Friday Fiver, Birthday Style

My sis is having a birthday this weekend and so in her honor:

1. Happy, happy birthday! No snow this morning, so hopefully the storm missed us. Snow right now is just ridiculous, I think. My hyacinth and tulips are shivering.

2. T-o-o-o Y-o-u. Day job is going great; I have to participate as a speaker at the big symposium in London in May. So I need a suit. Darn.

3. Happy birthday, dear sister! Freelance work is in constant motion, jumping off one project today because of the bad vibes. Feel bad for those left on the job, but my gut hath spoken.

4. Happy birthday . . . The agent sent the pitch to the editor. Yowza. This is real.

5. To YOU! Three-day weekend begins. Waiting on my bookshelves and wallowing in my new chair.

Happy Friday! Keep writing, everyone!

Currently reading: about perspective
Currently listening to: Michael W. Smith

Simplify, simplify

Trying to do this, and starting on this blog:

Basically my five-year plan consists of one non-fiction book and one fiction book sold each year (starting last year, but I didn't sell a nf book last year) for the next three years. I then hope to increase that number, but rather than boring you all with my complex algorithms on exactly how I plan to do that, I will just keep it simple.

Two news stories worth talking about today:

An Observer piece on memoirs where people need to change their lives, so they get book deals and then get paid to change their lives (think Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert).

And a Times piece on the Seven Deadly Words for Book Reviewers. This stung, because I've used a few of these in my reviewing. Time to haul out the Flip Dictionary again.

And then a good piece on Jodi Picoult (who has a new novel out) from last year, but that inspired me yet again.

And voila, the writing corner of my office:



Please ignore the drapes that still need to be hemmed and the mess of books and papers. All that mess used to be in my living room. This is simplifying for me. I'm delighted. Amazing how one stupid chair and ottoman from IKEA makes such a difference.

Currently reading: Writing Tools (Roy Peter Clark)
Currently listening to: Newsboys

Crazy Day and Before 9 AM

So things went haywire here and I had to move up all my errands to before 9 am this morning. Fun. But all is well now and I'm on my series of conference calls for the next few hours.

Update: Conference calls are now over and I'm off to my daily work.

Argh. Need to take a picture of my new writing corner. I love it. And my five-year plan. Tomorrow for sure!

Must run now. Lots of writing to be done.

Currently reading: The Making of Story (Alice LaPlante)
Currently listening to: Carrie Underwood

Flying Through

Lots to do today, so this will be short. Tomorrow will be pictures of my new office addition and the beginning of my five-year plan for public consumption.

Today though, there is this news, which delights me to no end, because I adore the Price is Right and Drew Carey and never get to watch during the day. I will definitely be tuning in to CBS for these.

Then this news about Facebook, which slightly freaks me out. I am trying to decide if my profile is worth keeping.

Tonight is a meeting of our writer's group, so this day is going to fly by. Off I go!

Currently reading: sample pages for writers group
Currently listening to: Imogen Heap

Post-Easter Weekend

Hope everyone had a wonderful day yesterday with family, with renewed hope for their future. I hope everyone was loved.

It was a quick weekend and we all weren't moving very fast. Everyone has been stressed about one thing or another and so lots of talking and encouraging and lots of good eats and the inevitable chocolate. I loved playing with my baby niece, who is so cute, and spending time chatting with mom, dad, sisters, and brother. It was great. I completely put the writing issues out of my mind, until last night when they came flooding back, but all is well in light of day now. I think I'll make it.

Revision letter back from the editor on my novel on Friday. I thought about it all weekend (sure, I fretted a bit too), but today I'm ready to go again. I will take the next six months to revise it as I got incredible ideas from the editor and I think I can see what it I want this book to be now. So, if everything goes according to plan, by mid-fall 2008, I will write a fiction book and a non-fiction book! It's more than I thought possible for this year and gets me farther ahead on my five-year plan! It's cool.

I'm still reworking my essay this week too. Lots of writing going on this week as day job is at a dull roar, freelance work is down to a thin trickle, and I know exactly what steps to take to get the writing done. So here we go!

