Books Not to Miss

So many books. So little time. Here are some I've read recently that I am super excited about:

For Adults:
Room by Emma Donoghue.

This is such a fast paced novel. You will not be able to put it down. It's told from the point of view of a five-year-old boy who has lived his whole life in an 11x11 room with his mother. He doesn't realize he and his mother are actually prisoners of Old Nick. This story will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Although the story is dark, there is a lot of hope and resilience in it, too. Emotionally powerful.

The Girls by Lori Lansens

I read this book in December, and I still think about it. A fictional autobiography about conjoined twins. Fictional autobiography? Did you hear right? Yes. It's fiction, but it's told as if one of the twins is writing her memoir. Very interesting format and done exceptionally well. If you have a sister, I bet you anything you will love this book. So beautiful. So touching. 

For Teens/Adults

These books are marketed for teens but have huge crossover appeal. I love crossover books. Frankly, I think all adults should read books for teens and kids. But that's just me. Anyway...

Chime by Franny Billingsley

Holy moly is this an amazing book! It received six starred reviews. Do you know how many review journals there are for young adult literature? Six. A clean sweep. I have to admit that sometimes I don't like books that receive so many starred reviews or big awards. I'm not that highbrow of a reader, and sometimes those kinds of books go right over my head. But this book is amazing. I finished it one day and started again from the beginning the next. It's that kind of story. A mystery and a romance and just enough fantasy to keep things interesting without making my head spin. It's about identity and how we have to fight the labels that others put upon us and learn who we are from the inside out. The story takes place in a swamp, and the language is so swampy, you just sink into it. And Eldric, the love interest? My new literary crush. 

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Another page turner. And another book I had to re-read right after I finished it. Do you like parallel universe stories? I love to delve into those ideas. This book is about a popular mean girl who dies. (I'm not giving anything away. It happens in the prologue.) The cool thing is that she wakes up the next day and it's the day of her death all over again. (Kind of like the movie, Groundhog Day.) Watching her learn and grow and try to change things as she repeats this tragic day over and over again is fascinating. Everyone is talking about Oliver's new book, Delirium. I read that one, too, but in my opinion Before I Fall has more interesting characters and a more emotional story arc. I guess it depends on your taste: popular mean girl gets a chance at redemption vs. cautious repressed girl falls in love and breaks out of her dystopian society. On a side note, I just saw and loved the movie Source Code and it made me think of Before I Fall. If you love Before I Fall, go see Source Code. (And vice versa.) You won't be disappointed.

For Kids

The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless by Allan Woodrow with illustrations by Aaron Blecha

You want a hilarious book for kids in 2nd-4th grade? You've got it. This book doesn't actually come out for a couple more weeks, but you can pre-order it now. I'm lucky enough to have seen this book grow from a baby manuscript into its lovely paperback form. Allan was one of my students, and the moment I read the first chapter of his book, I knew he wouldn't be my student for long. He was on the fast track to publication. So glad I was right! Kids (especially boys and reluctant readers) are going to go crazy for Zachary, a rotten and lovable hero.

Dear Tabby by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by David Roberts

Okay, this book might be in the kids category, but honestly it's for everyone. I left it on my kitchen table, and my teenagers picked it up and loved it. Do you know how hard it is to impress teenagers?? Anyway, this humorous and heartwarming tale about a cat who gives advice is perfect for anyone who wants to bring some more happiness into their life. Tabby helps critters such as a hamster who keeps running but never gets anywhere, a parrot who doesn't quite understand the art of conversation, and a dog who sits around waiting all day for something interesting to happen. But can Tabby help herself? This would be a great book for a graduation gift. Dr. Seuss's Oh the Places You'll Go is so yesterday.

Little Chicken's Big Day by Katie Davis and Jerry Davis

Looking for the perfect book to stick in that Easter basket? Here it is! I love this story, and the illustrations are so cute. My favorite thing is the catchphrase, "I hear you cluckin' Big Chicken!" I've been using that phrase since I heard it. It really comes in handy! Also, I've got serious book trailer envy. Check it out:

That's all for now. Have you read anything fantastic recently? Let me know in the comments. 

Writing to Think

I've been journaling since I was ten years old, and I think it's a big reason that I'm a writer and a sane person today. Really. It's the one piece of advice that I give to everyone: Keep a journal! Especially if you want to be a writer. But even if you don't. I honestly can't imagine getting through adolescence without writing about it all. How would I have figured anything out? For that matter, how would I figure anything out as an adult?

