electric mist

how do you spell relief?

You spell it: m y a g e n t l o v e d t h e b o o k.

I cannot express how relieved I was. And I know some of my friends are still reading and are going to have notes and I want those notes; I know handing people a big book to both read and critique over a major family holiday means that most people just are not going to be able to do it. I love them for trying, I know several are still reading and seriously? They rock, so no worries about time frame here. (I have the coolest friends.) I am going to still get notes from the editor and I will of course be working hard to keep taking the book up to the best level I possibly can manage, so comments from my regular readers will be much appreciated and utilized. But the fact that the agent read over the busy Thanksgiving weekend, in spite of all of the various events she had to attend, and still called first thing Monday morning (I'm late in posting this)... well, I think my agent hung the moon.

Also, special thanks goes to Tamar for reading over her busy weekend / trip to Boston and getting wonderful comments back to me Sunday night so that my head didn't completely spin off my body from anxiety.

Tamar had previously sent me this blog excerpt from the extremely funny romance writer, Jennifer Cruisie (whose books I think are hysterical and fun). Apparently Jenny Cruisie and Patricia Gaffney have been long-time friends and critiquing partners, and here's Jenny's comments about critiquing something of Patricia's:

But even worse was the time she asked me for help on a manuscript. I feel strongly that the only helpful feedback is honest feedback, but sometimes I am less than tactful, so after I e-mailed her my response, I got an e-mail back from her husband, Jon: Pat had read my critique and died. For the next week I got e-mails from Jon regularly about how devastated he was at his loss, about how all Pat’s friends were calling (“They forgive you”), about how beautiful she was going to look all laid out in her wedding dress (purple chiffon, which I think tells you all you need to know about Patricia Gaffney). And you know, there’s just no way to respond to that; even in death, she had me. Then came the last one. They’d been playing Pat’s favorite song, EmmyLou Harris’s “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down,” at the funeral, and Pat had sat straight up in her coffin and said, “Where am I and why the hell am I wearing all this goddamn purple chiffon?” It was a miracle, Jon said. So I told him I could never critique her again because of the danger to her health. And what happens? She sends me the first two hundred pages of her latest work in progress, Mad Dash, and asks for feedback. And I tell her the truth: It’s fantastic. But even if it wasn’t fantastic, I’d tell her that because, frankly, I don’t need to hear about that damn purple chiffon again.

I cracked up. (And don't think I didn't send Tamar a "Toni died" e-mail from Carl as soon as I got her critique.)

I'm making final little nitpicky edits, and then it will soon go to the editor. Any additional notes I get from friends will be incorporated into the next round. (Have I emphasized enough yet that I still want those notes? hmmmmmmmmmmmm? Should I say it a couple more times? Yes, I'm talking to you.) (heh)

But right now? I am just tremendously relieved.

writing links #2

Once again, links to terrific writing articles by other authors on the web:

Barry Eisler's column on "10 Points on Craft" is one of the best / most succinct writing lessons around. Heed the man's advice; he's an amazing writer.

Martha O'Connor has great advice in her essay, "The Devil is in the Details." Short article, but very good point.

Another excellent article on that same topic to be found at Flogging The Quill.

If you've got way too many subplots spinning around or you just want to figure out a way to analyze whether or not they're working for or against you, read Deanna Carlyle's article " Deanna’s Secret Trick for Dovetailing Subplots." I tend to do this a differently -- a future post.

And last, but not least, Kay Hooper has a very good primer at that link for writers (submission standards, etc.)

If you're a writer and you've got an entry / essay / post that would be of interest, send me an e-mail (see sidebar) and I'll check it out for possible inclusion in a future round-up.

dancin' the Snoopy dance over here

It's done. It's done done done done DONE done DONE. It's officially in the hands of the agent and various friends who are reading it this weekend. (Do I have amazing friends, or WHAT? I mean, seriously. Thanksgiving weekend? Tons of extra stuff to do because of all of the family obligations, and these people are taking time out of their lives to give me a read? I am so very fortunate.)

Of course, it's only DONE until the agent and the various friends give me notes, after which I will see what resonates and then execute prior to sending it off to the editor. Who will then give me notes and...

:::::::la la la la la la la::::: :::::::ignoring whole process of editing::::::

I'm going to pretend it's done. At least for a couple of days.

dance-y wigglebutt thing

A conversation with Carl:

"She had that dance-y wigglebutt thing going on."

"Dance-y wigglebutt thing?"

"Yeah. You know."

"Is that the technical term?"

