HP Power

Saw the new trailer for HP7 the other night. Completely floored. This is going to be the best Harry Potter movie yet, as it should be. But as excited as I am, I'm also a little sad it's all going to come to an end, just as I was when the final book came out.

I imagine all HP fans share this sentiment, but I have a particular soft spot for HP. I was introduced to this amazing series at one of the lowest times in my life. It was the summer before my final year of college, and I was pretty sick (understatement). I had the misfortune of contracting Lyme disease, which probably doesn't mean much if you're not from Connecticut. I'll spare you the details but basically you feel so crappy that everything loses meaning. You don't have enough energy to email your friends and even watching TV is an effort. I couldn't walk or talk properly because my motor skills were all messed up. After I was released from the hospital I mainly laid in bed half-hoping that the next day I'd have enough energy to get out of it, and half-scared that even if I could get up, I still wouldn't be able to walk and it would all be pointless.

And then one night my sister came into my room carrying Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and pressed it into my hand. She thought I'd like it, she said. Now I hadn't been reading middle grade or YA at the time--I was an English Lit major in college so most of my time was spent reading the classics. I'd heard about Harry Potter--they'd already made the first couple of movies at this point--but it never occurred to me that the books would be something I'd like. But I guess there's something about being sick that takes us back to a childlike state, the need to feel like we're going to be taken care of an everything is going to be okay. So I gave it a try.

I didn't think I'd be able to get through more than a few pages at a time, but I did! I totally got sucked into the world of Hogwarts and for a little while forgot about the crap going on in my own world. And at a time when nothing seemed worth exerting the energy for, I managed to get through that first book in a matter of days.

I wasn't the only person going through a terrible time then. Every American and a bunch of people around the world were, too. Because I was so sick, I had to delay going back to school. And that meant I was still in bed that September in 2001, barely able to process what my father was telling me when he called from work that morning to tell us that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

I write because I believe in the power of books, their ability to transport us when our own world is falling down around us. Whether it's a blockbuster series that brings together millions of fans, or a singular story that touches us on a personal level. I'll never replicate J.K. Rowling's success, and that's okay. All I hope is that one day I'll have a book out there, and some girl who just broke up with her boyfriend, or lost a tough basketball game, or was bullied at school, will pick it up and for a few hours she'll get sucked into the world I created and her day will be a little bit better for it.

So tell me, are you an HP fan? If not, is there a particular book out there that got you through a rough time?

False Start

I love the week following Labor Day, always have. It's always "back to school," even long after I've had to step foot in a classroom. Time to refocus, attack things with renewed energy. I think that burst of energy started as early as last night, because at 9pm I was scrubbing down our master bath, instead of parked on the couch.

And then...this morning I woke up with pinkeye. So much for starting off the new "school year" strong. Today I'm benched, at home starting antibiotics so I don't infect the entire office. But I guess if you have to be home sick, it beats a lot of other reasons. Guess I'll take advantage of the bonus writing time.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend! Now get back to work :)

Summer Saturday

Yesterday was one of those days where you check to make sure your fly is up 1000 times b/c people keep looking at you funny.

Today, however, is brilliant. 77 degrees, zero humidity, blue skies. I'm about to go lay in the picnic area of our apartment complex with my notebook and try to get another chapter on paper.

I leave you with one of my favorite summertime meals:

1 yellow squash
1 tsp rosemary
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pkg baby spinach
1/4 cup raw walnut halves
Fresh feta, crumbled

Slice the yellow squash into thin circles (no peeling required). Put in a bowl with olive oil & rosemary and mix until squash is coated. Place in skillet at medium-to-high heat and turn over until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Mix baby spinach, raw walnut halves, and crumbled feta. When squash is cooled enough, add in. Mix it all up with a tasty, summery dressing like Annie's Naturals Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette.

Best enjoyed with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc :)

Enjoy your weekend!

P.S. My husband wondered aloud the other day during a commercial of Charlie St. Cloud if Zac Efron makes Vanessa Hudgens wear her costume from Sucker Punch whenever they hang out.

Frankly I think it's funny that my husband even knows those two are dating.

Hail to the Red, Write, and Blue

Happy Independence Day everyone!

I was hoping to take advantage of the 3-day holiday weekend to hit 25K on my WIP. But the BBQs! The fireworks! The opening weekends for certain teen vampire movies! (Yes, I saw Eclipse. Don't judge.)

And friends--did I mention I actually have some of those? Yeah, for some reason there are people who want to hang out with me. Probably because I keep the crazy writer stuff to a minimum outside of my inner monologue. Although one of the girls did ask how the writing was coming along because (quote) "I want to go to the book launch party."

Sweet, sweet girl.

Good to know, however, that I can begin compiling a hypothetical guest list for my hypothetical launch party. For my hypothetical published book. Just another way to procrastinate!