I write to think. I write to make sense of the world. To figure out a problem, a mood, a situation. When I first started journaling, I wrote about what I ate for lunch. I listed all the swear words I knew. I complained about my friends and my clarinet teacher and the unfair word on the spelling test. As I got older, I journaled about my dreams for the future. And boys. I journaled a lot about boys. I was always in love with someone who wasn't in love with me, but it was okay because I could write about all those desperate feelings, and somehow that made me feel not quite so desperate.

When you journal, you realize that whatever you're going through is temporary. You realize that you can get through it. That it will change. That there's something to learn from it. You get perspective, which is an incredible gift. And you give that gift to yourself. How easy!

Five years ago, when I had a snoopy preteen daughter in the house, I bought a little fire safe and put all my diaries in the safe. Three years ago, while we were away for spring break, burglars broke into our house and stole all our valuables, including the little fire safe. Yes, all my diaries disappeared. I was devastated at first. I would never be able to go back and re-read what I'd written. But you know what? I don't really do that anyway. I don't want to go back. I want to go forward. For me, it's the act of writing that matters. Because that's what helps me think.

Since the burglary, I've not kept a traditional journal. I've done it all online in a password protected document. But the document got too long and cumbersome, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to password protect a new file. But now I've found this awesome new website: www.penzu.com. It's an online journaling site, and it's free. It makes it so easy and fun to journal. And if you are just developing the habit, you can even sign up to get little reminders from them to journal on a regular basis. I highly recommend it!

Writing and Fear

At the writing retreat I attended in January, one of the speakers said that all not-writing is due to fear. We might make excuses about time or energy or the muse not visiting or writer's block or whatever. But really? If we're not writing it's because we're afraid.

I didn't write today. Or yesterday. Or the day before. This, after vowing to write every day for a minimum of 30 minutes since December 1st. When my son asked me if I had written yesterday, I told him no and gave him a great excuse about wanting to read instead and waiting to get feedback on a different manuscript and blah blah blah. He cut me off and said, "Mom, you have to blog about your failure." Love that kid.

So here I go.

I didn't write for the last three days because I'm afraid.

I'm afraid this first draft sucks. (The fact that it's supposed to suck because it's a first draft is not comforting to me. Sucking sucks.)

I'm afraid I will never be able to translate the idea in my head into the masterpiece I imagine it to be. (This fear makes sense. My idea is perfect in my head. Of course I won't be able to create a perfect book. But who cares? Maybe I can create a book that is good enough.)

I'm afraid someone else will write my book before me, and they'll do a better job than I could ever do. (Stupid fear... nobody can write my specific book except for me. That's why it's mine.)

I'm afraid that even if I write the best book, my agent won't be able to sell it.

I'm afraid that even if my agent sells it, my publisher won't promote it.

I'm afraid that even if my publisher promotes it, reviewers will pan it.

I'm afraid that even if reviewers love it, people won't buy it.

I'm afraid that even if people buy it and love it and and ask for more, I won't ever be able to deliver because it is such an impossible task, and each book is challenging in its own way, and writing one book well does not mean you know how to write another book. At. All.

So there you have it. I'm sitting with my fear. But I'm not so worried. It won't last. Sometimes I have to just succumb to the yucky, scary feelings for a little while. Acknowledging them helps them pass. Because hidden right underneath all these fears are dreams and confidence and faith. Writer's fuel. They won't stay hidden for long.

Dream-Revising vs. Actual-Revising

My last post was about how I'm taking all kinds of life detours while trying to write a first draft of a new novel, thus slowing my progress but making life pretty darn interesting. Here's proof that those life "detours" are time well spent:

My agent told me she thought I was on the right track with my revision, and she asked me if I could intensify one event and move it up in the timeline of the story. It was excellent advice, but I had no idea how to actually do it. The event happened because of all the things that led up to it. And because of the event, the story came to its natural conclusion. How was I supposed to move the event to the beginning or middle of the story?? I was stumped.

That night, I woke up at 3:30 with a headache, so I took my favorite headache medicine, Excedrin Migraine. (which, by the way, I was taking when I plotted the idea for my new ya novel. I swear, that stuff has some creative magic in it.) Anyway, as I was trying to fall back asleep, I was thinking about my agent's suggestion, and I was searching for the solution. Then, bam! It hit me. I don't have to actually move the event. I only have to move the impact of the event. In other words, my main character can be telling the story from that moment, as opposed to telling it all chronologically as the story unfolds. Where did this solution come from? E. Lockhart, the author who spoke at the fabulous retreat I attended! She calls it a "tent pole structure." It also comes from reading some books recently that use this technique. Would I have come up with this answer without those so-called distractions? I doubt it.

I spent the next four hours in bed, in and out of sleep, revising the book in my head. I even came up with a new title. The book was practically written, and my headache was gone!

