Nattering

Writing Process Tag

Memes Upon Memes, Nattering, Write Talk / By /

I'm doing something I hardly ever do here, a blog tour post–but it's an interesting twist on the concept. It's not a blog tour, per se, it's a tour of the same questions to the blogs of various writers.

So, when my former VCFA classmate Anindita Basu Sempere ("We Survived Tim Wynne-Jones"–our T-shirts would read, since we shared him as an advisor the same semester; Tim is an amazing teacher and mentor, and a tough one!) asked if I was game to be tagged, I said yes. Anindita is a wonderful writer–I think back to her graduate reading and have chills. I can't wait until we can all read her books. You can read her process post and see what delicious things she's working on here.

And now I will answer the questions, with apologies for caginess, because I can't say toooo much about the projects I'm actively working on at the moment (I don't want to spook them). But I do so love process talk, so here goes.

1.     What am I working on?

Usually I'm only working on one thing actively, with some other things either in stages that are further along and which I might be waiting to get edits or copyedits or notes on, because I've always found it difficult to shift focus from one book to another on a daily basis. When I'm working on a book, I tend to be working on it pretty much whenever my brain has downtime, even if I'm not sitting at my keyboard. I try as best I can to hold the entire book in my mind, turning it this way and that, until new things come into view–usually for the next scene(s) or chapters, but sometimes further ahead. The ability to be IN whatever project I need to be in has always been relatively easy for me, but it has also tended to be one at a time.

But at the moment I'm attempting to work on two things at once, which is going okay so far, probably because they're at different stages. One is a collaborative middle grade fantasy novel I'm writing with my husband, which features all sorts of intricate setting details and unique characters and a chef's kid with a secret even he doesn't know. We wrote the first draft last year and are now revising and rethinking and generally embiggening and embettering it, and so that's taking the most time and attention. It's also different because this is our first collaboration, and learning how to revise together is the same kind of new endeavor that learning to write together was. But we're figuring it out and it's fun even when it's hard and we're stuck on something. We surprise each other, live the "two heads are better than one" principle for thorny plot or character or worldbuilding issues, and are constantly brainstorming and talking things out. We change our larger outline as we go, shifting as it needs to be, and discuss in depth each coming chapter, then alternate who writes, with both of us adding to the revision each day. (For the real nerds: while we wrote the first draft in Google Drive, now we're using Scrivener, with Dropbox syncing–the only hassle is just one of us can have the file open at a time; my kingdom for the functionality of Scrivener with the collab-syncing capacity of Drive).

The other project I'm working on is a YA twisted take on a fairy tale (of sorts), about which I can't say much, because it's just being born and I haven't even told my agent anything much except that yet (*waves to agent*), but also because it's a big twisty dark mystery too. I'm waiting until I have enough pages to show her. Of things I can say about it–hmm, there will be a strange city, and teens who live beneath it, rumors of magic, a glimpse of the contemporary art scene, and some thievery. Best to keep its secrets for now. Process-wise, I'm refining my outline and adding words to first few chapters when I have time. Drafting is always the hardest stage for me. I much prefer revising. But you can't do one without the other.

(I am so sorry that is SO long with so little description of the what. Annoying fact of writing life is that sometimes you can't say much.)

2.     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

 This one's even tougher to answer, I think. But, if pressed, I'd say the revision of the middle grade is pushing it even more into our own personal tandem weird zone, while also trying to keep it inviting. And likewise for the new solo book of mine; it's maybe a little different because while I love *some* fairy tale retellings, I'm super-picky about them. And this one is as much an inversion or subversion as a retelling. So. And it's as much realistic as fantasy. Like my book that comes out this fall, I find myself more inclined lately to treat magic in my YA stuff in a slightly less traditional fantasy way, more as a question that may or may not exist until the characters know if it does or not.

I hope it doesn't sound like I know what I'm doing. 😉 I just try to follow what feels right for the story. And then revise, rinse, repeat.

3.     Why do I write what I do?

 I hope because these are stories that only I can tell, that come from the idiosyncratic nature of everything I  live and read and watch and listen to and am interested in and am. But also that other people can step into them too. (And for the collab, the same, but for both of us. Part of the fun of that project is trying to delight each other; the revision is mostly about doing the best we can to make sure it delights others too.) (Okay, so that probably applies to my solo stuff as well.)

