Your pie maker's stowing her rolling pin this week. Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Or Thursday -- whatever you call it where you are. :)
The pie will be piping hot again Friday for a new blog chain round. See you then!
Monday, November 29, 2010
'Til Friday
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Jack of All Genres: Romance
In January, I began a challenge designed to stretch my reading boundaries. I chose 3 - 4 books in each of several genres. Last week, I finished the last of the romance books I'd chosen.
What I read:
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte (1847) - chosen as an example of "classic" romance
A DUKE OF HER OWN by Eloisa James (2009) - chosen as a recently published work
THE NOTEBOOK by Nicholas Sparks (1996) - chosen as a mid-range work, published between the other two
Thoughts:
Except for JANE EYRE, I was embarrassed to buy these. I totally buried them under a western! I wasn't justified; some romances are crap, but others are well-written. I shouldn't avoid a whole genre.
Nicholas Sparks writes love stories, not romance novels. Those are his words (paraphrased) and, as far as THE NOTEBOOK goes, correct. Romance implies courtship, and typical romance stories throw in complications as well, such as an initial mutual dislike between the two potential romancers. But Sparks' NOTEBOOK characters got together really early in the book and were sympatico from the start. In retrospect, I should have chosen a work of, say, Sidney Sheldon or Danielle Steele.
Complications should be compelling. Not trivial. Not contrived. For any genre.
I fall for the remote-but-flawed romantic hero. They're called Byronic heroes, and they're everywhere: Mr. Darcy, Rhett Butler, Han Solo. Arrogant. Damaged. Totally hot.
I'm likely to enjoy other romance books, if they're well-written and historical -- the types of books I love to fall into.
How about you? Do you enjoy romance novels? What do you like about the genre and its tropes?
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
5 Ways to Get Up for Early Workouts
But it's Good For You. So how to achieve it?
A few suggestions...
1. Set your coffee maker to start 10 minutes before wakeup. Let the aroma lure you from bed. Also: caffeine is proven to enhance workout intensity.
2. Tell yourself you can nip back into bed for a moment after your shower. Chances are you won't bother, but the prospect will be attractive.
3. Turn the light on as soon as your alarm goes off. You'll know it's not daylight, but your internal engine will begin to rev up anyway.
4. Promise yourself a later goody. Reading time. Stiff drink. Bubble bath. Whatever it takes.
5. Treat the Lazy Voice as an annoying backseat driver. Who wants to be second-guessed? You're in control. Close the little plexiglass window between you and the voice telling you to sleep in. Throw back the covers. Sit up. Stand up. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you're dressed and moving. This one's surprisingly effective.
What's your favorite strategy when you're feeling not-so-motivated?
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Books on Stage
Magik's next show, opening tomorrow and running through December 23, is Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells. Here are a couple shots of the set during sound check. You can't see it, but If You Give a Pig a Party is one of the books on the middle piece. And there's a little love from Dave and the set crew for one of my favorite new releases (photo #2)...
Monday, November 15, 2010
Condense, Accelerate, Expand
Once upon a time, I imagined Briar-Bound as a trilogy. This fall, after revising the entire story arc based on editorial feedback, I found I wasn't looking forward to writing the middle book.
Bad sign.
I told Chris, and he suggested I reimagine the three books as one, and see if the product was meaningful.
So I did and found that condensing the story did wonders for the pacing. The resulting acceleration drives the story forward. Most surprising: instead of ending the story sooner, what I'd done was akin to the Big Bang for my book. Things have come together so tightly and with such force that there are now more possibilities, as the book ends, for more story.
BOOM. Expansion.
So that's what I'm working on. Not the possible expansion, but the rewrite required by the condensation and acceleration of the story. The synopsis is in place. The writing is coming along. I'm re-energized.
What have you discovered in revision or rewriting?
[image source]
Friday, November 12, 2010
What Would You Cook?
Julie made a great point in her comment on yesterday's post: one of the nicest things a host can do for guests is give them a home-cooked meal. Julie added that she likes to include local ingredients.
