Stay

We had a long weekend in the States and I spent most of it moving through the sunshine, as if I'd been let loose from the angry rain. I rode over it's reflections on the pavement with my bike, watched it slice through the trees as I hiked and, with my hair in the grass, I let it soak right through me.

On Saturday we went to Governor's Island which, in it's own strange way, is an inspiration for my current work in progress, Rabbit Island. Governor's Island is the kind of place I know I'll be talking about in years to come. I'll come back to New York City and learn of it's fate. I'll shake my head in dismay.

"Remember when the ferries were free?" I'll say. "When you could ride your bike wherever you wanted and there were no cars? Remember the abandoned houses and the dormitories? How everything was all fenced in? The weird art installation in the church? The miniature golf course that looked like something your old hippie neighbor had scrambled together in his yard and let the neighborhood kids play for free? Remember when we signed a waiver to look inside a castle? How we peaked our heads inside a darkened room and listened to an audio recording about trading a boat for a bit of dust? Remember?"

Every time I'm there I want to change the cliche because it should be: 'nothing strange can stay'. But I hope that Governor's Island does.

After that, we took the ferry back and looked at the Brooklyn Bridge, all covered in white tarp and construction. "What a terrible time to take a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge," I told Tyler.

And so, he snapped a picture anyway.

BEA Recap- The Authors & The Books

It was a wonderful day at Book Expo. As I mentioned, I didn't plan ahead for my time at BEA. I basically just wandered around. Saw what there was to see. I chatted with book lovers on long lines for autographed books. I got flustered when I reached the front and couldn't think of anything witty or intelligent to say to authors. I spent a lot of money on lunch. I sat and listened to some panels. I didn't see anyone I knew in the crowds. My feet hurt as I traversed back and forth on the Javit's floor. The usual.

So that's the short version. Read on for the long version.

Last year, I was a a BEA psychopath, getting my hands on as many books as I could, because I couldn't quite get over the fact that people were just giving books away. This year, I still couldn't get over that fact, but I used a lot of restraint. Because, er, I still have a stack of unread books from last year's expo. I look at some of them and I think 'huh'? I really have zero interest in them. So I thought it best not to get carried away.

"
The day began with signings for the only 2 books I really cared about getting at BEA. Lauren Oliver's new middle grade book Leisl and Po and Beth Kephart's You Are My Only. Of course their signings occurred at the exact same time, but I managed it, only once or twice calling it 'a situation', because the hour I spent on Lauren Oliver's line was really infringing on the block of time I would be able to get to Beth Kephart's signing. This is becoming 'a situation' I kept telling the dear librarian standing next to me, who was kind enough to listen to my neuroses.

I guess there are worse things in life than worrying about whether you will get two free autographed books from your favorite authors, but...ya know...first world problems...

Like I said, I managed it. And I can't say enough wonderful things about Beth Kephart, I just can't. But I'll guide you to her blog and to her books and ask you to read them so we can hold them up to our hearts and talk about them because that is what I would like to do.

After that, I found Elizabeth Scott who I consider the discovery of the week because I didn't know about her books and she has popped up everywhere in my life this week: in blogs I read, at events I attended, on the BEA floor when I didn't even know she would be there. I like her wild blond hair and her warm personality. She said she liked to give her readers hugs and I obliged, so there's that. Her book, Between Here and Forever, is out right now.

Then, I don't really remember what happened, but I wound up meeting James Dashner, author of The Maze Runner series. He was so ridiculously nice, I just feel I should share that. I wanted to buy him a cake, he was so nice.

At this point, I had a series of Brooklyn encounters.

Somehow, I wound up getting this book called Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters, author of Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Gotta tell ya, with bedbugs being such a terrible epidemic in New York City, I'm not so into the book idea. But he sold me because it takes place in my neighborhood in Brooklyn and some scenes take place in a coffee shop nearby.

Then, I truly stumbled upon a signing for Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman, which I remembered hearing about in Beth Kephart's blog (did I mention you should read her blog?) And boy am I glad I did because he was such a kind and genuine person. When I asked him why he signed his book with a sunflower, he told me it was 'Aura's favorite flower'. The book is about his wife, Aura, and her tragic death in a freak accident, and just the way he said that was so heartfelt, I nearly started crying right then and there. Which would have been really attractive. Then, I learned that he is my neighbor! He lives just a few streets away from me in Brooklyn. He told me that if I ever saw him, he hopes I stop him on the street to chat. And I believed that. He seemed like just that kind of guy.

Those are the books and authors that made an impression. I hope to talk a little bit more about the experience, especially the panels I sat through in the afternoon. But this post is already getting much too long.

BEA On Short Notice

Hey everybody, seems like I forgot to mention that I am attending BEA this year (as in, right now, this week). The Book Expo snuck up on me. I haven't made any plans, scheduled any meet-ups, or even figured out what books I want to snag.

