Wit, Words, and Joie de Vivre

Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate it and a have a happy and healthy New Year! May 2010 bring wonderful things!

I was awarded four different blog awards by lazy_iris. Wow! I’ve never been awarded anything – online, anyway. ;-)




I’m giving these awards to the following girls: Erin (stretch), Bree (saramiskismet), Steph (stephwooten), Jessica (jessica_shea), Kristin (kristin_briana), Beti (jacobella41), Victoria (veschwab), and Cait (caitlinsici) because they inspire me, make me laugh and are encouraging. Oh, and it’s the giving season so why not. ;-)

The Kreativ Blogger award comes with the rule you have to tell 7 things about yourself.

( Read more... )

Besides getting these awards, I also have been doing a lot of reading. My winter break goal was to read THE LINE by Teri Hall (already done!), the Mortal Instruments series (I’m on book 2) and two Jane Austen novels (PERSUASION and NORTHANGER ABBEY). I am really enjoying The Mortal Instruments series; they are easy reads and full of action. I also like the fact they take place in NYC, which is not far from my childhood home, so many of the places are familiar to me.

I also saw some movies this week. The Young Victoria is only playing in limited theatres and I really enjoyed it. Oh my goodness, the pretty! The costumes were lovely and I rather enjoyed the romance as well. I have to admit I know next to nothing about Queen Victoria and the time period and what went on politically and I wish that they had really talked more about that in the movie (especially the politics). I guess I’ll just have to research! I also saw Avatar, and had rather crummy seats so I am the only person in the entire world who said “meh” and is going again! LOL! I am hoping this time I will have better seats (NOT 4 rows from the screen) and that I will be able to see the awesome 3D effects and enjoy the movie a lot more.

In the writing world, TRK has come to a stop. I tried writing the other day, but writing even two measly sentences was like pulling teeth. It was so hard! I am going to try again this weekend because I would LOVE to finish this story/thing by New Years or at least the first two weeks of January. Or well, I’d love to finish it in general!! My WIP sings to me like a siren and even has a theme song and a first sentence. Ugh! I hate when stories conflict with each other. Boo!

Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday and a happy New Year! Until January, I bid you adieu! :-)

xoxo

I have to say, I've never quite understood the appeal of Harry & David.  It's food.  And you can have it mailed to people.  And it's just kind of... weird.  Actually, the chocolate and bakery items I can understand.  Those are special treats.  But fruit.  Why?  I mean, sure, it's always nice to have some fresh fruit around.  But don't people just buy that stuff at the grocery store themselves?

In the past few years, I've had a few pieces of fruit from Harry & David gifts that have been mailed to our department in December:  some hard-as-rocks pear that I should have waited a week or more before eating, an orange.  Whatever.  

This year the gift-givers made a mistake and had the fruit sent to the clinic instead of the office.  There was no way to get the fruit downtown in time for anyone in our department to enjoy (everyone's taking off most of this week and next week).  So, I passed some around for our program participants, gave a small box to the custodian lady, and put together larger boxes for the health educator who taught last night and for me.

My hopes were not high, but hey!  Free fruit, right?  

I have to say, though, the Red Delicious apple I ate last night was actually red and delicious.  And the Texas grapefruit I had just now was the best grapefruit I've ever tasted in my life.  I'm not sure how or why this is possible, but wow!  I'm not sure I want to eat another grapefruit ever again because it just won't compare.

Just wanted to plug my Holiday Giving Challenge post. For every unique comment I get there by tomorrow night, I'll donate $1 to a great cause, so please click through and make me donate. I'm really enjoying the comments; I think it's a fun way to make holiday giving a social. :-)

I am having a neil gaiman type chirstmas. four of his books are wrapped up downstairs with a 'M' on them.
my mum didn't even know he wrote coraline until yesterday when i was helping her wrap one of the books with my eyes shut for moment.

anyways, i hope you all have a wonderful and magical Christmas. mine has filled with loads tim burton flims. which is sweet! i love you lj-friends and the snow and other stuff.

Two little Starlings
in an atypical moment of rest.


Two busy Starlings
flapping near suet feeder
while one little Starling
and one regal Flicker
observe.


Three little Starlings:
one calm,
one in motion,
and one calling dibs on feeder.