Tomorrow, I need to post my five-year writing plan. I realized that if this needs to happen, I need to be more professional about it.

Currently reading: Writing Tools (Roy Peter Clark)
Currently listening to: NCAA tourney on tv

Good Friday

The blog will stay quiet today.

real/brilliant is taking off until Tuesday to celebrate the holiday with family and friends.

A Rather Calm Week

It's nice. My UK colleagues are preparing for a three-day weekend (as am I) and things are slowing for that. There's still work to be done, but the "go-go-go" pace we've had for the past six months is definitely on hiatus.

Next week should be quiet as well with another UK client on hiatus for a conference. What does this mean?

I can make some writing progress between now and when my sister-in-law flies in for her visit. Yep, she's coming from Augusta, Georgia to stay with us for nine days. It's her graduation present. A single mom with three very busy teenagers, she just finished her double masters degree last week with a 3.9 GPA. And her masters degree is in organization management and project management. Those are not small feats! So hubby bought her a ticket to escape and come to Seattle and relax with us. I'm taking that week off, and we'll just watch movies, gab, and sleep, I think. I will still have work to do, but it's definitely our spring break.

In other news today, the New York Times reports on the media's apology to the McCanns. Read it here.

Off I go!

Currently reading: The Making of Story (Alice LaPlante)
Currently listening to: Avalon

Slowing Down For Holy Week

Trying to anyway. Trying to stop thinking about bigger work and family/friend issues and focus on what this week signifies in my life.

Still waiting on the editor, still reworking the essay, still writing the nf book pitch for the agent who requested it.

See, it's hard to be still and just meditate.

Here's a very good article on microloans from the New Yorker's online edition: What Developing Countries Really Need

And with that I'm out.

Currently reading: What's So Amazing About Grace (Philip Yancey)
Currently listening to: Narnia soundtrack

Good Morning, Sunshine!

Not sunny here, but I had to tell myself this to drag my weary body out of bed. Yesterday was my day off, but I did a lot of little things that have been wearing on me. Plus then we went to a friend's house to celebrate St. Pat's Day and stayed until late. And I had my family and friends up to visit, so I'm still recovering from that.

All in all, a great long weekend.

We took the baby niece on her first carousel ride. She loved having her daddy on a horse beside her. I was on the other side on a horse and of course, they stopped the ride with me high up in the air. I am quite ungraceful, so imagine the giggles of the baby and my entire family as I struggled to get myself down. I am the crazy aunt (but if my sis wants to be too, we can be so together!).

In writing news, the feedback came back for my essay, need to rewrite it yet again and the first of the feedback for the novel came in Friday with a longer, more expandable version of feedback due this week. It was what was expected, more intense than the critique I received from my writing group, but along the same vein. It has had me thinking all weekend and I am preparing to get started for the April Marathon (like Nanowrimo, but only at my Bksp.org group).

It has sealed the deal for me though. I'm ready to make this a career. I love writing stories and this is the truth: I want to keep at it.

Many people think they'd be deterred by editorial feedback, or shut down altogether, but it isn't like that. There is something about slowing down enough to think through what you are trying to accomplish that really ignites your engines and gets your brain moving.

For me, it's the reality that this story actually exists outside my head now and people will take it seriously. That is humbling, gratifying, and terrifying. It also is a prompt to take my stories more seriously in draft stage and to let them (organically) become what they are trying to be.

The editor has basically said my story could be YA or adult, and I get to choose what would work best. I know which way I want to go, but I also could go the other way. The thing is, I get to pick one way and wallow in it.

It's very cool.

Currently reading: The Making of Story (Alice LaPlante)
Currently listening to: Charlotte Martin (Everytime it Rains)

Friday!

So much going on today that I almost forgot to post the Friday Fiver. Whew.

1. Finished day job work for the week in good time. Whew. Lots of stuff going on. Need to buy plane tickets for our trip to London. Prices are amazing.

2. Freelance work moving right along and I'm feeling good. The first article was perfect, even though the next one needed a bit o'help. Next week will be more intense.

