I've decided to start a bookclub with a new friend, a fellow mom from my son's 1st grade class who, like me, doesn't like the idea of sitting around discussing serious, literary, often times dreary books with a group of women. We do, however, like the idea of having a couple of 'girls-hours-out' dicussing hip, modern, funny books we all enjoy. So, we're planning our first meeting in March. The book we selected (really I selected and then got approval) is The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne. I LOVED this book! (Yes, I've already read it). I wanted to suggest the sequel Little Lady, Big Apple but didn't as it is considerably less accessible. The libraries in our area don't have it yet, and it's only out in hardback. So I'm re-reading TLLA and loving it anew.
Ms. Browne starts with a little character bio, which I tend to do when I'm writing, and I think it works great (at least for her). When I get critiques on my work, people always tell me I'm not moving to the action quickly enough, but I don't get it. So many books start with little tidbits of information that are interesting and provide a hook without the every-popular dialogue or moment of action. Sometimes I think romance writers follow too many rules. And when you connect yourself to romance writers (really lovely people!), you find yourself getting nudged into following right along. At this point I'm trying to decide how to run with my opening paragraphs: alone or with the pack. Tricky, tricky.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
I got my boys back today! I hadn't seen them since Friday afternoon, and I really missed them. But the past couple of days I've felt like I'm living in some sort of fuzzy weirdo-world. It could be due to the fact that I have a cold and am stuffed up to the point of being in my own personal isolation chamber, but I'm thinking no.
In the past week, I've twice been to restaurants that have run out of something. My husband and I tried to go to Taco Milagro last night to try it out, and we were greeted at the door with the explanation that they were out of food and were working on it. They suggested we give it an hour. We left. Last weekend, Taco Cabana was out of chicken at 12:00pm. Who, I ask you, is eating all this chicken before that? Seriously.
Today the boys had the day off of school, and we went to the zoo. Most all of the little plackets specifying which animals were in the exhibits had been removed. Why would that be? Plus, whole sections of the zoo were closed off, being revamped I suppose, but it still felt very strange.
Then we stopped at Wendy's for lunch, and the line was moving quick, the workers filling the orders at a snappy pace. Until I got up there. They took my order, and then it was as if the whole place stopped. The lady in line behind me commented on this strange turn of events. I'd ordered a salad and an iced tea (my mother-in-law had already been through the line and ordered her lunch and the boys'). Those Wendy's salads are premade, so I'm not sure what the trouble was...it was like a Twilight Zone moment.
Very curious.
I spent most of the weekend alone, which is nice every once in a while. My kids were with their grandparents, and my husband had to work, so I wrote and tried to breathe. It was very quiet here. I suppose it's possible that I had an alien visitation. But I haven't found any unrecognizable marks that would hint at experiments... I'll keep you apprised.
In the past week, I've twice been to restaurants that have run out of something. My husband and I tried to go to Taco Milagro last night to try it out, and we were greeted at the door with the explanation that they were out of food and were working on it. They suggested we give it an hour. We left. Last weekend, Taco Cabana was out of chicken at 12:00pm. Who, I ask you, is eating all this chicken before that? Seriously.
Today the boys had the day off of school, and we went to the zoo. Most all of the little plackets specifying which animals were in the exhibits had been removed. Why would that be? Plus, whole sections of the zoo were closed off, being revamped I suppose, but it still felt very strange.
Then we stopped at Wendy's for lunch, and the line was moving quick, the workers filling the orders at a snappy pace. Until I got up there. They took my order, and then it was as if the whole place stopped. The lady in line behind me commented on this strange turn of events. I'd ordered a salad and an iced tea (my mother-in-law had already been through the line and ordered her lunch and the boys'). Those Wendy's salads are premade, so I'm not sure what the trouble was...it was like a Twilight Zone moment.
Very curious.
I spent most of the weekend alone, which is nice every once in a while. My kids were with their grandparents, and my husband had to work, so I wrote and tried to breathe. It was very quiet here. I suppose it's possible that I had an alien visitation. But I haven't found any unrecognizable marks that would hint at experiments... I'll keep you apprised.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Lookee Here...
