tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82114592024-03-17T20:02:37.550-07:00Martha O'ConnorAuthor of The Bitch Posse, St. Martin's Press
<br><a href="http://www.marthaoconnor.com">Visit website</a><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/b8ljl">Read excerpt</a><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/lg26y">Order Online</a><p>"Astonishing... If this isn't really Alice Sebold, Donna Tartt, or Barbara Vine, then Martha O'Connor is a huge new talent who is already as good as it gets."~Lee Child, author of THE ENEMY
<p>"A debut worthy of Joyce Carol Oates."~Edmund White, author of A BOY'S OWN STORYMartha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.comBlogger423125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-43713687439886764122007-07-09T15:57:00.000-07:002007-07-09T16:14:07.445-07:00Three of Three: Literary EnemiesAt last, here is the promised third installment to my series on "The Literary Life." Previously I blogged about genres and about literary friendships. Interestingly, the official news just came through the pipeline that an old writing pal of mine, Sara Gruen, just had her book, <span style="font-style:italic;">Water for Elephants, </span>optioned for a film! And her new book, <span style="font-style:italic;">Ape House,</span> should be a smash hit as well. I belonged to a small critique group with Sara long before either of us had a book published. I didn't even have an agent and Sara was still on her first agent and crossing fingers for a book sale. I got to meet Sara in person, in Chicago, from whence I hail and where Sara still lives. What a treat that was!<br /><br />The members of the group have all drifted off their separate ways, but some of us still remain in touch. Now, years later Sara has published three terrific novels about animals, the latest a <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Times </span>#1 bestseller. How proud I am of her! One thing that impressed me was that Sara made sure the film contract specified the animals would be treated humanely during the filming of <span style="font-style:italic;">Water for Elephants.</span> A class act 100%! <br /><br />At any rate, I am now going to post the third of my series about the Literary Life. It's a topic not many people like to discuss: "literary enemies."<br /><br />People have asked me if I have any literary enemies. I find this question quite funny. Maybe that is because to me, the concept of a literary feud is quite absurd. We are all vessels for the Spirit. That's what we touch when we write. There is plenty for everyone. No one is going to write in the same way, just as no two singers will sing in quite the same way. I heard three awesome soloists at Glide the other day. They all moved me in very different ways, but the Spirit sang through them all. I didn't see any them feuding over singing styles after the service. How silly would that be?<br /><br />Not everyone agrees with me though. For instance, there's an infamous feud between Bret Harte and Mark Twain. Mary McCarthy and Lillian Helman had a longstanding literary feud. Leo Tolstoy threatened to shoot his neighbor, Ivan Turgenev. After Colson Whitehead gave a bad review to Richard Ford, Ford spit on him at a party. And heavens knows what Melissa Banks thinks of Curtis Sittenfeld.<br /><br />I don't have any enemies I am aware of. But that is because I think you need two people to have a conflict, and I am in a position where I cannot afford any resentments. Resentments for me lead right down the road to a drink. And for me or any alcoholic, to drink is to die.<br /><br />So I practice peace, forgiveness (of myself and others), and letting go. I read a book recently that said all people on earth, including me, are to some degree spiritually ill as well as frequently wrong. This includes me. (Imagine!) Learning this is what has given me the gifts of goodwill and tolerance toward myself and others.<br /><br />Have I had differences with people? Yes. Were some heated? Yes, especially before I quit drinking. Did I say things I regretted? Oh boy. You bet. But the important thing is I made my amends for those things and then let them go into the Universe. There are people to whom I was once close, who refuse to talk to me now due to some things I did and said when I was still drinking. But that is OK. Everyone doesn't have to talk to me. It would be awfully noisy if they did!<br /><br />I notice sometimes new authors deciding that they are only going to be friends with authors who write the same type of books they do or that they are going to separate themselves from authors of other genres. In my not-so-humble opinion, you are really selling yourself short by doing that. You have an opportunity to build a real support network among those who understand--other writers. Why sacrifice that just due to some misplaced sense of pride? As I said, none of us is better than any other. There's also an unfortunate one-upsmanship going on between literary and genre writers that I really try to avoid. I would urge writers, especially new writers, to open your arms wide. You never know from where your support might come.<br /><br />One other thing I would caution new writers against is dissing other writers in public. There was one time I gave an off-the-cuff jab at a very successful author when I was in conversation with an LA Times reporter. I immediately felt terrible and begged him not to print it. Fortunately, he agreed to my request.<br /><br />What you write on the internet is permanent. Google can find it even if you take it down. And from what I have seen, authors (even the famous ones) spend an obscene amount of time looking themselves up on Google, Technorati, Blogpulse and everything else. There is a very real chance they'll find your post.<br /><br />Awhile back on the blog I mentioned a book I wanted to throw across the room. I won't be mentioning that author's name here (though my close author friends may know to whom I refer). I really don't see a reason to drag this writer to the carpet in public for a book I happened not to like. Tons of people loved it. Who is to say I am right and others are wrong?<br /><br />Besides, why be mean? What good is it to hurt someone? Maybe I am wishy-washy, but aren't we all part of the same whole? What hurts one hurts all. That's what I believe in my heart of hearts. As Shakespeare said, "The play's the thing..."Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-72132351603608447952007-07-06T10:36:00.000-07:002007-07-06T10:42:03.223-07:00I'm Still HereHi everyone,<br />You may or may not have noticed, I took a lengthy hiatus from blogging. There are a few reasons. First of all, summertime is always crazy for us, with odd and unpredictable schedules. Second, I have been busily doing a second draft of TINK. And third, I have been dealing with some personal issues which simply take TIME. Honestly, I'm not sure how often I'll be blogging in the near future. <br /><br />On Monday I'll post the final installment of my "Literary Life" ponderings. Just wanted you all to know I am still around! My son won a giant "Bearack Obama" bear at the county fair on the 4th... that was the highlight of the week. There is nothing funnier than a 10 year old answering the phone, holding her hand over the receiver, gesturing at her brother, and wih great puzzlement saying: "It's the Barack Obama campaign... for YOU????" Bearack comes home today.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-49468325384616892272007-06-06T18:33:00.001-07:002007-06-07T06:08:39.184-07:00The Story of Dolores IbarruriHi, I know I've been absent for a while, but I am still ALIVE. I am very busy, but staying healthy, sane, and continuing to reach toward that wonderful state of: Happy, Joyous, and Free. It's hard work sometimes, you know?<br /><br />One person that has inspired me lately is Dolores Ibarruri "La Pasionaria" of Spain.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/biografia/i/fotos/ibarruri_1.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Being a Spanish Civil War buff, I am quite inspired by this courageous woman. I have a friend who is a Spanish Civil War vet. He got blacklisted when he returned, and wasn't permitted to fight in WWII as he wanted because he was labelled a "Premature Anti-Fascist." Good God. And, he lost his teaching job and subsisted on pay from pushing a broom. His wife blacklisted as well.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPibrarruri.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Here is Dolores Ibarruri, the gifted speaker who inspired men like my friend, as well as Spain struggling under Franco. Her most famous quote is: “Better to die on one's feet than to live on one's knees.” Isn't that beautiful? And so true. We really need to value ourselves in order to be happy, joyous and free. Dolores was a strong strong woman who was unafraid to take a bold stand for her beliefs.<br /><br />Here is a great <a href="http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/SPibarruri.htm" target="_blank">article</a> about the Passion Flower where you can read to find more about this impassioned woman who is so inspiring to me and countless others.<br /><br />“No pasarán!” (“They shall not pass!”)Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-12345416224405036912007-05-24T20:01:00.000-07:002007-05-24T20:11:19.533-07:00Graffiti GirlHave you ever sprayed graffiti? I am not telling whether I have or not. Some of my oldest, closest friends know the truth. What is cool about the best graffiti is that it is truly art. The artists are anonymous because, of course, defacing property is illegal. The graffiti created by me was never exactly beautiful, so I have a bit of an inferiority complex that way. Oops, I think I just told on myself.<br /><br />Anyway, I was thrilled to hear that Young Adult author Kelly Parra had written a new book titled GRAFFITI GIRL. I must say I love the title. It is published by MTV Books. How cool is that? It is just the type of thing I would have picked up as a teen, so I was excited to find out I would get to host her as part of my blog co-op, The Girlfriends Cyber Circuit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 176px; height: 196px;" src="http://kellyparra.com/images/photo.jpg" /><br /></div>Kelly Parra lives in a diverse agricultural farm town in Central Coast California with her loving husband and two beautiful children. When not at work on her current novel, she spends her free time roaming book stores, surfing the blogosphere, and watching reality TV. Look for her first novel, GRAFFITI GIRL, with MTV/Pocket Books scheduled for May 2007.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 168px; height: 235px;" src="http://kellyparra.com/images/grafgrl.jpg" /><br /></div>Graffiti art. It's bold. It's thrilling. And it can get a girl into serious trouble...<br /><br />Raised by her single mom (who's always dating the wrong kind of man) in a struggling California neighborhood, Angel Rodriguez is a headstrong, independent young woman who channels her hopes and dreams for the future into her painting. But when her entry for a community mural doesn't rate, she's heartbroken. Even with winning artist Nathan Ramos--a senior track star and Angel's secret crush--taking a sudden interest in Angel and her art, she's angry and hurt. She's determined to find her own place in the art world, her own way.<br /><br />That's when Miguel Badalin--from the notorious graffiti crew Reyes Del Norte--opens her eyes to an underground world of graf tags and turf wars. She's blown away by this bad boy's fantastic work and finds herself drawn to his dangerous charm. Soon she's running with Miguel's crew, pushing her skills to the limit and beginning to emerge as the artist she always dreamed she could be. But Nathan and Miguel are bitter enemies with a shared past, and choosing between them and their wildly different approaches to life and art means that Angel must decide what matters most before the artist inside of her can truly break free.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>"With characters as bold and exciting as the art they love, and an honesty that keeps them raw and real, Graffiti Girl shows us that the only thing better than discovering your talent is finding yourself along the way."<br /> ~ Jenny O'Connell, author of Plan B and The Book of Luke<br /><br />"Graffiti Girl is a fast-paced story that boldly looks dreams and temptations in the eye. 16 year-old Angel Rodriguez steals your heart as she tries to find her place in the world--artistically, socially, and even inside her own family. Don't miss this one!"<br /> ~ Tina Ferraro, author of Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress<br /><br />"Breaking into the YA market with the edgy debut novel Graffiti Girl, Kelly Parra will surprise readers with her hip yet mature voice."<br /> ~ RITA Award-winning author, Dianna Love Snell<br /><br />"This book blew me away. Kelly Parra writes with the keen eye of an artist. Graffiti Girl is warm, gutsy, and true-to-life -- an unflinching, honest portrayal of young adults. A seamless and impressive debut."<br /> ~ Anne Frasier, USA Today bestselling author of Pale Immortal<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div><br />1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.<br /><br />KP: Basically my love for art in high school and my friends who were into Graffiti art inspired me to write Graffiti Girl. When I was sixteen, I tried my hand at graffiti designs in what is called a "piecebook" but could never really do justice to the bold style. When I decided to write YA fiction, graffiti was the first idea to pop for me since I was familiar with art. However, I did have to do a lot of research on graffiti. From there it was an uphill battle to find the right voice and tone I wanted to write for teens. Once I was comfortable, I just wrote. I wish there was some formula I followed that I could pass along, but by the time I have finished the book I am in awe that I actually wrote it and that all those words came from my head. I really think it's a gift writers have to tell stories.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />KP: My advice is to read. Read the genre you would like to write in, but also outside your genre. Take on-line writing courses or classes whenever you can manage it. There is always room for learning and growing. And when you feel your book is at its best and ready to be read by agents or editors, learn as much as you can about the publishing industry and the dos and don'ts of the submission process. <br /><br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />KP: My typical day is to get up and ready my kids for school and get them out the door. Then when I return home, I refuel, check email and my numerous blogs, and that takes at least an hour. I can then settle into where I left off with my current book. I usually read the prior chapter to get back into the tone and scene, and that goes on with breaks until it's time to pick up the kids. Sadly, I wish I was more organized and just had more space in general to spread out. The only thing I often do, is right down a list of the things I must get finished that day. Otherwise who knows when I'll remember to get it done. :)<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br /><br />KP: The most exciting part of writing a novel is that after all the hard work you put into a book, you get to finally have the finished product in your hands. There is nothing like holding your own published book, knowing you created these characters from your head, that these are the words you wrote. :) The most frustrating for me is outlining a novel in advance. I'd rather work with the story as I go along. If I write to an outline sometimes that doesn't leave room for much creativity.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br /><br />KP: There are no plans to write a follow-up to Graffiti Girl. My next novel in the works is another YA about a girl who can see psychic images or signs on her peers, and pieces the signs together in order to save them from unfortunate fates. It's going to be a fun project to finish!<br /><br />6. Who are your favorite authors in the genre you write?<br /><br />KP: My favorite YA authors are Sarah Dessen, Ann Brashares, and Laurie Halse Anderson. And the list is growing every time I discover a new author!<br /><br />7. Music while you write or silence?<br /><br />KP: I read a lot about writers working to music. I just can't. Good music is so distracting. Half the time I want to sing along or dance when I hear a great song. I work best in silence so that I can focus on the character and try to get better into her head.<br /><br />8. Favorite drink while writing?