Before I go all NaNoWriMo on you, I just wanted to remind you that, despite Hurricane Sandy’s best efforts, the NYC TOUCHING THE SURFACE Launch Party is on for TOMORROW!!!! Here’s the information if you can make it–and in case you’re wondering–I’d love for you to make it.
HOSTED BY:
John Sabatini
WHEN:
Thursday, November 8, 2012
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
WHERE:
Asellina
420 Park Avenue South
New York NY 10014
*Books will be available for purchase and signing thanks to Mobile Libris.
Did I mention that I’d love to have you come? I really would!!!!
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Time to talk about a different kind of party–a virtual festivus of writing–NaNoWriMo. I started on the 11/1 and tomorrow will be one week into the 30 day race to have 50,000 words on the page. How am I doing? Well, I’m already behind LOL! I’ve written 4,852 words and at the pace I’m going, I’ll be lucky to be finished by 2013 LOL! But guess what–I don’t care. Are you wondering why? Let me tell you…
I’m not expecting to win.
Yes, you heard me correctly. Two days before the kick-off to NaNoWriMo–I launched my debut novel. *Squee* I have three boys under the age of eleven and all the laundry and mess that comes along with them. It’s ridiculous how I shop for food and they immediately EAT IT!!!! I basically work from SON up to SON down. *grin* Additionally, I have a dance recital in November, the end of the soccer season and that thing they call Thanksgiving. Oh, and I’m revising my second novel too. *head thunk* I can only do so much and the reality is I don’t get enough sleep as it is. Getting less doesn’t work for me. So I was never planning to stretch myself on the rack for not completing a full 50,000 words–rather I decided to participate because I just wanted to stretch myself. (Completely different than what happens on a medieval torture device.) The reality is, I’m 4,852 words into the first draft of my third novel. If I wasn’t doing NaNoWriMo I’d absolutely be ZERO words into my third novel. Without NaNo I would have convinced myself that I didn’t have any time to write until after the launch and revisions and laundry and food shopping and… You get my point. And even better, once I started writing, that old creative magic started coursing through my veins and I got excited and the brain cells in my head started to bump into each other again and characters began to come alive and now, even when I’m not writing, I have more to ponder for when I do.
In the process of writing those 4,852 words, I also discovered that I CAN’T write without some editing, but I’ve learned I can write a draft with less editing. Like Maggie Stiefvater (Her Annual Dear John Letter to NaNoWriMo) I’m going to have to stop to day dream in the middle of my writing. I don’t have to be paralyzed by being dreamy and thoughtful, I can absolutely pick up the pace a bit, but I also have to create in a way that is comfortable for me. I’m a putzing pantster. It’s who I am. It’s how I write–How I love to write. And why would I take something I love and deliberately make it into something I don’t love. That’s silly. So, I’m okay with not being a winner. I’ll be a wiener instead, but here’s the catch, even though I don’t expect to complete NaNoWriMO–there IS always the possibility that I might. I find possibility and potential to be addictive. And don’t forget the collective excitement. I like being a part of the energy–it makes me feel good. It feels like a writing party. And I love parties where I can participate from home on my couch with fuzzy socks on.
So, I guess I’m doing this, win or lose, but I’m doing it my way. I don’t know where I’ll be at the end of the second week, but I’ll keep you posted. The one sure thing is I’ll have fuzzy slippers on for most of the journey.
Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? How are you doing? What’s your take on NaNo? Time management? Inner editors? Couch parties in fuzzy socks? Kids who eat too much?
My deepest thanks to everyone at the Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie and Oblong Books and Music in Rhinebeck. Both events were amazing and I will remember them for the rest of my life. And much love to all those who attended or who purchased a book in support. It meant the world to me. <3
Yesterday was amazing–it was the book launch of my debut novel. No brainer. And even though I was sure my power was going to go out during Hurricane Sandy (because it always goes out) it didn’t and I spent the day flooded by good wishes and wonderful compliments about TOUCHING THE SURFACE. I am grateful. But today is a new day and it’s time to focus on the more important flooding that went on here on the east coast. There are lots of people in dire need of our help. So lets do this people.
CLICKING THIS ICON WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO THE RED CROSS WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION.
I hope everyone you love is safe and warm and dry, but if you need extra good thoughts sent in your direction, please let me know in the comments and I’ll be more than happy to send them.
Tomorrow TOUCHING THE SURFACE launches in the middle of Frankenstorm–Hurricane Sandy.
I can’t say I’m surprised. In fact, secretly I’ve been expecting just this kind of cataclysmic event. Why would anyone anticipate an epic perfect storm on the day of their book launch? Because little do you know dear reader–I am a Griswald.
I clearly remember it–my parents coming home from seeing the first National Lampoon Vacation movie, laughing uncontrollably, with my mother snorting as she announced, “they’ve made a movie about your father.”
