township High School. Not yet, anyway.
For now, Emma was content to sit with her best friend, pretending to study for chemistry and enjoying the sparkle of a big secret, hidden deep between herself and Haylie. And under her bed, where a lone copy resided.

And the hook, just in case you need a refresher...
Emma Arnett wrote a book. Well, Emelia Chase wrote a book, but really it was Emma Arnett. And no one can know that Emma is Emelia. Why? BecauseAutumnal Desires, the newest bodice ripper from Bliss Publications, is not really the kind of thing that Emma’s AP English teacher would appreciate. But now the book is starting to climb the bestseller list, and her friends are starting to read it. But before she knows it, Emma’s book is going down in flames, literally, as her mother teams with the librarians to wage a war on indecency and bans her own daughter’s book. Not that she knows her daughter wrote it. But a pseudonym can only stay a pseudonym for so long when the media is starting to pay attention. When your mother thinks your wildly popular book is smut, your teachers are banning and burning it left and right, and you can’t seem to ace chemistry, what in the hell is a girl supposed to do?

WONDERFUL NEWS!

2007-04-30T23:32:19Z

SUMMER HAS BEGUN!!!

That's right, I just turned in my last paper, which means my semester is over. I can now focus on the book. I am so happy. I had two solid chapters done earlier in April, and now it's time to buckle down and write. I'm really happy with what I've started. I think I'll post a teaser tomorrow of what I've got. I can't wait to start querying, because I've gotten a ton of compliments on the hook. I think it's going to get people's attention, so hopefully I'll get some interest!

I finished Looking for Alaska by John Green this weekend. Oh my God. John Green deserves a huge literary high five, not just for writing a great book, but for writing a SMART book for teens. I love when authors don't write down to YA readers. It's the kind of book that will entertain a kid and also inspire them to go look up some of those writers and their last words. Wow... This books is so smart and so high brow that I'm reccomending it to all my grad school friends! I just started An Abundance of Katherines, and while I enjoy it, I really enjoyed Miles's voice so much more. I think it's a big jump from one book to the other immediately, so I need to settle in with the new character. I do think Katherines has the best title EVER, though.

Even more joyous

2007-04-26T16:09:14Z

I am in literary heaven. After burning through "This Lullaby," I raced back to the Ed Library for more. Today I walked out with "The Truth About Forever" and "Just Listen" by Sarah Dessen and "Looking for Alaska" and "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green. I carried my stack of shiny hardbacks to the counter, sure at any moment the librarian would snatch them out of my hands. "That's too many!" But no, she just smiled, scanned by ID, and off I went with my stack of reading. I can't believe it! The local public library has a waiting list a mile long for those four books, and I was able to waltz up and snatch them right off the shelf! I know, I'm really behind not having read any John Greene, but now I can finally be all caught up.

And with only one paper left for the semester, I can finally throw myself into writing and SUMMER READING!

A Joyous Mood

2007-04-25T22:17:56Z

I love Critique Circle. Just when you've gone a couple days away from your novel and you're feeling a bit stuck, someone says, "I love your novel! Can't wait to see more, and if you ever get published, I'll surely buy it!" How can you NOT want to write after that? I also love that people on Critique Circle will give you the what's up when it comes to things seeming realistic. Well, they'll give you the what's up on just about everything, but I appreciate the constructive critiques... : )

Only one more stinking paper stands between me and summer freedom. My work this summer is pretty light, with plenty of time to sit and write in between dealing with summer students. I want this puppy cranked out so I can start querying next fall! You know, finish grad school with a little seed money to start paying off those student loans...

I'm just loving being in love with my novel...

Almost there

2007-04-22T17:04:52Z

One more week.... one more week then I'll be done with spring semester. One more week and I can focus wholeheartedly on the book. Thank god.

Until then, I'm keeping my head down. See you all soon!