<br /><br />KP: It's usually water, unless I have to stay up late writing. If that is the case it's a cup of French Vanilla Cafe to keep me awake. :)<br /><br />Thank you so much, Kelly! Check out her book on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Graffiti-Girl-Kelly-Parra/dp/141653461X/sr=1-1/qid=1161621015/ref=sr_1_1/002-7204978-6963237?ie=UTF8&s=books" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781416534617&itm=1" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> or your <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">local indy.</a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-70372424227181811582007-05-22T10:27:00.001-07:002007-05-22T10:39:20.567-07:00Tragedy Close To HomeToday I had planned to post another Girlfriends interview, maybe some photos of the puppy, but some horrible news from my friend Barb Marche (she's the Canadian who wrote the essay on Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes for this blog... scroll through the archives if you're curious) has absolutely paralyzed me. As many of you know, my son was diagnosed with Type 1 in July of 2004. It has altered our lives forever.<br /><br />Just over a week ago, Paul Beckwith, known as "Pumper Paul" to the diabetes community, went to bed along with his family. There was no one around to see or hear him as he slept. He suffered an extreme low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and fell into a coma. His wife discovered him the next morning, unable to rouse him.<br /><br />Paul hung on in a comatose state for several days before he became yet another victim of this horrible disease.<br /><br /><blockquote>In Barb's words: "He was an absolutely incredible human being who was looking forward to restarting his life with a new pancreas. He didn't wait for life to happen however. For close to 20 years Paul advocated for insulin pumps. Paul's legacy is the insulin pump bill in Ontario and the provinces that have followed."</blockquote><br /><br />Paul was 53 years old with two teenaged daughters. he had been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 14. He said insulin pumping had given him his life back.<br /><br />The scenario that killed Paul is known as Dead in Bed. Yes, this disease can kill those who use cutting-edge technology, who take vigilant care of their diabetes. It is my nightly terror. That cure can't come soon enough. INSULIN IS NOT A CURE! <br /><br />You can send a notice to the family here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mundellfuneralhome.com/register.asp?id=1096">Tribute to Paul Beckwith</a><br /><br />They have also requested donations be sent to either the Canadian<br />Diabetes Association or Trinity Community Church in lieu of flowers.<br /><br /><br />The oher stuff goes in the blog tomorrow. I'm numb.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-63353124115822859342007-05-18T09:23:00.000-07:002007-05-18T09:31:00.261-07:00Sorry for My Absence...But the puppy has come home! She is an adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Just coming up on 9 weeks old, tomorrow. One big ball of energy, fur, kisses, and oh yeah, puppy accidents. As you can imagine, she has happily consumed all our time since we got her one week ago! I will post some pictures when I get the chance. They are the BEST dog breed EVER!<br /><br />It is with embarrassment that I post this overdue Girlfriends Cyber Circuit blog tour from Jennifer O'Connell. Interestingly, I just ran into one of Jennifer's novels at the bookstore the other day. Jennifer's new book is titled INSIDER DATING and has just been published!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://jenniferoconnell.com/newsite/images/authorpic.jpg" /><br /></div>Although she’s written about a reality dating show, a prescient pastry chef, and a woman who inspired an 80’s rock hit, Jennifer has not spent hours dissecting The Bachelor, she can barely follow the directions on the back of a Betty Crocker box, and she can only dream of a long-haired, guitar-thrashing rocker even giving her a second glance.<br /><br />While she cringes at the thought of being called Jenny again after all these years, her teen books, PLAN B and THE BOOK OF LUKE, are published under Jenny O’Connell by MTV Books (March 2006).<br /><br />Her days as a high school senior may be long behind her, but Jennifer did receive her B.A. from Smith College and her M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. A market strategy consultant, she lives outside Boston.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /><img src="http://jenniferoconnell.com/newsite/images/book-covers/insiderdating-cov.jpg" /><br /></div>Recently divorced, top financial analyst Abby Dunn has learned the hard way that when it comes to relationships, there's no sure thing. But now Abby's decided to use her knack for risk management to change all that - and give a whole new meaning to mergers and acquisitions. She's creating a members-only club where women share the inside information on the opposite sex they need to invest their greatest assets: themselves. And she's got underperforming men running scared.<br /><br />Only while Abby's busy hedging bets, someone is skewing her data and threatening to ruin her model. And Abby's about to find out that sometimes even the savviest market wizards can be headed for a crash.<br />While it may be perfectly legal, nothing good can come from insider dating...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>Alison Pace, author of PUG HILL and IF ANDY WARHOL HAD A GIRLFRIEND<br />"What if a database could tell you everything you might need to know about someone before you even met? INSIDER DATING asks just that with results that are both very funny and surprisingly heartfelt. I laughed out loud, I pondered, and I was ultimately thankful that such a database doesn't exist. Jennifer O'Connell's best book yet!"<br /><br />Melissa Senate, author, SEE JANE DATE and LOVE YOU TO DEATH<br />"I'm crazy about Jennifer O'Connell's novels, and INSIDER DATING is another fun, smart and insightful treat!"<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div>1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.<br /><br />I was finishing my third novel and knew I had to begin thinking about what I’d do next. Everything I saw or heard was fodder for a new idea. I had a bunch of ideas but no big “a-ha” moments. One summer afternoon I was out on our deck, flipping through People magazine. One of those blow-ins for the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes fell onto my lap and I thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a clearinghouse for men.” The idea for INSIDER DATING came immediately, that a woman could create a sort of clearinghouse that allowed women to share information in a members-only club. I mentioned the idea to my agent but we’d begun talking about writing YA, and so I focused on writing that proposal for a YA book and it sold. INSIDER DATING didn’t have a synopsis or anything for almost another year.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />I’m not a good one to ask for advice, as I never really aspired to be a writer. I just enjoyed writing and happened to sell a book. Given that, I guess what I’d say is, write what you enjoy, know the business of publishing inside and out, and grow a thick skin.<br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />No tricks. No typical day. I have a “real job” that takes up about 50 hours of my week, so I write when I can – but I always have a notebook to take down notes in. It can be ideas for scenes, dialog I hear, or anything. This way even if I can’t write, I can give myself what I need to jumpstart the process when I have time to sit down at my laptop.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br /><br />The most existing for me is coming up with an idea that I love, that gets me (and my agent) excited. But even more exciting than that is getting the call that there’s an editor (or more!) who want the book. I only wish I’d realized that the thrill that comes from finishing a manuscript lasts approximately 32 seconds – and then the reality sets in: you need to come up with another book idea to do it all over again.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br /><br />No follow-up to this. None of my books so far were conceived to last beyond the last page. I edited an anthology of essays by some fun, funny women writers, EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BEING A GIRL I LEARNED FROM JUDY BLUME, and that comes out in June so I’m doing promotional stuff for that. Then I have a non-fiction book about divorce, THE DIVORCED GIRLS SOCIETY coming out in October, and in between those I need to find the time to write the first book in my new teen series that’s being published by MTV/Pocket. No name yet, but it takes place on Martha’s Vineyard during the summer.<br /><br />6. Would you ever belong to a secret society where women share information about the men they’ve dated?<br /><br />That’s a tough one. On the one hand, it would save a lot of wasted energy on someone who is incompatible. On the other hand, I probably wouldn’t be married to my husband. Some other woman he’d dated would have let me know that he gets up way too early (I’m not a morning person), he hates to travel (I love to get away), he can’t type (I have a laptop perma-glued to my thighs), he recites lines to cheesy movies (if I hear one more line from Fletch I’ll break out into hives), and he doesn’t take advantage of airline miles when charging things to a credit card, instead choosing to earn “Red Sox points” on a card with his favorite team’s logo (I’m a “free” mile junky who can justify any charge because I know I’m earning a flight somewhere). Maybe it’s the things you can’t itemize that end up being the things that matter.<br /><br />7. Who did you dedicate this book to and why?<br /><br />This book is dedicated to my two best friends, Vicki and Vangie. We’ve been best friends since we met our first day of college, and when I was writing this book they were both going through divorces. Here I was writing about a woman who was divorced and my friends were going through it for real. Their circumstances were completely different from Abby’s in the book, but the idea that your friends are the ones who are always there for you is in the book, and in our real lives as well.<br /><br />8. What was the most surprising thing that's happened to you since your book's been published?<br /><br />I met Kevin Bacon when I was on a morning show in NYC. He was on for his band, and we were in dressing rooms next to each other. He was in there doing scales with his voice, or whatever it is they do, all serious and self-important. We stood right next to each other in the hall and he acted like he was Pavarotti. I was like, “Dude, you danced in a barn in Footloose, get over yourself.” So now I’m 1 degree from Kevin Bacon.<br /><br />Thank you so much, Jennifer! Check out Jennifer's book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Insider-Dating-Jennifer-OConnell/dp/0451221168/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9041134-2006555?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174753913&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0451221168" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, or your best choice, your local <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">indy.</a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-87011385650019521532007-05-04T08:50:00.000-07:002007-05-04T08:58:19.808-07:00Secrets and More SecretsLooks as if I'm going to have to put a little hold on my discussion of the literary life, because the literary life has come up and bit me in the tail! I'm a bit overdue in welcoming fellow GCCer Lauren Barnholdt to the blog! Lauren is the author of the new novel for "tweens," THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.laurenbarnholdt.com/images/laurenbio.jpg" /><br /></div>The Official:<br /><br />Lauren Barnholdt is a twenty--six-old writer who was born and raised in Syracuse, NY. Her articles and short stories have appeared in Elements magazine, Girls Life, and on mensclick. com. Lauren is currently under<br />contract with Simon Pulse for her young adult novels, having set an unprecedented sale when she was signed for her first two book deal on<br />just three chapters and a synopsis. Her<br /><br />first book for young adults, REALITY CHICK, will be released on June 27, 2006. Lauren currently teaches a popular online course called How to Write and Sell the YA Chick-lit Novel. She is also co-author of the book HOW TO WRITE AND SELL THE YA NOVEL, which will be released by Writer's Digest Books in December of 2006. Lauren now resides in Central Connecticut, and when she's not writing, she spends most of her time reading and watching lots and lots of reality TV.<br /><br />What You Really Want To Know:<br /><br />Hi. I’m Lauren. I tried writing this bio in third person, but it<br />seemed weird. I’m twenty-six. I write books. Here are some things<br />about me:<br /><br />* My favorite reality show is Newlyweds. I know, Nick and Jessica broke<br />up, whatever. I still love the show.<br /><br />*One time I tried out for a reality TV show, and I didn’t make it.<br /><br />* When I told my boyfriend I was writing a section of my website that was<br />“what you really want to know” he was like, I CAN WRITE IT! Um, no.<br /><br />*My favorite book is CATCHER IN THE RYE.<br /><br />* I say the word “scandalous” a lot. It appears all over the place in<br />REALITY CHICK, and my editor made me cut a lot of them.<br /><br />* In real life, I am not scandalous at all.<br /><br />* I have two sisters. I’m the oldest.<br /><br />* My favorite drink is Diet Coke with Lime.<br /><br />* My favorite color is pink.<br /><br />* I love the New York Yankees. I plan on marrying Derek Jeter. As soon<br />as I have the chance to meet him, this plan will be put into action.<br /><br />* I love college basketball. The Syracuse Orangemen are my favorite<br />team.<br /><br />* I love pop music. I don’t care if this makes me a dork. I also love<br />Gavin DeGraw, Vertical Horizon, Nine Days, Matchbox Twenty, Lifehouse,<br />and The Goo Goo Dolls.<br /><br />* I refuse to dance in public, but sometimes I have dance parties in my<br />room, by myself, while listening to previously mentioned pop music.<br />Destiny’s Child and Christina Aguilera are favorites.<br /><br />* If you want to know anything else, you can email me and I’ll probably tell you.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c298/laurenbarnholdt/newdevon.jpg" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Launching the new Simon and Schuster MIX line for tweens comes THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY by Lauren Barnholdt….<br /><br />Mom says karma always comes around to get you, and I guess it's true. Because last summer I was a total liar, and now, right in the middle of Mr. Pritchard's third-period math class, my whole world is about to come crashing down…..<br /><br />That's because while Devon was living with her grandmother for the summer, she told her "summer friend," Lexi, that she was really popular back home and dating Jared Bentley, only the most popular guy at school. Harmless lies, right? Wrong. Not when Lexi is standing at the front of Devon's class, having just moved to Devon's town. Uh-oh.<br /><br />Devon knows there's only one way to handle this -- she'll just have to become popular! But how is Devon supposed to accomplish that when she's never even talked to Jared, much less dated him?! And it seems the more Devon tries to keep up her "image," the more things go wrong. Her family thinks she's nuts, her best friend won't speak to her, and, as if it's not all complicated enough, Jared starts crushing on Lexi and Devon starts crushing on Jared's best friend, Luke. It all has Devon wondering -- who is the real Devon Delaney?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div><br />1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel. <br /><br />When my friends and I were in junior high, we were dating this group of guys from another school. So we made it seem like we were super popular at our school, and that all the boys wanted us. Which wasn’t even close to being true. One night some of the guys we lied to played basketball against some of the boys from our school who supposedly wanted us, and I just kept thinking, God, I hope none of them talk. And that was the inspiration for THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY. Only, unlike in my situation, poor Devon’s lies catch up with her.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? <br />Here are my top three tips for aspiring writers: 1. Don’t give up. 2. Don’t compare yourself to other writers – everyone’s path to publication is different, and what happens to one person is not necessarily going to happen to you. Don’t worry, you’ll get there. 