Real cookies, virtual party.
From these...
...to these...
Yeah, baby.
Up to any shenanigans today?
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
Virtual Cookie Party!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Virtual Cookie Party: Tomorrow!
Hey, so, uh... you know... if you're not doing anything...
Let's bake some freakin' cookies!
When: Saturday, 23 January (tomorrow!)
What: cookie bakin', followed VERY SOON AFTER by cookie eatin'
Where: your place and mine -- post pics of your gorgeous bakelings on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Linked In (impress your boss!)
How: cream fat with sugar, add eggs, add flour + leavening, add mix-ins (EASY!!!)
Why: dude, don't be a downer.
A few options to get your cookie on:
Chocolate-Cherry-Chile cookies
Orange Marmalade cookies
Molasses cookies (my choice)
Snickerdoodles
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NYC Packing List
In the travel play-offs:
wallet w/ ID
phone + charger
iPod + earbuds
flight info
conference info
long-sleeved shirts - 2 techwear, 2 biz casual
pants - 1 pair biz, 1 pr jeans
running tights - 1 pr
fleece pullover - 1
socks - 4 pr
shoes - 1 pr running, 1 pr biz
underthings (such lack of detail!)
overcoat - 1 wool
scarf - 1 crocheted by Mom (thanks!)
hat - 1 (matches scarf)
toothbrush
UV moisturizer
deo
Wildcard hopefuls:
laptop
camera
über-awesome networking skills
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Hooked: The Tudors
Didn't think I'd like it.
Totally do.
Yeah, Jonathan Rhys Meyers looks nothing like the actual Henry Tudor. And timelines are fiddled with, and multiple historical figures condensed into fewer characters. And there's more than a bit of teeth-gnashing and suspiciously modern styling of hair.
But they still got me.
Not many monarchs in English history had a more dramatic reign than Henry VIII. A break from the all-powerful Roman Catholic church. Six wives, two of which he had beheaded. A struggle for a male heir who could survive boyhood.
That drama is what The Tudors, a joint Irish/Canadian production, captures really well. And Rhys Meyers, who seemed to me at first glance too boyish (and 100+ pounds too light) for the role, gets the passion / paranoia / fickleness just right. Natalie Dormer surprised me, too. At first, she seemed to lean on her archy eyebrows and quirking smile to play second wife Anne Boleyn. But then she busted out a voice way deeper than I expected and won me over. She still had some tics, but along came the final episode of season 2, when Anne... you know... has a date with a French swordsman, and I was sad to see her character go. (And even though you know what's going to happen, that season finale is so freaking tense. Gah.)
So, don't depend on The Tudors for your history lessons. Just enjoy the sumptuous production and ever-changing character loyalties. And, of course, since it's on Showtime, there's pretty much a per-episode guarantee of nekkidness. If that appeals.
Also, check out this poster for the show: Henry's thrown built of the strong but vulnerable bodies of his court. Great idea.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Mark Your Calendars: March 9
That's when Carrie Ryan's The Dead-Tossed Waves comes out.
Then, if you haven't already, go read The Forest of Hands and Teeth -- one of my three favorite books I read in 2009 and companion to The Dead-Tossed Waves.
Then, as you tap you foot with impatience, enjoy Carrie's teasers for the new book.
**Update: I've added a Book Birthdays sidebar thingamie (top right, see?) so you can know exactly when to go buy the awesome books debuting this year. :)
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Monday, January 18, 2010
Through the Woods
Revisions.
They've been murky and daunting, and thick with undergrowth, which I hacked apart. Some of the brush I burned. Some I wove with arrogance and optimism into new shapes. Now, finally, the edge of the forest is visible, just; flickers of light tease and compel, even as the last few brambles catch at my sleeves.
I sweat, and I grin.
Almost there.
Braving your own forest? Making progress? Running out of water? Dying for some chocolate? Take a breather and tell us about it...
[image via William Jaeger]
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Friday, January 8, 2010
Goals 2010: Travel
First, the plans. We're headed to NYC late this month so I can attend SCBWI's Winter Conference and Dave can get up to some trouble with friends there. In early spring, we'll spend two weeks in France, at least half on a self-guided walking tour. I'd love to see my family, too; no dates set yet. Goals...
Use my French
I worked on it last year, but the proximity of our trip has me a little nervous. The only way to get more comfortable making conversation is to...make conversation. Nerve-wracking for someone who doesn't really chat it up in her native language. I predict spending a fair amount of free time listening to French-language broadcasts as the trip approaches.
Build up our travels savings
It'll probably never be huge because we use it. And I'm so glad for that. But we can feel another longer trip brewing, so it's time to plan accordingly.
