The Green Bathtub

Open with a Bang

2012-01-26T21:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that the best storytellers always open their novels with a bang? And I'm not talking about the usual -- car accidents, gun shots, fist fights or breakups. I'm talking about an opening where such a provocative decision is made that you can't help but want to read on.

One of the best examples I've read is in Janice Y. K. Lee's THE PIANO TEACHER. I wish I could just type the entire first paragraph into this post, but ... I won't. I'll just tell you that the main character fascinated me from the very beginning because of one intriguing decision.

Basically:

She's working as a piano teacher for a very rich Hong Kong family. A figurine falls into her purse accidentally while she's teaching the lesson and she leaves the house with it. When she later discovers what she's done, instead of taking it back to the owner, she ... buries the figurine in her drawer.

Why?

I was so curious. Not only about the main character and her rather surprising decision to hide the figurine, but about the other characters, too. What is it about them that the main character couldn't (or wouldn't or shouldn't) give the figurine back? What was she afraid of? There were so many possibilities.....

And, let me tell you, the reason she did this was not one I expected. Which is another mark of a great storyteller, I think.

Can you name some book openings that fascinated you?
If you're a writer, do you examine your characters' early decisions and find ways of making them more provocative?

THE PIANO TEACHER from Barnes & Noble.
THE PIANO TEACHER from Amazon.
THE PIANO TEACHER from The Book Depository.
Click >>here<< for the Goodreads description.

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

I wish you all a very happy and prosperous

Year of the Dragon!

I have an affinity for Chinese kites and I may tell you why someday ... how's that for cryptic?

Photo credit: sideshowmom from morguefile.com

This photo was taken in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Gorgeous stonework.

Photo credit: samhakes from morguefile.com

I remember when we lived in China how loud Chinese New Year was. Firecrackers exploded outside our windows day and night for a week.

I feel a little nostalgic that we're missing all the excitement--my crazy friends launching stuffed animals on rockets into the sky, for instance.

I remember lying in bed and watching a firework display directly outside my bedroom window. People spent hundreds, thousands of kuai on firepower. The more they purchased and fired off, the more good luck they were supposed to have in the coming year.

How about you? Have you ever celebrated Chinese New Year? Any memories? What Chinese zodiac sign are you (and that's not considered a pick-up line in Asia, so don't feel weird answering)? In full disclosure, I'm a snake.

As we say in Hong Kong (Cantonese):

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

And in Mainland China (Mandarin):

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

("May you become prosperous!")

Guest Post by Jen: The Journey

2012-01-19T03:03:00.000-08:00

I used to think I’d have one of those J.K. Rowling experiences. You know, the girl who lived (since the boy had already lived) … add a little romance, call it YA, and ship it off to agent land where they’d weep at my wordage and offer me book and movie contracts simultaneously. Not to mention the words would continue to flow after I sold the books, showing the world Writer’s Block was merely a myth.

Well, that was two years ago and I’ve had more than 13 rejections (take that J.K. Rowling), so the path I envisioned hasn’t exactly fallen into place. I guess you could say it was slightly different (and by that, I mean DRASTICALLY different).

I wrote a book. I thought it rocked. It didn’t. I was told my character would be hated … turns out, they were right. I wrote three more books, improved slightly. Read Stephen King’s On Writing, became inspired. Wrote two additional books.

Queried one, received feedback that said it was way too unique for marketing. That was the first time they didn’t mention the suckage. I considered that a success. I found a publisher interested in my work despite its uniqueness. Thought I was on my way up, until the relationship didn’t end up the way I’d dreamed about.

I moved on … broken, defeated, and feeling worthless. It was then a light shined down and I found Still Moments Publishing. They were asking for anthologies and gave you certain requirements to follow. A spark lit in my heart and the words flew onto the blank page. I had the passion I’d missed for months, the chance to be something, and to share something special with others.

Guess what? Still Moments Publishing felt the same way about me. They took a chance on me. The publisher is a gem and the editors are kind (even when telling you something isn’t working). The team is full of rock stars and I’m overjoyed to be included.

It is with confetti, sparkles, and theme music that my first published works is released, "Snowbanked." A part of the Snowbound Hearts Anthology!

I’ve learned that success is measured by accomplishments, not by your ultimate goal. This ebook that’s releasing is just another fabulous milestone I, as a writer, get to enjoy along with others. I’m a success because I choose to be. I’d love for you to grab a copy of Snowbound Hearts and send me your thoughts!

What’s your latest success?

I have "Snowbanked" at the top of my TBR pile. A big thank you to Jen Daiker for sharing the details of her journey. Jen, I wish you every success!

Baby Steps

2012-01-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

This is what I've been up to lately:

Today my sweet Naomi Rose is one year old!

Where did the time go? (That is not a rhetorical question. You can answer in the comments. *wink*)

In other happy news, I finished another draft of my China book and am making eyes at my critique partners to see who has time to read it. I'm a little nervous because I have sweat blood over this project and am hoping it doesn't turn out to be a piece of trash.

Need to remind myself that just like any journey, it's all about baby steps.

On Thursday I have a very special guest post planned, so please come back and read. The amazing Jen Daiker will be visiting from her blog Unedited. I always love reading about other writers' journeys and I know you'll enjoy Jen's perspective. She has a lot of good news on her blog lately, so if you don't already follow Jen, pop over there and say hi!

On Rejections and Toilet Cleaning

2012-01-12T22:54:00.000-08:00

On this fabulous Thursday night, I thought I'd talk about rejections.

They don't feel good, but if you're a writer who has queried extensively, you know they're part of the biz. We writers develop thick skin. Our critique partners give us feedback, bloody their nails on our books, and we take it with a smile and a thank you.

Then we get rejections from agents, rejections from editors, rejections on paper, rejections by email.

Even at conferences our books are often flayed alive.

And we survive ... killing our darlings, making our characters' lives miserable, putting in long hours in front of a lighted screen.

It's a bloody game.

You'd better believe my skin is thick. I feel like I can take any critique from anybody at any time. I will not shed a tear. Go ahead and reject me. You may make me sad for a day, but you will not make me sad for a week. I'm a survivor. I'm not gonna give up....

HA!

Well, now I have to tell you an embarrassing story.