The next day I went to a coffee shop to get to work. This would be a piece of cake. I mean, I had already done all the hard thinking-work last night in bed.

I opened my document, gave it my new title, and stared at the first paragraph. I love my first paragraph. It's just right. I spent forever crafting it. So the fact that it took me a full hour to have the guts to cut it shouldn't upset me. But it did. Why is dream-revising so much quicker and easier than actual-revising?

First drafts, revisions, publishing... it all takes longer than you want. (Case in point: I wrote my picture book The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine's Day Ever in 2002, sold it in 2007, and it will be out in 2013!!) But who really cares? Things take as long as they take. Why would I expect anything worthwhile to be quick and easy?

So... I hereby vow to stop focusing on how long things take and instead to put my energy into trying my best, learning each day, enjoying the creative process. It might be cliche, but it's true: We shouldn't count the days; we should make the days count.

How Not To Write a First Draft

I'm in the dreaded middle of the first draft of a new novel. And I'm doing everything wrong. So if you want to succeed as an author, feel free to learn from my mistakes:

1. When your agent contacts you about your manuscript that she's submitting (the one you thought you were finished with), DO NOT come up with the perfect way to revise it now.

2. And whatever you do, DO NOT start that revision, even if you think it will only take a week or two.

3. DO NOT go to an incredible writing retreat where you'll learn so much about writing that you'll realize everything you've written so far in your first draft is complete dreck.

4. DO NOT meet talented and personable authors at said writing retreat and then go home and check all their books out of the library.

5. And absolutely, positively, DO NOT start reading their books.

6. DO NOT go to another event where a funny author whom you admire talks about what makes humorous picture books work.

7. And definitely DO NOT get inspired to write a picture book now.

8. When your husband asks how the writing is going, DO NOT tell him the terrible horrible truth, unless you want him to back up in fear, hide the sharp objects, and keep his distance from you for the rest of the evening/week/month.

9. If a special holiday is coming up, like Valentine's Day for example, DO NOT spend time creating the perfect gifts and cards for everyone in your family. Even if it makes you happy.

10. In other words, if you want to finish a first draft of a novel, DO NOT let life interfere.

I'm serious.

Your family doesn't really need you.

And you don't really need to enrich yourself as a writer, or a reader, or even as a human being.

I'm telling you, if you let life interfere with that first draft, you will never finish. Ever.

Well, maybe you will finish eventually.

But it will take you a long time. Longer than you expected. Longer than you want. And it will be harder than you ever imagined. Because writing is hard. There are no shortcuts. There is nothing quick and easy about it. And because life is complicated and funny and tragic and beautiful and busy, and if you're living it right, it will impact everything you do.

But. If you stick with your manuscript and work on it a little bit every day, no matter how long it takes you, no matter how much life interferes, at some point, you'll finish that first draft.

And then?

You can revise.

Book Trailer Envy

Check out this awesome book trailer:


First of all, this was one of my favorite books of 2010. Second of all, this book trailer is just perfect. It's what all other book trailers should be. Not cheesy. Not long. Just very professional and totally the right tone for the book. This is the kind of trailer I'd love to create for all my future books.  If you haven't already read A Tale Dark and Grim, you should. (Thanks to Betsy Bird for the link!)

This trailer got me thinking, though. How much money should you spend to make a book trailer? Who actually watches them? How do you distribute them? Do they have any impact on sales? I don't know the answers to these questions, but I'm very curious. I'm even curious about whether or not you even like this trailer. Is it only me? If you have any thoughts on this topic, please feel free to comment.

Step Away From The Novel.

My editor once told me I should put a manuscript away for six months before trying to revise it. Was she crazy? Who has that kind of time? Who has that kind of patience? When I finish a first draft, I can't wait to start revising. Maybe I'll wait a weekend. Or a week if I've got a really great book to read and a huge to-do list to conquer. But I'll be itching to get to that revision. And I'll be calculating how quickly I can revise it and how fast my agent can sell it. I'll have a contract by fall, I think. Or winter. Or spring. Or summer. The book will be published in no time. I'll have to update my website and hope for good reviews and plan promotions and...

Wait a minute. It never ever goes that way. The publishing industry moves at a snail's pace. Agents take weeks to read your work. Editors take months to reject it. When you do finally get an offer, it takes years for the book to actually come out. This is the process. There is no fighting it. It can be incredibly frustrating, but recently I've discovered the positive side to this long, drawn-out journey: Objectivity.

Yes, my editor was right all along. (She is always right about everything, actually.) You need time away from a manuscript to see it clearly and to make it the best it can be. Case in point, my new middle grade novel that my agent and I really love. She's been submitting it for months, and editors have been rejecting it with the loveliest rejection letters I've ever received. I can blame the state of the industry all I want (and I do a little bit), but really, obviously, there's something wrong with the manuscript. Something I need to fix.