4.     How does your writing process work?

Routine! If I'm not getting enough done, I fall right back on my routine. Which, for me, most days, means my best hours are right after I get up. The absolute best is if I can forgo looking at the Internet–no email, no twitter–until after I have done a couple of hours of morning writing or revising. Walks during the day are spent trying to solve story in my brain, and then dog walks at night are for talking out problems with Christopher (whether it's on our collaboration or our solo stuff). I also try to write at lunch, and more in the evening if necessary. I could revise round the clock, if it wasn't a) not workable at the moment with my schedule and b) probably unhealthy. I always try to take evenings off, but when it's my writing time, I'm writing, nothing else. So long as I'm meeting my daily goals, whatever they happen to be, I cut myself some slack.

This is probably the most important thing I've learned as a writer, and I know that endless or deadline crunch round-the-clock style works for some people (just not me). But I used to spend way too much time thinking I could and should be working even more, that there was always something else I could be doing to further a project, every second. Now, I do what I intend for that day, and then I feel no guilt for anything else. If I'm getting behind on email, I don't feel guilty, so long as I'm answering urgent things and getting my writing done. Etc. I have to have hours off to watch TV or read or just be lazy or I am not going to do good work or have a life that works. I need the time away, the outside stimulus–and I have a lot of other work I have to do too. So, I try to catch up on the other stuff in between projects, or once a week (or two) for email. But my operative philosophy is: following routine = check, then guilt = no. It's made all the difference.

I could talk about outlining and things, but I've already written, ahem, a book here, so I will instead tag the next victims! Who will post next Monday on their own sites. These just happen to be two authors I think you should be paying attention to. (Theirs are the only two books I've blurbed so far, actually. I did not do blurbs while I was still reviewing for Locus–it just didn't feel right.)

– Jackie Dolamore (well, Jaclyn, to be precise and fancy). Jackie's next book is Dark Metropolis, which I thought was a wonderfully executed dark fantasy where society itself is hiding a terrible secret. Months later, I still think about the characters and the world.

– Whitney Miller. Whitney's first novel The Violet Hour is a gripping supernatural thriller with some of my favorite things: a cult, a global conspiracy, creepiness galore, and a smart heroine. I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

I can't wait to see their answers.

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Rebel With A Pink Bike + Links

Adventures, Nattering / By /

How is it already Thursday? How is it already mid-March?

Been trying to get back into my 6 a.m. drafting/revising groove, and have done so successfully… But I had forgotten how sleepy I get during the day at first. So I'm probably yawning right now as you're reading this, no matter when it is. And if I'm not, it's because I resorted to extra coffee.

I also have an exciting afternoon on the way which involves getting a filling replaced at the dentist (ready to hum my favorite dentist song as always–thoughts of Steve Martin are the only pleasant thing about going). The tooth in question is one of my front bottom ones, and broke cleanly in half and went through my lip a bit below my mouth when I was in fourth grade. It was a very exciting day, and I remember it well, because this was one of the only brief times in my life I thought perhaps I was coordinated in the hand-eye way. I had discovered that I could fly down the steep hill on the dirt and gravel road behind our house on my bike–a pink Huffy–and jam on the breaks at the bottom, whipping around to stop with an enormously satisfying skidding sound and leaving a giant dust cloud in my wake. Obviously, I was super-cool. 

NotmybikeUntil, oh, the third or fourth time I did it and had a catastrophic dismount–in front of kids my own age who were visiting the neighbor whose house I was riding in front of, and probably trying to impress with my badassery. I remember the neighbor coming out and asking with great concern if I needed them to help/call home/etc, but not to be completely shamed from my Evel Knievel fantasy, I forced myself to get on my bike and ride home.

All the drama ensued, though it was determined I didn't need stitches because of where the wound was. The tooth came all the way through, and I had picked it up, but alas, it could not be put back on, so filling. But, you know, flaming disastrous dismount aside, this was the grade where if you had a broken arm or leg or stitches or any kind of visible injury you were a mini-celebrity for at least a day at school. Of course you were! You'd survived a brush with DEATH. And so, I took the pain in stride, expecting my moment of glory.

It was not to be. Because what I had was not cool stitches or a cast people could sign. What I had was a giant scab above my chin. Which, unbeknownst to me until the straightest of the straight A students in our class turned to tell me, looked not like a battle scar but like "You have chocolate on your face."

And scene. 

Anyway, I actually dropped in not to tell you that story, but to point you a couple of other places I am today.

