Thank You, Sherwood School!

Yesterday I visited Sherwood School, in Highland Park, Illinois. It was such a lovely afternoon, and I was bummed that my camera was out of battery power. Hopefully the wonderful media specialist there, Helen Weiss, will send me some pictures soon. But here are a few highlights:

1. What a location! Sherwood is just five minutes from my house, so there was no way for me to get lost. That's always a plus.

2. When I checked in at the school office, there was a sign there welcoming me, and the receptionist greeted me warmly. You may think that's no big deal, but I've been to schools where the words "visiting author" are met with confused stares.

3. There was another cute sign made for me in the library. And the projector and sound system worked perfectly right off the bat. Hallelujah!

4. I spoke in a cozy library to about 60 kids at a time. The kids AND teachers paid attention, and some of the teachers even took notes.

5. One student, Sydney, won a raffle prize of a backstage pass to my visit. Sydney got to wear a special VIP pass, she introduced me to the students, and she had a front row seat. She also won two autographed books. This was all coordinated by the media specialist. What a great idea!

6. The students were prepared. They had visited my website beforehand and were familiar with me and my books. What a difference this makes!

7. The students were engaged. They laughed, and oohed and ahhed, and applauded at all the right moments. You could hear a pin drop when I told them the true story that inspired Julia's Kitchen. They asked good questions, and they answered all my questions with enthusiasm.

8. The students were funny. When I asked how many kids thought they might grow up to be writers, one boy said he would if his basketball career didn't pan out. There were lots more funny comments and questions. I swear, I love fourth and fifth graders so much!

9. The students were inspired. It was cool to speak to kids from my hometown. I think they've got to be thinking, "Wow, if someone from Highland Park can make her dreams come true, maybe I can, too." I loved seeing all their eager and excited faces. I also loved seeing children of some friends of mine!

10. I loved watching the kids choose which giveaway to take at the end of my presentation. Most popular item was the Camper Extraordinaire bracelet. I must admit, it's pretty cool.

And I can't ignore the fact that at the end of this wonderful afternoon, the media specialist handed me a check. Some people think if you write a book, you've hit the big time... you're rich. It's unfortunately not true. I don't know many authors who can make a living off of royalties alone. We make our living by writing lots of books, doing school visits, teaching, etc. So yes, we get paid for our presentations. But the  biggest pay off of all is knowing that I've written books that are touching kids' hearts and minds. You can't put a price on that.

How To Revise a Novel: Step #1

(This is the first in a five part series on Revising a Novel. These steps are helpful for after you've finished a complete draft.)

The first step in my revision process is the easiest and the hardest. It's:
LOOK AT YOUR WORK OBJECTIVELY.
After spending a year thinking and writing about these characters and their stories, it's practically impossible to know if what I've written is any good because I'm way too close to it. So I do three things:

1. Give myself plenty of time away from the project.
Easy because, hello, I'm not doing any work! Hard for two reasons. First, it's quite a challenge to stop thinking about these characters. It's like when you break up with someone and try not to think about him. It just doesn't work. Also, I feel sort of ungrounded and purposeless. I might do something crazy like volunteer to bake cookies for a bake sale or paint sets for the school play or do other time-sucking things I've trained myself to say no to recently. I must remember to do the things I want to do during this monthlong hiatus. I have a stack of books I've been waiting to read. I can work out every day to get in shape for our trip to Greece this summer. My daughter is on spring break now, and my sons will be on spring break at the end of the month, so I can spend quality time with them doing whatever they want.

2. Read the work aloud.
I have to wait until my monthlong break is over, but then, when I come back to the book, I'll read the whole thing aloud. Easy because it's just reading. Hard because I'll hear all the parts that suck, and I'll think I'm a hack (for a moment anyway). In my critique group, we submit ten pages at a time, and someone else reads our work aloud. That's even better because when they stumble over a sentence I wrote, I know I've got work to do. And when I happen to get someone who is an excellent reader, and she laughs and sighs at all the right times, and my words simply sing, I think I might be a genius (for a moment anyway).