All that talk of Anne of Green Gables (which I now must read, I'm told), and look what I read on Publisher's Lunch, Lunch Weekly:
Children's
Budge Wilson's authorized prequel to Anne of Green Gables, BEFORE GREEN GABLES, the story of Anne's early life in foster homes and an orphanage in Nova Scotia, to Rachel Kahan for Putnam and Berkley, for publication in March 2008, by Penguin Canada.
Not sure this would make for the same wonderful reading...it seems like the circumstances might prevent the story from ever being one of my favorites.
Just back from the class fieldtrip...Whew! I'm tired. But it was fun. We went to Moody Gardens in Galveston and got to visit the Aquarium Pyramid and the IMAX Deep Sea 3-D showing. I looked up in the first minutes of the movie, and 500 hands were reaching out, trying to grab the jellyfish that seemed to swimming all around us. My son kept it up for the duration--at one point I thought he was going to grab the head of the woman in front of us. And now we're back, and that's over.
Children's
Budge Wilson's authorized prequel to Anne of Green Gables, BEFORE GREEN GABLES, the story of Anne's early life in foster homes and an orphanage in Nova Scotia, to Rachel Kahan for Putnam and Berkley, for publication in March 2008, by Penguin Canada.
Not sure this would make for the same wonderful reading...it seems like the circumstances might prevent the story from ever being one of my favorites.
Just back from the class fieldtrip...Whew! I'm tired. But it was fun. We went to Moody Gardens in Galveston and got to visit the Aquarium Pyramid and the IMAX Deep Sea 3-D showing. I looked up in the first minutes of the movie, and 500 hands were reaching out, trying to grab the jellyfish that seemed to swimming all around us. My son kept it up for the duration--at one point I thought he was going to grab the head of the woman in front of us. And now we're back, and that's over.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Thursday Thirteen
| Thirteen Things On My Mind |
1. Working tomorrow..I got roped into substituting again. But it'll be good, it'll be fun.
2. Losing all that valuable writing time tomorrow. I really can't spare it.
3. My WIP. Finding the right place to start, getting to the action quicker, and just being happy with it. (I'd really prefer to be thrilled).
4. My critique partner...wondering if we're a good match. (No complaints, so far she's great!)
5. An offer from an RWA chapter mate to 'trade pages'. Her input, I think, will be invaluable.
6. Chaperoning my son's fieldtrip Friday
7. Deciding what to give up for Lent...I'm thinking candy, but that seems an almost insurmountable goal.
8. The 'REQUESTED' material I need to send to the agent I pitched to a couple of weeks ago.
9. The worry that if she likes the redone beginning, I won't have the rest of the book ready to go.
10. I've been invited to a 'jewelry party' Friday night. Like a Tupperware party, I think, but different. I'm not really sure what to expect...
11. A weekend with just my husband--the kids are staying with my in-laws
12. The laundry that needs to get folded before I go to bed
13. Crikey! An impending visit from the tooth fairy--my older son lost tooth #2 today.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
In Desperate Need of a Good Trim
I have that 'ick' feeling about my current WIP. I am just exhausted over trying to rework the beginning. Evidently I can't seem to get to the action fast enough. My recent attempt to try to speed things up, cut to the action quicker, got the same response from my critique partner...'you probably don't need all this'...'I think it might work better if didn't tell all this right at the beginning.
I guess I just like that slow, meandering path some authors take to get to the heart of the story. I'm one of 'those'. As a reader, I don't feel the need to 'know everything' on the first page, and as a writer, I don't feel compelled to tell everything.
Last night, Kimberley Raye was the speaker at our RWA chapter meeting. She spoke on 'Bang-up Beginnings', which was really pertinent for me personally and a great program, all things considered. Basically, in her opinion, the first sentence (or sentences) should set the tone. It should give you a sense of the protagonist, give you some action, and toss in a little emotion too. I felt like saying, 'Is that all?'
She read a few of her favorite first lines, at least one of which, in my opinion, didn't even come close to doing all this, and then she read the beginnings of chapter members brave enough to have theirs read aloud. It was anonymous, so I was brave enough.