3. Enjoy the process. Sometimes it’s so hard to enjoy writing when you’re getting rejections or things aren’t going well. But remember that you’re working toward a goal, one that’s worth it. And be thankful that you’ve found what it is you’re passionate about – not everyone can say that.<br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized? <br />I try to get up early, because I find it’s easier for me to be productive if I feel like I’m getting a jump on the day.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating? <br />The most exciting thing is definitely seeing my book on the shelves. It’s definitely surreal. Also hearing from people who have read and enjoyed my books. The most frustrating is probably learning to let go of the things you can’t control – the rejections, the negative reviews, etc.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works? <br />I would love to write a follow-up to Devon Delaney! Right now, though, my latest YA book, TWO-WAY STREET, will be out in June, and I’m working on a new tween book that will be out next year.<br /><br />Thank you, Lauren! Please take a moment to check out Lauren's book at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Identity-Devon-Delaney/dp/1416935037/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3916369-1956616?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177118315&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781416935032&itm=1" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, or your bestest bet, the local <a href="http://www.booksense.com/">indy retailer </a>near you.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-74831166554182052832007-05-03T09:14:00.000-07:002007-05-03T09:20:59.686-07:00The Literary Life Continued: Writing FriendshipsThis is a continuation from the blog post from the other day. I think non-writers, or new writers, might erroneously think I hang out with ONLY authors of dark, edgy fiction. I may look down my nose at authors of chicklit, YA, picture books, or genre romance. That may be true of other authors; I don't know. But for me, as my literary life has evolved, that simply hasn't been the case.<br /><br />Interestingly enough, I have author friends who write ALL DIFFERENT genres. Because guess what? Our struggles are pretty much the same. Getting a book done, finding an agent, selling a book, surviving the angst until the book hits the shelves, all of that. Getting stuck with a cover you hate, or learning your book will come out in trade paper when they promised you hardback. Or your agent taking too long to read your book, or a promised blurb not coming through. Hearing that your genre is oversaturated right now (which has happened to chicklit authors lately). Or whatever! This is the life of an author, and it is pretty similar whether you write chicklit, military thrillers, or haute literature.<br /><br />There are authors to whom I owe a lot of my career who write in a different genre than myself. The aforementioned Becky Motew and Melanie Lynne Hauser, <a href="http://elizabethgraham.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Graham,</a> <a href="http://www.jillmorrow.net/" target="/"_blank="">Jill Morrow,</a> <a href="http://www.sininthesecondcity.com/" target="_blank">Karen Abbott,</a> <a href="http://danielleschaaf.com/" target="_blank">Danielle Schaaf,</a> <a href="http://www.elizabethletts.com/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Letts</a>, <a href="http://www.carriekabak.com/" target="_blank">Carrie Kabak,</a> <a href="http://www.kristykiernan.com/" target="_blank">Kristy Kiernan</a>, <a href="http://www.kldionne.com/" target="_blank">Karen Dionne</a> and <a href="http://www.saragruen.com/" target="_blank">Sara Gruen</a> are published writers who, when we all started out, weren't even published. Time has gone on and NOW--all of them have books out (Elizabeth Graham and both of the Karens have coming out very soon). Some have multiple publications--Sara Gruen's latest, <span style="font-style: italic;">Water for Elephants</span> was ever a bestseller, and she just made the most gigantic deal I ever heard of for her newest book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Ape House.</span> I met all of these women online, and I have had the pleasure of meeting both Sara and Melanie in person. I hope to meet more of them someday!<br /><br />What I want to emphasize is, these are all very different writers. They all explore a variety of different topics. Yet along the way, all of these wonderful women offered me a variety of support.<br /><br />I'm just looking at the list now and I see several chicklit authors in the list, some authors of women's fiction, a pair of authors of nonfiction (one about nuns, the other about whores--no kidding), some of literary fiction, the author of a thriller, and some authors who write in a combination of these genres. Current author friends whom I see in person quite a bit include <a href="http://www.corneliaread.com/" target="_blank">Cornelia Read</a> (mysteries), <a href="http://www.rebeccadelrio.net/" target="_blank">Rebecca del Rio</a> (poetry and literary fiction), and <a href="http://www.dianeconway.com/" target="_blank">Diane Conway</a> (nonfiction/inspirational).<br /><br />Did I chose this lengthy list of women as author friends/support because of their genres? NO! Yet I would go to the mat for <span style="font-style: italic;">any of them. </span> I don't really give a sweet damn if they write chicklit or cookbooks or erotica.<br /><br />From providing critiques to standing in the cheering section, these authors have enriched my life in so many ways. Though I'm far from the perfect author friend, I hope I've been of service to them as well.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-24112269102774527642007-05-02T09:04:00.000-07:002007-05-02T09:13:16.558-07:00The Literary Life: Reading RelationshipsGreat news! Blogger tells me I can blog in Hindi now. This should DEFINITELY be useful! All I have to do is learn Hindi and I'll go from there!<br /><br />I was thinking about something lately: the literary life. As I am wont to do, I began typing and typing and typing and well... what I wrote turned into something far too long for one blog post. So I've broken these ponderings into a 3-part series, to be posted over the next several days.<br /><br />Do you remember awhile back there were some very angry words flying between women writers of "chicklit" and women writers of books that were not "chicklit"? I am pretty sure this was around the time Curtis Sittenfeld, when reviewing Melissa Bank for <span style="font-style: italic;">The New York Times</span>, said that calling a woman a "chicklit" writer was like calling her a slut. Then, Sittenfeld proceeded to call Bank's book chicklit (therefore, I guess, calling Bank a slut). This is intriguing since I have heard Sittenfeld's books (PREP and THE MAN OF MY DREAMS) described as a variety of things, including: literary, coming-of-age, Young Adult, and yes, chicklit.<br /><br />Chicklit, what is it? Ah, the eternal question.<br /><br />Over the years, I have gotten to know a lot of writers of what's known as "chicklit" (a term which covers an ever-broadening range of books, I think, though they do tend to be light and entertaining). Some of them I know rather well and got to know them before our literary careers even began. Some of them I met via my blog touring co-op, The Girlfriends Cyber Circuit. You'll often see these gals buzz through here with interviews when their books come out. Many (though not all) of the Girlfriends write "chicklit" or its older cousin,"momlit."<br /><br />I sometimes wonder what these women thought when they heard I was a member--the author of the book pegged as "anti-chicklit." (!) However, since I am not sure what "chicklit" is, I am not quite sure what "anti-chicklit" is either. Silly me, I thought I had written a literary thriller with a sexy edge! Still, this wouldn't be the first time an author didn't know what she had written, at least in the publisher's eyes. I have a friend who thought she had written a work of urban fantasy and it got tagged as paranormal romance!<br /><br />Anyhow, when my book was published, my publisher floated a few notions by me. The first one was that they wanted to pitch me as Chuck Palahnuik for the ladies. While I respect the man's writing and found the comparison flattering, I wasn't nuts about that idea. Does any woman really want to be known as the "female" version of ANYTHING, no matter how good? I'll bet Margaret Thatcher did not want to be known as the chick version of Winston Churchill. And I am sure Cecilia Bartoli does not care to be considered Luciano Pavarotti for girls. How about Nancy Pelosi; do you think she sees herself as the female reply to Tip O'Neill?<br /><br />I don't think so.<br /><br />As discussions went on, my publisher decided to package my book as the "anti-chicklit." At this I only shrugged. I definitely believe my book is more than just NOT something else, but I accepted that in the big bad publishing world, a book has to stand out. <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bitch Posse</span> had to be packaged as SOMETHING, and I preferred "the anti-chicklit" than to be known as the girl version of a lone male author.<br /><br />Despite this anti-chicklit banner I seem to have tied to my arm, I have actually enjoyed a variety of chicklit books. Oh, sure, not all of them. There are a lot of copycat chicklit books out there, and those bother me. And for awhile, it seemed every publisher wanted nothing but chicklit, 24/7. My character Rennie, also a writer, expresses this frustration throughout <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bitch Posse.</span> (From what I hear, though, publishers' love affair with chicklit is cooling.) But I'm willing to give almost any type of book a go because to me, books are like food. And I looovvvee to eat.<br /><br />There used to be a restaurant at the corner of 19th Avenue and Golden Gate Park that had dim sum. The menu was printed entirely in Chinese characters. And the waiters never, EVER translated the menu. They just looked at you expectantly and, if you a dolt who couldn't read the menu (like myself), patiently waited for you to point to it. Whatever you got would surprise and delight you, but it always would be totally different and unique. You might be presented with a many tentacled sea creature, or it might be some kind of dish made with, no kidding, tree moss. Then again, it might be a puffy pork dumpling, or some kind of dessert. You just never knew what you would get. Once in awhile I would get the mood to go there and be surprised.<br /><br />So my reading life is like this restaurant. I will point to different spots in the menu and get completely different things, but I will enjoy them all for different reasons (even the moss). Sometimes I want to have my head opened up and put back together in an odd and interesting way. At those times I may pick up the work of the late, great <a href="http://kurtvonnegut.com/" target="_blank">Kurt Vonnegut.</a> Sometimes I want to be disturbed and that's when I will reach for something by <a href="http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/books/14988/" target="_blank">Mary Gaitskill </a>or <a href="http://www.jonclinch.com/" target="_blank">Jon Clinch.</a> At other times I'm yearning for an edge-of-your seat thriller, and I'll grab a book by <a href="http://www.leechild.com/" target="_blank">Lee Child</a> or <a href="http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/english/ms-writers/dir/tartt_donna/" target="_blank">Donna Tartt.</a> And once in awhile I want to do some great reading on spirituality and recovery and that's when <a href="http://www.barclayagency.com/lamott.html" target="_blank">Anne Lamott's</a> latest or a classic by <a href="http://melodybeattie.com/" target="_blank">Melody Beattie</a> fits the bill.<br /><br />But sometimes, I want a light read for the bathtub or airplane. And that is when I may reach for chicklit. Some chicklit authors I have enjoyed include <a href="http://www.beckymotew.com/" target="_blank">Becky Motew</a>, <a href="http://www.powells.com/authors/fielding.html" target="_blank">Helen Fielding,</a> <a href="http://www.melissabank.com/" target="_blank">Melissa Bank,</a> <a href="http://www.melanielynnehauser.com/" target="_blank">Melanie Lynne Hauser,</a> and <a href="http://laurenbaratzlogsted.com/" target="_blank">Lauren Baratz-Logsted.</a> These books are enjoyable. FUNNY as all get-out, mainly. Often the heroines are likeable fuckups. This reminds me of me. At least I hope I am likeable. Mostly. I have torn through these women's books at breakneck speed. Sometimes they even save me from having to consume extra chocolate. They're fun.<br /><br />My Reading Life is like the rest of my life: varied. My moods are in every color, and that's true of the books I read, too.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-19944052456448802082007-04-30T09:30:00.000-07:002007-04-30T09:47:14.601-07:00It's GCC Time Again! Welcome, Shanna Swedson!Hello, blog readers. Today I'm glad to welcome a member of the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit to my blog. Shanna Swendson is the author of the magical chicklit series beginning with Enchanted, Inc. She is also a client of the amazing Kristin Nelson (yeahhh!) and is a kind and talented individual herself!<br /><br />I am often asked why I belong to a blog co-op with so many women who write chicklit when my first novel, THE BITCH POSSE, was presented as "the anti-chicklit." That's an interesting question, and I'll try to shine a light on that this week. The condensed version is... we're all in this together. Boy, it took me a long time to learn that! I am one of life's classic slow learners. But y'all already knew THAT! Besides, I am not always in the mood for the next Don Delillo tome. Sometimes you want a fun novel to entertain you, something that will make you laugh out loud. And if that's the case, check out Shanna's latest book, DAMSEL UNDER STRESS, a book that comes out tomorrow and is already attracting a bunch of praise.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /><img src="http://shannaswendson.com/Resources/shannaswendson4x.jpeg" /><br /></div>Once upon a time ...<br /><br />A little girl learned to amuse herself by making up stories in her head. She turned everyday activities into exciting adventures, and she made up new adventures for characters from her favorite movies, TV shows and books. Then one day she realized that if she wrote down those stories, she'd have a book! But that was crazy, she thought. Real people don't become novelists. That was like deciding you were going to be a movie star. You couldn't just go and do it.<br /><br />But, it turns out, you can, and she did. She realized her dream of becoming a novelist and seeing her stories in bookstores.<br /><br />And then she started to wig herself out by writing about herself in the third-person.<br /><br />This is her story.<br /><br /><br />The Novelist's Journey<br /><br />As I said above in that bit of silliness, I've always been a writer at heart. My favorite way to play was to create stories and act them out with my Fisher-Price people, my Barbie dolls or myself and a box of play clothes. If none of those things were available, I could just sit and make up stories in my head. I occasionally got into trouble for being a little too creative, such as the time when I embellished a bit on my kindergarten experiences (where's the dramatic hook in coloring, cutting out and pasting?).<br /><br />When I was in seventh grade and a bit old for Fisher-Price people, Barbie dolls or the dress-up box, I started writing these stories down in spiral notebooks. Later, I found an old manual typewriter, taught myself to type, then wrote a lot of first chapters of novels on it. I still hadn't figured out how to actually be a working novelist who gets paid for writing (finishing a book instead of writing a lot of first chapters might have been a good start), so when it came time to go to college, I went to journalism school at the University of Texas. While getting my degree in broadcast news, I managed to structure a curriculum that might also help me in my real career plans. I took fencing (which I thought would be useful for writing fantasy novels), an astronomy course on the search for extraterrestrial life (in case I wanted to write science fiction), psychology, interpersonal communication, and parageography (the geography of imaginary lands).