And guess what? Six months away from the story gave me the perspective I needed to see what needs to be done. It also gave my critique partners perspective, too. They gave me some perfect suggestions that I can't wait to use. So I'm diving back into revisions, even though my new young adult manuscript is quite a bit jealous that I'm leaving her for a while. Don't worry, I'll be back! Maybe even with some helpful objectivity.  

Jemma Hartman's Twin!

I've received lots of photos of Jemma Hartman Lookalikes, but this one for sure takes the cake!

Lauren from Tampa, Florida. What a cutie!

Lauren's teacher sent me this picture, and today I'm heading to the post office to send Lauren and all her classmates some excellent Jemma Hartman swag.

Today I'll also be cheering for my nephew in his school Geography Bee. (This is a kid who at age 3, in the backseat of the car, shouted, "The capital of Alabama!" as the car zoomed past a street sign that said Montgomery Drive.) In other exciting family news: We are celebrating my niece's Bat Mitzvah and another nephew's Bar Mitzvah this weekend! Too bad one is in Chicago while the other is in Detroit.
And too bad cloning is not an option.

Happy Weekend!

365 Day Challenge Update

I am proud to say I've now written every single day since December 1st.

Even when I was on a totally amazing Caribbean cruise with my family, I wrote.

The view from the balcony onboard The Adventure of the Seas

True, some days I only wrote for 30 minutes, and true, the writing wasn't all that great, but the important thing was that I kept on writing. I didn't interrupt my flow, and now I've reached page 100 of my work-in-progress. Quite an accomplishment considering it usually takes me six months to write that much. I got this far in a little over two!

I'm at about the halfway mark, which means I'm in that most dreaded part of first drafts: the middle. Why are middles so hard to write? I think it's because beginnings are full of promise and creativity. Anything goes. And you usually know your ending (generally speaking) before you begin, plus by the time you get to the end, you've got all this energy propelling you there. But middles are complicated. You have to follow the threads you started in your beginning. (Why did I make such a big deal about that minor character? Clearly he needs to come back into the story now. Hmm...) And you have to direct everything toward the end. Plus you have to keep the interest and the tension and the stakes high. It's a lot to think about.

At this point, I keep reminding myself I can fix everything in revision. I'm halfway there! I can totally do this. One of my favorite books when I was a child was The Little Engine That Could. (Between that and Free to Be You and Me, it's no wonder I ended up being the persistent optimist that I am!) So I'm thinking about that Little Blue Engine and chugging along, right up the mountain.

How's your 365 Day Challenge going?

A Jewish Christmas

I absolutely love being Jewish during the Christmas season. Especially when Hanukkah is nowhere near the 25th of December, like this year. I don't have any shopping to do. Or wrapping. Or cooking. Or baking. Or cleaning. Or preparing for family gatherings. I don't have to decide who will be stuck at the kids' table. Or what I will serve to the vegan. Or to the one on the low-fat diet. I get to enjoy Christmas music and Christmas lights and Christmas sales. I get to receive lovely holiday cards with photos of kids growing up, and I don't have to send any in return. I wonder if this is this what it feels like to be Christian during Rosh Hashanah and Passover. Hmmm... must ask some of my Christian friends when those holidays roll around.

When I was a kid, my across-the-street neighbors, who were Jewish, used to have a Christmas tree, and we used to go over to their house and help them trim it. I loved it, but I never wished for my own tree. It sort of seemed weird to me for Jews to do that. But whatever. It was fun. And at the summer camp I attended, the last big activity of the summer was always Christmas, complete with a huge tree, cookie decorating, face painting, and presents. My senior year of high school, I spent Christmas with my friend at her family's farm in Virginia. I got to spend time with her younger cousins who firmly believed in Santa Claus. I got to go to Christmas mass. (I must admit I was nervous about that. I remember saying a little prayer to God before I set foot in the church, just to let him know I was still Jewish and this was only me sharing a holiday celebration with my friend.) I also got to milk a cow, but that's sort of besides the point.

So you see, I haven't missed out on Christmas. And I have to say, I loved when my own kids believed in Santa, and they plotted to stay up all night and watch the house across the street (the one with the twinkling Christmas lights) to see Santa arrive. I loved it even more on Christmas morning when they swore they saw him on his sleigh. And I loved it the most when we had a perfectly lovely lazy day, going to the movies and eating Chinese food.

So whether you're Jewish or Christian, or something else entirely, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I hope your holiday season is filled with love and laughter, good health and good fortune. See you in 2011!