I'd written the beginning I submitted yesterday before the meeting in reaction to my critique partner's comments, so I was eager to get an opinion. Her opinion was pretty much this...the first paragraph wasn't really 'bang-up', but it interested her enough to keep reading. She thought the third paragraph should be moved up to the first and I should start there. So basically, my trim-down (which was a trim-down) needs to be trimmed down. My WIP is going to be the size of a picture book once I get through with all this trimming!
I probably should have trimmed this post...
I guess I just like that slow, meandering path some authors take to get to the heart of the story. I'm one of 'those'. As a reader, I don't feel the need to 'know everything' on the first page, and as a writer, I don't feel compelled to tell everything.
Last night, Kimberley Raye was the speaker at our RWA chapter meeting. She spoke on 'Bang-up Beginnings', which was really pertinent for me personally and a great program, all things considered. Basically, in her opinion, the first sentence (or sentences) should set the tone. It should give you a sense of the protagonist, give you some action, and toss in a little emotion too. I felt like saying, 'Is that all?'
She read a few of her favorite first lines, at least one of which, in my opinion, didn't even come close to doing all this, and then she read the beginnings of chapter members brave enough to have theirs read aloud. It was anonymous, so I was brave enough.
I'd written the beginning I submitted yesterday before the meeting in reaction to my critique partner's comments, so I was eager to get an opinion. Her opinion was pretty much this...the first paragraph wasn't really 'bang-up', but it interested her enough to keep reading. She thought the third paragraph should be moved up to the first and I should start there. So basically, my trim-down (which was a trim-down) needs to be trimmed down. My WIP is going to be the size of a picture book once I get through with all this trimming!
I probably should have trimmed this post...
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Weird Weekend
Yesterday I was sick--I either had some sort of weird 24 hr. bug, or else my Zicam doses worked wonders, condensing my cold down into one single day. Either way, it was actually kind of nice. I wasn't too sick so as to be miserable, just under the weather. So my husband was in charge of the boys and even took them off somewhere for several hours in the afternoon. So I read--and finished the ARC I need to write a review for: Too Wicked To Tame by Sophie Jordan. Really, really enjoyed it; highly recommend it. And I watched Anne of Green Gables (the version with Megan Follows) and about half of Anne of Avonlea. I LOVE those movies, based on the books by Lucy Maud Montgomery (which I've never read). They are just so simple, elegant, and moving, while also being funny. Highly recommend those too.
And today we went with the in-laws and the boys to see Bridge to Terabithia. TOTALLY not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it, and the actor and actress who played the two kids were just fabulous--ones to watch. She's been in something else, but I can't think what... I'm thinking now that I'm just going to have to go and get the book...just to see how different it is. How the author put into words what the movie makers brought to life on film. Just for fun.
And today we went with the in-laws and the boys to see Bridge to Terabithia. TOTALLY not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it, and the actor and actress who played the two kids were just fabulous--ones to watch. She's been in something else, but I can't think what... I'm thinking now that I'm just going to have to go and get the book...just to see how different it is. How the author put into words what the movie makers brought to life on film. Just for fun.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Mix n' Match
This past trip to the library, I checked out two 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees. One was more at my kids' level: George Crum and the Saratoga Chip about the invention of the potato chip, and we enjoyed it, but the other, Bella at Midnight ,was for kids a little older, and I thought it was 
wonderful. It's a fairytale told in about fifteen different POV's, all of them first person. It was so simply written, with such a fresh, unique idea that I was enthralled. Plus, despite having 278 pages, the margins were wide--lots of white space--so it only took me a few days to finish it. (Still not impressive, but that's all I can manage right now). When I was in fifth grade I had to read the entire list of Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees, and I loved it. Maybe it's time to try that again...
On a completely different topic... A new author recently told me that she's gotten the general impression that while chick-lit is a hard sell, anything light is also tough...romantic comedy, light paranormal, light Regency, etc. When did this happen? And why is it happening? Did readers suddenly shift their tastes en masse to dark, suspenseful, deep, emotional themes? What about the crazy popularity of Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mary Janice Davidson, and others? It doesn't seem as if the marketplace is flooded. I don't know...I guess I'm just bummed at that perspective. I don't think I'll ever manage to write dark. Maybe the tide will turn...