<br /><br />I got serious about pursuing my novel-writing ambitions soon after I got my first job in public relations (TV reporting, it turns out, would have taken away from my writing time) when I started joining local writing organizations and reading books on how to write a novel. Then I took the big step of registering for a writing conference. With the registration fee, you could enter two manuscripts in a contest that went with the conference. I figured if I was paying that much money, I'd get the most out of it, so I wrote two entries. At the conference, I met a real, live editor, who encouraged me to submit, and one of my entries won the science fiction/fantasy category of the contest. I hurried to finish the novel the editor had asked for, then mailed a proposal.<br /><br />She ended up rejecting the book, but encouraged me to keep trying. I ended up selling that novel elsewhere, then sold two more books to that publisher before I had another idea for that original editor. That book ended up selling, and then one more.<br /><br />And then I hit the wall. Due to a number of circumstances, some of which weren't my fault and some of which were, I didn't sell anything else for eight years. But then I had the idea that became Enchanted, Inc., I wrote it, sold it, and here I am.<br /><br />Other Life Stuff<br /><br />I think I need to get a few more hobbies or something else going on in my life that isn't related to reading or writing because currently my bio in my books is shorter than the "about the typeface" section. Yes, a typeface has a more interesting life than I do.<br /><br />When I'm not writing, I'm most often reading. Otherwise, I enjoy watching science fiction TV shows and then discussing them on the Internet, working crossword puzzles, baking, singing in the church choir, and, when I have the time and money, traveling.<br /><br />I haven't yet found my prince charming, and I live with a collection of predatory houseplants, including a trained attack bougainvillea, the hibiscus that shares my office, and a Christmas cactus that's stuck with me through four jobs, three homes, and several boyfriends and men who didn't quite make it to boyfriend status.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://shannaswendson.com/Resources/damsela.jpeg" /><br /></div>To-do: Stop the bad guys. Rescue the wizard. Find the perfect outfit for New Year’s Eve.<br /><br />At last, Owen Palmer, the dreamboat wizard at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has conjured up the courage to get Katie Chandler under the mistletoe at the office holiday party. But just when it looks like Katie has found her prince, in pops her inept fairy godmother, Ethelinda, to throw a wand into the works. Ehtelinda’s timing couldn’t be worse. A plot hatched by MSI’s rogue ex-employees, Idris and his evil fairy gal pal Ari, threatens to expose the company’s secrets and the very existence of magic itself. Even worse, it could also mean the end of Katie’s happily-ever-after.<br /><br />Now Katie and Owen must work side by side (but alas, not cheek to cheek) to thwart the villains’ plans. Braving black-magic-wielding sorceresses, subway-dwelling dragons, lovelorn frog princes, and even the dreaded trip to meet Owen’s parents at Christmas, Katie and her beau are in a battle to beat Idris at his own sinister game. All mischief and matters of the heart will come to a head at a big New Year’s Eve gala, when the crystal ball will drop, champagne will pour, and Katie will find herself truly spellbound.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>The ongoing adventures of Katie Chandler are filled with such magical fun. -- Armchair Interviews<br /><br />Mayhem at its most enchanting. **** -- Romantic Times Book Reviews<br /><br />Fans of both chick-lit and Harry Potter should not miss out on this series set in magical modern-day Manhattan. -- Fresh Fiction<br /><br />Great fun, an amusing romp of a romantic read -- Book Loons<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div>1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.<br /><br />Part of the main plot of the book (which I won't give away here as it's a major spoiler) came from brainstorming lists of things that would be utterly impossible to make happen to my main character, and then trying to think of ways to make that happen.<br /><br />Then the comic subplot, with the wacky fairy godmother, came from my occasional lament about my lack of a love life, in which I claim that it would be so much easier if I had a fairy godmother. I realized that I was writing in a universe in which I could make that happen literally and thought it would be fun to play with.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />Keep trying. Be persistent. But also know when to give up on a particular project and move on rather than getting stuck in the rut of something that isn't working.<br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />Most of my writing day involves checking e-mail, posting at Television Without Pity, and reading blogs. And then the guilt kicks in and I write about twenty pages. I am the world's least organized person, and every effort I've made to organize myself has failed, so I should not be allowed to give advice on this topic.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br /><br />The most exciting thing is hearing from readers who love my books. It's so cool to realize that I've affected someone in some way. The most frustrating thing is how little control I really have over what happens to my book -- things like distribution, print run, publicity, store placement and all that have such a huge impact on a book's prospects, and I have only the teeniest amount of control over that. I have to try not to cringe when I meet someone, tell them about my books, and they say that's exactly the kind of book they're looking for, and they wonder why they never heard of them before.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br /><br />I've already written the next book in the series, and it should be coming out in January. I've got a proposal written for the fifth book, but I don't know yet if I'll get a contract for it. I really want to write it because it closes out the series (for now) in a nice way.<br /><br />6. Has it been easier or more difficult to write the third book in a series?<br /><br />This book was the most difficult so far. I had the world so well-established that I was stuck with what I'd already built, even if it did turn out to be inconvenient. I also had a huge cast of characters that had built up since the first book, and I needed to give each of them a role in the story. Meanwhile, I have a lot more voices in my head trying to influence me than I did with that first book. I find myself anticipating what my agent will say, what my editor will say, what the copy-editor will say, what reviewers will say and what readers will think about everything I write. It takes a conscious effort to shut that off and just write.<br /><br />7. What kind of books do you enjoy reading?<br /><br />I've been known to say that I like the kind of books that have words in them. To narrow it down a little, I really like chick lit, fantasy, science fiction and mystery, and I've also got a fascination for books set during World War II. Not really the battle and strategy parts of the war, but rather the effect on ordinary people.<br /><br />8. When you're not writing, what do you do?<br /><br />I love to sing, and I've been taking a voice class at the community college this spring. That was a real experience because I have terrible stage fright, and the teacher assigned me some pretty difficult opera arias to perform, one in Italian. But I survived, and by the end I'd quit having severe panic attacks about singing. I also had to learn to really dig for the emotion to express it in the song, and I think that's something I can apply to my writing.<br /><br />Otherwise, I mostly do quiet things like reading, watching TV, and discussing TV on the Internet.<br /><br />Thank you, Shanna! Check out the new book online at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Damsel-Under-Stress-Shanna-Swendson/dp/0345492927/sr=1-2/qid=1167247992/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/103-4405289-2271023?ie=UTF8&s=books" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&amp;amp;EAN=9780345492920&itm=1" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, or further that "we're all in this together" idea a bit more by stopping in at your <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">LOCAL INDY BOOKSELLER!</a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-13727849833897808232007-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:002007-04-24T10:19:42.954-07:00So Not The DramaI think I've said it elsewhere--I am addicted to Young Adult fiction. Maybe it's because I am a case of arrested development and still haven't quite gotten past high school. As the t-shirt says, you're only young once but you can be immature forever. *sheepish smile* In any case, I am always happy when the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit tour features a YA author. Maybe I'm a bit envious! I, too, would like to claim my hours in front of ZOEY 101 or LIFE WITH DEREK as research....<br /><br />Anyway, I love to see what is up and coming in this area. To that end, let's welcome Paula Hyman Chase to the blog!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /><img src="http://paulachasehyman.com/images/paula_color.jpg" /><br /></div>Paula Chase-Hyman doesn't mind being known as a Jane of all trades, Queen of none. But a single theme has followed throughout her career in communications—keeping her finger on the pulse of teen culture. From starting her own mentoring group at Annapolis Senior High School in '94 to coaching her Green Hornet cheerleaders to Grand Champion (ahem, twice), Chase-Hyman refuses to squash her inner teen diva. Luckily, her long memory for all things young led to a career writing young adult novels.<br /><br />Now, watching an episode of The Hills or Zoey 101 is "research." At least that's what she tells her husband and daughter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/11820000/11824430.gif" /><br /></div>Hoping Del Rio Bay High will live up to her greatest expectations, Mina has big plans for infiltrating the school's social glitterati. After all, she's been mad popular for as long as she can remember—and she isn't about to go from Middle School Royalty to High School Ambiguity. But Del Rio Bay is a big school, so it'll take some plotting to avoid getting lost in the crowd. Good thing she isn't afraid of a little hard work—and that her playground peeps, Lizzie, Michael, and JZ, have got her back.<br /><br />But it isn't long before Mina's big plans for securing her social status take a back seat to some drama that was so not expected. Lizzie's scored an invite from the beautiful people that Mina can only dream about, and not only is Michael tripping about being back in school, but now he's beefing with JZ. Worst of all, Mina's sociology class experiment to rid the world—or at least Del Rio Bay High—of prejudice is about to backfire. Because it might just mean she'll have to rid herself of her very best friend...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>"Contemporary friendship story, which revels in rich diversity of race, color, and class."<br /> —Booklist<br /><br />"There is plenty here for readers to ponder about race, class and popularity (and lots of material for the next book). "<br /> —Publishers Weekly<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div><br />1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.<br /><br />I’ve always been a “do-er.” If I don’t like the way something is done and I can help improve it or enhance it, I’ll do it. I thought YA fiction was lacking in contemporary stories featuring African American characters. So, I set out to write just that, with one other goal in mine – make the rest of the cast diverse as well. Because many books had either all white casts or all black casts etc… I wanted mine to represent the type of friendship circles my daughter had.<br /><br />One Saturday, I woke up and had these characters in my head. I knew their names, what they looked like and what town they were from. I ran into my office, outlined it (my first and only outline because I’m total pantser) and began writing it that same day. The words just flowed out of me. I can honestly say the first and second books wrote themselves. This third one…it’s work.<br /><br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />Never let the insecurity (is this good enough) stop you. A bad writing day is better than not writing at all. As long as there is something on the paper, it can be tweaked, re-worked and polished.<br /><br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />Organized? Ha. I laugh in the face of organization. Seriously, I’m not one to comment on organization. My entire process is messy from start to finish. I’ve attempted outlining, but never follow. For this third book, I’ve even written the chapters out of sequence as the ideas come to me. Something I didn’t do for the first two. I have about four different notebooks where I scribble thoughts. I’m fairly certain if you look up unorganized, my photo may be beside it.<br /><br />I work full-time in public relations, so writing is my semi-full-time job. I used to be a night-writer. But for this latest work, I’ve gotten up early each morning to get my writing in. It’s working but kicking my butt. Even though I don’t get to write as long in the morning (90 minutes at best) it’s been amazing to watch the novel grow. I’m almost done.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br /><br />The exciting part is having your work validated. Writing is so solitary. It’s like wandering in the desert alone, most days. Finding a publisher who wanted my work was like hitching a ride back into town.<br /><br />The most frustrating is the mystery. There’s still a lot I don’t get or understand about publishing. And although my agent and editor are very forthright when I ask industry-related questions, the truth is if I asked all the questions I really had they wouldn’t have any time to get work done. I researched as much as I could about the industry, before ever submitting my work. But there’s still so much to learn.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br /><br />So Not The Drama is actually part of a series. Kensington Books has acquired five books. The second, Don’t Get It Twisted, will be released in December. I’m working on the third, That’s What’s Up!, now to be released June ’08. I enjoy series writing. I can see a time where I’d want to untether myself. But for now, I love the comfort zone, series writing affords me. Comfort zones are hard to come by in this industry.<br /><br />Thank you so much for the interview, Paula! SO NOT THE DRAMA is available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/So-Not-Drama-Clique-Novel/dp/0758218591/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2113733-6186304?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177434922&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> as well as <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&amp;EAN=9780758218599&itm=3" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>. But take my advice--the best way to buy books and support your community is to stop in at your <a href="http://www.booksense.com/">local indy bookseller.</a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-47084387590401782182007-04-13T20:09:00.000-07:002007-04-13T20:24:32.566-07:00Mysterious Moms Getting Mixed Up With MurderI feel particularly close to author Sara Rosett this week. Sara writes books about moms who get mixed up with murder mysteries. Sounds all too plausible sometimes, eh?<br /><br />Yes, you may have surmised that Thing One and Thing Two are on Spring Break, so it is All Mom, All the Time. I spent most of the day with four kids at the pool (because if one has a playdate, the other had better) and then went out to lunch, then ice cream (!!!!!) and then came home to deal with lovely microwerveable dinners (all I could manage, but hey, they were Amy's at least). Wait, aren't we supposed to recuperate on break? The only easy part of it is not having to rush to school in the morning.<br /><br />However, we get to visit puppies tomorrow!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.vividvision.com/peanuts/warmpuppy.jpg" /><br /></div><br />In the meantime, the book is "on ice," I read a page-turner whose ending made me want to hurl it across the room, then hurl into the nearest trash can. I picked up The English Patient next. I think I'll have better luck with that one.<br /><br />Anyway, mega-welcomes to Sara! Here's some info on her intriguing book!