WROTE BUT NEVER POSTED, 1st EDITION

Batman, age 2.

In the midst of a few hours of desk- and online- cleaning, I discovered half a dozen reflections that never made it from draft to posting. Some were written before I sold my first novel. Before any of my kids had driver's licenses. Back when I was an in-the-trenches mom-with-a-dream, a true writer-on-the-side. Some are kind of cute and fun so, over the course of the summer, I'll share them with you. Here's the first...

Before I drop in my tracks each night, I try to read a few pages of Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. It is a diverting book, both wryly funny and insightful. A good bedtime read for a writer. The problem is that, as with all writing craft books, they are written by people who have, by definition, got book contracts. The result for me—journeywoman writer of marketing materials, jacket copy, and educational books—can be a subtle textual layer of smug, occasional name-dropping self-satisfaction that taints the works’ instructive qualities. Maybe I am simply revealing my exquisitely petty nature, but I am HUGELY JEALOUS that Stephen King plays in an amateur rock band with the likes of Amy Tan and it’s hard to get past this to see what he says about WRITING. All you housewives-and-writers out there will likely point to notable exceptions to the above observation. In particular I must point out Anne Lamott’s beautiful Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. I keep this volume right next to Strunk & White’s Elements of Style and W. Somerset Maugham’s A Writer’s Notebook.

What do the how-to books on your shelves reveal about you, your dreams and the places you’ve been. Who are the heroes whose biographies you keep? What skill or talent do you want to develop? What cosmic notions are you struggling to understand? And how old do your kids have to be before you can tell them to clean their own bathroom? (That's an important question, too, you know!)
 

BOOKANISTAS: Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy by Elizabeth Kiem

Plot without spoilers...Rising Bolshoi Ballet star Marina's life is thrown into turmoil when her mother, prima ballerina Sveta, disappears. Believing she is being held captive by the Russian government because she knows military secrets, Marina and her father fear that they, too, are in danger. They gather false documentation and flee to New York. There, Marina struggles to make a new life, gaining admission to the prestigious Julliard School and making friends with the mysterious Ben Frame. Her father scrambles to make a life and earn an income, while trying to figure out a way to rescue Sveta. Past, present, future. Old life, new life. Memories and dreams. Marina struggles to make sense of all of these as she dances through her new world.

Of literary interest...There's some great language in this novel. A few gems...

"It was a cold afternoon, late in the day, clouds overhead like shifting bruises." (p. 77)
"I would like to appear at the party precisely as I see myself in the unlit theater of my windowpane. Silent, graceful, but ultimately not there." (p. 89)
"In Russian, any foreigner is a foreigner and the foreigner and collectively foreign all at the same time. But in America, even foreigners can be individuals. And can make albums that are on the Top Ten charts." (p. 107)

Finally, just gotta say...I'll pretty much pick up any book with a tutu on the cover--that's how this one caught my eye. What I loved once I cracked the cover was how ballet was used as a metaphor but the story was actually one of mystery, Cold War history, with light overtones of psychological thriller. And the very Russian feel of the novel--from its structure to its book design to its language "accents" made it a unique and compelling addition to the "ballet book" genre.

For more Bookanista book suggestions, visit...

Lenore Appelhans is bewitched by CHARM AND STRANGE by Stephanie Kuehn

Shelli Johannes-Wells  gives cover love to FAKING NORMAL

Elana Johnson and Nikki Katz adore THIS IS W.A.R. by Lisa & Laura Roecker

Gretchen McNeil  is wowed by THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher

Katy Upperman praises WORST CASE OF PASKETTI-ITIS by Kris Asselin

Waiting on Wednesday: Two Fall Temptations at the Start of Summer

Just as summer vacation begins, I'm going to give you two great reasons not to be sad for the inevitable return of back-to-school September. (Note: My summaries are distilled from Goodreads synopses). They're both about mystery, identity and the ticking of clocks...

Rachel died at two a.m . . . Three hours after Skyler kissed me for the first time. Forty-five minutes after she sent me her last text. 
That text is Rachel's first clue to her once-best friend Jaycee, who embarks on a search that leads to a shocking secret. Rachel’s death was no random crime, and Jaycee must figure out who to trust before she can expose the truth...DEAD GIRLS DON'T LIE by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse. Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.  3:59 by Gretchen McNeil


Both look like perfect fall reads by a fireside to combat the inevitable eerie shivers!
 
For more WoW fun, click over to BREAKING THE SPINE, founder of this fabulous midweek meme!

Back-to-Business: TSoLG Winners & Teaching About Writing

First...
Congratulations to the winners of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO cover reveal giveaway! All of the following winners were contacted via email yesterday.

The signed hardcover of AUDITION was won by Vivien

The signed arc of TSoLG was won by Kaitlin

The swag from Elana Johnson, Carrie Harris, Jessi Kirby & Gretchen McNeil was won by Mimi

And, since we had over 2,000 entries, I added 2 extra prize packs (hot-off-the-presses Sound of Letting Go swag ) which were won by Kristia & Debby

Second...
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching a workshop to some wonderfully talented teen and adult YA writers. The workshop was called NOVEL SUMMER and we discussed strategies for producing a first-draft manuscript by August 30. Here are some of the "rules" we came up with to avoid self-defeating thoughts and behaviors en route to the finish line!

1. Don't read yesterday's work.
2. If you get stuck, allow yourself to "switch brains" by doing research or something else manuscript-related for 10-15 minutes.
3. Don't fear making choices. If you are uncertain about a setting, a character name, or a plot twist, allow yourself to make a decision (choose a city in which to set the story, for example) and remind yourself you can always change these choices in your next draft.
4. Learn your writing idiosyncrasies. Do a ten-minute timed write. Note where you pause, put down your pencil. Is it at the six-minute mark? At the nine? Push yourself a couple minutes past the stall. Force yourself to write two more sentences. See if you can stretch that writing muscle. When you master ten, try twelve minutes. And so on.
5. Incentivize your writing. Look deep in your heart for a reward you can give yourself for a good day, a good week, or a good summer of writing. It doesn't have to be expensive or even tangible. Perhaps you will just allow yourself to have a messy house and not apologize for it. Perhaps you will reconnect with an old friend. If you can afford it, a massage or nice meal isn't bad either!
6. Don't wait for "inspiration to strike." Acknowledge that bad writing days are still better than non-writing days and just because you don't feel creative all the time doesn't mean you have no future as a writer.