Take better advantage of travel miles and incentive programs
Our France flights are our first travel-related redemption of the points we earn on our credit card. But there's so much more out there we can use to pay travel expenses. I've found some online resources; will share as I explore them. When George Clooney said in Up in the Air, "I don't pay for anything I don't have to," I was like, "Yeah. Let's explore this."
Have any travel goals for 2010? How about goals in other areas of your life that will make travel easier to achieve and enjoy?
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Thursday, January 7, 2010
Goals 2010: Media, Social and Otherwise
Just two in this category...
Build my author website
I want to take everything I (reasonably) can learn about html, graphics, structure, design, etc, and synthesize those ideas into a rockin' author site with all the accoutrements -- mailing list, newsletter, writing prompts, contests, study guides -- as well as something I've never seen on another site. When I figure out what that is, you'll know.
Connect with teachers, librarians, and booksellers
It's tough to connect with the kids I'm writing for. In some cases, it's against the rules -- they aren't allowed to have their own Facebook accounts, and approaching them on the street is frowned upon. I mean, there's a playground next to Magik, but yeah. What I can do is build solid relationships with the people who recommend books to kids aged 8 to 12. Which I want to do anyway -- they love books! What's not good about that?
How about you? Does media play a role in your personal or professional goals for 2010?
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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Goals 2010: Fitness
Improve running times across distances
Our first event this year is the Austin half-marathon, Feb 14th, which I'd like to finish in 2 hours, 11 min (10-minute miles). I'd also like to try some 5K and 10K events, with paces of 8.5 and 9 minutes per mile, respectively.
Do events of varying distances
See above. Would also like to try a relay, a trail run, and maybe even a miler.
Re-incorporate walking into commute
Scooting in 30-degree-F weather kinda blows, even when you have a nifty rain/windsuit. But I need to quit whining and put that suit on and get my booty walking again. Specific goal: 3 days a week (40+ minutes per session).
Re-incorporate yoga into weekly routine
This is another thing that gets tougher as temps drop. But I need to crank the heaters and get downward-dogging. Specific goal: 3 days per week (20+ minutes per session).
Try seated meditation for at least 3 weeks
They say it takes three weeks to form a constructive habit. If it's working for me at the end of three weeks, I'll keep going.
Other goals:
* Continue to improve cardio capacity, body composition, and muscle tone
* Wear sunscreen on my face every day
* Remember to take my multivitamin and glucosamine supplements (doh!)
Have any new or continuing fitness goals? Share!
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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Goals 2010: Reading, or Jack of All Genres
I dabble.I feel compelled to try a lot of different things and am prone to brief, intense obsessions. It's how I'm wired. I was never one of those kids, like my friend Wendy, who knew at age nine what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.
There were so many possibilities! How could I decide?
When I'm old (I hope) and dying (if I have to), I want to know I've had a broad life experience. I also know my Shallow Ocean of Know lets me write a wide range of stories with convincing detail. Every new thing I learn informs how I live and write. And what better tool to learn new things about writing fiction than other novels?
How's the advice go? Write a lot. Read more.*
JACK OF ALL GENRES: my attempt to learn more about and from genres I rarely read: science fiction, mystery, romance, western, and graphic novel (I threw out gothic because definitions of the genre vary). For each, I've tried to choose one classic, one recent publication (not necessarily with a contemporary setting), and one book published between the other two ("mid-range"). Within each genre, I'm interested to see which conventions remain consistent and which changed with time or author intent.
Thanks so much for your suggestions! Generally, if a book was suggested by more than one person, I put it in the challenge. Also, I have more books in graphic novel than other genres because I can probably read them more quickly (you know,...pictures). As promised, I'll donate the copies I read to the San Antonio Public Library system. If you suggested a particular book and want me to send it to a different library, let me know!
And if any of these look interesting, read along and share what you think of it.
Science Fiction
Classic: FOUNDATION, Isaac Asimov
Recommended by: Jenn, Richie
Mid-Range: ENDER'S GAME, Orson Scott Card (*finished*)
Recommended by: Carrie, Richie, Conner
Recent: THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPION, Nancy Farmer
Recommended by: Conner, Faith
Mystery
Classic: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, Arthur Conan Doyle (*finished*)
Mid-Range: THE NINE TAILORS, Dorothy L Sayers (*finished*)
Recommended by: Julie
Recent: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Stieg Larsson (*finished*)
Romance
Classic: JANE EYRE, Charlotte Bronte (*finished*)
Mid-Range: THE NOTEBOOK, Nicholas Sparks (*finished*)
Recent: A DUKE OF HER OWN, Eloisa James (*finished*)
Western
Classic: TRUE GRIT, Charles Portis (*finished*)
Recommended by: Josephine
Mid-Range: THE GUNSLINGER, Stephen King (*finished*)
Recommended by: Dwayne
Mid-Range: BLOOD MERIDIAN, Cormac McCarthy (*finished*)
Graphic Novel
Classic: MAUS, Art Spiegelman (*finished*)
Mid-Range: THE SANDMAN VOL 1: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES, Neil Gaiman (author), Sam Keith (illus), Mike Dringenberg (illus), Malcolm Jones III (illus), Todd Klein (letterer) (*finished*)
Recent: STITCHES, David Small (*finished*)
Recent: ASTERIOS POLYP, David Mazzucchelli (*finished*)
Recommended by: Rick
My challenge to you: explore at least one genre you rarely read! Come back and tell us what you think, or link to your blog post telling us what you think.