I entered a local talent show a while back. I was singing with a friend of mine. Another friend was accompanying us on guitar.

I knew my singing friend was coming straight from work to the audition, so I didn't dress up. (He showed up in a Superman t-shirt, so it's a good thing I didn't wear my evening gown.) I put on my favorite shirt, yes, and my jean capris and thought I looked pretty artsy-fartsy, like many a hip song artist I've seen on MTV.

Because my friend had to go back to work, we were the first to perform. We gave it our best. My friend has an amazing voice, I won't lie, and I was doing harmony. We finished a capella and I thought we did a pretty good job. Our guitarist gave us a thumbs up.

There were three judges sitting below us, scribbling extensive notes.

This is what the first one said to me: "Excuse me, what are you wearing? It looks like you're about to go clean your toilet."

Guys, seriously, it has taken me this long to post about this experience because it has taken me this long to recover. And honestly, I don't know if I have recovered. That rejection made me feel horrible.* Even now I shudder.

And I wonder, what went wrong with my thick skin?

But you know, several days after this catastrophe, I actually stopped being offended long enough to analyze what this judge was saying ... and yes, make changes.

Over confidence is what killed me in this case. I obviously didn't take the competition (or my outfit) seriously enough.

Which goes to show (maybe) that even the weirdest criticism can actually be a gift. It goes for our writing, too. That person who irritates you when you put your query on the public forum -- maybe that person is the one you need to listen to. That critique partner who gets under your skin and can't seem to remember the sandwich rule -- that's a critique to treasure.

Always take a few days to think through the feedback you get, even when it hurts, because sometimes truth comes flying at us like rotten tomatoes. If you duck, you miss out.**

*NO WAY am I EVER going on American Idol after this. If I can't handle frizzy-haired, velour-jogging-suit judge #1 from Podunk USA, how would I ever face Simon?

**Don't know where that analogy came from, but let's just go with it.

KEEP OUT

2012-01-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

If you can decipher this sign posted on my daughters' bedroom door, you might want to consider a career as a kindergarten teacher.

Aren't five-year-olds awesome?

Drawing Inspiration

2012-01-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

Jemi Fraser wrote a terrific post >>here<< at From the Write Angle about getting to know your characters. One of her suggestions was attempting to draw them.

For some reason that sounded fun to me. I was struggling with my WiP and feeling desperate for inspiration.

I pulled out one of my kids' sketch books, broke out a pencil that I think survived my days in art class in British school in Hong Kong (don't ask me why I still have such a thing lying around when I haven't used it in 15 years) ... and attempted a character portrait.

Disclaimer: I am not an artist. My purpose here is to encourage us all to put ourselves out and try new things, even if we're not very good at them!!

Here are the first attempts:

Which were not right. At all. None of these girls looked like my protagonist. A couple were close, but ... nah.

I almost gave up.

But then decided to try one last time:

And there she is! I know she's not perfect. Still, I felt like I was looking at her.

It gave me a rush to put a face with the name. Her name is Kara, by the way.

And, you know what? The week I drew these pictures, I pushed through and finished the second draft of this particular WiP. My little drawing break did the trick!

Have you ever tried drawing one of your characters? What other creative approaches do you use when you're getting to know them?

A Year in Review

2012-01-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

This will be quick, I promise.

2011 was a big year. And no big year is complete without some sort of highlights list attached, right?
So here's mine:

Naomi Rose was born.
Wrote a lot. >>Here<< is one example.
Queried a lot. An example of the insanity >>here<<.
Won a MSFV Secret Agent contest. (Huge confidence booster!)
Celebrated twelve years of marital bliss with my dashingly handsome sidekick.
Traveled to Hong Kong to visit my family. See pictures >>here<< and >>here<<.
All that querying was worth it when I signed with my wonderful agent, Emmanuelle Morgen.
Lots of editing. An example >>here<<.
Participated in NaNo for the first time ever. And won!
And that's not even going into all the wonderful books I read and all the wonderful people I met through this blogging community.

All in all, heck yeah, this was a fantastic year! I am more than thankful. Not only for the good times, but the tough times too, because if we didn't have tough times and challenges we would be characterless blobs without a story to tell. We writers know the value of hardship more than anyone.

I'm looking forward to 2012 and all it holds.

My goals (not resolutions, mind you, GOALS!):

Keep reading
Keep writing
Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite
Edit, edit, edit
Get into some sort of exercise routine, probably some sort of morning video work out that doesn't involve leaving the house ... at least, not until spring
Snuggle my children as much as possible because they're all growing up too fast
Remind my dashingly handsome sidekick every single day how wonderful and amazing he is

And that's a wrap!

What about you? Did you have a good 2011? What are your goals for 2012?

Happy New Year, everyone. I wish you all the best in 2012!

'Tis the Season ... to be Tired

2011-12-30T22:59:00.000-08:00

I've been so tired and lazy-feeling since Christmas.

Can anyone else relate?

We had a lovely Christmas with the Dashingly Handsome Sidekick's family here in town.

Then on Boxing Day we drove over to the populated side of the state to visit my aunt and uncle and their boys. My California aunt and uncle were in the area, so we got together with them, too, as well as my cousin and his adorable family.

So the season was filled with love and laughter and eating and joy and eating and driving and eating and....

I'm exhausted!

I did get some writing done the first week of winter vacation. I actually finished my second draft of my China novel. Now it's resting. I am determined to dive back into it tomorrow, but I've been saying that for the past two days: "I'll dive back into it tomorrow." We'll see....

Last night I wrote a picture book draft. Today I edited it. I know it's not ready for anything, but I'm already feeling paralyzed. Picture books terrify me more than novels because I don't know what to DO with them. The task of looking into publication seems so much more daunting. Is it only me?

As I collect my thoughts and prepare for the New Year--and a more serious post where I stop rambling and use my brain-- I'd like to hear from you. How was your holiday? What was your favorite part about it?

Mine was spending time with these cute people (and the grown-up ones, too):

The stair steps: my kids with their second cousins.

My crazy bunch on Christmas morning

Santa's littlest helper

Don't forget to tell me about your holiday in the comments!