Our guests might get grilled fajitas with beef or chicken from our neighborhood meat market. Or we might cook using produce from our garden. If someone requests it, I'll bake (something I want to offer without being asked).
What do you (or would you) cook for a guest? Does your area of the world produce food you like to feature?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
5 Essential Provisions for Modern Hosts
These days, things are different. Guests have Needs. And lucky you, you get to meet them.
Here are my big five:
1. Water
I'm still learning to do this myself. As soon as your guest arrives, offer them a drink. Water should be enough, but if your local water supply tastes funky (past guests will clue you in), offer whatever else you have. If you live in Boulder, Colorado, you can say, "My water comes from a GLACIER, beyotch. Drink up."
2. A Decent Bed
Now, I'd probably dig the odd pile of straw now and then. But most people want a mattress, or at least a couch. Provide what you can. Try to have a pillow available. If your dog / cat / ferret normally lounges on the guest bed, wash the coverlet before your guest's first night.
3. Electricity
I know: so high maintenance! But chances are your guest will arrive with something that needs to be charged. Show them to an outlet free of toddler grasping or unpredictable sparkage. Resist the urge to give your guest Before and After data from your electric meter. (Ditto the water meter. Speaking of which...)
4. A Towel
It doesn't have to match anything or be chinchilla-soft, but it should be clean. And larger than a washcloth. Save yourself some grumbling and show your guest where they can hang their damp towel after bathing. It's okay to direct them to the clothesline outside, as long as it's yours.
5. Directions
Nobody knows your city / town / holler like you do, so here's your chance to show off. Print maps. Gesticulate wildly. Got an awesome shortcut? Share it. Remember: the sooner you tell your guest how to go somewhere else, the sooner you'll have your home back.
What do you provide as host? What do you wish you could offer your guests?
ETA: Yeah, I know, I left off internet access. That's always super cool. I also wanted to say that this list was not inspired by my recent visit with family - they're awesome hosts and always provide the Big Five. :)
[image source]
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Shin Bone's Connected to the...Ankle Bone
And yet, a grain of truth. The shenanigans on my lower shin are now affecting my ankle. It makes sense, I guess: some of the muscles are attached to both. At any rate, the shin still hurts and the ankle's puffy.
It's cankle-tastic!
So, no race this Sunday. Gotta forego this one to get healthy. Gorgeous trail-running weather has begun, and I want to have enjoyed some dirt mileage before warm temps return.
Now Sunday's all about meeting up with pals for this cool book event in Austin. HOLLER!
[image source]
Interview at Cynsations
A quick note to direct you to an interview by author Cynthia Leitich Smith, for my work on the teacher guides for HOLLER LOUDLY (Dutton, 2010).
Links to the guides are on the right-hand side of the HOLLER page.
See you later today to chat about the daily special: fitness and health...
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Quick Update: Jack of All Genres Challenge
The challenge: to expand my reading universe to more genres.
Books on the challenge: 16
Books finished: 8
Currently reading: ENDER'S GAME
Next up: BLOOD MERIDIAN
Did you set any personal reading goals for this year or next? How are they going?
Friday, November 5, 2010
Inspiring Sites
On the road visiting family and old friends through Monday, but wanted to share some food websites I've come across lately. They have one thing in common, besides food and cooking: beautiful photography.
They are...
Chocolate & Zucchini (written from Paris - foodie paradise)
Framed Cooks
The Pioneer Woman (thanks, Shelley!)
Wild Yeast
Every one of them makes me want to do nothing but write and cook and bake all day.
Do you have favorite, visually-inspiring food sites? Please share!
Blog Chain: The What, Then the Who
Fellow writer and chainlink Abby asks:
Where do your characters come from? And once they've been introduced to you, how do you get to know them?
Most of my characters begin as blanks because I come up with story premises before characters. Once I know what's going to happen, I think about who's necessary to those events.
Like Abby, I don't like doing character interviews or journaling. I have filled out (brief) character sheets recommended by Randy Ingermanson (steps 4 + 7) and found the most valuable information to be a character's inner and outer goals, motivations, and conflicts. Once I know those things, the person begins to form...age, gender, shape, etc.