3. Still flying over my novel critique! Woohoo!

4. Family coming in for the weekend. We might have a lot, but that's okay. Everyone's welcome.

5. Still deciding on book project. Working up a preliminary outline and I like it, so hopefully we're moving forward.

Currently reading: CSS FAQ online
Currently listening to: printer

I'm Still Aglow From My Critique

You'd think I'd be hiding in my closet, whimpering, but I'm glowing, thrilled, excited, and ready to write!

The first meet of our twice-monthly writing critique group met last night at Jen's and it was a hit! The four of us (will be five later on) hit it off and sat in front of a cozy fire with chilled grapes and ice water (yes, we are fruity) relaxing and chatting and encouraging each other.

Then for the last hour I got my first 20 pages of the revised novel (currently with my editor) critiqued. I had my laptop and couldn't type fast enough as the comments came. But once they got over the issues they had with my first chapter, the comments were all about how much they loved it and wanted to read more. So my job for the next two weeks is to wait on the my editor for her critique, but to try and fiddle with a first chapter rewrite. Slow to start. I can fix that! I'm delighted. It was a huge breath of fresh air and I can't wait to get started. Two projects to finish today first (a European journal project) and deciding on an outline for a book project.

In movie/writing/media news:

They are filming Harry Potter #6 (spilled by accident by Lois Lowry on her blog last month), but they've just decided to split HP #7 into two movies, six months apart. I am not thrilled by this. Why would you make me wait? Argh.

Off I go. Lots to do today.

Currently reading: History of the Ancient World (Susan Wise Bauer)
Currently listening to: a forgotten iTunes folder with music from 2002!

We're To Wednesday

It's writer's group day! I am so excited! Lots going on in the background here today. Two projects have to go out the door and my house is a mess. This usually does not bug me, but today it's bugging. Big time.

All the Spitzer resignation news is making me tired.

So this will be short and sweet and more tomorrow!

Currently reading: DOT report on transportation hubs
Currently listening to: Youtube video of exploding raisins

Writing Clear

So this is my feedback week. One thing I know for sure: I need to write clear. My sentences are complex, convoluted tangles (if you've read this blog much, you've probably seen it).

I am not cast down, however. Do you know how much I crave feedback? I may be a special breed of writer, but I love to hear when I write terribly.

Why?
Because it makes me a better writer. So bring it on.

News roll today:
HBO is going to do the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency for 13 episodes.
I'm not even going to comment on Spitzer.
The press may be turning on Obama according to The New Republic.
His economic policies definitely need a thorough shaking out. And his financial advisor is from the University of Chicago (which doesn't seem to be helping him either).

Have a lot to be thinking about regarding a platform for my non-fiction writing. A book opp has presented itself, so I really have to get my rear in gear.

Currently reading: book proposal books
Currently listening to: Wall Street Journal from audible.com

Time Change Is A Positive

The UK doesn't move forward for three weeks, so all the meetings are actually at the same time. And boy, was I glad this morning to "sleep in" until 7:55! I will be acclimatized by the time my team moves forward in three weeks. So this works great!

Lots going on this week. The first meeting for our fiction group meets this week and I'm donating the first 20 pages of my YA novel draft for critique. I'm so anxious to get feedback on my book that I'm going to throw it out there.

More on the false memoirs from the Times.

His quote resonated with me:

We all like a good story. The cruelty of the fraudulent ones is that they will inevitably make us distrustful of the true ones — a result unbearable to think about when the Holocaust itself is increasingly dismissed by deniers as just another "amazing story."

Finally finished with about three hours of conference calls this morning. Off to lunch!

Currently reading: Whipple, Squeeze This!
Currently listening to: Nothing (ah bliss!)

Unique Friday Fiver

1. Saying tooty-fruity drink to some UK colleagues makes them very uncomfortable. Estrogen-focused ethanol drink works better. (Or just estrogen-focused drink, which is a virgin margarita.) It's Friday in the UK and my colleagues are off to celebrate the weekend. I have a few more hours to go.