I hate waiting.

There. I've said it.

When I first started writing, I waited for the mail to come each day, hoping to find a magical acceptance letter hidden between the bills and magazines. I think my mail carrier might have been a little scared of me, the way I jumped out of my house everyday, the minute he came near.

Then, when I finally got published, I waited for reviewers to say nice things about my book. That waiting was even harder than the first kind. What if I stunk? Or what if I was a genius? Either way, my life would change dramatically. I became paralyzed with the anticipation. Waiting to see how my book would be received kept me from being able to focus on the important task at hand: writing my next book. Waiting was making me crazy.

After my first book got lovely reviews and even won a very nice award (and I determined I was neither genius nor stinky), I still had to wait. This time I was waiting to sell my second book. Then I waited for those reviews. And so on and so on and so on.

Yuck!

But, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to say that I have found the cure for waiting! It comes in two parts.

Part I: I understand that the level of success of my writing career is not going to change who I am. I'm a writer. I get crabby when I don't write. I like having stories and characters in my head. I like the challenge of finding the right words and putting them in the right order. I constantly strive to write better books and dream bigger dreams. That's just who I am. Intellectually, there's nothing to wait for because I'm doing the thing I love to do.

Part II: When the logical part of my brain (See Part I above) isn't working, I appeal to my emotional side by plugging into my competitive spirit. Instead of waiting, I race. Right now, my agent is trying to sell my third novel. I'm pretty sure this is the best thing I've ever written, and I'm really excited about it. But at the same time, the market is tougher than ever. My sweet coming-of-age story for tweens is going to have quite a struggle to find its home. It's the perfect breeding ground for waiting-itis. But as I've blogged about before, I'm writing a new book, one that is completely different from anything I've ever attempted before. So here's what I'm doing... I'm racing against my agent. My goal is to finish the first draft of my fourth novel before she sells my third. She thinks she's going to win. I think I will. Truth is, I win either way. But don't tell her that!

365 Day Challenge

There's a kid named Alex in my town who is an amazing runner. I see him sometimes when I'm walking my dog or driving around the neighborhood, and I recognize him from far away because his stride looks so effortless and fast and powerful. Last week, my son told me that it was a big day for Alex because he had run for 365 consecutive days. Every single day for a year! We live in the Chicago suburbs. Our summers are hot and humid. Our winters are blustery and frigid. Our springs and falls are wet and windy. Can you imagine a 15-year-old boy running every single day for a year in weather like that? With typical teen distractions available to him all the time? It's no wonder his stride is so beautiful. It's no wonder that as a sophomore he's already one of the best runners on the varsity cross country team. His running may look effortless, but it's an illusion. He is putting in 100% effort, working every day, bit by bit, getting better, stronger, faster.

And isn't that true of all great things? The more you dedicate yourself, the more work you put into the creation of something, the more effortless it appears in the end. I really admire Alex's dedication. And I figure if he could do it, I can too. (I'm not talking about running, mind you. I hate to run!)

So, inspired by Alex, I've created a 365 Day Challenge, and I invite you to join me.

Choose something that you love and that you want to dedicate yourself to for an entire year. Working out? Writing poetry? Learning an instrument? Knitting? Singing? Creating a new business? Painting? Meditating? Shooting freethrows? The possibilities are endless. Now get a calendar. And go. No excuses. Find the time every day. And let me know how much progress you make. I bet we'll all have amazing stories of success to share.

My 365 Day Challenge is to write fiction. I'm one of those authors who tries to write everyday but quite often finds excuses why I can't get to it. (It's the weekend, It's a holiday, I don't have enough time, I have a headache, etc.) Recently, however, I realized I can get a lot of writing done in a small amount of time. If I turn off the internet, set the timer on my phone for 35 minutes and tell myself I have to continually write until the alarm beeps, I'm amazed at how much I accomplish. And usually, I can find several 35-minute chunks of time on even the busiest days. Every day I write for at least one 35-minute chunk, I'll mark it on my calendar. So far I'm on Day 6. Only 359 days to go!

Are you in? Let me know in the comments.

After the Honeymoon

You may recall about a month ago I was going on about how much I loved my job. I had just come up with this amazing idea for a new book, and I had the feeling if you locked me in a room for a month, I could write the whole thing and it would be a bestseller.

That, my friends, is called the honeymoon. Your idea is all shiny and new, and you just can't get enough of it. But alas, every honeymoon must come to an end. And although you still may be in love, you aren't dying to be with it every moment of every day. Reality sets in, and you find that your idea is a regular idea, with good points and annoying points, and it demands the regular effort of writing and thinking and revising and writing some more.