  •  First up, I talked to Jeffrey Lee Puckett at the Courier-Journal about YA and dystopians and Divergent in particular earlier this week. We discussed all sorts of things–dystopian themes, gender politics, some of our favorite YA and children's books. But I had no idea I was going to be my own sidebar. And I'm a writer and scholar, which sounds very fancy.* The story is here.
  • Also, the wonderful Sandra Nickel invited me by her place for her "What's on…" interview series, which I love reading and was honored to be a part of. You can find out what's on my mind, reading stack, windowsill, TV, playlist, and in my catalog of fears thither.

*Remember the pink Huffy.  Never forget.

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Pictorial Hijinks

2 Comments / Nattering / By /

I promised I'd share some new author photos soon and soon is now (unless you already saw them on facebook, that is).

So I'm not that much of a procrastinator, not where work is concerned. But I can definitely put off other things that need to be done but aren't critical for a looong time. *hangs head in e-mail shame* Another example that demonstrates what I mean would be this website, which I've intended to overhaul for years now. Or, say, the fact that Christopher and I got wedding bands…for our fourth anniversary. At least, I think it was the fourth. The jewelry store people were flummoxed by the delay–and by the fact I didn't care about diamonds (but that's to be expected).

The photo I've been using as my headshot is also an example. I had to come up with a high res shot on a tight timeframe in 2010 for RWA to run with a Q&A they did with me when I won that year's Veritas Award for a PW piece. Christopher gamely agreed to shoot a quick picture in the backyard, and that's exactly what we did. We didn't even bother to crop the thing. Which has now appeared in the back of both Blackwood and The Woken Gods, as well as many other places.

I'd been intending to get some actual professional author photos taken (which I really do believe authors should have) for ages, but finally decided about a month ago to Get It Done. After gathering a number of suggestions, I ended up going to the site of queen of dessert Stella Parks, aka the Brave Tart, an amazing pastry chef and an amazing writer (you'll be wanting her first cookbook as soon as it's out, trust me) who I knew had great photos. Those turned out to have been taken by the wonderful and conveniently local Sarah Jane Sanders, a frequent collaborator of hers on food photography, who also has an excellent body of portrait and other work. 

I was beyond delighted when it turned out Sarah was available and would do some photos for me. She prefers to shoot in natural light without any sort of elaborate set-up–though we did tidy our bookshelves for the first time in years in preparation–and she made the shoot fun, despite the fact that getting my picture taken is not my favorite. She even laughed at my smizing jokes. She's fabulous.

Local folks who need portraits, take note.

I'm sticking a few of the new pics behind the cut tag:

…

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Tap, Tap, Is This Thing On?

Excuses, Excuses, Nattering, TV Goodness / By /

Didn't mean to vanish here, but winter and deadlines and did I mention the WINTER? (Someone please appease George R.R. Martin with a suitable offering to make it stop–I expect the White Walkers to show at any time otherwise.) And surely today is our last snowstorm of the season, she said, with a tiny measure of hope. When I'm not here, you can almost always still find me tumbling random things and on twitter, of course.

Lots of quietly exciting things have been happening. I just turned in a draft of secret project, the first new book I've finished this year (obviously, since it's only three months in!). I got to see some possible cover looks for Girl on a Wire and they were AMAZING; I can't wait to see how the final version turns out. I just broke down and made an exception to my long-time Groucho Marx, non-club-joiner policy to join SFWA, because so many people have been doing such good work the past few years to change it and keep it relevant and I want to support that. I taught a group of amazing teen girls about SFF over the weekend, and since so many people pitched in great exercise ideas over on facebook I'll try to do a devoted post about that and share some of those. What else? Christopher also finished a novel draft last month (very exciting). Oh, and I had some new author photos taken, which I'm sure I'll be showing you soon.

BearthedogRight around New Year's C and I started watching Person of Interest, after seeing it recommended by many, many trusted sources as an excellent science fiction show–most notably the io9 recs, and those from Molly Gloss, Ted Chiang, Chris McLaren (source of its excellent nickname Hobo Batman), and Adam Christopher. They were right. Though it took us a while to fully commit, and I definitely think there are some skippable episodes in the first season. That said, I'm glad we didn't skip them. It truly is one of the most excellent, provocative SF shows around, with sharp, thoughtful writing. We'd have so caved and started watching earlier if you'd told us there was a dog. We're suckers for a dog (especially Bear, above). And we're now all caught up with the current season, which is a little woeful, because it was so nice to feel like there was an endless supply of episodes.

Anyway, I'll be back later this week with a round up of recent reading and many accumulated links and fewer excuses. Probably.