3. Ask a friend (or two) for help.
Easy if you ask the right friends. Hard if you don't. There are two different kinds of "right friends" for this task. My critique group will give me the most helpful responses. A month from now, I will no doubt walk out of critique feeling like I have a ton of work to do, but I'll know that I can do it. The other people I let read my book at this stage of completion are people who love me and love my writing and will love whatever I give them to read. I'm talking about my sister, my daughter, and my niece. This doesn't mean they won't be able to point out an area or two I can improve. But in general, I know they are my go-to girls for stroking my ego. After all, I worked on this thing for over a year. I need someone to tell me right now that it was not a waste of time. Even better is a comment like the one I got from my sister. "It's the best thing you've ever written, Bren!" Or the text I got from my daughter in all caps with a bunch of exclamation marks letting me know she finished it and can't wait to talk to me about it. Or the look of complete surprise and excitement in my niece's eyes when I handed her the manuscript and offered it to her to read. I've learned the hard way not to give my manuscripts to my mother, husband, or sons. At least not at this stage of the game. I love them, but I don't need to hear, "I'm not really your audience." Or, "It's good." Or worst of all, "I liked it. No really, I did."

So this is where I'm at with IVY IN LIKE. Step #2: See the Big Picture, is coming next. Stay tuned!

Make Something Happen.

Don't you love when you turn great ideas into actual things? I do. An idea is just an abstract, cloud-like substance, and it takes a bit of determination to turn that idea into something solid. Lately I've had three wonderful experiences of seeing that happen.

1. My new novel. Ivy in Like had been an idea floating and simmering and taking lots of different shapes for years. But now it's a finished draft. Whew! What an accomplishment! What a feeling! True, this novel will continue to change shape for the next couple of years until it's an actual book on an actual bookshelf, but it's more solid now than it's ever been.

2. This past weekend's writing retreat. Last year during one of our critique group meetings, we talked about how fun it would be to rent a house for a weekend and just write. It would be easy, we said. We should totally do it, we said. And then we actually did it! We found a great place in Michigan, invited some friends, and spent the weekend writing, talking, eating, drinking, and laughing. And how's this for karma? The room I stayed in was called Ivy, the name of my main character!

3. My Neighborhood Book Club. One day in January, as I was walking my dog and waving to a neighbor who drove past, I had a moment of inspiration. It went something like this: I wish I felt a sense of community here. Wait! Why can't I have that? I had just finished reading the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett (such a fantastic book!!) and I was thinking it would be nice to read more books for grownups (not that I'll ever stop reading fabulous books for kids!). A Bookclub, I thought! A Neighborhood Bookclub! I came home and sent an e-mail proposing my idea to a few of my friends who lived walking distance from me. They loved the idea and invited some of their friends. Tonight is our first meeting. We read Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. Another fantastic book! I am really looking forward to getting to know my neighbors on a deeper level. After a year of feeling completely disconnected from my community for a bunch of ridiculous reasons, I'm searching out and creating the change I desire.

A new book, a writing retreat, and a neighborhood book club. All were just ideas. They could have stayed that way. But with a little bit of effort (okay, a ton of effort when it came to writing a new book) and help from friends, I turned those ideas into solid things.

Do you have an idea floating around in your brain? Take the first step today. Make it happen!

What do Jemma Hartman and Beyonce Knowles Have in Common?

Meet Moriah!

Moriah is the latest winner in the Jemma Hartman Lookalike Contest!

Don't you love how she's wearing a life vest and a Jemma barrette? All she needs is a sailboat (which I can't provide). But I will provide her with an autographed copy of my book and some Jemma swag. If you know someone who looks like Jemma, tell them to send me a photo if they want one, too!