WQI: Cath Crowley's GRAFFITI MOON

2011-12-19T05:36:00.000-08:00

photo by Darren James

I'm honored to have Cath Crowley here for a World's Quickest Interview (WQI). I read her book, A LITTLE WANTING SONG, and raved about it >>here<<. Cath has a beautiful, amazing voice and her characters are unforgettable. A LITTLE WANTING SONG reminded me why I love reading (and writing) contemporary YA.

GRAFFITI MOON is Cath's newest book and will be available in the US on Feb 14 (Valentine's Day release date - how awesome is that!), but it's already out in Australia where it's picking up awards right and left.

Australian cover.

Describe GRAFFITI MOON in one sentence.   

Light-scattered dream.

How long have you been writing?   

About ten years.

Who or what inspired GRAFFITI MOON?*

Graffiti Moon is a story about a group of teenagers who are outsiders. They spend one night together, out in the city, and it changes things for them. They don’t work out who they are – that would be hard in one night – but they work out that it’s okay to be different.

Shadow and Lucy, the main characters, connect through art. So the conversations they have are inspired by the artists I love - Mark Rothko, Sam Leach, Rosemary Laing, Jeffrey Smart, Pablo Picasso, Johannes Vermeer, Michael Zavros, Rosalie Gascoigne, Bethany Wheeler, Ghostpatrol and Miso. I wanted to write about two people who speak through images as well as words.

Poet is my favourite character. He mostly comes from my imagination, but he’s partly inspired by all the teenagers I’ve worked with who say they can’t write and then they produce these amazing lines.

The inspiration for Shadow and Lucy’s love story was the painting The Lovers by Magritte; it’s of two people kissing through sheets. I thought that first dates might be easier if people couldn’t see each other.

How long did it take you to write it?

About two years.

US cover.

Besides writing, what do you like to do most?

Reading.

Grilled chicken, fried chicken or no chicken?  

Grilled chicken.

What's your favorite holiday and why?

A mix of lazing around reading and going out and seeing things that inspire me to write.

Watch sports or play sports?

Not really. I like Pilates and walking.

One wish. What is it?

More empathy in the world. And that there would be another series written by Aaron Sorkin. Oops. That’s two. But one wish is never enough.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Read. Study great writers. Write every day to find your own style. Be curious about the world. Write about thing things that matter to you.

Thank you, Cath! In our back-and-forth email exchanges, Cath has been a huge encouragement to me. I'm so thrilled she could be here to share a little bit of her wisdom. I hope you're all salivating over GRAFFITI MOON like I am! And if you haven't read A LITTLE WANTING SONG yet, add it to your TBR list.

If you get a chance amid holiday festivities, leave a comment and let Cath know how awesome she is!

*I decided not to hold Cath to the Twitter-length answer for this question. For one thing, I forgot to mention the short-answer thing when I asked Cath to do the interview (this is when I pull the I'm-a-mom-with-tons-of-little-kids card and claim scatter-brainedness). Then, after I read the answer, I thought it was so cool, I didn't want to cut it down at all. Nobody minds, right? :)

The ACTUAL Deja Vu Blogfest: Creation

2011-12-16T06:15:00.000-08:00

Today I'm participating in the DL Hammons Deja Vu Blogfest, co-hosted by Creepy Query Girl, Nicole Decleroir, and Lydia Kang.

I accidentally posted this yesterday, realized my mistake after posting, deleted the post, but could not figure out how to delete it from Google Reader, so if this is a DOUBLE deja vu moment for you, all the better! (Did you like my positive spin on that one?)

I chose a blog post from almost exactly two years ago when my blog was getting an average of zero comments per post. Those were the days when I was still following mostly agent blogs, when I was blogging just for the fun of it, before I had tapped in to the wonders of the online writing community.

Visit >>DL's blog<< to find links to the other entries.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Creation

Your writing is your creation. Your characters' worlds might be based on reality, but they're places and names and surroundings you've made up in your head. The words you choose to describe these places are all ones you've chosen specifically. They have your brand on them, your own unique flavor.

So, why is it that an agent can look at a person's work and say, "Cliche ... There's too much of that around already ... I've heard that story so many times before, I can tell you right now what the ending will be."

Weird, huh? We think we're slicing off a part of our unique soul when we write. Then it turns out a thousand other people have thought the same thought and have written it all down already. And we were so sure it was original.

That's why I'm so amazed when I look at my children. Even other people's children. People in general.

Because we're all so unique. Nobody looks at a newborn baby and calls him or her a cliche: "Looks too much like the parents. I've seen this one so many times before, I'm bored of it."

No. We marvel, because each creation is so individual, so remarkable, filled with so much potential.

I'm glad that even though my genes may have been involved in making my children, I really didn't have any choice in how they turned out. I'm glad my children's creations were out of my hands, so I could enjoy the originality of their design and the uniqueness of their temperaments without imposing my cliched, cookie-cutter ideas, my boxed-in thinking, my limited insight, on them.

And I keep writing. To find myself. To find my unique voice and the story that's all mine, inspired by the originality of reality.

One of the little creations I had everything-and-nothing to do with "creating."

Your thoughts?

Truth Tuesday: Spiders

2011-12-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

You already know the state of my bathtub from my blog title, but today I have a true (gross) confession to make.

Our house seems to attract spiders, especially in the winter. They're big, brown, harmless things.

Spiderman and Captain America take on a tub-dwelling spider.

My girls were getting ready for a bath the other afternoon and we did our usual spider check. We were rewarded with one spider behind a Rescue Hero toy. I captured him alive and flushed him down the toilet (sorry, spider!).

The girls got in and we filled the bath with water, when Sophie started complaining. "There's something in the water! There's something in the water!"

She started pulling at long strands, which at first I thought were long hairs. But then I realized nobody in our house had hair THAT long.

And the color was strange. At some angles the strands looked black, at other angles, silver. And they were sticky.

Spider webs.

And then, horror of horrors, another spider came bobbing to the surface of the water. Already drowned, poor thing, but that saved me having to kill him.

I fished out more spider webs from the front of the tub.

They were tricky to remove because they were invisible until you removed them from the water.

Now we have to do a spider check AND a spider web check before we get in the tub.

And maybe I should clean my bathtub more often....

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2011-12-10T19:56:00.000-08:00

Just a few pictures to help you feel warm and cozy this Christmas season...

