Back-to-Business: WRITING FATIGUE

There are several kinds of fatigue in the writer-verse.

REVISION FATIGUE -- you are so sick of your story you never want to see it again.  Also, you never want to see a comma, a quotation mark, or red pencils of any sort.

SUBMISSION FATIGUE -- you just don't want to send your next ms in because you can't bear the emotional exhaustion of the submission process.

READING FATIGUE -- that pile of arcs on your bedside table?  Well, it isn't getting any smaller.  And there are three packages on your kitchen counter that you know hold MORE ARCs but you just don't have the heart to open them.  You start thinking all your rants against television-watching were premature.  Plus, you've become addicted to Dance Moms (the original--the Miami one is kind of lame).

WRITING FATIGUE -- your arse is sore and you just don't want to sit at the keyboard anymore. It's sunny outside and even though you consider yourself an indoor sort, you have this sudden urge to, I dunno, go kayak on a lake or something.  That would be if your arms weren't permanently bent into typing position.

PROMOTION FATIGUE -- you are sick of pimping your book and yourself.  Sick of Bookscan, Amazon Author Central, Goodreads, Google Alerts.  You know too much.  You think nostalgically of your innocent prepublication days but in publishing and, er, other stuff, you just can't go back to holding hands.

I may have them all.

Yawn. Y-A-W-N!

You got any?

SIX SUPER THINGS ABOUT GROUP AUTHOR EVENTS - Plus an actual event!

I'm gearing up for some fun at the Tumwater Timberland Library  (7023 New Market St SW, Tumwater, WA / (360) 943-7790) this Saturday, April 28,  from 2-3:30, where I'll be on a panel with...

Melissa Meyer, Jennifer Wolf, Danny Marks, Megan Bostic, J. Anderson Coats, Helen Landalf and Kiki Hamilton.

So, um, beyond the awesome of spending time with such a great group of writers--and readers (come!!!), I was thinking about reasons I enjoy group author events.  Here are my top 6.

1. Serious shop talk.  Revision tips, works-in-progress gripes, business woes.  Luuuurve shop talk.
2. Less pressure and more fun. Even if the event turnout is low, we writers are in it together.
3. See how other writers structure their presentations and get ideas for improving one's own appearance plans.
4. Laughs.  Writing is a serious, lonely business. When we find ourselves in a room with Actual People, we writers tend to get giggly. In a good way.  Mostly.
5. Okay, in all honesty, I decided to list six because I'm a writer and I liked the assonance of SIX SUPER (sounds so much better than FIVE super, doesn't it?).  Yet, now, I'm stumped so, uh, that's my five.  Embarassing writer admission.  Well, at least I didn't rhyme!
6. Afterwards, we often partake of wine.  Or chocolate.  If the stars align, both! And, btw, the more the merrier so if you're an aspiring MG or YA writer or just an avid reader, come, chat, and celebrate with us!

Bookanistas: BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Disclaimer: I first met Jennifer Shaw Wolf in the "virtual world" when we took an online writing class with the amazing Ann Gonzalez.  Though we did not know it then, both of us would soon become agented, published writers.  And, because I've taken a writing class with Jennifer, I can assure you that she is the real deal: Passionate about her craft and brimming with spectacular ideas.

BREAKING BEAUTIFUL is Jennifer's gorgeous debut novel, just out this week.  It is the story of Allie, who survives the terrible wreck that kills her boyfriend, Trip.  But was it an accident?  And can there be such a thing is a love triangle between a girl, a boy...and a ghost?

This novel is part romance, part mystery.  Partly about a girl grappling with past abuse, partly about a girl learning to recognize an artist.  And like love, like art, very little is black-and-white. There are so many layers of character, such exquisitely textured relationships, that I chose not to write my standard "just gotta say" review line because I was worried that I might give something important away that readers should have the pleasure of discovering for themselves.   A gorgeous read.

Here are some more beautiful books, courtesy of the Bookanistas!

Elana Johnson more than “likes” BEING FRIENDS WITH BOYS
Nikki Katz is crazy about CREWEL
Katy Upperman wonders at WANDERLOVE
Tracy Banghart takes a shine to A MILLION SUNS
Jessica Love is wowed by WELCOME CALLER, THIS IS CHLOE

A Tale of Two Conferences (and a book signing)

It's Monday and I'm back at my desk after a ten days so whirlwind they're worthy of a Dickens-esque title! Here's the recap with pictures.

April 13: Joined Rosanne Parry for a wonderful Book Fan Friday event at Powell's Bookstore where we were joined by a very talented group from the Portland Symphonic girlchoir. Lots of fun giving a mini-writing workshop for the singers and audience!  Plus I had the pleasure of grabbing a bite with Rosanne and the ever-amazing Sara of NovelNovice.com, who has authored a fantastic graphic novel biography of Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins (a must-have volume for all who love things Mockingjay!).

April 17: Hopped a plane to Houston for the A-MA-ZING 2012 Texas Library Association conference where I participated in a Texas Author Tea with the likes of (wait for it) Orson Scott Card, Deb Caletti, and so many more amazing folks. Presented on a poetry panel with Douglas Florian and Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Went to a cocktail party where I shook hands with John Green and Neal Schusterman.  Dined with Megan Walker and Allen Zadoff.  Hung out tons with Bookanista buddies Megan Miranda and Jessi Kirby.  Oh, heck, I could name-drop all day but instead I'll finish by saying that the MOST AMAZING PART of TxLA was the incredible librarians and book bloggers I met (many in person for the first time) whose passion for and support of YA brought, well, SQUEALS (oh, just ask @JessiKirby or @GReads for the embarassing details). You can also read a nice TxLA wrap-up at Mundie Moms: http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/2012/04/in-my-mailbox-120-txla-12.html.

with Jessi & Kari of http://www.agoodaddiction.blogspot.com/



Out-of-focus pic of an amazing dinner with bloggers & fellow DEAR TEEN ME contributors.



Cowgirl hatted and ready for Texas Tea with Jessi Kirby!



With Jessi and Ginger of greadsbooks.com

With Stacey of http://www.pageturnersblog.com/



Friday evening it was back in the air and jetting west to Redmond, WA, for SCBWI Western Washington's annual spring conference to do a panel with Kiki Hamilton, Ben Clanton & Deb Lund (here are the deets: http://chinookupdate.blogspot.com/2012/04/local-success-panel-stasia-kehoe-kiki.html).

Disclaimer: This is not my ordinary life.  Or even a semi-ordinary week for me. This was insane, wild, exhausting, super-fun.  Now, I'm back home at the computer, writing and wishing for chocolate (also, a nap!).