And now, for big smiles all around, here are the prior winners of the Jemma Lookalike Contest:

Jory:

Clara:

 And Eva:

Just for kicks, I went on MyHeritage.com to see who Jemma's celebrity lookalike would be. Who knew Jemma had the same beautiful eyes and smile as Beyonce?? Check it out:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

Secondary Characters Primary Importance

My goal in everything is to get better every day. As a mom, wife, friend, and author. That means I have to be open to feedback and criticism. Even though I know I'm far from perfect, it's never easy to hear I've been too this or not enough that when it comes to me as a person. But for some reason, it's much easier to swallow criticism when it's about me as an author. (Random image: Kirkus Reviews giving me a glowing review as a mom but mentioning that my meal planning and cooking falls a little flat.)

One of the things I've learned from working with editors and reading reviews of my books is that I tend to underdevelop my secondary characters. I have to admit this is true. My process is all about inhabiting a main character and telling her story. Secondary characters are created to support the story, to create obstacles and room for growth. But that's not the way real life is. In real life, everyone is their own main character. And in the best books, secondary characters have depth and add richness to the story.

So today, I'm sitting down with all my secondary characters from my work-in-progress (which, by the way, has a new title: Ivy in Like), and I'm making sure they have their say. I'm getting to know them as their own main characters. They deserve that respect, don't you think?

The 100 Best Chapter Books!

And so the countdown begins. Remember when I told you to vote for your top ten chapter books of all time? Well, some bloggers might simply tally up the votes and post the winners. But not Betsy Bird. She goes the distance. She gives the history of each book, talks about the author, the book jacket(s), links to reviews, and even shares tidbits from the people who voted. Today she reveals Books 100-91. I've read and loved 7 of these 10, but so far, none are my top ten favorites of all time. It will be fun to see what comes next. And fun to add books to my must read pile. These are seriously juicy posts. Enjoy!

Great New Blog About Publishing

Have you all seen this new blog from Macmillan? It's called Get to the Point, and it's my new favorite blog to read. Every day you can learn something interesting about publishing. My favorites so far are the What's on My Desk posts, the Overheard in the Flatiron and the Behind the Scenes. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Amazon vs. Macmillan: What Can You Do?

Even though Amazon has said they eventually will capitulate and put the buy buttons back on all the Macmillan books, they have yet to actually do that. Not sure what they are waiting for, but in the meantime, there are two things we all can do to make an impact:

1. Buy a Macmillan book! You can order online from bn.com, or you can go to your local independent. Go to the Macmillan site to see which books are affected. (Macmillan has several imprints that publish children's and young adult literature including FSG, Feiwel & Friends, and Holt)

2. Contact Amazon to voice your complaint. To do this, go to Amazon and click on Help. A yellow Contact Us button will appear on the right side of your screen. You can now send them an e-mail. Say what you want, or copy this letter from fellow writer Cheryl Bardoe:

Dear Amazon,

I am a long-time, steady customer who is dismayed over your removal of the "Buy Now" buttons from the page of every Macmillan author. I do not support your position on this matter. Publishers own the products they produce, and as a result have the right to establish their own pricing.

Making it impossible for consumers to buy Macmillan books through Amazon undermines a key part of what makes Amazon appealing to customers--the ability to buy almost any book in print from a reliable distributor. Your actions are damaging not only to your own business, but also to readers and authors--without which Amazon would not be in business at all. Amazon's corporate bullying reveals that Amazon's real goal is to have a monopoly on the marketplace. Perhaps sitting inside your corporate offices, having a monopoly seems to be a good thing. But time and again, history and the social and political fabric of our society have shown that monopolies are not in the best interests of consumers, producers, or investors and do not represent what is best for our economy.

Please immediately reinstate the buttons to give consumers the opportunity to purchase Macmillan books. Also, respect that publishers (who even without the cost of paper, must pay their authors, artists, editors and staff to produce books) have the right to set price points for THEIR OWN PRODUCT. I'll be taking my business elsewhere until you do.