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /><img style="width: 282px; height: 423px;" src="http://www.sararosett.com/Images/Sara%20Rosett%20Author%20Photos%20003.JPG" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(in Sara's own words)<br /></div>I've always wanted to write novels. During elementary school I started dozens of novels, but never finished them. I loved beginnings and interesting settings, but I was a little short on plot! As a kid, I spent a lot of time trying to describe the world around me. Since I lived in the flat plains of Texas the clouds and sunsets became my first (and most frequent) writing exercises. I loved going to the library with my mom when I was a kid. We'd go almost every Saturday and I still remember walking to the children's mystery section and thinking, "Please let there be a Nancy Drew I haven't read." Obviously, this was in the days before the internet and on-line bookstores. I hadn't heard of Inter-library loan either. Once I transitioned to the adult section in the library, I couldn't quite find my niche. It certainly wasn't romance. I knew I'd never be able to write steamy love scenes and suspense didn't quite fit me either.<br /><br />In college I majored in English and graduated summa cum laude. That's also were I met my husband, an Air Force pilot, and we've been on the move ever since. We've lived in central and southern California, Washington state, Texas, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Hopscotching around the country gave me a checkered resume. I've been a credit processor, a staff reporter for two Air Force base newspapers, and a researcher/writer for a travel company. As we moved from one Air Force base to another, I'd hit the base library and local libraries, always searching for a good book. I discovered a new type of fiction was emerging, mysteries with female protagonists who lived in America and did everything from kick-butt PI work to catering. This was a type of fiction I could write. And it had a plot so I could finally get past my opening scenes! I'd found my niche, so after years of thinking and dreaming about writing a novel, I finally decided to give it a try. the Mom Zone Mystery series is the result.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /><img src="http://www.sararosett.com/Images/Staying%20Home%20is%20A%20Killer%20Cover.JPG" /><br /></div>On her way to see her husband who is with the 52nd Air Refueling squadron, stay-at-home mom Ellie Avery meets her daughter's babysitter Penny Follette. Instead of fading into the woodwork, she is all aglow promising to tell Ellie her secret later. She gives Ellie a bag of chocolate covered coffees beans and she promptly sets it down in the area where the squadron has its drinks and food.<br /><br />Later that day Ellie receives a phone call from a friend saying that Penny committed suicide. When a stunned Ellie listens to her phone messages, Penny's is full of vigor as she informs her that she is pregnant. Ellie is certain that her friend didn't kill herself as the enthusiasm is too great. A tox screen shows she was poisoned. Georgia, who is part of the squadron, drinks the coffee Ellie left behind and is rushed to the hospital because she was poisoned. Ellie soon becomes a suspect as she is the only link between the two women. Things get worse when she finds a third body, the general's wife who was also murdered. In between poisonings, Ellie is the victim of serious malicious pranks by someone who wants her to turn over "it" to him; since she doesn't know what it is, she begins sleuthing in earnest to prevent anyone else especially her and her family from becoming victim number four.<br />~Plot Summary by Harriet Klausner<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>Publishers Weekly : The author, also the wife of an air force pilot, includes practical tips for organizing closets, but the novel's most valuable insight is its window into women's lives on a military base.<br /><br />Romantic Times: Thoroughly entertaining. The author's smooth, succinct writing style enables the plot to flow effortlessly until its captivating conclusion. (Four stars)<br /><br />Please take a look at Sara's latest book on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Home-Killer-Mystery-Mysteries/dp/0758213387/sr=1-1/qid=1168318426/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-2824190-8166306?ie=UTF8&s=books" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780758213389&itm=2" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> or do what I do, support your local <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">independent bookseller.<br /></a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-40712797463364673622007-04-09T09:37:00.001-07:002007-04-09T09:46:19.434-07:00Rx for Revisions--Take a RestYou've heard it before, I suppose. Between drafts of your novel, it is SOOOO important to "take a rest."<br /><br />Writers use different terms to describe this. Some liken their novels to loaves of bread. During the drafting or rewriting stage, the writer is pounding, shaping, and generally getting all his or her aggressions out on the page (not that <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>would know anything about that!) But after the draft is completed, it's time to put that novel in a safe place and let it rest before working through it again. I've also heard writers call this practice "putting the novel on ice." That poor manuscript is probably pretty overheated now, with all that poking, prodding, and wrestling to the ground. The metaphor is different but the concept the same--give the novel a rest.<br /><br />Well, I'm at that stage now with TINK. I've finished a draft and now it's time to let it rest. It's perfect timing, really; Thing One and Thing Two are on Spring Break this week, so I wouldn't have the time OR concentration to work on it this week. How perfect is it that I can use the vacation just to laze around? I'm reading a lot, too--just filling my head with good stuff.<br /><br />It is interesting since I began paying a lot of attention to that still, small voice. Lots of fascinating things begin to happen. I've taken to summoning that voice when I sit down to write and that voice seemed to know my schedule and timed everything perfectly. I don't question. I just say Thank You.<br /><br />For example, in the last several months, we were looking for a specific type of puppy to bring home to our family--a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. We even printed up a picture of this type of dog and pasted it on a money jar to sock away cash to pay for the puppy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.my-pet-medicine.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel.jpg" gt="" /><br /></div><br /><br />Then, we became quite frustrated with the difficulty in finding a breeder who adhered to the breeding protocols of this breed. This breed tends toward health problems if not bred properly. As a consequence, there is a shortage of this breed. The breeders who also show their dogs have waiting lists of over a year long--that's if they even have time to reply to your emails (many don't; we know, we tried!). Believe me, there are breeders/puppy mills who take advantage of this! Some puppies are even imported from Ireland to fulfil the demands. Can you imagine putting a 7-week-old puppy on a plane from freakin' IRELAND to CALIFORNIA to sell?<br /><br />Well, long story short, we gave up on finding a breeder of Cavaliers and moved to another breed. We couldn't find a breeder who had THAT breed available right now, either! (There are plenty of sharks in the sea, though... I would not recommend ANYONE buy a dog on the Internet! ALWAYS insist you see where the puppy lives and meet the pup's mom and if possible, dad).<br /><br />Meanwhile, I had begun spending time quietly meditating each night. I have been practicing prayer to my own Higher Power for some time--as for meditation, I am not sure I knew what it was. I had bought a book which told me I needed to make a sacred, special place to meditate in my house. I could not think of a place. Therefore, I didn't bother.<br /><br />For some reason, I began using my relaxing bathtime to meditate. I don't do anything special, only lie in my bath and listen to my heart beating in my ears, concentrating only on that. It is amazing how clear the mind becomes when I "clean it out" in this way. Many of my friends talk about "The Committee." The Committee are a set of voices in our heads which tell us (in varying tones) we aren't good enough, those ideas are stupid, we suck in our chosen profession, the world is out to get us, people think we are fat, we ARE fat, we will never succeed, we are just so different and freakish that we are Doomed For Life. And at its most evil and dangerous, The Committee may even mention that we oughtn't even to bother staying clean and sober because we aren't addicts and/or alcoholics after all.<br /><br />I'm onto The Committtee's game so I know what to do if they start yelling. I use my Phone a Friend card, read some useful publications which I own, go for a walk, et cetera. But here is the interesting part--I have found that The Committee takes a long coffee break when I do things like practice meditation. Sometimes they will even go out for a long lunch--or, if I am supremely lucky, take the whole freakin' day off.<br /><br />So, this particular evening, The Committee were nowhere to be found--and I wasn't about to go looking for them. That still, small voice informed me that the puppy issue would work itself out if I only did one thing... LISTEN. A few days later, a friend of mine shared the fact that her dog had had puppies! On the long shot I asked her if she was selling any of them, and what breed the dog was.<br /><br />They were Cavalier King Charles puppies. Both parents free from health problems, and the mom had been bred two years ago and those puppies were all healthy too. Can you believe it? And God willing, we will be bringing one home in about five weeks.<br /><br />Since I have allowed that still, small voice its time to speak in my life--very fascinating things have begun to happen. I am so very grateful.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-85358972583120053312007-04-08T19:13:00.000-07:002007-04-08T19:29:39.221-07:00Faery CubeI thought this was kind of cool. Found it on a Myspace layouts page and customized it with a bunch of faery images in the public domain. We'll call it a celebration for hitting a milestone with TINK. :) Do I love that girl! But she can be soooo obstinate sometimes.... (Hm, reminds me of someone I know)<br /><center><embed src="http://www.kazcodes.com/photo-cube-generator/show.swf?baseURL=http://www.kazcodes.com/photo-cube-generator/&clickURL=http://www.kazcodes.com&clickLABEL=get your photo cube&rect=off&pic1=pic117608455344860677954.jpg&pic2=pic117608456733893376353.jpg&pic3=pic117608457991634048105.jpg&pic4=pic117608459748186076416.jpg&pic5=pic117608461315485597888.jpg&pic6=pic117608467981056345849.jpg&shadow=on&alpha=on&xrot=on&yrot=on&xangle=0&yangle=0" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="400" height="400" name="show" align="middle" wmode="transparent" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /><br><a href="http://www.kazcodes.com">get your photo cube</a><br /></center><br /><br />You can customize your own cube at the link above.<br /><br />Happy Easter, all! I love Easter because, of course, Jesus's Resurrection is all about redemption--something in which I definitely believe. I would also like to wish everyone a Happy Passover as well. One of my most treasured memories is attending a Passover Seder with a friend a few years back. It is one of the most beautiful things that ever happened to me, and I'll always be grateful she let me share it. The Israelites' Exodus from Egypt is also a powerful tale about redemption and renewal. <br /><br />Speaking of which, I saw a guy celebrate 38 years of sobriety the other day. Who says there's no such thing as miracles? xoMartha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-34180436554522497972007-04-04T09:29:00.000-07:002007-04-04T09:44:00.988-07:00Take Him, Why Dontcha?I know a teacher who was jilted at the altar. It scarred him permanently. He spent the rest of his life torturing his students and making them cry -- a living example of Melody Beattie's adage, Hurt People Hurt People. I could definitely imagine my former teacher committing crimes due to what happened to him. <br /><br />Have you ever woken up in a cold sweat wondering if you would experience the same fate? Well, that's just what a fascinating new comic novel explores. Today I have the privilege of hosting the lovely Valerie Frankel, author of the previous hit <span style="font-style: italic;">Hex and the Single Girl, </span>and the brand new novel <span style="font-style: italic;">I Take This Man. </span>Welcome, Valerie!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /><img src="http://valeriefrankel.com/images/valfrankel-140-Dscn1271.jpg" /><br /></div>Valerie Frankel has finally created a website for herself. She certainly took her time about it, but now proudly displays her thoughts, reviews and pictures at www.valeriefrankel.com. Besides writing and getting good use out of her new digital camera, Frankel plays Snood, stares at the wall, goes running and prepares healthy yet satisfying meals for the whole family. She has eight novels to her credit (including Smart vs. Pretty, The Accidental Virgin, and The Not-So-Perfect Man), and four non-fiction books, including 2004's co-authored sex guide, The Best You'll Ever Have: What Every Woman Should Know for Getting and Giving Knock-Your-Socks-Off Sex. Her magazine articles appear in O, Parenting, Self, Glamour, Allure and the New York Times, among others. She continues to live in Brooklyn with her two daughters and two cats, and was recently married to devilishly handsome opera singer Stephen Quint.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0060785551.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V44251432_.jpg" /><br /></div> Here comes the bride . . . there goes the groom.<br /><br />Penny Bracket waited two years to marry dream man Bram Shiraz. Then on the morning of the Big Day, while she's trying on her veil, Penny receives the worst two-line letter of her life: "Penny, I can't go through with it. Sorry, Bram."<br /><br />Penny's hurt and upset. But Esther, Penny's divorced mom, wants Bram's head on a platter. So Mom ambushes the cold-footed coward before he hot-foots it out of town, bonks him on the head with a champagne bottle, and spirits him away to a hidden room in her gargantuan mansion in Short Hares, New Jersey. Esther doesn't want much. All Bram has to do is write personal, heartfelt apologies to each of the two hundred disappointed wedding guests . . . and eat every mouthful of the very expensive gourmet wedding feast that has gone to waste. Then he'll be free to leave.<br /><br />Penny doesn't want Bram tortured. She just wants answers to "why" . . . and maybe a little revenge. Will she discover her runaway groom is locked away in the attic? Will Bram's widowed father—handsome tough-guy Keith Shiraz—be able to locate his missing son . . . and maybe seduce Esther Bracket in the bargain? Will Bram be able to maintain his athletic figure after consuming two hundred entrées and thousands of baby quiches? Read on!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE PRAISE</span><br /></div>"Quite simply, Frankel makes reading a blast. No premise is too outlandish and no character is without a set a flaws. The plot is cleverly kooky and not one many authors could realistically pull off. Frankel has an endless bag of tricks that seems to get deeper—and more hilarious—with every novel."—Lauren Spielberg, Romantic Times<br /><br />"I TAKE THIS MAN is an entertaining portrait of relationship hang-ups, vengeance and one missing groom. Valerie Frankel scores again with a humorous story that had me laughing until my sides hurt. Penny and Bram are a misguided couple that need help in finding their true feelings for one another. Keith and Ester search together to find Bram, even when Ester knows where Bram is hidden. The skewed relationships of all the main characters, Penny, Bram, Ester and Keith are so immensely appealing in depth and characterization. I absolutely adored the antics in this story. Frankel wonderfully explores family relationships with incredible insight, humor, and compassion. Readers will find this a zinger of a story that is a pleasure to read."—Romance Junkies<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div><br />1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel.<br /><br />The basic idea for I Take This Man was cranked out on a typical day in the life of a working mother. My daughter came home from school, and announced that some little girl in her first grade class made her cry. A flash of anger flooded my brain. After a minute or two, I calmed myself down. Lucy and I discussed what had happened, and worked out an appropriate response. But that flash of maternal rage got my meat grinder going. Any intense emotion is a kick-start. It made me wonder: What offense against one of my daughters would actually move me to lash out with violence against another human being? I fixated on the question, lay awake in bed, wondering what indeed would make an otherwise controlled, rational woman thirsty for blood? I imagined being the mother of a jilted bride who, in a fit of vengeance, attacks the runaway groom. From there, I asked more questions: "Why did the groom cancel the wedding?" "What did the mother do with the groom after she bashed him?" "How would the bride find out what happened?" Five hours later, at three o'clock in the morning, I had the framework of a plot.