Looks like I'll be winging it this year!

I plan on attending the Teen Author Carnival this evening and I will be wandering the expo floor on Wednesday. And, if I'm able to leave work, I'll be on the floor Tues. afternoon as well. If you look to the right of the post, you will see what I look like. And since I look like every other brown-haired girl in the universe, you should have no trouble spotting me.

And, did I mention, Tyler will be moderating the "Technology for Blogging" panel at Book Blogger Convention? If you see him, you should say 'hi'.

Ok...fine...I know that most of the book bloggers have no clue who I am and they all know Tyler (or should I say @tylerbreed) so...in other words, if you know Tyler, please say 'hi' to me! haha.

If you're going, please let me know in the comments or through e-mail. I realize this is terribly late in the game, but that's how I roll! I'd love to meet up with you.

I also am addicted to food and like to make restaurant recommendations, so if you're travelling from out of town, I am a good person to know in NYC.

OK, that's my final plea for friends at BEA.

I'll stop now.

Thestral Gazette Reporting

I'm reporting over at the Thestral Gazette this week at the lovely Laurel's Leaves blog. I had a lot of fun with this article. If you've ever wondered about the fate of Viktor Krum's love life....well...wonder no more!

I hope you will check it out here! <--- click, click! yay yay.

And in case you're wondering what on earth the Thestral Gazette is, this is straight from Laurel's blog:

Thestral Gazette is an unofficial publication for students of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Founded by Luna Lovegood and Colin Creevy, the tabloid continues its fine tradition of yellow journalism under the editorship of Laurel Garver and a large staff of student reporters. To join the reporting staff, contact us at thestralgazette (at) gmail (dot) com.

In Which I say "Heck Yes, I Want To Write the Next Twilight"

I was reading a clever blog post the other day that listed the funny/irritating/inspiring things people say when you tell them you're a writer (I can't, for the life of me, find the link) and one of them was that people always ask: "Oh, you're a writer, so you want to be the next Stephanie Meyers?"

It goes without saying that I read a lot of blogs. And this is not the first time I've read something like that. I'd say, I've read that in a blog post over a dozen times. I've experienced it in my own life. "I'm working on a young adult novel," I say. "Oh, like Twilight?" They ask.

It should come as no surprise that people ask this, given the success of the series. But what I'm more interested in is the reaction. After people relay this encounter of being asked whether they want to be the next Stephanie Meyers or write the next Twilight, they're usually offended or annoyed.

Am I the only one who isn't?

I've only read the first of the Twilight books. I had a good time with it, truly enjoyed the read-- I just didn't care to move on to the rest of the books. They are what they are. I didn't go into the read thinking I was going to find the next "To Kill A Mockingbird" for goodness sakes. The critics have spoken, the masses have spoken, so I don't have anything to add to the conversation and I don't have any strong feelings about the books. In my mind, the craze is over, or maybe I was just never a part of the craze to begin with.

But, this visceral reaction to being asked if you're going to write the next Twilight, all angsty, angry, and roll-your-eyes-y, I don't understand it.

When someone asks me if I'm going to write the next Twilight, I cross my fingers and say: "GOD I HOPE SO!"

I mean...seriously! Why the hate people?

(Almost) Worldless Wednesday: Mood Board

I work with a lot of designers at my job. Sometimes, before they design a project, they create what they call a mood board. It's a collage of color and style. It gives everyone a feel for the project. It creates a mood.

Over the weekend, I walked by this door. It wasn't clear where it led. It looked like an entrance to a church, but the rest of the structure was solid grey and it didn't have the customary steeple we so often see. There were no people. And no signs.

I thought...these flowers, this design, this color against concrete, this church but not quite church, an entrance to sanctuary and to peace and to nowhere, this is my mood board. Not the mood I'm in right now or the mood I might be in tomorrow, but the mood I want to live my creative life in, always.

What's in your mood board?

Music

Can't we just listen to music? I repeatedly asked Tyler this weekend.

Because, it was, what Tyler called, 'a big sports weekend' for him with The Player's Championship (golf) and cycling on all in one weekend. We have a small apartment so it means either the television is on or the IPod. One or the other. So we must compromise and take turns.

The characters in my current WIP demand that I listen to music and write about it, which has been this incredibly challenging and exciting task. I need complete silence when I write but lately I must stop in between paragraphs, words, and sentences. I must take pause, close my eyes and listen over and over to the songs. To the voices, to the hammering of a drum, to the way the piano notes skip and fall.

With the Linda Eder concert coming up (this Friday!) and playing catch up on 3 weeks of NBC's "The Voice" this rainy afternoon, it seems I can not get enough music. I want to listen to more and more.

So my ears are eager to know: what you are listening to right now? Who are the musicians that inspire you?