Thank you.

"So where can I buy your book?"

As an author, I like to focus on creating books. I'd rather not worry too much about selling them. It's a complicated business, and there are people who know much more about it than I do. However, I am clear on one very important thing: My books need to be in bookstores in order for people to buy them. And a second, related thing: If my current books don't sell, it becomes riskier for a publisher to take a chance on anything I write in the future.

Having my books in bookstores seems rather basic. It seems like something I should be able to count on, considering I am published by a well respected New York publisher. But I've come to realize there are thousands of new books published every year by well respected New York publishers, and not all of them get picked up by Borders, Barnes & Noble, or the independents. Even with cute covers, glowing reviews, and fine literary awards, these giants might say no thank you to your book for a variety of reasons. (Rumor has it they wanted Jemma Hartman in paperback, but it was only available in hardcover.)

When people ask me, "Where can I buy your book?" I usually tell them to try their local independent but that they can always order it from Amazon. Because Amazon carries everything. Right? Well, apparently, not anymore.

Amazon and Macmillan are having a little tiff about how to price their Kindle books, and Amazon has just pulled every Macmillan book off its shelf. Including mine. Including tons of best sellers that people will be way more upset about than my two little books.

How this will play out, I have no idea. I understand the principles at stake here. But as an author who wants her books to sell, I have a vested interest in making sure my books are available for purchase. Somewhere! E-books are not going away. I hope someone figures out a solution soon.

The End!

My fake writing retreat was a huge success! Not only did I enjoy the Arizona sun, get a massage and facial, hike in the desert, help deaf and disabled children ride horses, and spend lovely evenings with my husband and his colleagues, but... drum roll please... I also finished my novel!

Hallelujah!

Seriously, this is an amazing feeling! One that I've only felt twice before. I have started plenty of novels, but I've only gotten to the end of three. Something happens as you get to those last few pages. Instead of hoping you'll finish, you know you'll finish. Instead of creating your characters and writing their story, it feels more like you are reading their story. You laugh and cry at their growth and silliness. You love them.

I hope you don't think that this book will be available at bookstores next month. That only happens in movies. I will spend the next few months revising this baby until I don't know how to make it any better. Then I'll send it to my agent, and she'll help me see the things I couldn't see on my own. I'll make it better still. And then we'll send it off into the big publishing world and some fabulous editor will help me see things my agent and I both missed. The book will get even better.

As my husband teases every time I spend 45 minutes blowing dry and straightening my hair, "It's such a process!"

It certainly is. I guess I like it.

Fake Writing Retreat

I am so close to finishing the first draft of this novel. And in a couple of days, I'm joining my husband on a business trip in Arizona. This is a yearly event at a beautiful resort, where in the past I've gotten fabulous spa treatments, visited art galleries, taken cooking lessons, read books by the pool, and even gone rock climbing. Although my husband has to work on this trip, I've always thought of it as a mini vacation. (I know... lucky me!)

But this year I've decided I don't need a vacation. What I need is a writing retreat. So that's what it will be. And it will be pretty swanky, too. I'll have delicious meals prepared for me, exercise classes whenever I need a break from writing, and evenings with my husband. We'll eat dinner with his colleagues and their significant others. I really love catching up with all of those people. There is a fireplace in our room, and Alan and I always fall asleep to that smoky cedar smell and the sound of the crackling fire. It really doesn't get better than that.

Wish me luck with finishing! I hope to report good news when I get back!

Award Season

The award season is upon us, and I'm not talking about the Golden Globes (although I will be rooting for Inglourious Basterds and Modern Family to win big). Tomorrow morning some lucky authors will get "The Call." The ALA awards are the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow of writing for children. And although most children's book authors will tell you how lucky and proud they are to be riding the rainbow at all, I think, secretly, we all dream of someday reaching that pot of gold. At least I do. Nothing wrong with admitting that, I hope!