It's too cold to snow. Instead, we get hoar frost...

Which is so beautiful...

I don't mind the absence of snow.

Especially when I can come home to a lighted tree covered in homemade decorations...


And stockings over the fireplace... *


And a Hero Factory robot attacking the Wise Men. Life doesn't get much better than this!

Stay warm and cozy, everyone

enjoy the Season!

*You may notice that one of these things is not like the others. This is what happens when you move to America from China and then have a surprise baby -- you end up with one too few silk stockings! (Thankfully I had the stocking from when I was a kid to fill in the gap!)

Picture Book Writer Jesalyn Cole & MeeGenius! Contest

2011-12-08T09:14:00.000-08:00

Today I'm excited to welcome my dear friend, Jesalyn Cole. We live in the same town and met when our daughters were in tumbling class together. Jesalyn is one of the first friends I made after moving back from China.

Well, Jesalyn discovered my secret (that I write novels) and then told me her secret (that she writes picture books) and that gave us just one more reason to like each other.

Jesalyn has two stories in the MeeGenius! picture book contest. I invited her to come on the blog for a quick interview to tell us more about this endeavor.

How long have you been writing?

I actually started writing stories for fun while in 3rd or 4th grade and was selected by teachers to attend a few creative writing workshops. I started writing children's stories and picture books about 4 years ago, but only this year have started telling people about them and calling myself an author.

Why did you decide to write picture books?

I love picture books and the beautiful illustrations that bring the words to life. I enjoy writing in rhymes and patterns. I have fun playing with words and trying to create the illustrations for readers with only the text.

Give us one sentence summaries of your stories.

Joey is an almost 7 year old who requests a giraffe for his birthday by way of a letter to his parents explaining what life with a giraffe will look like in their household.

Emma is having trouble going to sleep due to multiple distractions from all sorts of sources (real and imaginary) throughout the house, much to her mother's dismay and impatience.

Who or what inspired these stories?

My four year old daughter gives me lots of inspiration. One day we were driving home from preschool and she mentioned that she wanted a giraffe for a pet. So, I started asking her questions about where the giraffe would live, what it would eat, etc. She had some great ideas! I couldn't get home fast enough to start writing it all down! Emma's story was inspired by a friend's Facebook post about her own daughter not being able to sleep due to their dog being in her room, dancing on her bed and wearing a sombrero. I could see it SO vividly that I decided to try other scenarios and ended up with an entire picture book.

Explain how the MeeGenius! contest works and how we can vote for you.

MeeGenius! Is a New York City based digital publisher and this competition is taking place nationwide. There are two ways to advance through the "Manuscript Voting Round": 1) The stories to get the most “Likes” from the Facebook community and 2) “Staff Favorites” will be picked by MeeGenius to enter the Finalists Round. You will need a Facebook account to vote and voters can only vote once per manuscript. This round of voting concludes December 18. The stories selected will be professionally edited, illustrated and enhanced for e-readers before another, final round of voting will take place. If one of my stories is selected, I will not only get $1,500 for the story but Keene Riverview Elementary (our local elementary school) will get a complete digital library for its students.

Below are the links to the stories and voting:

Joey's Birthday Wish

Time for Bed Emma

Thank you, Jesalyn! Best of luck!

If you have time to check this out, it's a really cool contest. Jesalyn's stories are so cute. Has anyone else entered? Any picture book writers out there who may be interested in this next year? (Assuming MeeGenius! will do this again next year!) And if none of the above apply to you, leave Jesalyn an encouraging note in the comments. I know she'd appreciate it!

Movie Monday: Tianjin Opera

2011-12-05T09:39:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Marilyn filmed this short video on a street corner in Tianjin, China, the city in which we lived for eight years.

This is an aspect of life in China that I loved the most--
that at any moment I could run into something unexpected and wonderful. In a city like Tianjin there's never a "typical" day. Never really a quiet day, either!

One of my Works-in-Progress (WiP) is set in Tianjin. Watching this video helps me remember the sights, the sounds, the flavors of the city so I can bring them into the details of my novel.

Notice:

The shops and the shop keepers busily working
Car horns
Brakes squealing
Bikes
Clothing
Street signs
Even the sidewalk tile!

It's all so unique to China and makes me acutely homesick.

What does this video do to you? Do you find it weird, surprising, interesting? If you've been to China, was this video similar to your China experience? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Well I Never Blogfest!

2011-12-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Well I never....

thought I'd share embarrassing pictures from my past just to show you how much I appreciate my husband.

Here I am in middle school.

NERD! with gigantic bushy hair.

And here I am at the beginning of high school with my completely adorable (non-nerdy) friends...

NERD! again.
I'm attempting to look sexy but attracting NO ONE. (Those are our summer uniforms, in case you're curious.)

And here is my fourth form (9th grade) class photo in which we model our winter uniforms.

Can you see me in there? Don't strain your eyes. I'm the NERD in the sweater vest in the front row, the only one who thought it was cool in the middle of winter not to wear socks. (Maybe I thought my bushy hair would keep me warm?)

Here I am, about to leave for COLLEGE and I'm still a nerd. Quite possibly nerdier than before. Yes, I'm the only girl who, when the photographer yelled, "CRAZY FACE!" actually made a crazy face.

NERD!

Then I head off to college.

And somehow, against all odds, I end up dating this:

A guy who probably should be a male model and is the complete opposite of a nerd. Funny how life turns out sometimes, isn't it?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, my COOL, Dashingly Handsome Sidekick!

(Thank you for accepting the nerd in me!)

*Don't ask me why I think embarrassing myself on my blog will make my husband happy on his birthday. Don't tell anyone, but I think he kind of likes that I'm a nerd ... deep down.*

A big thank you to Vicki Rocho who hosted the Well I Never blogfest! You can find links to all the other Well I Never blogfest participants by clicking >>here<<.

WiP Wednesday: NaNo Update

2011-11-30T09:58:00.000-08:00

First of all I want to thank my math teacher, Mr. Martin, for teaching me to type in tenth grade.

Because, you know, if I weren't such a freakishly fast typer, I probably wouldn't be able to announce:

I'M A NANO WINNER!

Which sounds really cool and is really cool, but actually only means I managed to write 50,000 words in the month of November.