Please don't feel bad for me. I'm okay with the honeymoon ending. I've got other things in life that I need to pay attention to anyway. (Hi kids. Hi husband. Hi house!) And it's not like I'm at the 7-year-itch yet or heading for divorce. We're still newlyweds, me and my Big Idea. I still love thinking about it and figuring out what it's all about. I'm still committed. I may not be writing with the passion and intensity that comes during the honeymoon, but I'm still writing.

So how long will this newlywed phase last? I will let you know!

What It's Really Like to Be an Author:

It's fun.

1. It's going to see other authors speak.
Last night I took my niece to see Lisa Yee speak at Vernon Area Library. Lisa is the hilarious author of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and lots of other great books. I love going to author presentations because I'm always looking to improve my writing and presenting skills. Why not learn from those who are doing it well?

Lisa introduced me to Peepy, and I introduced her to my latest addiction, Skinny Pop

2. It's making an impact in children's lives.
Today I visited a fifth grade classroom that had been reading Julia's Kitchen for read-aloud. I read them the final chapter and stayed to answer all their questions. The reception I received was so enthusiastic and energetic that I felt a bit like a celebrity. Have I mentioned lately that I love fifth graders??

Ms. Gordon's fifth graders and me

3. It's waiting to hear if your agent has sold your latest book.
Okay, maybe that's not always fun. There's definitely a dimension of anxiety with this one. These days publishers are not doing backflips when they see a middle-grade coming-of-age story cross their desks. But here's the thing... I only need one publisher to fall in love with my newest book. And it is kind of fun to imagine who that publisher will be. It's definitely fun to dream of a bright future for my manuscript!

4. It's developing new characters and stories.
I'm working on a new YA dystopian novel because I figured if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em, and besides, I had this absolutely amazing story idea fly into my brain a couple of weeks ago, and I decided not to talk myself out of writing it. I'd been speeding along, writing faster than I normally do, when my agent reminded me that it can't be all plot. There has to be a compelling character with a distinct voice. Oh yeah, that. So now I'm thinking about this character I'm creating. She's sort of like a paper doll at this point, and I need her to be more flesh and blood. So I'm doing things like journaling from her point of view and imagining all aspects of her life. It's totally fun to create a character. Slowing down to do this important character work will definitely pay off in the long run.

5. It's curling up with a good book.
Yes, reading is a huge part of being a writer. I learn so much from other authors. I often re-read fabulous books to see how the authors crafted their stories. Currently re-reading Feed by M.T. Anderson. If you haven't read that book at least once, you are missing out big time!

So there you have it. Writing may be hard. But let's not forget how much fun it is, too.

Full Steam Ahead

So the Big Idea I wrote about two weeks ago? It's still big and bright and beautiful! I've outlined the entire book and written two chapters of it. And the best news is that I brought the first chapter to critique group on Monday and received a very enthusiastic response. One of my critique buddies actually predicted my agent will pee in her pants when she reads it. :-)

I don't know about that, but I am loving developing this story. Lots of writers are doing NaNoWriMo this month (where you try to write an entire novel in one month). I know I can't do that. I'm just not comfortable enough with writing so much crap, and believe me, if I tried to write a novel in a month, that's exactly what it would be. But I am trying to write A LOT. If I can write 100 pages by Thanksgiving, I'll be thrilled. Heck, if I can write 50 pages by Thanksgiving, I'll be thrilled.

Meanwhile, here is my new favorite song. Enjoy:

The Big Idea

I seriously love my job. Love it! I don't care about all the yucky parts of being an author right now. All I care about is that my mind has been exploding with imagination lately. On Sunday as I was driving home from Michigan, a question popped into my head. It was a big question, prompted from playing "Would You Rather" with my kids as well as thoughts about my good friend who is about to undergo a bone marrow transplant. I can't tell you what the question was, but I promise you it was a Big Question. I immediately began pondering the answer to the question, and I discovered the answer sounded a lot like a book. A book that hasn't yet been written. A book that I want to write. That I need to write.

I floated my question and a bit of my answer to my husband and sons, and they were fascinated. You must understand that my husband and sons are not the least bit fascinated by the stories I normally ponder. And I don't blame them. How many males do you know who care about coming-of-age stories for girls?? But this story caught their imagination. And for the last few days I've been working out the details and discussing some of the problems with them, and instead of losing steam as the story unfolds, instead of coming up against a big Oh-That-Won't-Work or That's-So-Stupid moment, the story is getting bigger and better and more complicated in a really exciting way.

I feel so energized by this idea right now that I can imagine locking myself in a room for the next month and writing the whole book. It feels like it will flow right out of me. I have no idea how long this positive energetic feeling will last. But for now, I seriously love my job!