(Photos one and two by Zippy)
         

http://gottabook.blogspot.com/2009/12/poetry-redux-adam-rexs-flight-before.html

It seems mighty appropriate today to re-link to The Flight Before Christmas, Adam Rex's contribution to 30 Poets/30 Days. Adam writes and illustrates brilliant books, I must say, and I hope this poem ends up being part of one. Here's a tease and a link for you....

The Flight Before Christmas
by Adam Rex

'Tis the flight before Christmas. Our aircraft today
is a Boeing C-25 JingleBus sleigh.
At this time I would like to say "welcome aboard"
and please ask for all luggage and toys to be stored
in the space by your feet or the overhead sack.
Use caution untying the sack when you pack
as the toys may have shifted about during flight.
Santa gets a bit…

Please click here to see the whole poem. And enjoy!

To all those who celebrate:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!



and in ASL:



Love and best wishes to all & to all, a good night!

Since we are heading to California early Christmas morn, we had ours this morning (according to German custom, Christmas Eve is the time for opening presents and with the time zone difference, it worked out).

Reflections on the end of a decade:

Almost 10 years ago, I started a job as, a high-paying executive at an interactive new media agency. The idea of being a novelist, of writing for teens, of living in Florida with a wife and kid-- none of that was even a grain of thought in my head at the time. A lot can happen in a decade.

 

I had been a visual artist before that: a painter, a filmmaker, an animator, but mostly a new media producer. On a whim, during a break in between jobs, I had started making these little illustrated books for fun. In Christmas, 1999, I wanted to see if I had the chops to become an illustrator. I made a flyer, and sent it out to all the big publishers. By mid January, I was working my new job when I got a call from Scholastic asking if I wanted to illustrate an easy reader. A door opened into the world of children’s books.

 

3 years later, I was married with child. I was burnt out after 10 years in the new media scene. My wife got a job offer at the University in Tampa. It was cheaper to live there. I could quit my job. I could try to make picture books for real. I had several books sold or in development. We left LA and started anew.

 

2 years after that, after a series of frustrating delays on my illustrated books, I started writing darker more serious things like I had done back when I was a filmmaker. One thing lead to another and before I knew it, I was writing teen fiction. I am finishing my fifth book as a writer now.

 

Who knows what the next decade will bring? I’ve long given up trying to guess….

Taking a break from revisions, not from coffee and stories and friends.



Happy holidays from Idaho!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas!

Here's a little something for you if you have some time to watch over the holidays. The Tenners have put togethere their first book trailer, including many of the new releases for early 2010.

Enjoy!

Just wanted to take the time to send out much love to all those that supported Shrinking Violet this year! I certainly couldn't have done it with out you guys.
I'm talking, authors, bloggers, librarians, teachers, booksellers, readers, jugglers, you name it!
I have also been fortunate to have met so many lovely and talented authors through The Debs, www.feastofawesome.com, Class of 2K9, www.classof2k9.com and my fellow MTV peeps at mtvbooks.blogspot.com/

I wish everyone a very happy holiday season and I will be back with New Year's resolutions!

These are embarrassing moments from my supposedly adult life.

When I went to visit grad schools during my "senior" year of college, I had pretty much already made up my mind that I wanted to go to Princeton. But they didn't know that and what they also didn't know was that, in fact, I did not get accepted at any of the other grad schools that I had applied to. Yale was a no. Stanford was a waiting list. This made no sense of to me since at the time Princeton had the #1 German program in the country. But I didn't care.

I was so excited to visit the campus, meet some of the students, and most of all to meet the professors. One of them was a white-haired man, not much taller than I was, whose office was under the eaves of the top floor of the building. It was a cozy, quaint place and he spoke with a rather odd accent that I couldn't place, half Brooklyn, half British. He asked me about my interests. I told him I loved women writers and poetry and Goethe, which at the time was true. Then he asked me what interested me most about Princeton. I giggled.

Yes, I giggled.

I was nineteen at the time, and I giggled when I was nervous.

I don't remember if I tried to say anything else coherent. I only remember that he stopped asking me questions about my background and asked me instead how old I was. I told him the truth and he was surprised, to say the least. I said I thought that my age was one of the reasons that Princeton had accepted me. After all, I only had two years on my transcripts. Surely no one could have missed that.