"Yeah. But only if you're at the graduate level of dance-y speak."

"Somewhere a long time ago, this conversation was making sense."

"See, that's what happens when you inadvertently spring graduate level dance-y speak onto an unsuspecting person."

I am almost done with the editing, and will be wrapping up the book and turning it into the agent and the editor in about two weeks. No time for meatier entries, but they will return.

Meanwhile, two funny links:

The thing to buy that person who's just gone through a bad break-up.

And, the thing to have back at your place when you're bringing that party from the restaurant and everyone's had a little too much to drink. Tell 'em it's perfectly normal and you don't see why they think something's wrong.

writing links

I'm short on time, and this is a feature I'd like to repeat weekly... giving you links to some great writing topics.

For an agent's POV, you really must read Miss Snark's blog. Lots of helpful answers, very smart, likeable and funny.

The writing team, PJ Parrish, brings you a funny entry in Cabbages and Kings on writing about sex scenes, particularly in non-romantic tomes.

Tess Gerritsen has several great entries. I love Tess's blog -- check out the entry on 9/28/05 (there are no individual links to entries) on writing the f-word, as well as the entry on 11/07/05 on how much a writer is worth.

MJ Rose writes about shooting oneself in the foot with your in-house publicist, aka, being an idiot. MJ's blog is always chock full of great marketing and writing information.

JA Konrath talks about what he's learned so far.

Colleen Mondor talks about the book we both have an essay in, (along with Jette and Ray). I'll be posting more about this next week as well.

Rob Gregory Browne has a terrific blog with writing advice which is always dead on. That particular entry is very helpful for pacing issues.

And if you're a screenwriter or if you want to read a very funny screenwriting blog, go read Josh Friedman. Josh has a lot of credits under his belt, he knows whereof he speaks, he's completely irreverent and snarky as hell. He hasn't been blogging long and it's really worth it to start at the beginning (which was August, I think) and read through in order. No drinks in front of the keyboard when you're reading, and I'm not responsible for you laughing 'til you embarrass yourself in front of friends at work.

I may keep doing this weekly if there's interest.

The Wheelman

I needed a break the other night, and thought I'd grab a book. I had heard really good things about The Wheelman, which is usually a bad thing, because it's difficult for a book to live up to much hype. I picked it up anyway, knowing I didn't have much time to take a break and I thought, "I'll read a chapter, that'll be it," and I'd go back to work.

I read the whole thing right then. Very well-told, fast-paced, fascinating world and characters and just couldn't put it down.

It's a tense heist-gone-wrong type of story, told from a unique POV. The writer, Duane Swierczynski, (imagine learning to spell that in kindergarten), has a wonderful style that puts you immediately into the action and just doesn't let go. There are twists and I won't say more since I loathe recommendations or reviews that give away the cool surprises of a thriller or mystery. However, if you're looking for a great heist / thriller read, get The Wheelman. (Then go tell Duane how much you liked it.)

they're real, aren't they?

"So if you need me to help you get that paperwork done, you're going to have to remind me."

"That's funny. You usually remind me."

"Yeah, but I have all of these people I'm having to keep track of, now, everything they want, all of the stuff they need to do, where they need to be, who said what to whom. It's a little overwhelming."

"What people?"

"All of them. You know. The people. In my head."

"Mom. You probably shouldn't say that out loud to anyone else."

no fast moves

Someone in my family, whom I adore, is a bit of a neat freak. (cough) The first time I ever visited her home, she kept warning me that it was messy, and when I went inside, I could not find a single piece of lint, not a single solitary item out of place. It was as perfectly designed as if it were going to be a magazine layout. Every. Single. Room. (I didn't look into cabinets at the time, but knowing her better five years later, I'm pretty sure they would have been perfectly organized as well.)

When we were out tonight for a friend's birthday, this otherwise brilliant woman confessed to what she'd done yesterday: a particular favorite blanket which had been used on a sofa had caused the sofa to pill... and she spent two hours shaving the sofa.

She. Shaved.... the sofa.

I am so going to mock her from now on. I may buy her a shaving kit for Christmas.

(I have warned her that this one's going in the next book. And it's not going to be flattering.) (heh)

don't pay the ransom...

I got free. See, there was this guy, yeah. Um, a guy. And a mask. And a gun. Yeah, that's it. A gun. And they were gonna hold me hostage, and demand money. Right, that's it. 'Til they forgot to gag me, and man, can I apparently annoy people. They paid to send me back. I shouldda held out for a cruise.

(That's code for I am deep in editing mode hell on the book.)