A Fresh Monday Winner

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Aren't Mondays wonderful?

Full of promise.

Full of potential.

Full school buses taking the children off to school ... hehehe

Joke of the week: A mother talking to her friend on the phone says : "I childproof the house, but those little buggers just keep getting back in!"

Today's Monday is especially wonderful for the lucky winner of our Free Stuff Friday. Using random.org, the winner is

drum roll, please....

dellgirl!

So, dellgirl, e mail me at tesshilmo(at)comcast(dot)net and I will return your e mail with your amazon gift code.

AND BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY...those who are sad they didn't win....I have a swimming idea for this coming week's Friday post you won't want to miss. Smaller prize, just as cool, more winners. Hooray for fresh new Mondays -- now let's get writing!
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Free Stuff Friday - A Must Read Book

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I recently read Kathryn Stockett's debut novel, The Help.



It is one of the best books I've read in quite a while.





Man alive, can this woman create amazing, deep, believable characters.


If you are wondering about your characters (are they real enough, different enough, dimensional enough) then this is a must read.


Even if you have characterization down, it's still a fabulous novel.


Set in Jackson Mississippi, 1962, The Help is the journey of three women who come together to tell their story of racial prejudices, family challenges, and personal desires. The book is written in first person from all 3 women (Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter). Each woman has a rotating turn telling her version of the ongoing story. The words are lyrical. The plot is compelling. I swore I was sitting right there in 1962.


So, today's FREE STUFF FRIDAY is a $15 Amazon gift certificate with a strong suggestion to pick this book up. You'll love it, I promise. But, I won't hold you to it -- the winner can do what they will with the certificate.


Leave a comment to be entered in the drawing. This give away will run through the weekend until Sunday night when I will draw a name. Check back Monday morning to see who our lucky winner is.


Questions: Have you heard of this book? Read it? Don't you just love Free Stuff Fridays? Do you have any fun plans this weekend?

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Why It Matters, Even If We Don't Want It To

Last Friday, I posted about some recent market thoughts I've been having.

A huge Thank You to everyone who took the time to come over and weigh in. It was one of my all time favorite discussions.

I found myself thinking that I really, really wanted to just write whatever I wanted, from the heart and not worry about market placement or sales opportunities.

What I am learning from recent experience with my agent and some editors is that

while it would be nice, it is not always practical.

Please Don't Misunderstand: I am NOT talking about following trends. I am NOT talking about giving up your own voice in a story to conform. I am not talking about boy wizards or vampire love triangles (though those are wonderful and fun stories)

What I'm saying is this: If we want to be published through a mainstream, national publisher, we can't ignore the market.

Case in point: As said, I love writing historical fiction. Historical Americana Fiction, to be exact. I will continue to tuck those story ideas aside for the future, but I can't ignore that a more contemporary piece will sell better, faster and to a wider audience in today's market.

Three Major Points I'd like Us To Consider:

1. My agent goes to Bologna each year to market the international rights of his clients. He recently sold a client's book to Poland. Yes, Poland!! Do you see that there are possibilities for our writing that we may have never imagined?

2. Never, never forget that this is a business for agents and editors. Sure, they love what they do, love books and all things literary....but their acquisition decisions matter professionally. Most are employees. They have superiors that they may have to justify their decisions to.

3. If certain publishing houses used to put out 20 books a year, they are now putting out more like 15. These houses are paying closer attention than ever to what exactly is selling and making sure every decision has the most potential of profit.

Being aware of this is not a compromise of my creativity.

It is just seeing what we do as a comprehensive profession instead of simply artistic expression.

My first and natural thought was: I can only write what I write. But is that entirely true? Why couldn't I write a fun middle grade story set in today's time frame? Wouldn't I love that just as much? I'm thinking a great mystery with a little history thrown in here and there (like when I put zucchini in my kids chicken casserole without them knowing it...hehehehe)

FYI: With A Name Like Love is not being set aside. It is still going through submissions and my agent said he loves it and is confident it will sell. He also suggested my next WIP be a bit more contemporary. I am learning that being an author is all about working as a team with your agent/editors and all about being flexible.

Questions: Have you ever even considered the possibility of having your book be sold to another country like Poland, Spain, Italy? Do you think we, as authors, can find a way to honor our writing and still be flexible to the suggestions given us by agents/editors? Do you think there is any truth to what I am saying or am I just being blasphemous?