I fully understand that winning the Newbery, just like getting published, is out of my control. So I focus on what I can control... writing the very best manuscript I am capable of creating at this point in time. I can't aim to win the Newbery. But I can aim to write a Newbery-quality novel. I mean, why wouldn't I? I used to work in advertising at Leo Burnett. And Leo Burnett was famous for saying, "When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either."

I'm not rooting for any books in particular to win tomorrow. Chances are, the books that win will be books I haven't read yet. That seems to be the way it goes for me. But you can bet I will read them. And that's why these awards are so golden. It's not the medal, or the sticker, or the money authors make in sales and speaking engagements... it's the readers. The thousands and thousands and thousands of new readers! Gold, for sure.

Are We Having Fun Yet?

I've written about 140 pages of my new novel, and I probably have about 25 pages left to write. Normally I hate writing first drafts. I've blogged plenty about how horrible it feels and how impossible a task it is. One of my friends, Jenny Meyerhoff, likens writing first drafts to conjuring clay out of thin air. When you revise, you're molding and shaping that clay. Fun stuff. But first drafts? Seriously... where do you think that clay comes from? There's no big bucket in the corner of the room. We have to make the clay! I'm convinced there is magic involved.

So here's the weird thing... I am loving writing this first draft. I've only had one or two bad days. Mostly, I am thrilled to be hanging out and getting to know these characters and their story. I wish I knew why. Why does this novel feels so good to write? What magic forces are at work? Why these characters? Why now?

I ask these questions because I haven't felt this way in ages. And I'd really like to duplicate this feeling again and again and again. But perhaps there isn't a simpler answer. It probably has something to do with my real life being less stressful, and my main character being so likable and relatable, and the central question of the novel being so interesting to me. (What does it take to make you step out of the shadow and own your own light?). And I'm pretty sure there is magic at work. How else can I explain that strange feeling of reading my work-in-progress and wondering how it got written.

Maybe my job isn't to understand the magic but rather to recognize when the magic is there. I spent a year and a half suffering through first drafts that were magic-less. My stubborn nature made it hard for me to put those unfinished novels away. We writers are supposed to struggle, right? Maybe. But I'm quite certain we are supposed to be having fun, too.

What's Your Favorite Book?

Betsy Bird, at Fuse #8, is putting together a list of the top 100 chapter books of all time. These are books for kids basically in 3rd-8th grade. Not picture books. Not easy readers. Not young adult. The list will be based on our votes. Everyone is allowed to vote for their top ten of all time. To vote, all you have to do is email Betsy at fusenumber8@gmail.com with your list. Subject heading should be "Chapter Book Poll." Put your favorite as number one, and go in order from there. You can add a little reason why if you want, but you don't have to. Click here for more information. The voting deadline is January 31, 2010, so don't delay!

Here's my list:

1. Are You There God It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume: Groundbreaking in its candor about God, religion, and puberty. And think of all the authors Judy has inspired. She changed the children's lit landscape forever.
2. Holes by Louis Sachar: Critically acclaimed literary fiction + popular appeal = Success with a capital S!
3. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White: Enduring classic (as opposed to the other classics that teachers continue to make kids read but that kids really don't like)
4. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry: Best introduction to the Holocaust for this age group. Love the treatment of courage and the seamless weaving of Red Riding Hood into the story.
5. A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park: Proof that any topic can be made interesting in the hands of a master storyteller
6. Blubber by Judy Blume: Another Judy title, just to make sure she gets as many points as possible.
7. Love That Dog by Sharon Creech: Best free verse novel. Best dog story. Gotta love it!
8. Rules by Cynthia Lord: With so many kids with special needs today, I predict this story of friendship and accepting differences will stand the test of time.
9. Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos: Voice voice voice.
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry: My favorite dystopian novel for this age group.