As of today, the last day in November, I've written 56,518 words and am probably three or four chapters away from the end of the book. (Can you tell I'm not a plotter?)

Which is great!

But it's possibly even greater that I met a personal goal, too. I wrote every single day this month.

Even if I couldn't pull off the full 1,667-word goal, I sat down and wrote SOMETHING. And usually that SOMETHING turned into more than I expected.

My other personal goal is to actually finish the novel this month, which would mean finishing it TODAY. Whether I'll reach that goal remains to be seen, but I'm feeling good. Time to stretch these fingers and get back to work.

Here's where I'm going to go out on a limb and say I think this is one of the best first drafts I've ever written. Not to toot my own horn or try to make you think I'm incredibly awesome or anything. It should be this way, right? With persistence and hard work, people improve at what they love. Forward momentum and all that. But I guess we'll see if my critique partners are as tickled with this baby as I am. LOTS remains to be seen. And of course, there's still lots of editing in my future.

How has your month of November been? Even if you didn't attempt NaNo, are you proud of something you accomplished this month?

*By the way, tomorrow is Vicki Rocho's Well I Never blogfest!

Which means I'll be posting two days in a row. Crazy, I know!*

Movie Monday: Flight of the Starlings

2011-11-28T12:49:00.000-08:00

If you've known me very long, you know I love to take pictures of My Valley. And I love to post them on my blog.

My friend Kimberly described a recent trip to the ocean. When she's there, she said, she gets a greater sense of how big God is. She lets herself go. I get the same feeling from looking at my valley, especially on days like this one, when the Rattlesnake Hills are lit in red and gold. Other days the clouds play in lights and shadows as if the sky is a canvas.

But on the evening I took this photo, I stood on our deck and suddenly there was the sound of wings over my head and the starlings swarmed across the sky. And I caught it on video (with my little camera). Standing by myself, with the wind and the chimes and the birds swooping and churning, it was very close to a spiritual experience.

I returned to my kitchen in awe. In peace.

I know (from a quite hilarious Facebook conversation) that starlings are a nuisance. But on that evening, I gave thanks that even nuisances can be beautiful, can quiet a quickly-beating heart, can reveal God's fingerprints on earth.

*Sorry about the video quality, folks. But maybe it will help you get the idea.*

Simple Beauties

2011-11-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

This time of year we return to the simple beauties of life:

Home

Family

Food

Fellowship

Laughter

Warmth

American football

God bless you all and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

*See you all on Movie Monday when I have a cool video ~~from China~~ to share. (China video will have to wait for another week. I wasn't organized enough to post it this Monday! Coming soon, though! Go check out my Movie Monday starling video instead.)*

*Thanks to Morguefile.com for the use of this photo.*

Book Vlog: SPACEHEADZ

2011-11-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

My eight-year-old, Gabe, wanted to share his thoughts on Jon Scieszka's SPACEHEADZ series, so we decided to experiment with a vlog interview.

What do you think? Do you like this vlog format? If so, I might do this more often.

Have you or your kids read the SPACEHEADZ books? What did you think? We've read the first three books and are anxiously waiting for MORE. Thank you to Jon Scieszka for making my son excited to read every night!

WiP Wednesday: The Other Story

2011-11-16T21:54:00.000-08:00

I'm NaNo-ing my way through a first draft right now. It's going well. I'm over 30,000 words on Day 16, so a little ahead of schedule. But I think that's a good thing, because I'm pretty sure this draft is going to need more than 50,000 words.

I've long suspected that I'm not a great multi-tasker. I cannot work on two projects simultaneously. One project always ends up being the twin who doesn't get enough nutrients--small, under developed, runtish. I'm better with singleton stories.

But honestly, I almost hijacked my own NaNo experience. See, this one day I had a sudden urge to work on my "other" book, the book I set aside so I could fly through NaNo.

BIG MISTAKE.

I lost my momentum with my NaNo story completely. I could barely eke out a thousand words that day.

So, I've committed myself anew to the NaNo story. I've made peace with the "other" story. She'll take a rest while I work on this one, and then, then I will set apart a large portion of time to really work on that poor, other, neglected story. The one that's been pining in the wings for far too long. I'll give her center stage for awhile.

How about you? Can you work on several projects simultaneously or do you prefer to be totally immersed in one?

Movie Monday: Lady Gaga in China

2011-11-14T06:57:00.000-08:00

A friend asked me to "explain" this video to him the other day.

Okay, I can see why the average American would think this is bizarre:

It takes a Lady Gaga song
Translates it into Chinese
And makes a bunch of elderly people sing it
Occasionally off key
While dancing
Along with some young women in tutus
Holding plastic renditions of traditional Chinese instruments

Yes, it's strange. But it's not too different from what's usually on TV in China, especially around holidays like Chinese New Year when the stations run one variety show after another.

Here are a few things about Chinese culture that might make viewing this video feel a little less odd:

Chinese people do not have as many inhibitions as Westerners do. Say you're walking through a park in China. You will see at least one of the following: a large crowd practicing tai chi; a large crowd dancing, either ballroom dancing or a more energetic, dance routine (usually there's a boombox set up to provide music); someone singing opera of some kind with a crowd gathered to watch; people walking backwards (this is believed to improve mental dexterity); someone playing a musical instrument; numerous games of hacky-sack; lots of badminton. Many of the people involved in these activities are retired. They have time and this is the way they have fun and stay healthy. It's totally normal.
Chinese people love to perform and they love to watch others perform. It's a national pastime. If you've ever been to a Chinese banquet you know this when they force you up in front of everyone to sing "Doe A Deer" a cappella. This is also why karaoke is so popular in Asian cultures, because singing in front of people is totally normal and wonderful and expected. In fact, if a Chinese person at a banquet asks you to sing, you'd better sing, brother.
It's not so important to stay on key. This should be comforting if you're ever pulled up to the front of a banquet hall in China and asked to sing a cappella. Chinese opera is very forgiving in this way, and since this is probably how most of the singers in the video were trained, they're more concerned about volume than pitch. This is not a criticism. It's simply style. I actually learned to sing a section of a famous southern Chinese opera called Butterfly Lovers. I performed it quite a few times at different venues with my opera teacher. So, I've heard my share of Chinese opera and it is an amazing art form! The movements are precise, but the pitch ... not as important.
No comment on song choice. Not positive why Lady Gaga was chosen, and my Chinese isn't good enough to know if they translated the lyrics exactly, but... Yes, they do look cheerful for singing about heartbreak and bad romance. But the tune is kind of catchy, right? **

I actually love this video. I love that the Chinese live to entertain, that they're not afraid to try new things and put themselves out there. I love that they honor their senior citizens and that people aren't considered "too old" to perform on national TV. It's wonderful ... and just watching this makes me feel nostalgic for China. I loved the quirky, unexpectedness of living there. Every morning I woke up not knowing what adventures the day would hold.