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Words of Advice I Got from The Top

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I had the great opportunity to attend the Highlights Chautauqua Writers Retreat last summer (08). We spent a whole week working and eating and chatting with some really amazing children's authors and editors.

I was extra lucky because I was given the chance to mentor under Patti Gauch (VP Philomel/Penguin Publishing).

For real!

Anyway, I was just going through her notes that she scribbled on the side of my manuscript on our last meeting and thought I'd pass them along to you.


She wrote:



"If you revise, check for:

texture, proper nouns and analogy

pull your threads through

make it yours by the words you choose

for every 8-10 scenes, 2 should be high drama...lead into them slowly

check your set ups once your chapter is done

earn the climax"

That's it. Straight from the mouth of someone who has spent years and years working with authors and editors. The VP of Philomel/Penguin!



Questions: Great advice, no? Have you heard it all before? Is there anything new or helpful here? Or, is it just a good reminder? Which is your favorite?

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Friday Funny - And Market Thoughts

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Caption: "Geeze, when I said I wanted my novel to go to auction, this isn't what I was thinking!"

picture courtesy of my daughter....caption by me (hahahahahaha, I felt so clever)

Now, I know publishing houses are not going out of business. I don't want to stir up any dust there...

but I did want to make a point about the current market.

Recently, my novel was on submission. It came back with a revision request and a response that included a phrase like...."in today's tight market"

Have you heard that one?

The one about how we need to write our very best because the market is tighter? And the one about how we should be conscientious of the stories we choose to tell? Case in point: I love writing historical fiction but have been told it is a more difficult sell in this children's market. Should I try to write something more 'marketable'?

What are your opinions on this? Is it changing the way you write? What you write? When you decide to query and submit?

I am giving it some serious thought. I tend to say YES we need to be more careful about the quality of our writing and more thoughtful about when we submit/query. But, I tend to say Hmmm, MAYBE on the what we write. I need to write from my heart. What is in me. What I love. If I try to follow a trend then it will show in the quality of my work (I think). Still, I want to at least try to write something that is relatively easy to sell and market in this current economy.

What are your thoughts? I'd really love to know.
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What A Little Public Humiliation Will do

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So, some of you saw my previous post about my crappy office chair (and horribly messy office in general). It's a must see picture, so if you missed it, click here.

I laughed as much as I blushed

It's all good amongst friends, right?

Anyway...I finally got my rear in gear and cleaned the office. (I should note that I work part time as a Medical Billing Specialist and this is also my work office).

Plus bought a new chair.

That's what a little public humiliation will do for you.

questions: have you ever been motivated by something embarrassing? And, don't you just love a clean office? I had to take a picture, cuz you KNOW it wont last *sigh*.

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Ta-Da! Ain't she pretty?

This was my final bits of revision this last round.

Method Review:

I wrote all the scenes that I had already written on white strips of paper

then I wrote all the scenes I needed to inject on blue post-its

I laid out the finished scenes and it was easy to see how and where I could fit in the new revisions.

This method worked well for me because it allowed me to wrap my brain around what I was doing. I write best in scenes and this really plays into that method.

Note: this pic only shows the last 60 or so pages of the novel. I did it in chunks like this to make it more manageable.

Anyway...after several nights clicking away at the keyboard,

I'd like to present to you, my dear blogging/writing friends:

My finished, notated, cover letter-ed, rubber-banded, revised manuscript ready to be sent off to super-agent-dude.

Ain't she pretty?



don't misunderstand, I am fully aware that more revisions will lie ahead, but this round is done.



Who'll join me for a big wa-hoo?!?!?!?!?!

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The Last Hurrah of Summer

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I'm off to California to visit my family



It's the last hurrah of summer before we get back to school (thank heavens!) and regular work/writing/life schedules (wa-hoo!).



I'll miss the summer sleep ins, but I'm ready to have the kids OUT of the house (does that make me a bad mom? love 'em immensely, but they need some space from each other).



Be back next Monday!!! Wishing all a fantastic week...

My Crappy Office

I dunno, maybe I need a new office chair?

There is no excuse for my extremely crappy office.

Yes, that is duct tape. It's embarrassing beyond belief.

Notice the million paper shavings on the ground from when my son recently went on a paper shredding frenzy. boys. I haven't had the time to vacuum (thick in revisions now), so they stay on the floor and add to the crap-o-meter level.