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Monday Miscellany

Girl on a Wire, Nattering / By /

Birdbewitching.phpI've been deep in the mines they call copyedits, where the grammar is fixed and the style sheet is set and precision is queen. This is one of my favorite parts of the publication process. Despite the terrifying part of it—that it's pretty much the last time significant changes can be made—it's also the last time someone goes through your words with the fine-tune comb designed to save you from yourself. Because, no matter how magical a book, even one you wrote yourself, feels when you hold it in your hands, and how contained at the same time, it has worlds in it. Well, at least one, hopefully, and that does not come easy or without mistakes.

Which is why editing at all its various stages is so important. Honestly, when I think about what I want from this crazy game we call pub these days, the topmost thing is the best editorial support possible for the book in question. That's the most important thing to me. And I've been fortunate in this respect.

Anyway, even though I've done some light copyediting myself, and lots and lots of proofing, this time around I learned that I can default to a "try and" construction rather than the "try to" construction, among other things. Gripping for you, I know. But while I was looking up something minor to double-check it, I fell down a rabbithole (yay, internet; I will never tire of these particular breaks in the space-time continuum) in the form of Tiny Kline's memoir, Circus Queen and Tinkerbell. And I quote the section in question:

It was 5 pm when I got back to Madison Square Garden. I missed my turn in the races, but that was okay. I was on a special job, therefore, and not subject to fine, according to the rules regarding absenteeism. My two opponents, Butch and Strawberry Red, carried on without me.

With her wire rigged up spanning Wall Street, Bird Millman, billed as 'A Fairy on a Cobweb,' opened the drive, selling the first bonds to the highest bidders while balanced on the fine metal thread as if suspended in thin air. Attired, appropriately, in a costume along military lines, she looked breathtakingly lovely in that nifty officer's uniform, a preview of the Women's Allied Air Command of twenty-five years hence.

Bird is my heroine's idol, and there are lots of photos of her doing astounding things I've been able to get my grubby eyes on. Even one video I've found (don't worry: plenty of time for that when the book's closer to coming out). But I can't seem to find a photo from this particular appearance to sell war bonds,* and I so wish I could. But this is almost as good. A photo, of a different kind.

Back later this week with an entry. Swearsies. (You can always pre-order the circus book, if you feel so inclined.)

*If you know of one, please send or link below, because I'd love to see it.

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Monday Nattering

Nattering / By /

I'm going to give this site a real makeover at some point this year, but I gave it an in-the-meantime one over the weekend. I did an abysmal job at tracking my reading last year, so I'm also reviving my reading log page; will also try to remember to point to it occasionally.

Totally overwhelmed by the number of people who shared and visited the post about sexism and self-promotion and related thoughts over the weekend here or over on tumblr. I almost didn't post it, and am now really glad I did. Look for more Actual Bloggery to happen here, and more little things over at tumblr (where I'll continue to mirror bigger posts). At any rate, I propose a blog renaissance for 2014. And will do my part, even while deep in Secret Project Land, as I am currently.

Speaking of the self-promote-y, I completely missed this lovely mention of The Woken Gods from Erin Keane as part of the WFPL staff year-end reading round-up: "Bond's D.C. is a world of powerful tricksters, ancient relics, and spooky rituals that feels both mysterious and familiar at once, and like her first novel "Blackwood," (listen to an excerpt on Unbound) this whip-smart heroine-led adventure is equal parts creepy and fun." *beam*

Two things I suggest you read today, if you haven't: Genevieve Valentine's fashion round-up from the Golden Globes (always a highlight of the day after any awards show) and Sarah Weinman's great NYT Magazine piece about an award-winning crime manuscript written by a man currently in prison for murder.

And, finally, having eaten in enough restaurants in the last week to last me through the next couple of months in deadline-ville, I'm looking forward to bunker life with the secret novel and our foray into Vegan Before 6 (so far so good, er, on the first day). The fabulously fun winter residency of the Bluegrass Writers Studio definitely also yielded enough social activity to hold me for a good while, but was, in fact, too fabulously fun to pass up most evenings–especially given that it's C's final semester in the program (thesis novel!). Finally met the delightful (but in a noir way) Kelly Braffet in person, along with her editor Zack Wagman (who I interviewed once upon a time), as well as Alissa Nutting, who it turns out we have several common friends with, and the very funny Sam Lipsyte. Plus, the usual program suspects like Derek Nikitas. And, of course, we got to hang out lots with Maureen McHugh, one of my favorite favorite people, who was here teaching a workshop. Witness this evidence from an evening meal at Table 310 with Maureen, Christopher, (the lucky-for-us currently local) Andrew Shaffer, and a former program student who turned out to also be a former small town funeral director and made the best conversation (sample: "We call that 'creating a beautiful picture' "):

In short: I like 2014 so far.