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />Keep moving forward. If you spend too much time backtracking and editing as you go, you might get lost in the middle, and never get to the end. I try to write a first draft, start to finish, and then devote as much energy and time to editing it later.<br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />I drop off my kids at school at 8:30, go to the gym, come home, eat breakfast, shower, write until pick up at 3. Very exciting, right? It's a very boring existence, but I couldn't do anything else. I write fiction as well as magazine articles. So, for me, organization is crucial to prioritize my workload. I divide time by the week. One whole week will be devoted to reporting and writing an article. The next week will be to tie loose ends and edit it before sending to my editor at the magazine. Then, I'll switch back to a novel, write that until revisions come in for something else.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br />The most exciting is having books out! Seeing your work on the shelf, or on the front table. Getting reviewed is fun (if the reviews are positive). I love it when someone tells me they saw one of my books in at far-flung airport, or on the hotel borrowing bookshelf at a hotel in Costa Rica. The most frustrating is feeling like a book doesn't reach the target audience despite the hard work or publicists and marketers at your publishing house.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br />I Take This Man is a stand alone. I'm working on the third book in the Fringe Girl series for teens, as well as a memoir about body image. Also, I'm doing a lot of stuff for magazines, too.<br /><br />Three questions of my own choosing below.<br />1. Would you prefer to lose ten pounds, or suddenly come into $10,000?<br />I'll take the money. If it were $5,000, I might take the weight loss.<br /><br />2. How do you show your kids a good time over spring break?<br />Well, right now, while I work, the kids are doing the laundry. That's a rocking good time for them, I'm sure.<br /><br />3. Obama or Clinton?<br />At this, I'm rooting for Hillary to make history, and to make me proud. Fingers crossed.<br /><br />Thank you so much, Valerie! Valerie's book can be purchased at <a href="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0060785551.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V44251432_.jpg" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780060785550&itm=5" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> or the mostest bestest place, your local <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">indie</a> bookseller.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-53089204507404138512007-04-03T07:41:00.000-07:002007-04-03T07:45:39.173-07:00EXCLUSIVE interview with Sopranos star Aida TurturroCourtesy of dLife TV, please enjoy this exclusive interview with Sopranos star Aida Turturro. Aida discusses her life with Type 2 Diabetes and how it has impacted her day-to-day living as well as her career! Aida has battled Type 2 for the past four years.<br /><br />As you probably know, Type 2 Diabetes differs from Type 1, but it is still a very important health concern. Many thanks to Tom Karlya at dLife for providing our network of Diabetes bloggers this EXCLUSIVE online interview. It will not be aired on TV!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/dlife_media/tv/viewing_room.html?sc_ext_cid=100200&sc_chid=1007&bclid=232259131&bctid=359540863"><img src="http://www.dlife.com/opencms/opencms/system/galleries/pics/dLife_Images/turturro_clip.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-52673403803745094362007-03-28T20:30:00.000-07:002007-03-28T20:35:21.834-07:00Yes DKA Can Kill...This story gave me shivers. Yes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can kill. My son nearly died from it, and so did Barb Marche's (story below... just scroll a bit). <br /><br />It's not uncommon for children newly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes to end up in serious DKA. It's not the norm, but if the child had numerous MISdiagnoses as my son did, it happens. This is how little Jonathan Cooper ended up in a coma where he had a stroke.<br /><br />The type of story I am about to share is less common. Whenever I read a story like this I wonder if there is something there I don't know. DKA does take awhile to develop.<br /><br /><blockquote><a href="http://www.thenoblesvilleledger.com/articles/2/087118-8072-111.html" target="_blank">Woman to serve 5 years in jail in daughter's death<br />Mom pleaded guilty to felonies in neglect of 11-month-old.</a><br /> <br />By Katie Merlie<br />March 28, 2007<br /> <br />NOBLESVILLE -- A former Noblesville woman was sentenced to spend five years in jail Tuesday morning after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the death of her 11-month-old daughter.<br /><br />Hamilton County Superior Court 2 Judge Daniel Pfleging sentenced Amber Shanklin, 27, to eight years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with one year to be served in the Hamilton County Community Corrections' work-release program and two on probation. She also was credited for 304 days after spending 152 days in jail.<br /><br />Shanklin, whose most-recent address was in the 90 block of South Brinton Street in Cicero, pleaded guilty on March 7 to neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class B felony. Another Class A felony of the same charge had been dismissed.<br /><br />Sentencing for Shanklin's crime was supposed to be April 3, but her attorney, Andy Barker, said the court date was moved up because Shanklin is due to have her third child in two weeks.<br /><br />In court documents, Noblesville Police Detective Mark Cruea stated that Shanklin's friend called for an ambulance on the morning of May 17, saying she discovered a dead baby girl in a home in the 1500 block of South 16th Street. Shanklin lived in the home with her brother, Jeremy Clonch.<br /><br />Paramedics found Hallie Shanklin, who was described as lifeless and thin, in her bed.<br /><br />Cruea said the girl was pronounced dead at Riverview Hospital.<br /><br />Throughout the investigation, Cruea said, Shanklin and Clonch's friends described frightening scenes at the home on 16th Street.<br /><br />The infant reportedly was spanked repeatedly and yelled at for screaming and crying. Court documents say Shanklin and Clonch were overheard talking about how they wish they could smother her or that she would just die so they wouldn't "have to put up with this (crying) anymore."<br /><br />Hallie was diagnosed in December 2005 with Type 1 juvenile diabetes, and doctors ordered her mother to keep daily track of the child's glucose levels, give her insulin and closely watch her food intake.<br /><br />Friends of the brother and sister told police that on May 16 they saw Shanklin put the crying child to bed. They never saw Hallie alive again.<br /><br />Shanklin was arrested Oct. 26 on a warrant and has been in the Hamilton County Jail since.</blockquote><br /><br />This story is just troubling on so many levels. <br /><br />The child ended up in serious DKA and starving to death. Just like people did before there was insulin.<br /><br />There are no words.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-44086490723961965322007-03-26T18:45:00.000-07:002008-11-13T05:55:10.228-08:00I <3 Eddie IzzardJust because he is so darned cute.<br /><br />Well, and the comic genius thing. Yeah, there's that. But at the mo', I love Eddie Izzard because he is bringing to life a forgotten part of our culture--the Travellers who live in the Southern part of the United States. Izzard's new series, "The Riches," is about a group of modern-day Travellers who, well, travel the countryside in a battered RV before settling into a McMansion in suburbia... and taking on the identities of the home's deceased occupants.<br /><br />I LOVE THIS SERIES. IT IS BLOODY BRILLIANT. WATCH IT. NOW, TONIGHT.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJoWpvoStFk03xCJ5LWe5XfLhkIJybo0yhPEs-H_jLDFOAJkPIAL-66plGu2Em8Bw_5hpCPYMfG8bbbn8CyaNpJtwcymT8vhbSJYn882jWKsZJPGEIl8_YEPQporbSF5988HWEg/s320/Riche.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Minnie Driver is also stunning, edgy, and sexy, as the drug-and-Nyquil addicted mum in the series. The kids are great too. The casting in this show is spectacular.<br /><br />I LOVE THIS PROGRAM!!!<br /><br />The Travellers featured in the series travel the Louisiana area mainly. They are descended from the Irish Travellers about whom I write in my current novel--the travelling vagabonds who take in the faery changeling, Tink. <span style="font-style: italic;">Travellers are not Gypsies. </span>The Gypsies are of Romany descent and are not Irish. The Travellers are of Irish blood, though some Irish would not have you think so. They are also known, in a somewhat pejorative sense, as Tinkers. There are other names for them that aren't so nice. I won't pollute this blog with this sort of hate speech but if you Google Irish Traveller slang you will find them.<br /><br />Some of these Irish Travellers came to America during the potato famine. They continued their travelling lifestyle in the USA.<br /><br />Non-Travellers are "buffers." This is a corruption of the word "buffoon." This makes me a buffer. I'm OK with that. I will forever be a buffer. However, I have IMMENSE respect for the Travellers. I have read quite a bit about the Traveller culture and have studied bits and pieces of their secret language, the Shelta. The Shelta is not Gaelic. The Shelta is a secret "thieves' cant" that is a practically dead language. It took me about a month even to find a source for this language. I am currently inhaling anything to do with Travellers, either in the USA, Ireland or England.<br /><br />Why I love "The Riches":<br /><br />It's sexy. "Fake it like a buffer." Say no more! Eddie Izzard is nice to look at too. It's that bad boy look that captures me.<br /><br />It is dark and violent. Self explanatory.<br /><br />It is funny. I mean, c'mon, this is Eddie Izzard here.<br /><br />It is inspiring. I do not necessarily get a lot of research out of this show since it is about an entirely different era of Travellers, not to mention they are living in a different country. But is it ever hot. When I watch this program, it makes me want to write.<br /><br />Eddie Izzard is nice to look at.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.auntiemomo.com/albums/riches/lowlife.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><br />See, he is going to rip you off, but you won't really care, because of the fact that he is such glorious eye candy.<br /><br />"The Riches" is on FX at 10 PM PST. *HIGHLY* recommended!Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-78380487331055473862007-03-17T15:17:00.000-07:002007-03-17T15:27:11.979-07:00Painful St. Patty's MemoryMany thanks to Barb Marche of <a href="http://www.diabetesadvocacy.com/" target="_blank">Diabetes Advocacy</a> for this poignant St. Patty's story. Barb does a tremendous of work in the juvenile diabetes community in her native country of Canada. She helps people fight for their children's rights in schools, helps them find information about the disease, and lobbies with politicians. Please stop by her site for more information. Barb also has a store on her site that you can visit.<br /><br />Barb's son was diagnosed exactly seven years ago. I am pleased to welcome her as my guest today. Her story hits me at the core. Our son, too, was very very ill when he was diagnosed. I truly remember the terror of which Barb speaks. Take it away, Barb.<br /><br />~~<br /><br />March 17th , St. Patrick’s Day. A day of green beer and pots of gold. March 17th --the day my son barely clung to life. The day prayers were said from one end of this continent to the other for my baby. He was a baby. He was 2 years old and weighed 11 kg. He was dying and all we could do was watch and will him back to life.<br /><br />My son hadn’t been hit by a car. He hadn’t fallen in the house. He was hit by something far more fatal. My son had Type 1 diabetes and no one realized it. At that time, his symptoms were attributed to an ear infection, cutting teeth, the flu. I was his mother but they were the doctors. They were the professionals. They knew best.<br /><br />There are moments in everyone’s lives that you remember every single detail. March 17, 2000 is one of those days. Liam still wasn’t feeling well. He was soaking his diapers as fast as I could put them on him. He was strong enough to open the fridge and drink a litre of apple juice but he couldn’t even talk. All he could do was lay in my arms and sleep. We had an appointment to see our family doctor. We had already been to the ER and were sent home with antibiotics.<br /><br />Our appointment was in the afternoon. I went and got my hair cut. I stopped by the drug store and bought baby food hoping that he would keep that down. Finally we headed to the doctor’s office. Liam was still asleep. His breathing was raspy. His body was cold. I was getting scared. As we waited in the reception, a woman told the staff to take Liam before anyone. His body was so lifeless. The staff was scared. We were scared.<br /><br />The doctor came in the room and only looked at Liam. He said words like diabetes, ketoacidosis, chest x-ray and get to the hospital now. They were waiting for us at the hospital. They drew blood from his lifeless form. I held him up as they did a chest x-ray. We went back to our doctor to wait for the results. It didn’t take long.<br /><br />I was brought into his office and he looked as scared as I felt. He told me to take my son and to get to the hospital in the next town as fast as I could. He told me that they would be waiting for me but there was no time to waste. We wasted no time. There was a snow storm but we were an ad for Jeep. I willed Liam to live the entire one hour trip there. I was dropped at the front door and ran for the reception area. The woman couldn’t do his paperwork fast enough for me. I was terrified.<br /><br />She finally brought us up to the Peds floor and they looked at him. No one looked positive. They took his little body and put in on a baby scale to weigh him. The doctor arrived and quickly moved him into ICU. We were terrified. We were asked to leave the room as they put a heart line in our baby. Words flew around us but some reverberated-- 12 hours. That was our time frame. If he could make it the next 12 hours without having a heart attack or a brain hemmorage he would live. After 12 hours the doctor would look for brain damage and kidney damage.<br /><br />I stayed by his side, praying, willing him to live. Liam’s father stayed with our other son on the couch outside. Everyone knew how serious this was. I called one person—my mom. I told her to call anyone else. My sister inlaw called the hospital and found out how serious things were. Our doctor called too--every day we later learnt. The lab people called. Everyone was pulling for my baby.<br /><br />It took two weeks for him to return to himself. He couldn’t walk. If he fell over, he was too weak to get back up. He was the picture of skin literally hauled over bones. He was my baby but it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen.<br /><br />To look at him now, you would never know that this had happened. For me it was yesterday. For Liam? It was a lifetime ago. In 7 years he has lanced his finger and tested his blood over 25,550 times. He received over 6180 injections of insulin over a 3 year period and for the past four years has changed his infusion set over 400 times. He has elevated cholesterol at the ripe old age of 9. He has known the word carbohydrate since he was 3. He knows how his body reacts to exercise. He can make his insulin pump sing. He calls it “his life”.<br /><br />His pump allows him to go to birthday parties on his own and give his own insulin. His pump allows him to graze at events without having a needle every time he opens his mouth.<br /><br />We have come a long way. When Liam was first diagnosed we used Humalog and HumalinN. We were cutting edge. His meter took 30 seconds to count down and the drop of blood had to be the size of his finger. Seven years later we are blessed to have an insulin pump that offers him his freedom. We have meters that give him a reading in 5 seconds and take a pin drop of blood.