Oh, and if you've read a good book lately and are willing to post a review today, hop over and Debut a Debut. Great idea, great prizes!
wonderful. It's a fairytale told in about fifteen different POV's, all of them first person. It was so simply written, with such a fresh, unique idea that I was enthralled. Plus, despite having 278 pages, the margins were wide--lots of white space--so it only took me a few days to finish it. (Still not impressive, but that's all I can manage right now). When I was in fifth grade I had to read the entire list of Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees, and I loved it. Maybe it's time to try that again...
On a completely different topic... A new author recently told me that she's gotten the general impression that while chick-lit is a hard sell, anything light is also tough...romantic comedy, light paranormal, light Regency, etc. When did this happen? And why is it happening? Did readers suddenly shift their tastes en masse to dark, suspenseful, deep, emotional themes? What about the crazy popularity of Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mary Janice Davidson, and others? It doesn't seem as if the marketplace is flooded. I don't know...I guess I'm just bummed at that perspective. I don't think I'll ever manage to write dark. Maybe the tide will turn...
Oh, and if you've read a good book lately and are willing to post a review today, hop over and Debut a Debut. Great idea, great prizes!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Thursday Thirteen
| Thirteen Seinfeld Guest Stars That Used the Show As a Springboard (This one was my husband's idea). |
1. Courtney Cox (Friends)
2. Jane Leeves (Frasier)
3. Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls)
4. Jami Gertz (Still Standing)
5. Kristen Davis (Sex And The City)
6. Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde)
7. Debra Messing (Will & Grace)
8. Amanda Peet (Studio 60 on Sunset Strip)
9. Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives)
10. Christa Miller (The Drew Carey Show/Scrubs)
11. Marlee Matlin (West Wing)
12. Debra Jo Rupp (That 70's Show)
13. Valerie Mahaffey (Desperate Housewives)
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Out of the Running
I purposely wasn't writing about this because I didn't want to jinx myself, but yesterday, I was officially jinxed. I'd entered Karin Tabke's First Line Contest, and gotten through the first four rounds of judging (each, I think, by a different agent), but yesterday, my sentences were axed.
The contest started January 15 with 75 first lines. The first week, ten entries were eliminated. The next Monday, each entrant had to put up their first two lines, and only five entrants were eliminated. And so it went...and now I'm out. One less thing to worry about I guess...
The interesting thing is that I started from scratch for that contest, picked a new starting point, and just ran with it. And I like this version quite a bit better than the last one.
You should check it out...there are some good entries over there!
------------------------------
A blog post from Karin just clarified...The first round judge was an agent, and the last round judge will be Hilary Sares. Pubbed authors do the in-between rounds.
The contest started January 15 with 75 first lines. The first week, ten entries were eliminated. The next Monday, each entrant had to put up their first two lines, and only five entrants were eliminated. And so it went...and now I'm out. One less thing to worry about I guess...
The interesting thing is that I started from scratch for that contest, picked a new starting point, and just ran with it. And I like this version quite a bit better than the last one.
You should check it out...there are some good entries over there!
------------------------------
A blog post from Karin just clarified...The first round judge was an agent, and the last round judge will be Hilary Sares. Pubbed authors do the in-between rounds.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Pitch Perfect
I did my pitch yesterday and okay, it wasn't really perfect, but it was really good. I'd worried over it for about a week and a half, I'd spent lots of time writing and rewriting a blurb and really thinking about my book (which was good), and I was really sort of starting to stress. But then my husband said something to me that really clicked, and it all fell away: I was thinking more clearly, writing more smoothly, and feeling less stressed and less nervous. He's brilliant.
So yesterday, I had a few nerves and was trying to really learn my pitch so I wouldn't have to keep glancing at my cheat sheet, or worse, get stuck and be forced to read it. And then I walked in and didn't use any of it. It was all totally off the cuff, and it went great. And more than that, I feel like I can blurb my book to someone quite easily now, whereas I had trouble with that before.