Some characters come more easily than others. Some evolve significantly as I write drafts. In fact, I recently changed one of my main characters physically. (Don't tell Chris; he may not have read the draft yet!) It's a siginificant change, but fits the story and gives the character a good, additional obstacle in reaching his goals. Overall, I learn most about my characters by writing (and rewriting) them: their dialogue, their struggles, their triumphs, the surprises that drop on their heads.
Don't miss Cole's chain post from yesterday, or Kate's post tomorrow!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Your Favorite Mode of Travel
We're curious here at the pie:
What is your favorite mode of travel (e.g. rail, auto, plane, ship, motorcycle, foot...)?
(Besides when you have to cross an ocean...) Do you have different favorites for different kinds of trips?
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Questionable
So about two weeks ago, I developed soreness on my lower left shin.
Shin splint, I thought. No problem. It's always gone away in the past. I figured it was due to my slacking on some easy runs but keeping up my long runs. My shin muscles were getting shocked once a week.
This past Sunday morning: a planned run of 13 miles, the longest on the plan before the half-marathon on November 14. I preceded it on Thursday with a great (relatively ouch-free) 6-mile run through IU's campus. No advance of the shin soreness. On Sunday, I set out to get my 13. I figured the muscle soreness would fade as I ran -- endorphins, etc.
Only it didn't. It hung on like it was drafting me. I ran asphalt trail, concrete sidewalk, gravel / dirt / leaf-strewn trail, and road. At 12.4 miles, I caught myself limping.
I stopped. Six-tenths of a mile weren't enough to justify injuring myself further. I was about a mile from my brother's house, so I hobbled back.
That day and the next were painful. Enough so that I wondered if I'd fractured my tibia. But Tuesday was a little better, and today's better than yesterday. I think I may have just shredded the muscle-to-bone connections on that part of my shin, and they need some rest to reform. Which they're getting, though now I'm trying to walk more to keep things flexible. Pain's still there, but it's there for a reason, right?
So what about the race? In the NFL, teams list injured players as Probable, Questionable, Injured Reserve, or Out. Right now, I'm a solid Questionable for November 14. These two weeks are for tapering my workouts anyway, so I'm going to replace running with walking this first week. I'll run (easy pace) next week if the pain's subsided. If I'm able to start the race, I'll take it mile by mile.
If not, I'll move around the course to cheer Dave as he runs it.
What about you? Do you push yourself through injury, or back off your training? What have you done in the meantime to stay in shape?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A Book Event That Covers the Spectrum
When: Sunday, November 14, 2:00 p.m.
Where: BookPeople (603 N Lamar, Austin)
Who: Bethany Hegedus, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Brian Yansky
What: a reading and signing event for all ages...
Cynthia's HOLLER LOUDLY (Dutton, 2010, ages 4+)
Bethany's TRUTH WITH A CAPITAL T (Delacorte, 2010, ages 9+)
Brian's ALIEN INVASION AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES (Candlewick, 2010, ages 12+)
Monday, November 1, 2010
#FrankenSmack Notes
It occurs to me I could explain a few things about my #FrankenSmack tale.
In 1816, five people spent a very rainy summer on Switzerland's Lake Geneva. One was Lord Byron. Another was Percy Bysshe Shelley. Another was Mary Godwin, who would become Mary Shelley (after Percy's wife committed suicide). Mary's step-sister Claire Clairmont was there (stalking Byron). Rounding out the five was Dr. John Polidori.
Because of the rain, the literary leanings of the vacationers, etc etc, they challenged each other to write a horror story. The most lasting contribution was Mary's tale, which was published two years later as FRANKENSTEIN: OR, THE MODERN PROMETHEUS.
Ever seen Ken Russell's GOTHIC? It postulated (wildly) about the gathering, after which Mary reportedly said she got her idea in a dream. I decided to take a(n equally wild) stab at what could have caused the dream; hence, Le Voleur.
Want a cheat sheet for the French? Voilà:
le Voleur = the Thief
le Champignon = the Mushroom
le Chat = the Cat
le Paon = the Peacock
l'Escroc = the Rogue
Maison = House
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