<br /><br />All this has cost us. In dollars and cents…We have spent over $26,000 in test strips, close to $4000 in insulin, $6000 for an insulin pump, $7000 in infusion sets for his pump, $500 in insulin cartridges, and more for things like numbing cream, foods, bandages, tape and glucose tablets. For seven years, we have spent over $44,000 to keep our son alive. In January I will need to purchase a new insulin pump for him. There is no insurance coverage and no provincial help for me. I will look to pay for this myself. His father will help but burdened with such a high cost has asked if it's worth it?<br /><br />It is worth it--to see my son run and play with others; to see him not have to stop and eat at specific times; to see him not need Mom around for every injection; to see him lead as normal a life as a child with diabetes can is definitely worth it. It's worth not sleeping at night because I have to test his blood glucose levels. It's worth the financial strain. It's worth the emotional turmoil. It's worth the fights to protect his rights. It's worth the time spent educating and advocating. It's worth it all because he is alive today!<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Thank you so much, Barb, for your candid story. Comments welcome!<br /><br /></span>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-69493747255221617862007-03-13T15:36:00.000-07:002007-03-13T15:46:37.958-07:00Library Circulation Notice~We Are Now Going To Kill YouLooks like a job for SUPER MOM!<br /><br />Unfortunately, I am not her.<br /><br />Our library sends out these little emails when your books are late. Now that my kids have library cards, and signed on with my email address, I am getting these memoes from the library EVERY DAY about overdue books. We have NO FREAKIN' IDEA where these books are, or who wrote them, or if they even exist.<br /><br />Lately I have an impending sense of doom when I receive a bulletin titled "Library Circulation Notice." I am afraid to even open them. I suppose the time will soon come to turn the house upside down, find the errant books, then crack into the piggy bank to pay off the fines. ARGH. You would think if I can organize the plot of a book, I could at least keep track of a physical book. NOPE.<br /><br />Anyway, let's rewelcome the Super Mom who began it all... Melanie Lynne Hauser. Do Super Mom's powers include finding lost library books? Melanie, I sense another sequel...<br /><br />I hosted Melanie recently when she sent me her delicious ARC, along with some Swiffer stuff. (The Swiffer mop makes a cameo in the book.) Now it is Girlfriends Cyber Circuit time, and that means book image, interview, etcetera!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE AUTHOR</span><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://melanielynnehauser.com/image/obj5119geo2905pg16p30.gif" /><br /></div><br />Hailing from the Hoosier state (where she grew up in the shadow of the Indianapolis 500 racetrack), Melanie Lynne Hauser is a late bloomer who is just now figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up. Having tried her hand at telemarketing, candy striping for a nursing home (where it was suggested she not return, after she mistook the men's plastic urinals for water bottles and put ice in them) and acting under her maiden name, Melanie Miller (Most Academy Award-Worthy Performance: The title role, complete with bear costume, in the gut-wrenching exploration of good touch/bad touch entitled "What's the Matter, Little Bear?"), she put everything on hold in order to marry, have two children, and spend her time making sure they didn't stick their fingers in electrical sockets. (Both the husband, and the children.)<br /><br />However, the children grew up. (Although occasionally she still has to make sure they don't stick their fingers in electrical sockets. They are, after all, boys.) After moving to the Chicago area, Melanie put in a brave couple of years with the PTA. She drove her sons to soccer practices, track meets, music lessons and orthodontist appointments. In short, she was in training to become Super Mom.<br /><br />At an age when many women throw themselves back into their careers after raising their children, Melanie looked around and realized she never had one in the first place. After deciding she wasn't creative enough to start her own business (like all those women on Oprah), she turned to the one thing she did know: Books. A bookworm from the time she was able to form words, Melanie realized that what she really wanted to do was write books. So she wrote one. It stank. She buried it out in her backyard, next to the compost heap. She wrote another book. It didn't stink quite so much; in fact it got her not one, but two literary agents. Still, nobody wanted to publish it. She wrote another book. It stank the least of all, and led her to her current, wonderful literary agent, but still it went unpublished. Then she wrote CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM. So far, nobody has said that it stinks. In fact, so many people like it that the sequel, SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD will published by NAL in early 2007. And finally, at long last, Melanie has a career. (And old men in nursing homes everywhere breathe a huge sigh of relief.)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BOOK</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://melanielynnehauser.com/image/SMSTW-3-d-Clear-Background.gif" /><br /></div><br />At the end of a long day at work, saving the world, you'd think Super Mom would get a break. But no. She still has to do battle with a foe more terrifying than the most dastardly of super villains - teenagers.<br /><br />It's six months after the Horrible Swiffer Accident that left her a superhero, and Birdie Lee is still adjusting. For starters, she's hearing voices and having lustful thoughts about Mr. Clean. Then there's the fact that her daughter is suddenly sporting a bright pink streak in her hair, courtesy of her new friend Vienna (and if recent history has taught us anything, we all know that a girl named after a foreign city is going to be trouble). Birdie's son is experiencing his first case of puppy love, her nerdy scientist love interest has just proposed marriage, and her annoying ex-husband is suddenly less annoying. Which can only mean he's up to no good.<br /><br />But things get even more sinister when her hometown of Astro Park gets Little League fever in a big way. Rabid parents, performance-enhancing Gatorade and a domed stadium on shaky - potentially explosive - ground are just the beginning of Super Mom's problems; throw in a ticked off school janitor and a corrupt mayor, and Super Mom has her hands full.<br /><br />Read SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD to find out how one woman - one mother - struggles to keep her teenagers in tow with one hand while saving her hometown from disaster with the other. While trying to find time for herself amidst the very real, very messy job of blending families as she plans her marriage to her very own Super Man.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE BLURBS</span><br /></div>"CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM is a delightful read. Smart, zany, and touching, it is the perfect remedy for overwhelmed mothers everywhere."<br />--Karen Quinn, author of THE IVY CHRONICLES<br /><br />"Like its title character, this debut novel has a secret identity...it's unexpectedly poignant and packs an emotional punch..."<br />- Publishers Weekly<br /><br />"Forget the laundry, forget the dishes. Escape into the world of Super Mom for a few hours…you'll be glad you did. Melanie Lynne Hauser's quirky characters sparkle brightly as a newly Swiffered floor, and her writing shines like freshly polished glass."<br />--Meg Cabot, author of THE PRINCESS DIARIES and QUEEN OF BABBLE<br /><br />"Hauser sparkles in her debut...Birdie juggles her home life with her two children, fights crime with Swiffer-like speed and embarks on a new romance."<br />-- Romantic Times (Four Stars)<br /><br />"Looking for something TOTALLY different than all the rest of the books on the shelves? This is the perfect escape using romance, laugh out loud moments...!"<br />-- Madison McGraw, ChicksDigBooks.com<br /><br /><br />"Who needs the speeding bullets, locomotives, and tall buildings - with wit, humor and some sage motherly advice, Melanie Lynne Hauser finally gives readers a true hero for our time - Super Mom."<br />--Jennifer O'Connell, author of OFF THE RECORD<br /><br /><br />"From the book's very first page you find yourself grinning...never has there been a more loveable, down-to-earth superhero...with wit, humor and some age-old motherly advice, this book gives the reader a true-to-life hero, helping every mom find the Super Mom inside!"<br />--Bookreporter.com<br /><br /><br />"What a delightful debut! Super Mom is funny, sexy, heroic, and touching. Melanie Lynne Hauser has penned a chic, witty celebration of motherhood, and it moves faster than a speeding bullet. I can't wait for the next adventure..."<br /><br />-- JA Konrath, author of BLOODY MARY, a Lt. Jack Daniels Thriller<br /><br /><br />"Never has there been a more appealingly down-to-earth heroine or a superhero with more enviable powers. Moms everywhere will wish they could be like the Super Mom of Melanie Lynne Hauser's charming, funny, and heartfelt novel…and will ultimately realize they already are."<br /><br />--Pamela Redmond Satran, author of BABES IN CAPTIVITY<br /><br /><br /><br />"…fun twist on the superhero tale comes packaged with a socially responsible message…"<br /><br />-- Booklist<br /><br /><br />"Melanie Lynne Hauser is funny. "Confessions of Super Mom" overflows with laugh-out-loud and read-out-loud moments. Hauser also is an astute critic of our overly high expectations of moms and our abysmally low standards for our culture and its leaders."<br /><br />-- Knight Ridder<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THE INTERVIEW</span><br /></div><br />1. How did you get this idea for this book? Please describe how the book grew from a glimmer of an idea into a whole novel. <br /><br />This was different for me, in that the sequel was part of the original two-book deal for CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM. So I had to write a book, before I had that moment of inspiration for it. It took some false starts, to tell the truth. But in remembering to keep Super Mom's real issues close to home, close to the heart of working women and mothers everywhere, I finally found the inspiration I needed to write this. It's just a continuation of the first book - the next step in her life as a superhero and as a mother. The villains are more trouble - as are the teenagers. And the relationships. And underneath it all is the realization that she's being taken for granted by her family and her town, despite all she does for them. Yet in the end, she learns to rise above it all - metaphorically and maybe literally.<br /><br />2. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?<br /><br />Just love the writing, but learn to let go of it when it's finished so you can love the next one, too. The ability to constantly reinvent yourself, continue to think up new stories and write them, is the one thing you really need in this business. You can't get too attached or bogged down in the failure - or success - of any one project.<br /><br />3. What's your writing day like? Any tips or tricks for getting organized?<br /><br />When I first started writing I felt it was important to always write at the same place, same time, every day. It helped me develop good, strong habits. Now, though, I can write in bits and pieces, anywhere, anytime. And that's important, I think, when you're still raising children or working at a day job. So first - keep to a regular schedule. THEN, you can mix it up.<br /><br />4. What's been the most exciting thing about publishing? The most frustrating?<br /><br />Definitely, the first time you hold the finished copy of your book, fresh from the publisher. It's a magical moment, and it should be. The most frustrating? Everything else about publishing! So much of it is out of the author's hands. And there's always rejection, no matter where you are in your career. You have to learn to love it for the writing, and not for the need for validation by an industry that is, I'm afraid, currently very flawed.<br /><br />5. Do you think you might write a follow-up to this book? If not, what else is in the works?<br /><br />Probably not another Super Mom book; I love where this book ends, where Birdie and Carl end up. Currently I'm working on something completely different; a World War II spy caper, probably for the young adult audience. I'm loving the espionage angle, but also, I'm so interested in exploring what life was like for the class of '42; one moment planning pep rallies and dances, the next, wondering if they'll join the Marines or Navy. I think roles had to have shifted, dramatically, between girls and boys - because normally in the high school years, it seems that the girls mature faster, have the upper hand socially. Yet how did all that change when it was the boys who were suddenly faced with going off to war? I'm so interesting in exploring all that - and yet, having fun with Nazi spies!<br /><br />Thank you so much, Melanie! Melanie's book is available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451220366?ie=UTF8&tag=mellynhauaut-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451220366" target="_blank">Amazon,</a> <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&amp;EAN=9780451220363&itm=3" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble,</a> or your local <a href="http://www.booksense.com/" target="_blank">indy bookseller.</a>Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-5456792904940495452007-03-07T14:15:00.000-08:002007-03-07T14:17:05.944-08:00Lightly CarbonatedThing 1 (looking at fizzy energy drink she is not allowed to have): "Hm, it looks pretty good to me."<br /><br />Thing 2: "The label says lightly carbonated."<br /><br />Thing 1 (studies label more): "Yeah, it only has one carb!"<br /><br />Ah, life as a sibling of a diabetic... :)Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-85760169022974260862007-03-04T18:51:00.000-08:002007-03-05T10:12:02.949-08:00A Very Special PlaceI have been blessed to find a very, very special place in the city of San Francisco. Oh, it is a place I have known about for a very long time. They are always in the news for the good, charitable work they do. But for whatever reason, I never walked in the doors until recently.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 296px; height: 184px;" src="http://static.flickr.com/4/4356868_caf47d2a35.jpg" /><br /></div><br />If you know me, you know I am not a Bible-thumping maniac. Really. However, I do have a Higher Power that works in my life. And I know everyone does, whether they call it God, Allah, Spirit of the Shining Waters, Goddess, Jesus, or even Howard. They do, even if they choose not to acknowledge its presence at all. Still, I do not rush around trying to convert others to my point of view or claiming I have "the one true way." Yet I am a very spiritual person.<br /><br />Glide Memorial Methodist Church in San Francisco has got to be, for ME, the most amazing place to get in touch with my own Higher Power. Here is a <a href="http://glide.org/Work.aspx" target="_blank">page</a> about all the work Glide does--from housing to food, from health care to counseling, from recovery to family services and employment training.<br /><br />You might have heard of Glide due to the story of Chris Gardner, portrayed in THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (Will Smith). Glide was the place that provided housing to Chris and his son. There are scenes shot in Glide during the service.<br /><br />Although the film is interesting, my son said yesterday: "It wasn't an accurate description of what it's really like at a Glide service." "Why?" I asked. "Because the people in the movie all looked sad. At the real service, everyone is happy." He's right, too. Sunday service is a lot more like this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.glide.org/Images/sections/celebrate/celebrationsPhoto.jpg" /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Image from Glide's website<br /></div><br />Kids are so perceptive! He also said he loves Glide because you can stand up and shout right in the middle of church... and because there's a saxophone player every week as part of the band. (My son plays too.) Yes, Glide is special all right.