She asked for the first three chapters and a synopsis, and I'm going on the assumption that that was just a courtesy that she accorded all the 'pitchers', but she did seem to find the general gist of the story interesting, so that's good. I was completely happy with the experience except for one thing. After I pitched my WIP, she told me she was interested in anything else I was working on. So, I told her that I'd had some ideas for a series of books like my current one, with a little magical element to them. And I told her I was interested in writing another Regency historical--I'd already talked about my self-published book, and she'd seemed impressed. Anyway...after all that, she didn't seem to have any reaction at all. Sort of a 'Huh.'--I just don't know what to make of that. At least I've got the chance to send my first three chapters as 'Requested'!
Wanted to thank all of you again for your advice and good wishes. It was really helpful.
So yesterday, I had a few nerves and was trying to really learn my pitch so I wouldn't have to keep glancing at my cheat sheet, or worse, get stuck and be forced to read it. And then I walked in and didn't use any of it. It was all totally off the cuff, and it went great. And more than that, I feel like I can blurb my book to someone quite easily now, whereas I had trouble with that before.
She asked for the first three chapters and a synopsis, and I'm going on the assumption that that was just a courtesy that she accorded all the 'pitchers', but she did seem to find the general gist of the story interesting, so that's good. I was completely happy with the experience except for one thing. After I pitched my WIP, she told me she was interested in anything else I was working on. So, I told her that I'd had some ideas for a series of books like my current one, with a little magical element to them. And I told her I was interested in writing another Regency historical--I'd already talked about my self-published book, and she'd seemed impressed. Anyway...after all that, she didn't seem to have any reaction at all. Sort of a 'Huh.'--I just don't know what to make of that. At least I've got the chance to send my first three chapters as 'Requested'!
Wanted to thank all of you again for your advice and good wishes. It was really helpful.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Thursday Thirteen
| Thirteen Favorite Seinfeld Quotes What can I say, I'm a HUGE fan. |
1. "Jerry, you stand on the threshold to the magical world of sensual delights that most men dare not dream of."
- Kramer, in "The Gymnast"
2. "She's got a little Marisa Tomei thing going on."
"Ah. Too bad you've got a little George Costanza thing going on."
- George and Jerry, in "The Chicken Roaster"
3. "It's more like a full-body dry heave set to music."
- George, on Elaine's dancing style, in "The Little Kicks"
4. "It's Risk. It's a game of world domination being played by two guys who can barely run their own lives."
- Jerry, in "The Label Maker"
5. "May I have one of those, madam?"
- Kramer, making fun of George's glasses, in "The Glasses"
6. "I guess I can accept a little Jerry if it gets me a lot of Elaine."
- Newman, in "The Millennium"
7. "So, what you are saying is that ninety to ninety-five percent of the population is undateable?"
"Undateable!"
"Then how are all these people getting together?"
"Alcohol."
- Elaine and Jerry, in "The Wink"
8. "Why would I be a leg man? I don't need legs. I have legs."
- Jerry, in "The Implant"
9. "You don't touch the nose. You don't aspire to reach the nose. You don't unhook anything to get to a nose. And no man has ever tried to look up a woman's nostril."
- Jerry, in "The Implant"
10. "It's like a sauna in here."
- Kramer, sitting in a sauna, in "The Implant"
(Evidently I really liked "The Implant" episode)
11. "You know, I faked it."
- Kramer, in "The Mango"
12. "This is the most public yet of my many humiliations."
- Jackie Chiles, in "The Abstinence"
Jackie Chiles cracks me up!
13. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting a hankering for some Doublemint gum."
- Jerry, to Elaine, after they steal her lookalike mannequin, in "The Pie"
I have to say, I was laughing out loud while compiling this list. Good times...
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Life as Usual
Today I made myself over into an M&M--so manychoices, so much potential time wasted...
So here I am
Okay, so that's not really my hair, and I don't wear a tiara, but the ice cream cone and even the glasses are dead on.
Seriously though...I recently read my first Mary Janice Davidson book. It was Sleeping with the Fishes, and while it was a little short for my taste (and just a little potty-mouthed), I liked it. I liked Fred the Mermaid and enjoyed the story. There was a couple of Acknowledgements pages at the beginning, and seeing as I always read those, this was no exception. In them Ms. Davidson said,
"I made the gross mistake of initially writing Fred the Mermaid in first person--gross because first person should be used sparingly, if at all, and I made a mistake because Fred ended up sounding like Betsy with fins."