My pathetic reason for not making it better sooner is the fact that we have plans to turn my office into a bedroom for our youngest and then move my office to her bedroom upstairs. So, since it has been in 'temporary office' mode (mind you, we've lived in this house for EIGHT YEARS), I've not done anything to fix it up.

But, the chair can wait no longer.

Office Depot, here I come!

True Confessions: Do you have anything crappy in your work space? come on, don't leave me thinking I am the only one ....anyone? .....anyone

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Me In Anime

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This is me in Anime. I worked on it and then called my oldest daughter into the office.

"Does this look like me?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, "If you were, like, twenty."

Good enough.

They don't give an option on this anime website to make me look my 40 years and I'm perfectly okay with that. And, I just got this exact haircut yesterday and am loving it for summer.

You can do your own picture by clicking on this site. Try it, it's fun! I'd love to see your Anime-you on your blog.

PS: for you true anime die hards, I know this isn't technically anime. I just like the sound of the "Me in Anime" post title. forgive me, if you will :)

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The Monkey On My Back

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Ok, this is not a picture of a monkey on my back...but when I was searching 'monkey' pics and saw this one I just couldn't turn away.

Who'll join me for a collective, "Oooooo, so cute!"??

Anyway, I've been feeling a bit of revision pressure lately.

I had a conversation with a trusted friend and told him some of my revision ideas and he said,

"Tess, if you're going to do it, do it right." (meaning he didn't care for my ideas)

"What?" (imagine my jaw gaping in shock and disbelief)

"I mean," he continued, "don't cut corners. Make it as good as the rest of the book. Make it better."

That's why he's such a trusted source for me.

He was right. My 'get it done' personality was looking for the easy fix. The quickest way to technically 'do' the revisions, to check them off my list.

but it wasn't necessarily my very best work

If we are going to do this thing....this writing journey....this step towards publication, then we must do it right.

No cutting corners.

Make our work everything we can possibly make it.

Follow most of the rules and break the ones that will make our book stand out.

Take the time to put in those layers (as Lady Glamis calls them)

Does this ring true to you?

It did to me.

Suddenly the monkey I was feeling on my back has disappeared. I feel energized by a friend's truth and by his challenge.

Now, give me that revision list....I'm gonna do it right!

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Come On You Guys!!!

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I never even imagined that I might have some blogging friends who were too nice to claim a prize.

Please don't hold back here. I had secretly planned this post weeks ago and already set aside the gift certificates. You might as well enjoy them!

Seriously. I am determined. And, if you don't e mail me, I will have to search out each individual blog, link under the profile, link under the contact, find the e mail...blah...blah...blah....

Multiply that by 25 and you can see the time implications.

So, you see, you are saving me time and frustration by individually e mailing me, so I can just hit a reply button easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy (as my 8 year old would say).

Alright, now

Get to it.

Oh, and smile!!! This is supposed to be fun!!!

You Actually Have to E Mail Me

Note to the winners of last post's give-away:





Please e mail me at tesshilmo(at)comcast(dot)net





Leaving a comment is wonderful, and very much appreciated -- but it will not give me your e mail address and so I will not be able to get your Amazon gift cert to you.





I have sent gift certificates to all of the e mails I have received. If you have not recv'd your prize, please know I am awaiting your e mail.





Thanks!!

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have winners

Dear Blogging Friends,



I want to say, "Thank you".



Thank you for taking the time to come over and read my thoughts, share my journey, offer your opinions and friendship. Your input and presence is sincerely appreciated.



This past Free Stuff Friday was all about revisions. I enjoyed reading comments from 25 fellow bloggers and thought, "we are so often more alike than we ever realize".



It was neat.



As promised, I put all the names into a hat (well, Tupperware bowl) and drew three names:



the official winners are:



Sarah

Yunaleska

Tricia O'Brien



Congrats to these three ladies who will get a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com



BUT, I was so inspired by your honesty and have been so grateful for your presence here on this blog, I decided to expand the winners to



well, everyone.



All of the Friday commentors (ending with Joyce Wolfley) will receive a $5 gift certificate to Amazon.com



Really and truly!!!



If you shop their used book section, you can likely find a bargain and get it sent to you for w/in the $5.



It is an e mail gift cert, so contact me at tesshilmo(at)comcast(dot)net and I will send your gift certificate code (either $10 or $5 respectively) back to you.

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It is a beautiful new week. Let's put on a smile and get to writing...