That’s where it began. It wasn’t long before National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation became our family must see holiday movie of choice. And when we crossed our arms and said, “C-l-a-r-k….” My dad responded as quickly as if we’d called him by his real name. And every time we pulled out of the driveway on vacation, the song Holiday Road played loudly on everyone’s inner radio and we’d all take a collective breath, wondering what Griswaldish event would happen first. Because we knew that it was inescapable.
Just so you know, being a Griswald isn’t all fun and games. There have been many Clark inspired events that we learned to laugh about later, because let me assure you, they didn’t seem funny at the time. Like that time we all ate at the Turkey Box during vacation and on the way back to the hotel room (the one that only had one bathroom) we all exhibited some rather aggressive stomach grumbling. And I wish I could show you a video, because yes, my dad did race his own kids to the room while clutching the seat of his pants. See what I mean, not funny at the time, but a keeper that’s told during almost every family get together. But over the years, these Griswald moments, have taught me some very important stuff–like how humor can be an after-the-fact, acquired taste. Which has further led me to believe that sometimes it’s easier to just go with the flow and find the Griswaldian stuff funny straight out of the gate, saving myself a little stress and a lot gray hair.
So, Hurricane Sandy aka Frankenstorm will be Griswalding my very first book launch. Ya know–for the book that’s dedicated to my dad–Clark. *snort* I will not be going for a run and hi-fiving a random stranger like I planned. I will not be road tripping to local bookstores like I planned. I may not even be obsessively stalking the internet like I planned. LOL! But you know what–I will be doing the one thing I always dreamed about–taking the literary world by storm! LOL!
So, I’m depending on you, my friends. As I said, there is a very good possibility that I’ll have little to no internet access the day of my book launch, so I’m hoping you can help me get the word out. And if you’re on the east coast–stay safe so we can laugh about this later. Love you, guys and I hope you love TOUCHING THE SURFACE. <3
PS if you are battening down the hatches against Frankenstorm–charge that e-reader and at 12:01 tonight–download a copy of TOUCHING THE SURFACE to help you ride out the storm. Don’t forget to hum Holiday Road…
Like many writers, I create musical playlists to aid the writing process. Lots of creative people use music to enhance their art, but I find that each person tends to use it a little bit differently. Today I thought I’d share my TOUCHING THE SURFACE playlist and a little bit about how I use it.
A musical playlist is one of the very first things I begin with when I’m writing. I need at least a couple starter songs that some how capture the essence of what I’m trying to untangle in my mind. Even though I have a playlist right out of the gate, it’s a constantly changing tool. Songs get added and axed throughout the whole novel writing process–from drafting to revision. What keeps a song on the final list? To this day, when I listen to the playlist, the songs immediately drop me into my book or connect me with my characters.
I use a lot of music when I’m drafting. I almost can’t write without it. If I find a song that supports a scene,you can bet that I will play it over and over again as I’m writing. My family hates my playlists. Do we have to listen to that again??? LOL! Sometimes when drafting, a certain song will capture my attention or spark something within me. When that happens, I’ve been known to actually use the song to push the plot or characters forward. There are many tidbits in TOUCHING THE SURFACE that would not be there if it weren’t for a song. (You’ll have a chance to find out what some of them are at the end of this post.) Sometime I also find songs, by doing an iTunes search for a relevant word or theme that is picking at my brain. I check out the songs that come up in the search and sometimes they’re keepers.
I do not use music when I revise–unless I’m adding in completely new material. For some reason the same music, that I couldn’t live without during drafting, is insanely distracting when I get down to working out the details. But because revising can bring about a new character or scene, I sometimes do add more music to write that new material. This can explain why some of my songs might feel more out-dated than others. The original drafting period can be literally years before the revision. Which also means, that by the time this playlist gets to readers, they may scratch their head, wondering how some of these oldies made the cut. The truth is, some of them were new and popular when I was drafting, but there is also the “Kim Factor.” I’m not a real stickler for what other people think of my music. Additionally, I often cross-pollinate between genres. I’m a music mutt–listening to what resonates with me. Yeah, ask my college roommates how many times I made them listen to the Broadway soundtrack of INTO THE WOODS. Their ears may still be bleeding, but I loved those songs–needed those songs at that point in my life!!!!
Any way, if you’d like to sample some of the songs that have inspired me to write my first novel, you can go to my TOUCHING THE SURFACE playlist on iTunes and check them out. Feel free to ask me about any of the playlist songs in the comments section–I’ll try to give you a spoiler-free tidbit about how the song relates to the book. I’d also love to hear how you use music in your writing or other creative endeavors. Do you think any of the songs I used are a perfect fit for TTS? Any shockers you didn’t expect? Ear bleeding? What songs would you add to the TTS playlist? Inquiring minds want to know. Okay–I want to know–but inquiring minds might be interested in hearing too.