The question that struck me immediately--after 'Who's Betsy?'--my current work-in-progress being written in first person, was why? Why should first person be used sparingly? Personally I like it. I like writing it, and I like reading it. I think it adds another level of characterization. You know what the characters are thinking even when they don't speak, even when the hide their reactions. There's a sense of immediacy that doesn't come from a third person telling. I could see Ms. Davidson saying that first person doesn't work for her, that she can't keep the internal voices of her characters unique and separate. But she didn't say that; she made a sweeping pronouncement. So now i'm curious.
Any thoughts, opinions?
So here I am
Okay, so that's not really my hair, and I don't wear a tiara, but the ice cream cone and even the glasses are dead on.
Seriously though...I recently read my first Mary Janice Davidson book. It was Sleeping with the Fishes, and while it was a little short for my taste (and just a little potty-mouthed), I liked it. I liked Fred the Mermaid and enjoyed the story. There was a couple of Acknowledgements pages at the beginning, and seeing as I always read those, this was no exception. In them Ms. Davidson said,
"I made the gross mistake of initially writing Fred the Mermaid in first person--gross because first person should be used sparingly, if at all, and I made a mistake because Fred ended up sounding like Betsy with fins."
The question that struck me immediately--after 'Who's Betsy?'--my current work-in-progress being written in first person, was why? Why should first person be used sparingly? Personally I like it. I like writing it, and I like reading it. I think it adds another level of characterization. You know what the characters are thinking even when they don't speak, even when the hide their reactions. There's a sense of immediacy that doesn't come from a third person telling. I could see Ms. Davidson saying that first person doesn't work for her, that she can't keep the internal voices of her characters unique and separate. But she didn't say that; she made a sweeping pronouncement. So now i'm curious.
Any thoughts, opinions?
Monday, February 05, 2007
Custom Closet
This post is for my husband.
We have quite a large closet in our Master Bedroom, but we've been totally inefficient at using all the space. So our closet has been a mess since about Day One, which has now been almost seven years. So with The Container Store having their Elfa sale, we decided to go crazy and get organized. Last Sunday we bought all the pieces, loaded up the car with them, and drove it all home. All of it sat on the floor in our bedroom for the entire week, and then Saturday evening my husband decides to get started.
He took everything out of the closet (most of it is now in our living room, which is right off the front hall) and proceeded to remove the rods, shelving, and brackets already mounted in the closet. He hadn't planned on repainting but made such a mess of the walls getting things out of there that we had to. Then he finds out we don't have enough paint. So I went out yesterday do get another gallon while he tried to use a Harbor Freight carpet stretcher to smooth out a lump in the doorway.
When I got home he met me at the closet door and told me he'd cut the carpet an inch too short--but that you wouldn't be able to tell after everything gets put back. We'll see. So we painted everything and it's looking pretty good. His finger is jammed from trying to remove the shelving, and his knee is swollen from the carpet stretcher, but he's eager to keep going.
So he gets out the diagram for our New and Improved Closet and gets to work putting in the support strips and the braces. He goes to put the first shelf, on and it's too long--evidently his specifications were very 'tight'. So now he's going to have to cut a few of them. Out comes the hacksaw, but come to find out, his blade is too dull, and the replacement blades he bought don't fit. So today I'm shopping for hacksaw blades, and tonight...we'll see.
He says to me, "I hope this is all going to warrant a blog entry." I asked why. His answer: "Because it has been way more trouble than I imagined. Me: "And you think a blog entry is going to make up for all that? Him: "Yep."
So here it is...stay tuned.
We have quite a large closet in our Master Bedroom, but we've been totally inefficient at using all the space. So our closet has been a mess since about Day One, which has now been almost seven years. So with The Container Store having their Elfa sale, we decided to go crazy and get organized. Last Sunday we bought all the pieces, loaded up the car with them, and drove it all home. All of it sat on the floor in our bedroom for the entire week, and then Saturday evening my husband decides to get started.