He apparently had not been on the search committee and finally said something about perhaps if I stayed a few extra years I would get the maturity I needed. He said that I was very "cheerful." I went away wondering if they would take away my acceptance, but they didn't. It was many years before I stopped giggling in nervousness. Mostly, I tried to avoid interview situations like that.

I'd planned to post a review today, but I just didn't feel like writing one. I did feel like making a great big list, though, so I figured I'd give y'all a peak at my Long List for 2009.

Last year's Long List was on the short side and contained many books that wouldn't normally have made it on, but this one's massive. 2009 kicked 2008's scrawny little ass, my friends. I read many wonderful 4-star books (not all of which appear here, as not all are best-of-the-best material), tons of 4.5-star books, and a few precious 5-star books. I am a happy reader indeed.

So here it is: my 2009 Long List. The books appear in the order I read them, and you can click on the book's title to read my review. Remember, I don't include rereads in these sorts of lists, and I don't confine myself to material published in 2009. If I read it for the first time this year, it's fair game. Also, this is very much a Long List. I'll post about my Top 5 for 2009 a little closer to the end of the year.

The Angel of Darkness by Caleb Carr
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Carnival by Elizabeth Bear
Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
Corambis by Sarah Monette
V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop
Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop
Dreams Made Flesh by Anne Bishop
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey
Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Hammered by Elizabeth Bear
Scardown by Elizabeth Bear
The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Dramacon, vols. 1, 2 and 3 by Svetlana Chmkakova
The Angel's Cut by Elizabeth Knox
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

That's a pretty conservative list, too. I reigned myself in BIG TIME.

I shan't do a formal contest, because I don't want to step on Nymeth's toes, but: any guesses on which books will make my Top 5? And have you decided which books warrant the top spots on your Best of 2009 list?

Right now Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is playing in the background (on YouTube!), and poor Cookie Monster keeps accidentally losing the plot of all his letters to Santa. Meanwhile, Patrick is taking down the baby gate that we've used to protect our Christmas tree from eager toddler fingers this past week. All of MrD's presents are wrapped, along with most of the presents for other relatives, but Patrick and I are waiting until tonight to wrap each other's presents, because that's part of the fun.

We've still got snow on the ground, and I'm crossing all my fingers and toes that it'll stay at least another 30 hours. We went out this morning and bought ingredients for pancakes for Christmas breakfast. It's almost time.

Merry Christmas to everybody who celebrates it, and I hope everybody has a warm, relaxing day tomorrow whether you celebrate it as a holiday or just a winter day off work. :)

There's been a lot of great books this year! Great books motivate me to write better. I remember one rejection I received this year about how my own writing wasn't 'sparkling' enough. After I read some of the books I have listed, I found out what that person meant. Setting is very much a character too. Each of the books I have mentioned have more than sparkle. Heck, they glow with an intense light that sears through you, wanting you to read more! Now that's what I want my writing to be like!


Here's my top 10 picks of 2009.

1. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stol



Ohmigosh! This has it all: lush Southern background, boy who wants to get out of small town until he meets girl, who's different with a paranormal ability. Add rumors of ghosts and a final showdown that will keep you wanting more!

2. SHIVER by Maggie Steifvater



Another Ohmigosh book! The writing is so yummy, you'd think you were drinking a cup of hot cocoa topped with thick whip cream. Just like the cocoa, you don't want to rush through this bittersweet love story but savor every page. My favorite scene has to be the candy house. Steifvater uses all the senses to bring her story to life. Can't wait for the next book!

3. MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore




Loved this fantasy tale of a girl who falls in love with an automaton that's cursed. Another case of lush and vivid writing. You won't want to rush through this story either!
**Can you see what one thing really makes me 'fall in love' with a book?

4. BLEEDING VIOLET by Dia Reeves




This paranormal tale has a unique twist and doesn't follow the others in this market. The character suffers from mental illness but in this case that helps her when she goes to a small Texas town in search of the birthmother who left her.

5. ONCE WAS LOST by Sara Zarr




I admit, I almost put this book aside but after some urgings from another blogger I went back and was I glad I did! This has to be Zarr's best book. Her descriptions of a teen struggling with her faith in right on. The beauty of this book is it doesn't dwell on just the negative but ends with hope.

6. BLUE PLATE SPECIAL by Michelle Kwasney


This free verse tale goes over the lives of three generations that are interlinked. I really loved how the author was able to do this. I cared about each character.