<br /><br />Who is welcome at Glide? All are welcome. Rich, poor, white, black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Christian, Muslim, Jew, gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, Democrat, Socialist, Anarchist, the list goes on and on; they will even take Republicans and Athiests!! :) Any and all are welcome at Glide! It is a living embodiment of the quote from Paul's letter to the Galatians:<br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</blockquote>Simply put, Glide is an amazing place. It's not just the music, not just the smiles, not just the vibrant preaching by the wonderful pastoral staff-<br /><br /><img src="http://glide.org/cmsimages/executives/cecil.jpg" /><br />Rev Cecil Williams<br /><br /><img src="http://glide.org/cmsimages/executives/dougf.jpg" /><br />Pastor Douglass Fitch<br /><br />Rev. Donald Guest (COULD NOT FIND A PHOTO ANYWHERE)<br /><br />Or the amazing music of the Glide Ensemble (among the best gospel music in the nation):<br /><br /><img src="http://www.glide.org/images/sections/celebrate/glide_ensemblePhoto.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://stream.realimpact.net/rihurl.ram?file=realimpact/glide/general_video/glide_vbush.rm" target="_blank"></a><br /><br />Or the work done by the amazing foundation...<br /><br /><img src="http://glide.org/cmsimages/executives/janice.jpg" /><br />Janice Mirikitani, President of the Glide Foundation<br /><br />Or the incredible open arms.<br /><br />No, there is something even MORE.<br /><br />Each time I have been to Glide has brought me to tears. Each time! I could go to Glide everyday of the week. It's a wonderful, wonderful place. To me, Glide is a miracle that is all about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE. That is not easy to come by in our world!<br /><br />If you are ever in the Bay Area, please do yourself a favor and check out <a href="http://www.glide.org/" target="_blank"">Glide. </a> (There was a large group yesterday all the way from Hamburg, Germany!) You will have to get there at least 30 minutes early to get a seat. I guarantee you it will be unlike any Sunday service you have ever attended.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-75354564872840819722007-03-03T15:30:00.000-08:002007-03-03T15:48:56.824-08:00Aye... 'Tis TrueI'm very shy lately about this sort of thing (would rather hide in my writing lair with pots of coffee and lavender incense!) but it's been announced on Publishers Marketplace and a bunch of people have asked me about it, so there's no hiding now:<br /><br /><blockquote>Martha O'Connor's TINK, a reimagining of Tinker Bell from <span style="font-style:italic;">Peter Pan</span> as a fierce Gaelic faerie born as a changeling to a band of 19th-century gypsies, to Peternelle van Arsdale at Putnam, in a pre-empt, for publication in late 2008 or early 2009, by Mary Evans at Mary Evans (NA).</blockquote><br />Yes, it is true. My latest book sold! It happened over vacation, four days after my agent submitted the book. I spoke to a number of insightful, enthusiastic editors at great publishers and was really, really flattered by all the interest. Any of these would have presented a wonderful opportunity, but the book could go to only one of them. The way it all ended was, Putnam made a pre-empt and we accepted. :) <--Me<br /><br />I'm thrilled to be working with the magnificent Peternelle van Arsdale - who completely "gets" this book - and I can't wait to see how this journey unfolds. <br /><br />More on the genesis of this book later. Do you ever feel as if your characters are speaking to you? This has been more like a haunting. It's a thrill though. Tink is a great gal, and I consider her a dear friend... though she does have lots and lots of dark secrets... almost as many as I do, lol :)<br /><br />xxMartha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-18202822417175567792007-03-02T19:05:00.000-08:002007-03-02T19:42:09.168-08:004.2 Near LafayetteYesterday evening a 4.2 earthquake struck Lafayette, CA about 35 miles from our house. It was a relatively unknown fault called the Reliez Valley Fault. I was at home and Phil and the kids were in the car, driving home from the bookstore.<br /><br />As often happens during less intense earthquakes, the people in the car did NOT feel a thing.<br /><br />However, I was sitting at home, watching The Office. It is my favorite program, even though it was a repeat.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/images/200/michael.jpg" /><br /></div><br />All at once I felt a swoop, like the end of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (and I oughta know, I rode it twice on our trip).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 320px; height: 288px;" src="http://blogs.families.com/media/POTC_exterior_concept.jpg" /><br /></div><br />Just a nice, gentle rock. But the thing was, I was no longer at Disneyland. Hm.<br /><br />Since a truck had been backing up outside (I heard the beeps) my first thought was that the truck had hit something so hard it had vibrated our house. (I later realized that was sort of a dumb thought since I had not heard a crash at all!) The chandelier waved a bit. Hm. Stranger still. This all happened in about two seconds. Suddenly there was another tremor and I realized: EARTHQUAKE!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.newbaybridge.org/classroom/images/quakeicon.jpg" /><br /></div><br />I became scared there would be another jolt and so I rushed over to the doorframe between the dining room and kitchen and stood there. I had been told that that is the safest place to stand in a quake. <br /><br />As it turns out, this was wrong too. Here's a <a href="http://donpearman.com/article/67-2.html" target="_blank">link </a>to an article by builder, Don Pearson, about why the doorway may NOT be the safest place, and may actually put you in MORE peril. <br /><br />The USGS states in their booklet, "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country," that this myth originated when many people owned old, unreinforced adobe structures with wooden doorframes. After an earthquake, these doorways were often the only part of the structure left standing. However, this was true back in the early days of our state. This is no longer the case for most of us so the rule of thumb is DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON!<br /><br />After about thirty seconds, nothing more happened, so I went and sat back down again, feeling stupid and not entirely sure it even WAS a quake until I saw the news.<br /><br />Not everyone felt a calm, gentle, "ride-like" quake. Lots of people felt jolts and heard 'pops.' As for damages, the worst I heard was some guy's 200-gallon aquarium fell from the wall and shattered, ruining his floor and killing his fish. You know, at least it was not this.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://epod.usra.edu/archive/images/main_018sr.jpeg" /><br /></div><br />(That, of course, is I-880 after Loma Prieta)<br /><br />A relatively small quake like this is a great reminder though.<br /><br />Do you know this "relatively unknown" fault passes right under BART?<br /><br />Are you prepared for a quake that cuts you off from humanity for an unspecified time?<br /><br />Are you prepared to be cut off for AT LEAST 72 hours in case of an earthquake?<br /><br />Do you have a fully stocked kit of survival supplies, food and water?<br /><br />How about your car? Are both cars stocked with emergency supplies?<br /><br />If you are like me, you don't like to think about this stuff. You don't really want to go to Target and one by one pick out survival supplies. It's a very freaky feeling. Here is my advice.<br /><br />Go to Google, look up "earthquake kit," and order a kit for your family. <a href="http://www.areyouprepared.com/" target="_blank">Here is where we got ours.</a> Yes, it will be more expensive. But you will NOT have to worry again. And you will be sure you have all right stuff, like a space blanket, water purifier, and other stuff you are just not going to find at Target.<br /><br />Then, each time you go to the store for the next three times, pick up two gallons of water and a family pack of granola bars. Put them next to the earthquake kit.<br /><br />Now you're done.<br /><br />With one important caveat.<br /><br />If you have someone in your family with diabetes, <span style="font-weight: bold;">keep prescriptions filled at all times</span>. You may want to do what I do. After seeing Katrina I began to hoard expired insulin. I now have a giant Ziploc of expired insulin on my fridge carefully marked when the bottle expired. In a horrid lengthy emergency, we SHOULD have enough insulin to get by... but JUST IN CASE, we have this less-than-potent insulin. While it is not approved for use after it expires, you can bet it would be better than nothing.<br /><br />Also, please make sure you purchase a <a href="http://www.friouk.com/" target="_blank">Frio kit.</a> We may be without power for 72 hours or more after a major earthquake. Please get a kit to keep your insulin cold. All you need is water to activate the kit. They are great for vacations and car trips too!<br /><br />Everyone, stay safe and secure! Do what the Girl Scouts do, BE PREPARED!<br /><br />XOMartha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8211459.post-32976206041494002862007-03-01T08:45:00.001-08:002007-03-01T09:27:08.355-08:00A Super Mom & Super Product!Hi all,<br />Well, we've returned from our vacation to Disneyland--'twas quite fun. I'll tell you all about it later. For now, though, I wanted to tell you about a book I read in one night--and that was with AMERICAN IDOL in the background competing for my attention, so those of you who know me, know it must have been a really special book.<br /><br />Melanie Lynne Hauser has been my friend for a long time. She is one of the most caring, understanding, thoughtful and splendid people I know. To add to that, Mel is a really talented writer. Her book CONFESSIONS OF SUPER MOM made a super splash in publishing and was picked up for film as well. In the book, Birdie Lee, an ordinary mom from the Kansas town of Astro Park, has a Horrible Swiffer Accident and becomes a super hero! Have you ever heard such an interesting concept?<br /><br />Now Melanie's sequel, SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD, has come out! Melanie was kind enough to send me a copy of the book as well as a Swiffer Dust Brush.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://melanielynnehauser.com/image/SMSTW-3-d-Clear-Background.gif" /><br /></div><br />I'm going to do a full interview with Melanie later in March (she is a member of the Girlfriends Cyber Circuit, too), but I wanted to share a little about it now.<br /><br />THE BLURB<br /><blockquote>At the end of a long day at work, saving the world, you'd think Super Mom would get a break. But no. She still has to do battle with a foe more terrifying than the most dastardly of super villains - teenagers.<br /><br />It's six months after the Horrible Swiffer Accident that left her a superhero, and Birdie Lee is still adjusting. For starters, she's hearing voices and having lustful thoughts about Mr. Clean. Then there's the fact that her daughter is suddenly sporting a bright pink streak in her hair, courtesy of her new friend Vienna (and if recent history has taught us anything, we all know that a girl named after a foreign city is going to be trouble). Birdie's son is experiencing his first case of puppy love, her nerdy scientist love interest has just proposed marriage, and her annoying ex-husband is suddenly less annoying. Which can only mean he's up to no good.<br /><br />But things get even more sinister when her hometown of Astro Park gets Little League fever in a big way. Rabid parents, performance-enhancing Gatorade and a domed stadium on shaky - potentially explosive - ground are just the beginning of Super Mom's problems; throw in a ticked off school janitor and a corrupt mayor, and Super Mom has her hands full.<br /><br />Read SUPER MOM SAVES THE WORLD to find out how one woman - one mother - struggles to keep her teenagers in tow with one hand while saving her hometown from disaster with the other. While trying to find time for herself amidst the very real, very messy job of blending families as she plans her marriage to her very own Super Man.</blockquote>I could not stop turning the pages on this clever book. It's not every day someone can build such a well-paced farce around the ideas of super heroes and cleaning products. I highly recommend you pick up this novel! Watch for special appearances from the Mr. Clean Man and the Brawny Lumberjack. You'll also learn about Batman and Robin's deepest psychological secrets, thanks to Birdie's best friend Carrie, undercover psychiatrist to the superheroes. There is a chuckle a minute in this fun novel and I think anyone who's raised kids will be nodding in sympathy at Birdie's situation.<br /><br />Read the first chapter <a href="http://melanielynnehauser.com/SMSTWChapOne.html" target="_blank">here.</a><br /><br />As for the product, Melanie sent me the one Swiffer item I do not have--the Swiffer Dust Brush. Swiffer also makes the CarpetFlick-- great for spot cleaning on area rugs or a quick tidying of a mess--and the WetJet, which I use for my regular cleaning.<br /><br />The WetJet has an ingenious design that allows you to spray just the amount of cleaning fluid that you need onto the floor--then wipe it up with a cleaning pad. This is a great concept and makes cleaning so easy. No big old bucket needed! I must confess that I, myself, risked a Horrible Swiffer Accident by jerry-rigging the WetJet. You see, I prefer to use natural cleaning supplies such as distilled water, vinegar, and essential lemon oil. I am not going to say anything more than the fact that my project involved a drill bit and an old (VERY OLD! hee hee hee) wine cork.<br /><br />I do not recommend that YOU do this unless you wish to void the warranty and risk turning into a superhero like Birdie did. Still, those of us who are granola-eating, Whole-Foods-Shopping, Birkenstock-wearing, hot-tubbing Marin County types, tend not to care for chemical cleaners like that which is found in the WetJet reservoir. What else are we going to do?<br /><br />This brings me to my only suggestion to improve this great product--I wish Procter and Gamble would make an alternative Swiffer refill for those of us who do not like chemicals. Maybe they could partner with <a href="http://www.mrsmeyers.com" target="_blank">Mrs. Meyers CLEAN DAY </a>(who makes all my favorite commercial cleaners, biodegradable, cruelty-free, aromatherapeutic, and all-natural) and have her create some all natural refills.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 165px; height: 170px;" src="http://i.treehugger.com/files/mrs-meyers.jpg" /><br /></div><br />This would be a win-win-win all around. Procter and Gamble makes money off people like me who are now buying refills, Mrs. Meyers makes money with the partnership, and the environment wins too. Procter and Gamble does not even have to pay me for that idea.<br /><br />As for the Dust Brush!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://homeparents.about.com/library/graphics/duster3.jpg" /><br /></div>I have not gotten the chance to use it yet, but I can already see how it will have about 100 uses in my house. I can use it to clean blinds, furniture, the dining room chandelier, on top of the fridge, even silk plants. And... NO HARSH DUSTING CHEMICALS NEEDED!<br /><br />The dust brushes are disposable, but if you do not like disposable items for environmental reasons, it would not be hard to sew a washable refill. Or, if you are not creative that way, if you go to eBay and type in Swiffer, you will find a lot of washable refills for all the Swiffer products (except the CarpetFlick--that would be hard to make since the refill is basically a sticky piece of plastic tape). And there is another idea for a product Swiffer themselves could make. I am sure they could find a suitable washable cloth that would meet their high standards and still be re-usable. Procter & Gamble creates such great products, I think that if they offered a pro-environment option for people they could really get some even better publicity.<br /><br />Anyway, this Swiffer duster looks like it will be great for day to day or even weekly dusting. We really don't need to polish furniture more than once a month at the most, unless there is a spill. The best thing to polish wood is a mixture of a few drops of olive oil and about 1/4 cup of vinegar. Soak a cloth with this and polish the furniture. In between--this dust brush might be a good option for you.<br /><br />THANK YOU SO MUCH, Melanie, for sending me this great and definitely NOT disposable book. :) And thank you to Procter and Gamble for offering me the chance to try their brand new product.Martha O'Connorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17915815056340085345noreply@blogger.com0