He took everything out of the closet (most of it is now in our living room, which is right off the front hall) and proceeded to remove the rods, shelving, and brackets already mounted in the closet. He hadn't planned on repainting but made such a mess of the walls getting things out of there that we had to. Then he finds out we don't have enough paint. So I went out yesterday do get another gallon while he tried to use a Harbor Freight carpet stretcher to smooth out a lump in the doorway.
When I got home he met me at the closet door and told me he'd cut the carpet an inch too short--but that you wouldn't be able to tell after everything gets put back. We'll see. So we painted everything and it's looking pretty good. His finger is jammed from trying to remove the shelving, and his knee is swollen from the carpet stretcher, but he's eager to keep going.
So he gets out the diagram for our New and Improved Closet and gets to work putting in the support strips and the braces. He goes to put the first shelf, on and it's too long--evidently his specifications were very 'tight'. So now he's going to have to cut a few of them. Out comes the hacksaw, but come to find out, his blade is too dull, and the replacement blades he bought don't fit. So today I'm shopping for hacksaw blades, and tonight...we'll see.
He says to me, "I hope this is all going to warrant a blog entry." I asked why. His answer: "Because it has been way more trouble than I imagined. Me: "And you think a blog entry is going to make up for all that? Him: "Yep."
So here it is...stay tuned.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Pitching
Yesterday afternoon and then later at night, I started working on my upcoming pitch to an agent next weekend. One of the RWA chapters I belong to has invited two agents to come in and speak and then allowed their members to sign up for individual appointments. Great opportunity, right?
Well I'm having some trouble. It wasn't until I'd turned the computer off last night that I realized that what I'd been working on was more suited to a back-of-the-book blurb. And while that's great, it's not really what I need. I need something that's going to cover maybe 3-4 minutes of the 6-7 we have with the agent. I figure I need to leave some time for introductions, pleasantries, and questions.
Some advice I was given (which I thought seemed reasonable) was: write up one index card for 'her', one for 'him', and one for the situation. Trouble is, the book is more of a chick-lit style coming of age sort of story, so 'he' doesn't factor in nearly as much as 'she' does.
Plus, I'm writing the back of the book blurb to flow well--I'm using long sentences, clauses, etc. But I don't talk like that, and I don't want to read the cards, so I'm sort of starting from scratch today.
Anybody done this before? Any thoughts, advice? It would be GREATLY appreciated.
Well I'm having some trouble. It wasn't until I'd turned the computer off last night that I realized that what I'd been working on was more suited to a back-of-the-book blurb. And while that's great, it's not really what I need. I need something that's going to cover maybe 3-4 minutes of the 6-7 we have with the agent. I figure I need to leave some time for introductions, pleasantries, and questions.
Some advice I was given (which I thought seemed reasonable) was: write up one index card for 'her', one for 'him', and one for the situation. Trouble is, the book is more of a chick-lit style coming of age sort of story, so 'he' doesn't factor in nearly as much as 'she' does.
Plus, I'm writing the back of the book blurb to flow well--I'm using long sentences, clauses, etc. But I don't talk like that, and I don't want to read the cards, so I'm sort of starting from scratch today.
Anybody done this before? Any thoughts, advice? It would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Thursday Thirteen
| Thirteen Things I'm Looking Forward To About Spring |
1. The sunny, windy days with low humidity2. The smell of the breeze, the grass, the spring flowers
3. Visits to Home Depot to load up with flats of annuals
4. Texas Bluebonnets
5. Putting away the winter clothes, pulling out capris and skirts and t-shirts. (I don't wear skirts much in the winter--too cold!)
6. Coloring Easter eggs and hiding them.
7. Easter Sunday...pretty spring dresses and handsome duds for the little boys8. Tiny Jellybird Eggs and Cadbury Creme Eggs
9. The color of spring clothes...geranium, coral, butter yellow (or lemon), lime, periwinkle, lavender.
10. Outdoor activities, trips to the park11. Spring Break! This year we're going to San Diego!
12. The Ten Commandments...We watch it every year.
13. Mother's Day, a very sweet holiday that I appreciate much more now that I'm a mom.
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