I realize I left off any fantasy novels (Sorry Harry Potter!) and any humorous novels as well. But ten is ten, so here you go. I would love to see your favorites. And I'm really looking forward to seeing the final results.

All Things Graceling

Have you read Graceling, by Kristin Cashore? It is truly remarkable, and I highly recommend it. In fact, I wrote my latest Book Look column all about the wonders of its first chapter.

This morning I read a fabulous article by Cashore about the challenge of following the rules of the world she created in her fantasy novel. Anyone interested in Graceling, or Cashore, or writing will want to read this. Even if you don't write fantasy, this article is interesting because there are these rules of logic and believability in all novels. Having to manage time, space, and character traits while weaving together a believable and interesting plot... that is the challenge we authors face every day.

Puppy Update

I think people are generally more interested in puppies than they are in children's literature. You would not believe the number of emails I get about my Mini Whoodle, Ozzy! I blogged about our decision to get him, and I guess when people do a web search for Whoodles, they find me. So I figured it was high time I give an update about our life with Ozzy, otherwise known as The World's Sweetest Dog.

We got Ozzy from Barb at Old McDoodle Farm. I highly recommend her. Ozzy is now about 1 1/2 years old, but he still has that sweet, excited, loving puppy attitude. Perhaps that's why he has earned the nickname "Puppa" or "Puppalicious" or "Puppadoo." Ozzy has never met a human or animal he didn't like. He barely ever barks, only to come in from outside or to say hello to a friend across the street. He doesn't bite either, although he will jump up on people sometimes. (We are working with him on that one.) He will do just about anything for a belly rub.

He loves to take walks and go to the dog park. He also loves to sit on the couch and snuggle with whoever is watching TV or reading a book. We have an invisible fence, and he was trained on it very quickly. We think of him as the mayor of our street because he sits in the front yard and interacts nicely with all the people and animals who walk past. His favorite time of day is when the school bus stops in front of our house, and all the kids come by to say hello. He is 22 pounds, which is the perfect size. Small enough to snuggle with but not tall enough to reach the counter tops. His coat never changed to the wheaten color, but he lightened to a charcoal gray, and he has a cute, blonde, very 1970's mustache.

We house trained him with no trouble at all. He never has accidents. He sleeps in a crate. In his first year, he chewed up two retainers, a pair of glasses, a couple rolls of toilet paper, and countless socks. We have learned to keep bedroom and bathroom doors shut.

I never really wanted a dog. I wasn't much of an animal lover as a kid, and as an adult, I turned into a cat person. But after our kids became teenagers, and our cats died, and my beloved grandmother passed away, and our house was burglarized... something clicked inside of me, and I was determined to get a dog. My husband was not on board at first. He didn't want the responsibility. He didn't want anything interfering with the freedom we were starting to have as our kids were getting older. But shhh... he's embarrassed by those thoughts now! Ozzy has brought so much joy and laughter and love to our family. The responsibility is definitely worth it!

How To Be Married To An Author

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I know I did! I've been busy busy busy writing and then being with my family, so I'm just popping into the blogosphere to bring your attention to this fabulous essay written by Kristin Walker, author of the upcoming Match Made in High School. If you are a spouse of an author, or of any creative sort really, you should read this to see how to do it right.

For the record, my husband totally does it right. His perspective is all, "Oh, we're in that stage now?" This comment comes in handy whenever I say pretty much anything about the writing journey. I like it because it reminds me that all my moods will pass, no matter how dire they seem in the moment. It helps to take some of the power away from potentially overwhelming feelings of insecurity or uncertainty or fantasies of brilliance. It reminds me that I'm on a journey of my choosing. It's sometimes familiar, sometimes new and exhilarating, and sometimes frustrating. But it's my journey, and I know how truly fortunate I am to be experiencing it all.

Is there more to being an optimist than seeing the glass half-full?

Yes!