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Battle of the Sexists (aka Let The Self-Promotion Roll, Ladies)

7 Comments / Books, Nattering / By /

So…I almost talked myself out of making this post, but then, hey, I said I was going to start blogging again and these are the kinds of things I'm interesting in blogging about. Even though it is a little scary, for reasons the post will make clear. The thing is, publishing books is–even though our books are not ourselves–extremely revealing, by which I mean it opens us up to lots more casual judgment and criticism, especially when we voice opinions that not everyone agrees with or wants to hear.

It's probably one of the reasons I've talked less in depth about anything except writing and interesting bits and bobs I find on the Internet here, since Blackwood came out. The other is that it takes time, time away from writing fiction and doing other work and living, which is time and mental space I don't have much of. I like watching TV too much. So, there will probably be a lot more nattering type "this is what's going on" posts. Pet pictures and the like. But I'm not happy with confining all discussions of other things to twitter or facebook, and so here we are. And I come to you with a ranty ramble.

What prompted this post is a stew of things that happened to appear in concert this week, and some of which I've been stewing about ever since.

The first was the Jennifer Weiner profile in the New Yorker. I only just got time to read the whole thing last night. It's a fair, thoughtful piece, and definitely worth your time. 

I saw a few tweets flying around, which notified me of its existence, but the actual first direct impression I got of it was a secondary one. My friend Erin posted a link to a Slate reaction piece to it, one which had rightly piqued her ire. Reader, this piece makes my blood boil. The headline: "Jennifer Weiner Critiques Sexism in Publishing, Promotes Self." But, you know, writers aren't always in charge of the headline, and they often seem written to troll for outrage clicks, so I was prepared for the actual piece to be a little more balanced. It honestly isn't, and then there's this:

All of this means that Jennifer Weiner is an imperfect vessel for confronting sexism in the publishing industry. What it doesn’t mean is that Weiner is unique in her strategy of leveraging critical analysis to self-promote.

Just take in the wording for a second…see if anything jumps out at you in the wording, like, oh, I don't know: IMPERFECT VESSEL.

Look, I know, I know, there's a larger point being made, etc., et al., but as a writer, I believe words matter. The choice of words reveals so much here; it is the crux, the entire red effing wheelbarrow of the matter, as far as I'm concerned.

Don't be an imperfect vessel, kids. Which seems to mean, among other things, don't self-promote, don't believe your own work is worth promoting, and for eff's sake, don't imply that it's worthy of critical consideration OR that which books get attention really does often come down to initial perceptions of the people who make those decisions… Perceptions which are undeniably colored by impressions created by the track record/history of the author and the packaging (and I'd include marketing push there). And if you believe that women's and men's work are packaged the same, or that women authors whose works are or are perceived to be primarily about and/or for girls or women are on equal ground in this equation, then I have some lovely beachfront property I'd love to sell you with a library full of Franzen the Grouch novels. Just send me a cashier's check.

Ditto if you believe that women aren't perceived and treated differently when they  self-promote.

Some people are rubbed the wrong way by Jennifer Weiner, some are some of the time (I agree with her way more often than I don't and find her frequently hilarious), but what KILLS me about some of the reactions is just how much they are about her. Again, look, I get it, it's a reaction to a profile piece, also about her. But it is also absolutely typical and predictable to sidestep the points she's making. It's far easier to criticize her for self-promoting or talk about her shortcomings–whether perceived or real–than it is to address the substance of her arguments. Her arguments which are not only about the books of Jennifer Weiner.

Who, by the way, is an actual human being and author, not a vessel, perfect or imperfect or otherwise. The very phrasing in that sentence may have been what caused my blood to boil. (By the way, I have enjoyed some other pieces by the writer of the Slate one. Just decidedly not this one.)