"The Great American Novel"

Today in the Chicago Tribune, Mary Schmich writes this about Jonathan Franzen's new book, Freedom:
"We live now in an age of thrillers, romances, and sci-fi. A novel that comes without a murder, a mystery, a vampire or sexy romance is likely to take the shortcut to the remainder table. As a result, few writers attempt the Great American Novel. The prospect that one might finally have arrived, to reflect back to us the details and deep truths about the moment we live in, is exciting."

I have no delusions that I will ever write the Great American Novel. I leave that up to the Jonathan Franzens of the world. But I do write realistic fiction for tweens. Coming-of-age stories. Books that mine the extraordinary in the ordinary. And lately I've wondered if that is enough. It's harder than ever for a novel to break out unless it's a fantasy or a dystopian or a very high concept.

But of course, everything runs in cycles. Could Freedom be the book that helps turn the tide back to realistic fiction? Aren't kids today just as eager to find themselves in a book as I was when I was growing up? Yes, there's a place for wizards and zombies and even vampires, but I don't think we'll ever stop needing real situations and real characters who make us laugh and cry and see the world and ourselves in a new light.

What Does Forgiveness Look Like?

Sometimes forgiveness is easy. You say, "I'm sorry." You kiss and make up. Or maybe you just hug.

But sometimes it's more complicated. Sometimes you realize a relationship will never be mended. You're hurt and angry, and you simply move on. There's no closure. There's no kissing and making up. There's only an echo of hard feelings and the fear that you will run into the offender(s) someday and won't know what to do. Should you say hello? Should you pretend not to notice them? Should you give them a piece of your mind and maybe a slap across the face? Or should you go overboard showing them how much better off you are now?

Of course none of those choices are good because they all give too much weight to the relationship that is supposed to be over. If you can't forgive, you will always have to fear those awkward occasions, and you will always carry that weight. But what if forgiveness looks different? What if it's not about sorry and making up? What if it looks like this:

The realization that the past has made you who you are today.
The belief that you like the person you've become.
The recognition that the person or people who hurt you did the best they could at that time in their lives.

I've struggled to forgive some people in my community. But I was picturing the easy kind of kiss-and-make-up forgiveness. I imagined calling them or bumping into them in the grocery store and saying, "Hey, I forgive you. Everything is great now. It all worked out for the best." I never did that because honestly, I never wanted to kiss and make up, and also they've never asked for my forgiveness. I really am better off without these particular people in my life. Yet the awkwardness and the weight of the past has persisted.

I realize now that forgiveness isn't about making up. I don't need to say anything at all. But I do forgive them. Just knowing this makes me feel lighter already.

When Pilates and Judaism Come Together

Happy New Year everyone! I have to say, one of the best things about being Jewish (besides the brisket) is that we celebrate our New Year in September, which for me has always seemed more appropriate than in January. You start school; you start a new year. It's simple.

This Rosh Hashanah was really new for me because I switched synagogues. My entire life, I've gone to Conservative synagogues, but this year I joined a Reform temple. There are lots of differences between Conservative and Reform services, and I wasn't sure I would like them all. I was afraid there wouldn't be enough Hebrew and that I would miss my favorite traditional tunes. Plus I felt sad leaving the many wonderful people I knew from my synagogue. It had been a comfortable place. I knew exactly what to expect there. But lately, it felt as if I were going through the motions, not feeling inspired or uplifted. I knew it was time to try something new.

My new temple is led by Rabbi Karyn Kedar. And clearly, if I was looking for inspiration, I've come to the right place. Rabbi Kedar writes books, she blogs, and she speaks in a powerful yet humble way. I know I will learn so much from her. The first blog entry I read from her was about her practice of thinking of a word prior to the start of the New Year, and dedicated herself to the full understanding of that word. Her word this year is humility. I loved this idea, and I spent several days thinking about what word I would want to bring so powerfully into my life.

Patience. Creativity. Humility. Excellence. Love. These words danced in my brain, all of them holding some kind of draw but none of them feeling exactly right. Then I went to my weekly Pilates class, taught by my beautiful and talented friend, Julie Cheifetz. As always, Julie reminded us that Pilates is not about the movement but rather about the stabilization of your core when the movement happens. And that's when I realized I'd found the perfect word: Stability.

Although I am not an extremely moody person or really that unstable in general, I hate when I let external factors impact the person I ideally want to be. So this year, I will focus on stability in every circumstance.

