Blog Tour: My Writing Process

A few friends tagged me in this blog tour about my writing process. I apologize for the long-ish post but I hope you'll read it all: I'll celebrate those who tagged me, then tell you a little about my process and tag two writers I'd love for you to meet, if you haven't already.

All-righty then. On with the show.

I was tagged by my friend, Susan McCulley, who has a wonderful blog, Focus Pocus. Susan is a Nia instructor and writer and all around beautiful person who I love. She writes insightful posts about the mind-body connection in a style that is, both, humorous and profound. Her posts always make me stop and think about how I move through life and how I create.

My friend Becca Rowan, who I've never met, but who I've known in this blogging space for many years. As the title would suggest, her blog is made up of Reflections On Life In General. She a lovely and elegant person who always teaches me about slowing down to reflect and I know we are kindred spirits because we both share the only-child connection and a love of piano, books, bicycles, and savoring quiet.

And my friend Amy Sonnichsen, who is a trusted critique partner and who I've celebrated on this blog for the upcoming release of her gorgeous novel in verse RED BUTTERFLY. She also writes at her blog, The Green Bathtub, and she's a super awesome person who is beautiful inside, out, and on the page.

What am I working on? 

I'm deep in the trenches of a first draft right now. I wander through first drafts, so it's hard to say what it is, and part of me likes to keep it a secret, close to my heart, until it is more fully formed. I'll say I'm really, so excited about it. I'll say it is a young adult novel about two sisters I've wanted to write about for years. It takes place along the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn and centers around a rare and beautiful tree.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

This is a hard question. I don't know how to answer it. I think, maybe, my stories are more dreamlike than others.

Why do I write what I do?

Characters and a sense of place guide my fiction. I follow them wherever they take me. I think I've said this on the blog once before but I write realistic fiction because I think life is strange and magical and I want to write about people who, like me, have complicated feelings about the people they know and the world they live in. There's a lot of gray in the world and that's where my stories live.

How does your writing process work?

To be honest, I learn every day how to write and every day it's different. As I said, I like to wander through a first draft. By the time I near the end, I think I know what has to be done. I make huge revisions. I send it to trusted friends/readers. I revise again and again. Then it goes out into the world. Past experience has taught me that once it goes out into the world, I'll probably have it returned to me and have to rewrite it at least three times.

And, finally, I'm tagging two people whose work I admire:

Sylvie Morgan Brown, a friend and colleague I work with in children's media, who I just learned has the most beautiful, beautiful blog about food and life. Like the best food writers, she has a lyrical writing style that makes me feel like I'm in her kitchen sharing delicious food and conversation.

Melissa Middleman Firman, who I have come to know through her blog and through her passionate Facebook statuses. Along with thoughts on life, writing, autism, politics, Pittsburg and more, she also posts insightful book reviews on her blog. The girl doesn't mess around, shares her thoughts with urgency and heart and I love it.

So, please, go forth and read all of these women and their work.

Amy Got a Book Deal!!! So We Made A Video

I met Amy Sonnichsen through the Hacky Sack Club, the brainchild of Amy and Janet, and after a series of embarrassing videos, that led to silly emails, that led to more serious emails, Amy and I began reading one another's work and encouraging one another through this wild publishing journey. I learned many things through these exchanges, a few of which I'll share here:

Amy is superhuman. She manages to take care of five adorable children, write (multiple) entire novels, revise (multiple) entire novels, critique (multiple) entire novels written by others, answer my ridiculous emails, comment or like every facebook status I write, AND talk to me on the phone to give me her brilliant advice while making some sort of broccoli casserole. I don't know how she does it.  I recollect her critiquing a query letter for me while two of her children were puking. She's a multi-tasker all right.

Not surprisingly but, perhaps, most importantly, Amy has a huge, HUGE heart.

And Amy writes the most gorgeous books. Lucky for us, you'll be able to read her middle grade verse novel in 2015 because, earlier this summer, RED BUTTERFLY sold to Simon & Schuster!!!!!!!

When she told me about her book deal, I couldn't have been more thrilled because Amy works so hard, writes so beautifully, and inspires me with her enormous talent.

So, in classic Hacky Sack Club fashion, the amazing Janet and I decided we had to post some ridiculous video to celebrate the occasion because we share, both, Amy's joy over this amazing news and her penchant for silliness.

So all of you get to hear us sing and watch our brilliant acting skills. (Janet is actually brilliant and funny at this. I, on the other hand, had to do something like 25 takes while Tyler shook his head at my appalling ability to pretend to 'squint'.)

Congratulations Amy! I couldn't be happier for you.

Without further adieu...let the celebration ensue...

My So-Called Teenage Life Blog Hop - FAIL

This is the post where Melissa admits that she forgot about the My So-Called Teenage Life Blog Hop, hosted by the fabulous Amy, Christa, and Andrea, and proceeds to speak in third person because of her shame and admits she can not post today because she is at the office and no where near her whining teenage diaries or awful poems and instead re-posts something she wrote when she was eleven years old because she doesn't know what else to do:

Ten is Enough

In the parting words of every terrible corporate email ever to cross a person's inbox in an attempt to make something bad okay...

...thank you for understanding.