2. I am a quick CSS learner, but I am a terrible graphic designer. I am fiddling with the blog on Wordpress and will let everyone preview the new look soon. Not now, it is just terrible.

3. Craving brownies. Good thing a friend is bringing them tonight to our weekly Wii party! Must not eat sugar all day to prepare.

4. My filing piles are overwhelming. Need to make time to deal with those next week. Excited about springing forward this weekend. It will mean less sleep, but we are headed to spring! What a great thing! I'm a poet, and I know it!

5. Memoir fallout continues with this internal memo at the New York Times:

Times Memo: No More Single-Source Profiles
NYT standards editor Craig Whitney sent new guidelines to the newspaper's staff by e-mail to prevent another Seltzeresque embarrassment:

"Single-source profiles of people who are not already well known quantities are traps we have fallen into twice in the past year or two, and that's too often. Until publishers start fact-checking their own nonfiction books, and that'll be the day, we should remember that profiles of unknown authors should always include reporting from other sources -- not just surrogates of the profilee like agents, publishers, lawyers, etc. -- to verify the most important facts. But even when there's no book involved, the same rule applies. If we can't find ways to check key facts, names, graduation claims, etc., we should hold the story until we can verify them, and if we can't, we should be suspicious. Live and learn...."

Currently listening to: Gone (Sun)
Currently reading: Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This

When It Rains, It Pours

Extremely good day yesterday for several reasons:

1. Got a hefty rebate check from Costco; time to stock up on toilet paper! LOL to the BS2 buddies on the forum--"no spendy!" Woot woot!

2. Got a new freelance client that I think will be a good fit for my biz; ongoing work with a great team.

3. Hubby got a new job working for an awesome team, with a nice hefty raise, for a very well-known company. Woot!

4. Several online buddies wrote me to commiserate on me not being able to find anything in the COACH catalog, but asking me to make clear that my despair is not giving up hope that the perfect 350-dollar purse will appear at some point in my future. I agree. I may be done with COACH, but I am not done with amazing bags. In fact, I'd say that I'd rather have one nice 350-dollar bag, than five less than stellar 70-dollar bags as Nicole at Making It Lovely put it so well. We're headed to London and possibly France in mid-May and what a great opportunity to buy leather goods. Harrods here I come!

ps to that--my good buddy, J, just got her amazing COACH bag yesterday, and because of her coupon, a refund on another bag that fell apart, and a very good hubby, she was able to swing this final bag purchase. It's the "Last Bag" for both of us from COACH. We intend to throw a celebration for it this weekend, which will probably include a sacrificial dance.

Okay, okay, no more purse talk. Sorry, Jamie.

5. All this crazy goings-on have made writing tough, but I did get the prep work on the new novel series going yesterday. My NY editor is almost finished with the previous novel and promises editorial feedback next week. And next week begins the start of the writing group (Jen and I are adding a few people) with a blog, web site, marketing platform, and publicity in the works.

Today there is fog instead of sun, but I don't care. We've had enough excitement to last all month!

Currently listening to: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Currently reading: Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This (Luke Sullivan)

Writing Schmiting

I buried myself in editing yesterday and wrote late last night once the returns started coming in from TX and OH. Interesting day. I think people are taking a closer look at Barack Obama and his policies. I know the WSJ (not the editorial page) is and they haven't really been for the past few months.

I have to say I'm glad for Hillary. This is her dream. She's wanted this her entire life. I won't be voting for her, but I'm happy for her.

Just priced plane tickets to London in mid-May. I'm going to try and see if I can spend nothing for this trip. Since I bought everything I need last fall. Yes, I'm on a very odd "spend nothing, save everything" kick. It's a funny thing, my mood. I even got a 25% sale coupon for the COACH store and I want nothing to do with it. Nothing. It even seems stupid to spend hundreds of dollars on a purse. I tell ya, this mood.

Reading a lot too. Have a pile of marketing books and cds to go through this week.

In case you haven't heard, memoirs are getting hit hard once again. Authors are making up their books as if it's a cool thing to do. Don't even get me started. Instead, see here, here, and here.