American life, on the other hand, is very ... predictable.

Thoughts?

**Giora very kindly provided more explanation in the comments (thank you, Giora!). I wanted to include his words, because they are very important to understanding this performance: "The lyrics are very different from that of "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga. The lyrics are about eldery people sining to their son that he is too busy to visit them and they hope that he will see them singing the song." Isn't that helpful? I'm becoming more and more attached to this performance all the time!

All Things Are Possible

2011-11-09T21:29:00.000-08:00

It was one of those evenings where I looked at my band of alternately crying and hyperactive children and thought to myself:

I have to feed all these children
I have to get all these children in their pajamas
I have to motivate all these children to clean up their messes
I have to read books to all these children
I have to somehow get all these children to brush their teeth and get in bed
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

But now, you see, it's past nine o'clock, and here I sit in front of the computer with a steaming cup of tea. All those children are asleep. The house is quiet. The living room is (slightly) picked up. The Dashingly Handsome Sidekick is home from football practice.

All things are possible.

Number of words written today=zero (but I'm about to remedy that right after this blog post)

How was your day?

Movie Monday: Hong Kong Homeland

2011-11-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

My good friend and critique buddy, Krista V., wrote a neat post entitled Writing What You Are ... and she used me as an example in her post! (Thanks, Krista!) Not because I'm brilliant or have everything figured out, but because over the last few years I've been writing novels that reflect my experiences in Hong Kong and China. It's a good place to start--with what you know, what you feel passionate about. Head over to Krista's blog and read >>her post<<. It's really good (and not just because I'm in it, promise).

But before you jet, stay for a couple minutes and watch this short video about Hong Kong, where I grew up. This video makes me homesick and proud every time I watch it! Enjoy!

[ Homeland ] - with my DIY motion-dolly from Asa Li on Vimeo.

What unique life experiences do you bring to your writing?

Snoopy Mom Strikes

2011-11-05T22:13:00.000-07:00

Shhh! You must never disclose that you saw this on my blog. This is a big, big secret. My ten-year-old daughter does not know I scanned this letter she wrote and does not realize I'm posting it on my blog.

She would absolutely kill me, so please don't breathe a word.

But ... isn't this CUTE?

Man, it makes me want to write books for younger people so that if they're published I could get cool fan mail like this. With mermaids!

Do teenagers ever send fan mail with mermaids? Probably not, right?

Darn.

For the record, Olivia's been a Grace Lin fan for a long time. She reviewed Grace Lin's celebrated WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON on my blog >>here<< when she was eight. I think she only got one comment on the review because I didn't have very many blog friends at that point (*sniffle*). In fact, I think the only commenter was my brother. Um, lame?

But it's still a cute review.

Now to secretly return this letter to the place I found it so Olivia will never, ever know I ~~stole~~ borrowed it! Muahahahahaha!

WiP Wednesday: Tense Troubles ... & Insignia ARC!

2011-11-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

I started the first draft of a new book the other day.

I tried to write it in first person past tense, but just couldn't do it. I kept inadvertently slipping back into present tense, which was so frustrating. Finally, I just gave in and changed the whole thing to present.

I've been writing in first person present for so long, it's hard to switch!

I could probably switch if I really forced myself to, but this is NaNo. I don't have time to go back and edit all my tense blunders, so I'm heading back to my comfort zone.

How about you?

Which tense do you like best when you write? Are you all over place or do you tend to stick to one? Do you have a preference when you read?

And by the way, S.J. Kincaid is giving her first ARC away on >>her blog<<. You don't want to miss it. Here's a little cover love to get you salivating:

I'm NaNo-ing. Are You?

2011-10-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

I've decided to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writers Month) this year. NaNo is where a bunch of crazy people commit to writing 1,666 words a day for 30 days in the hopes of producing the first draft of a novel. Yes, I've decided to be one of those crazy people.

I'm prickly scared. And I must finish the current draft of my WiP in one day so I'll be ready to go on November 1st.

I'm a pretty fast writer, so the idea of 1,666-words-a-day thing doesn't scare me. It's the EVERY DAY thing. Especially since the Dashingly Handsome Sidekick is heading into playoffs with his football team next week. And, you know, the small distraction of lots of little children who are the joy of my life (I am very glad to be distracted with them). And everything that's associated with being responsible for said children--meals, laundry, dirty bathrooms, etc. Oh, and Thanksgiving and my son's birthday also being in November. *deep breath*

But I'm going to attempt it. Just because it will get this novel I have simmering in my head started at the very least. And I may have a first draft at the very most.

I have nothing to lose, right? Except maybe my sanity. But sometimes I think sanity is overrated. If I lived my whole life worrying about keeping it, I'd have a boring life.

So, here's to NaNo! Who else is with me?

I'm registered as A.L. Sonnichsen (I know, very creative) if you'd like to be my buddy.

WiP Wednesday: A Seagull and a Butterfly

2011-10-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday! I haven't done a Work-in-Progress update for awhile, so here's the scoop.

I'm working on two books simultaneously. This isn't ideal, probably because my regular life mothering five kids requires so much multitasking, it's hard to also do that in my writing life and stay sane. But, I'm doing it anyway. Slowly, but surely.

1) SEAGULL RISING: I'm still editing this one, polishing it for submission. At this point, my agent and I are down to "fine-tooth editing." With this edit I only have one plot point to adjust, which is an improvement over the last round of edits where I rewrote most of the ending. (But it's a much better ending!)

I'm honestly wondering if most writers cause their agent this much trouble. I hope so, because if most people are turning in flawless manuscripts that go straight to submission, I'm going to feel terrible. But I'm thankful to my awesome agent, Emmanuelle, for taking the time to help me get my book as perfect as possible.