Like Weiner, I would love to see more attention devoted to the work of women and especially that perceived to be aimed primarily at women and girls. I read category romance (I LOVE category romance) right beside mainstream literary fiction right beside mystery right beside YA right beside SF and I do my best to judge the books based on their merits. I try not to do that pre-slotting of things into Worthwhile and Not Worthwhile, but make that decision based on the book in question. I know my own likes and dislikes, which means not assuming that because something isn't my cup of book, it shouldn't exist or be talked about. This is also not to say that everything is equally "literary," but there are other measures of worth that are, um, worth discussing, too, and can we just admit that the term itself is pretty squishy and seems to stick to most of the things it's applied to, as long as the right person is doing the applying?

There are certain kinds of books the word is far less likely to be applied to. Sometimes, that may be because of the quality of the books. Sometimes, it may be for other reasons–lots of them. (I have seen people claim, for instance, that literary YA doesn't exist. Which is crazypants.)

What I wish as a reader is that I could find more smart writing about all those types of books I mentioned above easily, instead of the typical uninformed scarlet-rage inflammatory or blush-rosy nostalgic pieces about YA, or the terrible pieces implying women who read romance aren't feminists and all romances are identical, or calling out the one or two SF books this year that stand above the trash heap…. I could go on with examples, but this is getting long and I doubt I need to. This is why I believe blogs are still so important, and why I read so many, and oh romance and YA blogosphere in particular you are THE BEST. You write such smart pieces, about so many different kinds of books, taking them seriously. You talk the things I'm talking about here. But oh how I wish there were more opportunities for you to write about it for professional outlets and be paid.

(Aside: This is one of the main reasons I regretted leaving my regular reviewing gig at Locus. I want to see more women writing about books, period–also why I try to read every word about books people like Laura Miller, Charlie Jane Anders, Annalee Newitz, Sarah Weinman, Roxane Gay, and Carolyn Kellogg produce, to name a handful, in addition to the blogs I follow.)

But, I digress. I wanted to talk a little bit about this idea that self-promotion is somehow inherently shameful or deserving of a call-out, especially when women are engaging in it.

Because at the same time the profile conversation was going on, this week there's been a bunch of talk in the SFF field about whether people should mention awards-eligible work and the associated discussions about self-promotion that engenders (not an accidental word choice). (Read those links.)

Not too long ago, two fabulous YA authors I consider friends wrote essays about the experience of being a woman writer and self-promoting, about the reactions that they get and see, and how those might be different toward women than men. Here's Sarah Rees Brennan's and here's Malinda Lo's.

I watched for reactions to these pieces with interest at the time, and I meant to post at length about them, but see above, avoiding rants. While most of the reactions I saw were quite positive, recognizing their valid points, I did also see a few really clueless mansplaining and nasty ones. I won't point to them, because…reasons, but ugh. Reactions like the one to Weiner in Slate tell the story just fine.

And before it comes up, I am not at all saying that men don't feel weird about self-promotion too, that they all feel completely comfortable and natural doing it. We're all humans here. Of course, it feels awkward. It feels awkward when I do it.

I'm also not saying there shouldn't be a balance, and that it's not possible to overdo it. It is, of course it is. In my experience, if you're someone who worries about that, you're probably not anywhere close to the line.

And yet.

Like most writers I know, I often experience doubts and bouts of imposter syndrome. But at the same time I am proud of my work, and it's work I, in fact, work really hard on. I want to be able to keep doing it. I also believe that women absolutely should not think twice about self-promotion. All the data suggests it's harder for the work of women, especially in certain genres, to get attention. That makes self-promoting part of the job for most of us, whether we like it or lump it. So if I catch myself hesitating on a RT or about posting some news related to my own books or trying to get an invite somewhere, I usually go on and do it, because I want to contribute to an online and offline culture where women don't hesitate and then decide not to speak up about their own work. Speaking up hopefully encourages speaking up. In case it doesn't: speak up.

Generosity of spirit is where it's at. Let's give each other the benefit of the doubt, and stash the judging on this point. I've always tried to help draw attention to other people's work I feel deserves it, but I pledge to do more of that, too.

Mostly, though, let's all try to call b.s. like this when we see it, by which I mean the attitudes about self-promotion and other things that help preserve the percentages in the VIDA count, that stoke the inequity in certain bestseller lists, and that make women not feel okay about trying to get attention for their work. Let our self-promotion truly be shameless.

End ranty rambling.

Speaking of promo, I'm determined to get a newsletter out something like quarterly this year. The first one will be sometime in the next week or so, and sign up if you want it.

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The Old & The New Year

2 Comments / Nattering / By /

Yes, yes, I'm finally getting around to that year-end wrap-up thing so popular…at the end of the year. For whatever reason, I'm feeling little inclination to reminisce and completely excited to greet 2014 and whatever challenges and surprises and etcetera it holds in store. But I do love reading other people's posts, and I like having a semi-official and revisitable record, so here I am.