I happen to be a natural optimist. It comes very easy to me to see the positive in most situations. I look at obstacles and conflicts as things that will lead to growth. And I have to tell you, that trait was extremely helpful in dealing with years of rejection letters (as well as lots of other things life throws at me). But let me be clear... sometimes the glass is not only half-empty, it is bone dry.


Anyone who thinks optimists are always happy doesn't understand optimism.

Here's the truth about optimism and that glass half-empty or half-full question: Despite how much water is in my glass, I know how and where to get more. I know how to turn on a faucet.


Sounds obvious, right? But think about what it really means. Instead of emphasizing the present view of things, it focuses on my ability to be resilient. It acknowledges that there will be times when everything will go wrong, and I'll feel terrible. But an optimist sees those times and those feelings as temporary. An optimist is able to time-travel, so to speak, and put faith in the future when this immediate crisis or obstacle will be a thing of the past. An optimist looks for ways to get to that future.

I could go on and on about optimism and resiliency, but I don't have to because there is a fantastic new blog all about this topic. It's called The Irrepressible Writer, and it's written by Carol Grannick, one of my critique partners. Carol gives fabulous step-by-step practical advice about how to bring optimism into your life. Optimism CAN be learned. And it can definitely improve the quality of your life. Check it out!

You've Written a First Draft. Now What?

You've finally done it. You've finished your novel! It's amazing. You actually wrote an entire story from start to finish. It's brilliant. It's original. It's a masterpiece. It will certainly go to auction and become a bestseller and get you on Oprah.

No? That's not how it works?

But why not, you cry!

Because, you have to revise. Every successful author revises. And as overwhelming as that might seem, there are ways to wrap your brain around the process. There are tricks. There are things that work and things that don't. There are ways to get lost in the revision, spending years changing things without making any real progress, and there are ways to revise purposefully and powerfully.

To learn how to revise like a pro, please come to The Book Stall in Winnetka, Wednesday, November 11 at 7 pm. I'll be giving away all my secrets.

I hope to see you there!

An Optimistic View of Writing Distractions

I'm trying really hard to finish this first draft of my next novel. Here are some things that are helping:
1. My critique group is loving it so far.
2. My daughter is loving it so far.
3. I am loving it so far.
(These three things are totally mind boggling, considering this is a first draft.)
4. I feel some pressure to finish this draft by the middle of December so I can a) enjoy winter break without feeling guilty for not working and b) sell the book sometime next year before everyone forgets I'm an author.

And here are some things that are definitely not helping:
1. I just cut about 20 pages because I'm pretty sure I was heading in the wrong direction. I was following my outline when I should have been following my characters.
2. My time gets sucked into the abyss by: doing laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, exercising, doing my hair, walking the dog, driving kids places, Facebooking, reading, watching TV, volunteering at the middle-school library, planning a retreat, buying birthday presents, teaching a writing workshop, doing school and library visits, being a friend, a wife, a sister, a daughter, and a mom. I fully realize that most of these things are the fabric of my life. I'm lucky and blessed to be able to do them. But still... they all take time. A part of me wants to hide away in a little cubicle and spend two weeks doing nothing but writing. I wonder how that would turn out.

And last but not least, here's something that might fall into both categories...
1. I'm taking a Harvard class online called Through the Looking Glass - The Philosophy, History, and Literature of Childhood with Professor Maria Tatar. Yes, it will take time (There are fabulous lectures to watch, books to read, and discussion groups to attend!), but I'm hoping I'll be richer for the experience, and maybe that will make me a better writer.

Come to think of it, all those "distractions," all those things that suck my time, they are all things that can enrich my life if looked at from the right point of view. So that little cubicle... no matter how inviting it seems... is really not the key to my happy life. My happy life is all around me, pulling me in a million directions, keeping things busy and interesting.

Maybe I'll finish this draft by winter vacation, and maybe I won't. But I will try my best. And I'll enjoy the journey.