And I have a feeling this is good practice for when I do get published *someday.* I'll be that much better at this editorial-feedback back-and-forth thing.

2) RED BUTTERFLY: This is my new novel, set completely in China. Wow, this one has been hard to write because its subject is so emotionally charged. I'm close to finishing my second rewrite and getting it out to a first-round of critique partners.

Now that I'm almost done with this draft, I'm in love. I liked it okay after the first draft ... I mean, I loved the idea, but I wasn't in love with my execution. But after this rewrite, I can honestly say I've fallen for the characters--all of them, even the male lead who was making me pull my hair out at first. And maybe, just maybe, I'm getting better at plotting? I guess that remains to be seen....

So, I'm dying to hear how your WiPs are going. Even if it's not related to writing, what are you working on right now?

And if you don't feel like answering that question, maybe tell me why you think I've named both my books after animals that fly? I really have no idea, but I'd like to hear your opinion. (There might be a deeply psychological reason.)

Delicious Fall

2011-10-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's unmistakeably fall in the Yakima Valley.

Every year my in-laws make grape juice from the grapes they grow in their back yard.

Here's a sampling. (I wish I could give you a real sampling!)

This stuff is so good, so healthy, so delicious.

And of course my in-laws have too much to drink all by themselves, so they share with us. Yay!

Do you have any traditions or hobbies you enjoy only in the fall?

Just for fun, here's a picture of the cool clouds we had over our valley yesterday.

Have a wonderful, colorful, delicious day!

My Tribute to Yue Yue

2011-10-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

Little Wang Yue, nicknamed Yue Yue, died today. >>Here<< is the BBC report.

You've probably read the articles, maybe you even watched the footage, but after wandering out into an alleyway near her family's hardware store, Yue Yue was run over by two vehicles that kept on driving. Her plight was then ignored by at least eighteen passersby. The whole incident was captured on a security camera.

I haven't watched the video. Can't stomach it. The reports are disturbing enough. I've been told by people who did watch the video that it gave them nightmares.

It's horrifying to look the dark side of human nature in the face. This sickening display of human selfishness at its worst makes us ask questions, at least.

How did this happen?

What were those bystanders thinking?

I would react differently, wouldn't I?

To understand "those bystanders'" thought-processes demands knowing something about Chinese culture. I don't claim to be an absolute authority, but I did live in China for eight years. Those were wonderful years and I met amazing, big-hearted people in my time there, people who would have helped Yue Yue in a heartbeat. I know not every Chinese person would have behaved like the people in the video did.

Still, I wasn't completely surprised by this story. I've been trying to wrap my mind around why it horrified me, but didn't surprise me.

Do I think Chinese people are heartless? No.

Do I think they're afraid? Yes.

Afraid of losing everything they've worked so hard for.

Afraid that if they help, they'll have to face false accusations and will lose "face," as well as money.

It's hard for westerners to understand how important the concept of Face is to a Chinese person. Face is everything.

And in recent years, money runs a close second to Face.

There have been several well-publicized instances in China where a "hero" was later accused of causing the accident. >>This article<< addresses one of these instances.

If we dig just a little into Chinese history, I think we find at least one culprit: the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Brother turned against brother, wife against husband. No one could be trusted, not even a person's own family members. You always worried someone might turn you in to the authorities on a trumped up charge.

The Communists at that time orchestrated that kind of fear to serve its own selfish purposes-- to overthrow the old way and bring in the new. They needed to destroy individual's trust in one another so they would become totally subservient to the government.

Now, all these years later, we still see the consequences of that movement in the new China. The stamp of fear is still on the people. It may take many more generations to completely wear away. Perhaps tragedies like Yue Yue's will encourage people to consider their values, to change their thinking, to reach out to others without fear.

So today ...
Pray for Yue Yue's grieving family.
Pray that this is a wake-up call for this culture, that all of us from every culture will realize we can't let fear stand in the way of doing what's right.
Pray that when we're faced with a big decision like this, we will act compassionately, selflessly, heroically, without taking the time to count the cost.

Rest in peace, sweet baby Yue Yue. Your innocent life's tragedy may become a light for a great nation.

Truth Tuesday: Poop Happens

2011-10-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

We writers all look forward to The Call.

It seems illusive and then suddenly it's happening. An agent asks if she can call you! You think she'll probably offer representation! YIKES! Leap around the house. Scrub the bathtub. Sing silly songs. Kiss the baby.

I cleared the house for The Call. I farmed out my children in preparation. I put the baby down for a nap early. It was awesome.

During The Call my house was totally quiet. I was perfectly professional. (*ahem*--except for the nervous giggling at the beginning and the "Oh, I've been so excited to talk to you!" in a sixth-grade girl voice--*ahem*)

Then came The Acceptance Call. Short and sweet. My agent said she was thrilled, we both danced a jig on our opposite sides of the continent. All was well.

Then came The Call After the Acceptance Call to talk details. I didn't prepare so well for this call. My big kids were at school, but my two little girls were home and both awake. I figured it would be fine. My two-year-old was playing nicely, so when the call came, I took it in the office.

I have no idea how long this call lasted, but it was going great, I was making notes, when all of a sudden the door creaked open and my two-year-old was standing in the doorway, bare bottomed, holding out a long stream of toilet paper smeared with poop.

I don't remember exactly what Emmanuelle was talking to me about at that moment. I think it was something about cover ideas (I'm sure it was a wonderful cover idea), but suddenly all her words ran together and I was faced with a dilemma.

I'd been trying so hard to be professional.

But here is my daughter smeared with poop standing in the middle of my office.

I had to make a decision:

1) FULL DISCLOSURE: "Ha ha! My daughter is standing in the middle of my office with a bare bottom and poop all over her."

2) PARTIAL DISCLOSURE: "Sorry, I have a little emergency here. Can I call you right back?"

3) DENIAL: Keep talking on the phone and silently guide the poopy child back to the bathroom; try to finish the call with some kind of grace.

It was probably not the best choice, but I chose option 3.

In hindsight, I should have gone with option 2. But I was in panic mode and in panic mode you don't always make good choices.