This'll be a days of past and look to the future post, as a result though, kind of like the new X-Men movie. (I call Storm. Or Rogue. Or Kitty Pryde.) (Yes, I realize most of them aren't going to be in that movie. Mystique then, especially since she's not-so-secretly a Kentuckian.) (Note from Christopher: He heard all of these characters were to be in the movie, except that Rogue ended up, and I quote, "on the cutting room floor." Sounds painful.)

Things I wrote and/or revised this year:

  • THE WOKEN GODS – I spent much of the spring wrestling this book into novel shape, and then it came out in the fall. I don't want to hem myself in (as if that's possible), but this might be one of the weirdest books I ever publish. And, hey, look at that: I published a second book. Wow. That barely feels real, still.
  • GIRL ON A WIRE – I finished my second (first solid) draft of the circus book and sent it off to my agent about this time last year; then I did a little revising, and then we sold it. I spent this fall working with my fabulous editor on doing the real revising, and I still have copy edits ahead. It's been such a great process on this one, from starting it feeling like I was a little crazy, to taking it to Bat Cave, to now. And, my pretties, looks like it's probably coming in October 2014. I'm nervous, but oh very excited for this one. Much more to come. ETA: Okay, so I added some info and a description (subject to tweaking) to the book page and looking for the ISBN discovered the pre-order page and freaked out just like I did for Blackwood's. Maybe more, I don't know. So. Excited. (!!!) (Total nerd out moment.)
  • Secret Collaborative MG Project – Christopher and I did write a book together over the summer, and we had a BLAST. Now, we're both embroiled in other projects and deadlines for the next while, but I'm hoping we can get back to it relatively soon and then find it a good home. Because: So. Much. Fun. And really creatively rejuvenating to do, all round. A definite highlight of the year.
  • Other TOP SECRET Project – Well, this one isn't written yet, but it is Well In Process. Not sure when I'll be able to divulge the details, but I'm writing it now and on deadline and I pinch myself because it's such fun and I can't wait until you are all in on the secret. One of those things that comes out of the blue and demands a yes.

And there was also a proposal in there, and a whole bunch of reviews for Locus, and several features for PW, and I got to interview one of my favorite writers for the LA Times.

Places I went this year:

  • Mexico! And we got to stay with some of the loveliest people in the universe in one of its loveliest houses. Plus, afternoon margaritas, courtesy of Raoul. Magnificent.
  • Bat Cave, where I did more planning and plotting than anything else, but which was also magnificent as always.
  • My very first ALA annual, and what a blast that was. Librarians, I love you. That is all. (And thanks to Wes Chu again for playing host. With single malt. He's such a bad influence.)
  • California! My first trip to the West Coast in a long while. C and I went to museums and hung out with Doselle and Carolyn and other friends, and I got to visit Mysterious Galaxy, and then go out to the beach with Jenn and some of her other wondrous clients. A great mini-vacay.
  • And there were fun events here in Lex, Asheville, and Ohio to round things out.

I hope to get lots more places this year, like RT in New Orleans and etc etc tk.

In sum, 2013 was a year with a little of the expected, a lot more serendipity. A year I can't complain about, and which in many ways felt transitional. This was a year in which I figured out a lot of things about how I want life and my creative life and career to look going forward and how to balance those things so I don't feel utterly overwhelmed. In which I remembered to stop and be grateful slightly more often. I'm really looking forward to 2014 and seeing what lies ahead.

Resolutions of a sort:

  • I'm not much of one for resolving to do things. I typically just either do them or decide not to. But I find I do have a few this time. The first is to blog more regularly again. I miss it, and having said farewell to my regular reviewing gig for reasons of time and the need for reading freely (and believing in Ron Swanson's admonition to whole ass rather than half-ass), I feel like I'll have the headspace back for it too.
  • Christopher and I are going to try that Vegan Before 6 thing, which I know, vegan friends, is not really and truly vegan, but feels doable nonetheless. I want to do that, and get back into truly regular yoga. More attention on health, in other words.
  • Keep writing, of course. I hope that the new year brings more surprises and opportunities. And that I can keep up with them. I'm so grateful for all of you who cheer me on in any way whatsoever, and who are along for the ride. Speaking of which, yes, I'll actually do a newsletter at some point(s) this year. Promise.