Currently reading: Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This
Currently listening to: The Vogues

Staying Busy as We Wait for TX and OH to Vote

So I found a whole bunch of stories that were interesting.

Wikipedia founder living large? The scoop here.

Yet another memoir writer made it all up. Another one confessed last week, although hers was more pitiable.

So I caught the 20/20 story on the Royal Family last night, did you? Really interesting. Especially as I'm headed back to England in May for work. Working on extending the trip so that hubby and can travel around the country a bit while we're there. I want to go back to Oxford!

Also have embarked on a Meryl Streep movie-athon. I added all of her movies to my Netflix queue years ago after her Devil Wears Prada triumph, but just am beginning to see them all now (that's just how Netflix works). The first was Sophie's Choice, based on this novel, and I can't get it out of my head. Haunting, whimsical, layered, evocative, and depraved. It's a vivid picture of the Holocaust. It stuns you. Meryl's award for that movie role was absolutely deserved.

Waiting to hear what happens in TX/OH today. I hope the drama continues. We need to hear more from all candidates about how their plans to lead us in the next four years are better and we need to make sure those plans work, not just sound good.

Currently listening to: Sarah Brightman
Currently reading: Free Agent Nation (Daniel Pink)

Monday Again

Had a great and very productive weekend, but it's back to work today.

In book talk, a great book review from the New York Review of Books on Wikipedia that looks interesting. I'm reading ravenously about upcoming books, probably because I'm trying a book "no-buy" period until June or so. We're out of bookshelf space to the max, plus I've got plenty to read already, so I'm just making lists and checking out from the library these days.

Worked on the new novel idea this weekend quite a bit. Feeling good about that work. Slowly thinking my way through plot issues. I also worked on my web site upgrade. I have to decide how many web sites I really want to build. There may be a way to lower the necessary number, which works for me.

No word on novel or essays, but I'm keeping plenty busy with marketing and my color-coded schedule in iCal (yes, I've gone completely bonkers over color-coding iCal a week at a time). For one thing the colors are so much fun and for another thing, I seem to do better with a schedule and a block of time with a to-do list rather than a daily to-do list that always has too much on it. Definitely accomplishing more each day.

Happy Monday!

Currently reading: History of the Ancient World (Susan Wise Bauer)
Currently listening to: conference call with London on comorbidities scores

Friday Grand Fiver

Because it's February 29 and it won't be February 29 again until 2012, this is special Friday GRAND Fiver. Everybody shout!

1. ABC is taking over SCRUBS from NBC. Huge news in today's Hollywood Reporter. Prince Harry is being taken off the front line in Afghanistan thanks to Drudge Report's scoop on his being there in the first place. Way to go, Drudge, endangering his life. The Prez made an appeal about us not being in a recession, surprise at the price of oil, and predicted the GOP would hold the Oval Office. I believe the first one myself, so I'm not pleased that he opened his mouth about it at all. I think we'll be okay and that things will turn and head back the other direction, but now all my credibility is shot to pieces.

2. Decided against the upcoming three-month writing class. I just had a check about it. You know? When it just doesn't feel right? So I'm not gonna do it. For the money, I could take another associate to lunch a couple times in exchange for his feedback instead. And get a few nice dinners at Boka Kitchen for myself as well (that place has amazing food, I'm telling ya!). Nice to have that settled.

3. My brother is in Jordan today at Petra. It's an amazing place just from his pictures. I can't imagine actually being there (and this is his second time!).

4. I talked with my novel editor on the phone yesterday and hope to get some feedback shortly. Feeling better about that. I have been thinking that time was a wasting and I was getting antsy to get back to work on the book. Especially when AWS is already plotting her third novel now. I'm never going to catch up!

5. Work is caught up. Next week should be slightly more intense. Tax busy work is caught up and will be finished today. All in all a very productive week. I plan to spend the weekend working on web sites copy and fiddling with my client management database. So fun. Thank goodness for thin mints!

Currently listening to: San Francisco (Global DJs)
Currently reading: Business Writing (James Davis)