I got some practice this week when taking my daughter, Faith, to school in Connecticut. I am severely directionally-challenged, and even with a GPS device in my rented car, I was still feeling that tense anxiety of driving on unfamiliar roads. Then there was the added stressor of construction traffic making me late for the birthday dinner I was hosting for my daughter and her friends. I felt my body and mind begin to stress, so I reminded myself to stabilize my core. I actually tightened my stomach muscles, breathed deeply, and instantly felt better able to handle wrong turns, traffic, and the idea that I would most definitely be late. At a red light, I texted Faith to let her know the situation. She texted back, "ok." It wasn't a big deal after all.

I intend to fully explore the idea of stability this year. If this practice sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to think about a word to focus on, too. Leave your word in the comments. You don't need to be Jewish to play along!

How To Succeed as an Author (or anything!)

Success is a slippery thing to define. I have friends and family who think I'm a success because I've had my books published. And sometimes I do feel like a success. After all, becoming a children's book author is the fulfillment of a dream I've had since I was a kid. But there's always something new to reach for... that breakout novel, that big award, that huge advance. Maybe I'll truly feel like a success then. Or maybe not. Maybe success should not be defined by arrival, but rather by the journey itself. After all, we have control over how we conduct ourselves on our journey, so shouldn't that be the focus?

I often get approached by people who are at the beginning stages of their writing life. They want to know how to get published. They want the secrets of success. I am always happy to talk to these people and share the knowledge I've gained so far. My aim is to be encouraging and informative. But it never fails that after our coffee or email, I feel like I inadvertantly discouraged them with the truth. Writing books is really hard. Getting published is even harder. There are no shortcuts. My basic message is this: In order to get published, you have to write the best book ever. It's not who you know. It's what you do. Write. Revise. Revise some more.

I came across this fantastic 3-minute talk on TED.com by Richard St. John about what leads to success. The principles here can be applied to any endeavor. Everyone should watch this, no matter what your dreams and goals are. Take a look, and then I'll show you how it fits with writing/publishing...



1. Passion: If you LOVE reading and writing children's books, you are off to a great start. If you haven't read any children's books since you were a child, you are loving a memory, and that's not the same thing. Go to the library and read as many current, award-winning and best-selling children's books as you can. Still love children's literature? Still feel passionate about writing it? Then get started!

2. Work: Put your butt in the chair and write every day (or as often as possible). Don't wait for inspiration to strike. You have to write a book before you can sell it. Don't talk about writing it. Write it. It's hard, but it's fun. It's make-believe. It's play. It's creating something tangible from an abstract idea. I often imagine I'm reading while I'm writing, literally turning the pages of a book in my mind, seeing what comes next. So I tap into that pure joy of reading while I'm working.

3. Good: You have to practice to get better at anything. Writing is no different. Keep reading great books and study what makes them great. Take classes and workshops to learn how to improve your craft. And revise! Your first few drafts will be terrible. You need to revise a lot to make your manuscript good enough for publication.

4. Focus: You will have many distractions to fight against if you want to write children's books. If you have a day job, you'll have to find some early morning or late night hours to dedicate to writing. If you are a stay-at-home mom, people might assume you have all the time in the world, so they'll ask you to volunteer here and there, or to have lunch or coffee on this day and that. Be careful to only say yes to things you really want to do. Don't say yes out of guilt. Call yourself a writer. Set regular writing hours. Make it a priority. Turn off the internet. When I started out, I only had two hours a week to write. But at least it was something. If I had thought that wasn't enough, I might have never gone for it. Now I have at least two hours a day.

5. Push: It is very challenging to finish writing and revising an entire book. You will think it's terrible at many times in the process. You will want to give up. That is one reason you need to be part of a supportive community. Join SCBWI and get involved. We children's writers are friendly, helpful people! Form a critique group of like-minded people. They will help you improve your writing and give you emotional support as well. And you'll make lifelong friends!

6. Serve: Think about your audience. What is your book going to do for kids? What will you be giving them? Create a mission statement for what you wish to accomplish. Tape your statement up next to your computer, and remember why you've set out on this journey. My mission is, "I am writing stories that will touch children's hearts and souls and make them see the world and themselves in a new light." What's yours?

7. Ideas: This is really the heart and soul of being an author. No matter how good your writing is, you need to have a fantastic idea. So think. Daydream. Observe. Question. Stimulate your creativity. Think outside the box. Have fun.

8. Persist: Ah... he saved the best for last. Or maybe it's the hardest. Persistence truly is key in this profession. Chances are you won't find instant success. You will have to deal with lots of rejection and discouraging days, even after you've gotten published. But remember this: Nobody has the power to make you give up. Believe in yourself. Make it happen.

The truth is, becoming a successful children's book author takes all of the above plus timing and luck and a little magic. I choose to focus on what I can control. I can create a successful journey, one day at a time, by my own doing. And so can you.