I raise a glass to all of you, and to 2014 being fabulous for all of us.

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Random Friday Five Things

Nattering / By /

1. Busy times, my darlings! I spent the Thanksgiving week mostly muttering to myself, wearing various pairs of pajamas, eating low-fat red velvet-flavored ice cream sandwiches, and having weird story-related dreams. In other words: turning around the final revision pass on the circus book. And that revision has been slain, book delivered to super-wonderful editor and publisher, along with dedication and acknowledgements. That's right: GIRL ON A WIRE is in, and on to copy edits. I'm really excited (and only moderately terrified) for you guys to read this one next year. Then I polished up a proposal and sent it off to agent for a look. And and and I will start working in earnest anon on the TOP SECRET PROJECT, meaning very, very soon, and I'm really looking forward to that. No rest for the wicked.

2. That said, I am attempting to make space for more concentration on noveling and related activities, because, well, they require it, and that's where I need and want to be spending as much time as possible. Which means that while I'll still do other freelance stuff as it appeals and I can, I'm turning in my final reviews to Locus later this month. It's sad whenever you have to give up a gig that allows you to work with such genuinely lovely and awesome people as the Locus staff (who also gave me such freedom in choosing what books to write about). But, alas, I just don't have the time or, really, honestly, the inclination to do the job as it should be done any longer. It's been an absolute pleasure, though. And the good news for you, blog readers, is that this almost certainly means I'll talk more about books here again, since I can't quit that.

3. Want to buy some books for those who need them this holiday season? The Ballou Sr. High School has a wish list of holiday books for its library you can find out all about over at Guys Lit Wire (I did my shopping last night) and Oblong Books does a great Book Angel program every year, where they let people make a donation that goes directly to gifting a new book to a local kid who might not get one otherwise and I believe all you have to do is phone them up to participate. I'm sure there are many more such opportunities out there. I'll be making our annual donation of new books we don't have room for to a program that provides them to foster children this week.

4. The fabulous Colleen Mondor included a glow-inducing review of THE WOKEN GODS in her December column–her hundredth (*cue applause*)–at Bookslut. Congratulations on the achievement, Colleen, and for everything you do to bring attention to books and reading (like the aforementioned Ballou book fair!). Gratuitous review snippet: "The Woken Gods is a fast-paced tonic for curious readers who seek multi-layered mysteries and a salute to smart under-appreciated kids everywhere. … Bond has her characters growing up in a strange new world, in a bold brave way. The Woken Gods is one mighty fun read, and thus a perfect respite from holiday madness. Smart equals good in any adventure, and this is a very good read."

5. I really will start posting here again with a bit more regularity. I promise. In fact, I'm just about to undertake a little site make-over in the near future and a shiny new design always encourages posting. Right? Right. Have a great weekend, and stay safe if you (like us) are in the path of Storm of Doom Cleon. I suspect it's just mad at being named Cleon instead of, say, Cleopatra.

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Weekend Update

Nattering, The Woken Gods / By /

image from www.flickr.comHas it been less than a week since my last post? And yet less than a week filled with excitement! Most of which is still of the TOP SECRET variety. (Okay, okay, I'll stop being obnoxious now and just get to work.)

Many thanks to everyone who came out to the Malaprop's panel last week, which was such fun. Not that it's possible for a visit to Malaprop's to be anything else. And how can you go wrong when talking about girls and monsters? It would be exceedingly difficult–especially with the delightful Megan Shepherd, Meg Spooner, and April Tucholke. Afterward we went to the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar (yes, it is in fact one of the most perfect locations on the planet).

Last couple of appearance-y things for the year: I'll be on WUKY's Curtains @ 8 tonight (Tuesday), talking The Woken Gods in advance of this week's Kentucky Book Fair. Annnd I'll be at the book fair for the first time, both Friday for Children's Day and Saturday for the main event. If you're attending, come by and chat. I will sign anything you put in front of me, but especially books.

And, last but definitely not least, I had the immense pleasure of interviewing Nicola Griffith, who long-time readers of this blog will know is one of my favorite favorite authors, about her newest novel HILD (out today!) for the LA Times. Snippet: "Women of the past, we're told, were objects not subjects, they had no agency, they were submissive. What a load of rubbish. Women are people — as human then as you and I are today. People find ways around their constraints, whether it's gender, status, physical ability, and so on. What counts is how you use what you've got. Hild has a singular mind." Go read the whole conversation and then get yourself a copy. You want to. Trust me.

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