7. THE CHOSEN ONE by Carol Lynch Williams



I really loved this tale of a thirteen-year-old who finds out she's suppose to become the eighth wife of her elderly cousin. Intense at times and very gripping. The author does a great job showing us a world that exists right here with a character who's courage to break free from the harsh rules expected of her will haunt you.

8. SILVER PHOENIX by Cindy Pon


I love multicultural tales and SILVER PHOENIX is no exception. This fantasy sweeps you along and refuses to let you go. The images are vivid. I love how Pon combined a fantasy world with Chinese mythology. Beautifully written.

9a. SAY THE WORD by Jeannine Garsee




I love how Garsee shows a teen struggling with emotions right after her gay mother dies. I remember reading this book either right before or during the whole Prop 8 thing in Ca that dealt with gay marriages. Garsee shows us a character we care for and the unfairness that happens after her mother's death to those she loved.

9b. THE FOREST OF HANDS AND FEET by Carrie Ryan


This isn't the usual zombie tale! I loved how Ryan created a futuristic world with a story that is both haunting and moving.

What are some of your favorites?

In January and February, I was finishing up my how-to draw book, Draw Furries - How to Create Anthropomorphic and Fantasy Animals (more info). I started experimenting with coloring over pencil lines (as opposed to inked) in Draw Furries. I thought it wouldn't work because I'd tried it in the past and it looked sloppy (for example, pencil illo from 2006), but as it turns out, that's just because the pencil lines were sloppy. My line art is much cleaner and refined now, so adding colors works fine (and suits me because I enjoy penciling a lot more than inking).

In March, I began working on my children's illustration portfolio, which I continued to work on till August.

In April through June, I worked on two chapters of Domo: The Manga for Tokyopop. With it came an opportunity to try my hand at color comics, something I had been thinking about doing for a while. I really like the results. I still love black-and-white comics, but I don't think one should limit themselves to black-and-white if color makes sense for the project.

I started doing 1-hour speed paints in June, around the time I started the Boy and Gator illustration series, when I realized that I didn't have a good technique for painting trees, and as a result the background in this image was taking me much longer than it should. Since then, I've tried to do that daily speed paints, when time allows, and have practiced everything from water reflections to realistic portraits of dogs.

In July, not pictured here, I did some Sonic the Hedgehog "Off Panel" comic strips for Archie. That was a blast from the past for me, as I spent a lot of my teenage years with my cousin making little Sonic fan comics. I think the strips are currently running in the back of the Sonic the Hedgehog comics, up through issue 208.

In September through November, I turned my focus onto a new comic project, and started doing a lot of research and development for it. Writing, sketching, character designs, etc. Because of this, the only color work I did was in the form of 1-hour speed paintings. November's speed paint is a Christmas gift for my aunt.

Finally, in December, I finished my promotional poster illustration for The Last of the Polar Bears - the new graphic novel I'd been developing the last three months, and will be continuing to work on in 2010.

Here's links to the illustrations featured in the 2009 Summary of Art:

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Blank 2009 Art Summary MEME comes from: http://audreydutroux.deviantart.com/art/MEME-2009-Summary-blank-147170285

Merry Christmas!!

Joshua Henkin, in the September issue of Writer's Digest, offered a wonderfully simple way to visualize the balance of showing & telling in your manuscript. Highlight every sentence that could be filmed (as if for a movie) in one color and highlight every sentence that could not be filmed in another. Ideally, you should have a good balance of both colors. Henkin goes on to point out that a story with no telling is just as flawed as a story that is all telling.

I confess that, while I appreciate stories that do both well, adept telling is what often wins me over. Take this passage from Sara Lewis Holmes' middle-grade novel OPERATION YES. Bo Whaley, the son of a base commander in the Air Force, is thinking about what it is like to spend his childhood moving from home to home:



Now that is good telling!

This balance has been on my mind a lot lately as I read and revise my funny boy MG. Showing reads very quickly; telling more slowly. If your pace feels off, this is definitely an area to look at. Same thing if your editor or critique partner is writing "What is she feeling?" in the margins of your manuscript.

[edited to add: I just came across Richie Partington's review of OPERATION YES and he quotes the same passage, which proves the point: Good telling...is telling.]