*possibly a direct quote from Stephen King's ON WRITING
[image via LA Times Festival of Books (2008)]
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Monday, January 4, 2010
Challenge Complete: 1 Proposal Per Workday
Last March, I challenged myself to submit one grant proposal for every day I worked at Magik in 2009. It was a way to inject some verve into a process that can be a drudge -- when the economy's in the crapper, the rejection rate's high.
Result: I managed a ratio of 0.6 props per workday, or 3 props every 5 days. Not my goal, but not bad.
These were the final numbers for 2009...
Props submitted: 140
Days worked in 2009: 225
Props awarded: 23
Props rejected: 40
Props pending on 31 Dec: 66
No response (before project funding deadline passed): 11
My grant goals for 2010 aren't as numbers-based. They include submitting props early (using two weeks as a guideline), looking for more opportunities among federal and state granting programs, testing an 80/20 approach*, and using the same anti-distraction techniques to stay on task that I use for writing.
*As applied to grants, this might say: 80% of contributed funding comes from 20% of sources approached. The numbers might be 75/25 or 90/10. The idea is to focus on the few reliable sources (nurture those relationships to ensure funding doesn't stop), then try to duplicate them (find other sources with very similar attributes).
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Goals 2010: Writing
Get BRIAR-BOUND ready to sell
I really want to say "Sell BRIAR-BOUND", but too many factors aren't in my hands. So I'll do as much as I can to give the project the best possible chance. The revised draft is with Chris now. I imagine another, simpler revision, then a polish, before it's ready.
Synopsize the rest of the BRIAR-BOUND story
In the long run, the sequel-synopsis will change, but I want to have a clear idea of my intent -- for me and any editors who ask. The remaining story may be three books or two -- I won't know till I make a synopsis at a detail level similar to the synop for the first book. Once I do that, I'll compare their lengths and decide.
Attend SCBWI's Winter Conference
Registered, with flights and accommodations (thanks, Trip and Sarina!). The lineup looks fun (I chose breakouts A, B, and D), and being surrounded by people who love children's books should be great. Plus, Dave and I scheduled a few days on either side to get up to our annual NYC shenanigans. Plus-plus, we're meeting Super Agent Chris for dinner to plot world dom-- I mean, nosh on some tasty food.
Do a better job of making my writing time sacred
Oh man, do I love to distract myself. But I only have so much time to write in the afternoons. So this year, I'll make use of bookmarks, incentive lists, and general self-smackdowns to put distracting activities to the side until my writing for each day is finished.
* What are your career goals for 2010?
* Are you re-addressing any older goals?
* When you set goals, do you shoot for the stars, or pick goals you're sure you can meet?
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Friday, January 1, 2010
Goals 2009 Reviewed: Travel
Assuage Ladybug fever
Three times! First in January, in Bloomington (IN). Then in June, when Dwayne, Kristi, Ladybug, and bun-in-oven visited San Antonio (Ladybug's first time here). Then again in October to meet our new nephew (no photos -- too busy playing with the 'Bug and cuddling her brother). I hope for lots more playing and cuddling in 2010.
Attend Bevis family reunion
Oof. This was a long time coming. The last time I saw my family on Dad's side was the summer I met Dave -- 16 years ago. TOO LONG. In July, in Rising Sun (IN), I got to see three aunts and one uncle, and a few cousins. It was nice to catch up with them; I've since connected with more through Facebook. It won't be as long before I attend another reunion. And yeah. My maiden name was good for a few prank phone calls in the early '90s. :)
Leave the country for at least 2 weeks
This did not happen in 2009, and its not happening has stoked our fire to take another long trip. We did get to host international friends for the half-marathon. Right now we're planning 2 weeks in France in March, but are already saving for something...broader. You'll know more when we do.
Like, in a week, when I post our 2010 travel goals! You can barely wait, right?
Did you get in some nice travel in 2009? Have your sights set on a destination or experience in 2010? Spill!
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