Now that I know my agent a little better, I'm sure she would have been very understanding even if I'd dropped the Option 1 bomb. She's gracious and has a great sense of humor, so I'm sure she would have laughed along with me.

Did I learn anything from this fiasco?

1) Only that parenthood is sometimes not synonymous with professionalism.

2) That it's good to stay humble. You never know when a child covered in poop will walk into your office and interrupt a phone call.

3) That you can do your best, but in the end, poop still happens.

I'm sure you all would have handled this situation much better than I did, but tell me your thoughts. Any other lessons I could learn from this? Is anyone totally grossed out? Have I convinced anyone to swear off having children forever?

Well, that last one wasn't my intention, so just in case, here's my daughter looking like the angel she often is:

"Mommy, this is for you."

Yep, she's worth it!

The Synopsis as a Tool

2011-10-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

We all have our own routines and processes when we write. Some of us wing our way through a draft. Others plan. Years go by and we learn new tricks and techniques. We experiment different ways of writing novels. We try out different methods of drafting and editing.

I'm always trying new things. For instance, with my WiP, I'm typing it in a weird font because for some reason the voice comes out better than with Times New Roman. Of course I'll change it back to TNR before I submit, but it's fun to draft it this way.

But I did something REALLY crazy for me the other day. I actually PLOTTED out the last quarter of my WiP. I've never done this before, because I've always been a strict pantser (meaning, if you're new to writing lingo, I draft by the seat of my pants.)

I got to this point because of my lovely agent Emmanuelle. She's teaching me seriously helpful things.

For instance, when I got ready to query before, I'd polish up the manuscript, send off a few queries, and then maybe think about writing a synopsis as an after thought. But Emmanuelle has been teaching me how to use the synopsis as a tool. She has taught me to study the synopsis to find places where I can heighten the tension, raise the stakes, and also analyze character arcs.

It occurred to me (I'm slow sometimes) that this is what people do when they plot in depth BEFORE they start the novel. Technically they're taking out the guess-work and going in with a really strong story. (I still think it's possible to mess up with this, because there are always characters who don't want to cooperate with really strong story lines ... but that's a blog post for another day.)

I don't think I'll ever be a firm plotter, but I like the bird's eye view a synopsis gives me when I'm editing.

And in this case, since I was having a hard time envisioning my WiP's ending, a one-page plot plan is helping me get there. Who knows if I'll stick to it. I'm sort of a free spirit. But it's actually nice to have a plan. (I can't believe I'm saying that!)

I know I've asked before whether you're a plotter or a pantser, so I'll change the question. Do you use your synopsis as a tool? Or do you type it up last minute when an agent requests it?

Guest Post by Grace: A Borders Eulogy

2011-10-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

An empty bookstore: it has got to be one of the saddest spectacles my young eyes have ever lighted upon.

My mind and heart still hold the images of the knowledge-packed shelves, the navigational signs, the posters announcing the arrival of the latest Harry Potter book, the place where all the Children's award-winners reigned supreme and where I would sit on cold days and peruse what looked adventurously promising.

This was the place I discovered my love for such writers as E.L. Konigsburg and Gordon Korman. It was here that I read the first few pages of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, soon to become one of my very favorites. It was here that I began to learn the way of the Newbery Medal, given out once a year, and of the Honors which were received by a few of the most noteworthy runners-up.

This place was called "Borders," but when we were small one of us mistakenly referred to it as "Boxers." Ah, memories.

I can be sure that I, being a young adult attempting to write Young Adult, am not the only one significantly affected by the existence of good, material bookstores.

We all benefit from a visit to Barnes & Noble, and not just because half of the world's nicest people live between the pages of its merchandise. For all the greatness and triumph of discovery in the form of new places you don't have to pack your suitcase and cross oceans to see, it is, in my opinion, an equally wondrous thing to walk through the doors and enter the familiar building, which is filled to the brim with wisdoms (good and bad), eyes and ears of others destined to become your own (if only for a week or so), lives to be lived, lines to be crossed, and hidden worlds to be found and lifted up into the sunlight of one's own imagination.

There is an atmosphere of mystery, of invisible music that longs to be heard, whist a smell of ages and of knowledge (and of coffee, in some cases) signals the beginning of something wonderful, though who can ever know what it is just yet?

It's an adventure, walking into a bookstore or library. It's an experience; a meditation; a magic spell. The visit itself may be a journey; a quest; or perhaps simply a lazy boat-ride: a drift, if you will. Whatever one's preference, it is what it is, and that is wondrous.

Now, imagine, if you will, the world without bookstores or libraries. If there were none of these available, what should naturally follow but (horror of horrors!) a world without books? "What does it matter?" some might counter. "Who needs paperbacks or places to keep them when one has the internet?"

What do you think?

**

A little more about my guest:

Hi, my name is Grace. I’m 16 years old, and I write fiction for Children and Young Adults … Well, technically, I am attempting to write said fiction. I have not ever been published, but it is my goal to finish my first book by summer of next year and begin the dreaded (or joyfully anticipated: whichever you like) campaign to become a published author.

I began meeting with Amy last year, and she has been amaaaaaziiiiing: Thank you, Amy! I love to write in many genres, though most of my plots seem to have at least a trickle of fantasy threading through them. I am really a wizard at heart, or maybe a fairy: it’s a tough decision.

Some of my favorite authors are Kate DiCamillo, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, Helen Keller, and J.K. Rowling. If you haven’t read something by one or more of these people, DO IT! They are all different, and they are all wonderful.

**

Thank you for doing this, Grace! You are wonderful! *hugs*

So, my lovely blog followers, I'd love you to answer Grace's question in the comments. What do you think about Borders' closure? Does this herald the end of bookstores as we know them? Anything else to tell Grace?

Check Baby Check Baby 1234

2011-10-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is a test. This is only a test.

Because my last blog post never showed up in MY Google reader, so I'm wondering if it showed up in YOURS.

Did you get to read about how I met the wonderful children's book author Karma Wilson at my kids' elementary school? If not, and you want to, click >>here<<.

I have a really fun guest post lined up for tomorrow and I don't want anyone to miss it. So, hopefully this works.

While we're chatting, how was your weekend? Did you do anything fun? I was in my editing cave, but more about that later....

See you tomorrow!