In Memoriam

2007-04-17T22:30:54Z

The Virginia Tech incident is horrific, beyond anything I could even imagine. I work in higher education. I work in residence life. My RAs are part of my family. My students are like my children. My sympathies go out to all those affected, as well as those professionals on campus who are having to set aside their grief to support their students. This is a true tragedy, and as a writer, all I can do is turn to words that comfort me.

My senior English teacher in high school was my hero, and when a student died, she read us this poem. It sticks with me always, and I think it of it now.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

There will come a time when the professionals at Virginia Tech decide it is time to move the campus forward. I only hope the media can respect that. Until then, my prayers are with every on of those students at VT, the faculty, the staff, and the families and friends of those who have died.

Happy FRIDAY

2007-04-13T15:29:08Z

I study higher education administration, so I spend a decent amount of time in my university's education library. I'm usually over on the meaty side, with books on theory and organizational development and administrative practices. I was searching for a book in those very stacks today when I stumbled across a promised land I'd had no idea existed there: A YA Literature section.

I know, it's a K-12 education library, of COURSE it would have these books. But it had never occured to me before! AND all the best books were actually in, since not many university students actually check out YA fiction. I nearly wet my pants, grabbing a few, then making myself stop. I'm sure the student worker at the ciculation desk thought I was nuts when I brought up the following stack of books:

*Policy and University Faculty Governance
*A study of faculty participation in the governance of institutions of higher education
*Faculty participation in academic governance; report of the AAHE Task Force on Faculty Representation and Academic Negotiations, Campus Governance Program
*Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
*The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
*Never Mind the Goldbergs by Matthue Roth

Literary ADD? I think so. I've been dying to read Lullaby FOREVER, but my bank account says "no more books!" and the local public library has an enormous waiting list for those kind of things. Thankfully, The school of Ed on campus values literacy programs and encouraging kids to read, so they train their teachers to read what the kids are reading. Ok, so I work with university students, but I think many of them could do well to read a book once in a while!

In writing news, I'm really bummed that I missed the deadline for the Fangs Fur and Fey hook contest. I sent it in this morning! But too late already. Sigh. I'm loving Critique Circle, though. I've gotten some great reviews and some great suggestions on Chapter 1 of "I Was A Teenage Pseudonym." I'm hoping to get Chapter 2 up soon. A chapter a week, that's the goal. I'm also remembering how much I enjoy offering up critiques. Having worked as an editor for a while (always in the academic world, never paid!), I have that mindset pretty well solid. The only thing is that I find it incredibly difficult to edit grammar and punctuation online. I'm a big fan of editing with circles and arrows and asterists and a PENCIL. I'm learning, though.

New novel .... maybe

2007-04-03T22:54:59Z

I started some prewriting on a new YA. It was totally a middle of the night inspiration, and I'm pretty fired up about it. I'm not going to say much, as tonight I'm going to make attempt number 1 at chapter number 1. I made character sketches, which I'll post in a friends-only post. So if you read the blog and we're not friends, well hurry up! What are you waiting for? I love when writers share their process, and I figure if I'm going to call myself a writer, I ought to post mine.

I also found and joined a critique group today, so I'm really excited about that. In order to get a critique, you have to give a critique, and I had a great time this afternoon reading and critiquing. I've had a lot of experience on the editing front, but all from an academic or journalism background. I've never edited fiction, and I'm really enjoying it. I've seen some great stuff in the group, one story in particular that I fell in love with. I find myself giving the same advice over and over again, though. It's advice a high school English teacher once gave me, and I think it's invaluable in fiction:

SHOW, NOT TELL

You can't just say "Jane was sad." You need to make me feel that she was sad. Don't tell me "Jane is pretty." Describe her to me, and let my imagination put that together. Don't tell me "Jane has a crush on Joe." Tell me about her stomach flipping, tell me about her weak knees. Even better, have Jane describe Joe to me in such a delicate way that I can only infer that she is crazy in love with him. Show me, don't tell me.

Now it's just a matter of taking my own advice... Ok, off to work on Chapter One!