So what are you up to this weekend? Celebrating, writing, or both? I managed to be somewhat productive and am closing in fast on 20K today...

Not-So-Haunted Tales of Boston

Hubs and I did our kind-of-annual trip up to Beantown this past weekend. Which normally brings us immense enjoyment. Not so much this time.

First of all, it rained most of the trip. Including during the Saturday afternoon game at Fenway, which we had awesome seats for. But around the fifth inning when I was soaked to the bone and the score was 12-2 (not really a nail biter, no matter which team you're rooting for), we decided to call it quits.

Most disappointing, however, was the hotel.

We decided to switch it up this time. Normally we go for the modern luxury of the Westin Copley. This time I decided I wanted a more historical, New England feel. So we booked the Omni Parker House, the oldest running hotel in the country. And the Kennedys used to stay there!

A week before the trip, Hubs laughingly informs me the hotel is haunted, sending me a link. I think he thought this would upset me, because I'm a total weenie when it comes to horror movies and the idea of things lurking around in the dark.

To his surprise, I was psyched. Perfect! I thought. This will be great research for my WIP--the main character grew up in a family of ghost hunters. What better way to come up with material than to investigate the supernatural, first-hand?

Among factoids about the hotel were these promising nuggets:

• Elevators are always called to the third floor (the floor Charles Dickens--CHARLES DICKENS OMG OMG!--occupied) without a button being pushed or a guest waiting for the elevator.
• In a room on the 10th floor, guests have reported the sound of a rocking chair that kept them up all night. There are no rocking chairs in the hotel.
• Bellman have reported bright "orbs" of light floating down the corridor on the 10th floor then disappearing

Alas--whether it's because we were put on the plebeian 5th floor, away from all the supernatural action, or the ghosts were simply feeling not up to snuff that evening, the only unlexplained mysteries we were faced with were:

• How a 4-star hotel could have such tiny, dingy rooms.
• How a hotel in BOSTON could not include NESN in their TV channel listings (that is the Boston Red Sox channel, for all of you non-New England folk. We were trying to catch Friday's night game on TV after we got back from a hearty, sleep-inducing pasta dinner in the North End)
• And finally, if the lobby manager's name was actually Seamus for real, or if that was just another one of the hotel's tall tales they propagate to make visitors feel like they are getting the full Boston experience. And if he was really that jolly of an Irishman. Or even actually Irish.

So sorry, no ghostly insights to report. Although I did squeeze a few pages in, as you'll see in my updated word count on the sidebar.

In the Meantime

So I bet you're wondering if I've heard any good news on the query front for Charm Bracelet.

Well, I'm right there with you. The other day I got one of those automatic "we received your query, please allow 6-8 weeks for our response."

Wow, it took me just about 6-8 weeks to write the first draft of CB. (Uhhh, I know that sounds pretty good, but let me stress the words FIRST DRAFT. It took much longer to do the rewrites, change a main story arc, and completely re-do the ending.) This time frame doesn't surprise me; I know agents have a lot on their plates, and more and more people are deciding they can write books so the slush pile is ever-growing.

But man, that's a lot of time.

So why am I not freaking out, checking my email every 5 minutes? (Okay, okay. I check it 2-3/day. I am slightly neurotic; I'm a writer, after all.) Because I've been BUSY. First of all, as I mentioned before, I'm transitioning to a writing position at my day job. Which has been pretty awesome. Not so awesome are the hours, or the fact I sometimes have to do work on weekends. Which by the way, I am not paid for. One of the downfalls of being on a set salary. Although having medical insurance is cool and all.

And then, I am making great progress on my gothic untitled novel. By "great" I don't mean crazy huge word counts, but I think it's really quality stuff. And I'm really enjoying the story. 

And then, tomorrow I'm volunteering at Liberty Humane Society, playing with some kitties and pups that could really use some love and affection.

So the moral of this story? When you're in the dreaded query process, keep so freakin' busy you don't have time to THINK about it. Oh, and also--make sure to spay or neuter your animal to help control the unwanted pet population. (not to go all Bob Barker on you. Does anyone even get that reference?)

Not "The News," but News Nonetheless

A little while back I posted on not quitting your day job (and here's the part where I'm supposed to link to it, but that would be ridiculous considering I only have like 10 posts up here).

So much for following my own advice.

So I quite my job. Or tried to. And then they went and dangled a carrot in front of my face. A copywriting position.

Here's the thing. I've been an editor the past 5 or so years b/c it's one of those "hard but easy" jobs. Your day is crazy, there's deadlines, sometimes your eyes feel like they're about to drop out of your skull. But for the most part the creative part of your brain gets to stay shut off, takes a nice nap while the analytical side is working overtime.

This is good and bad. Good because I've always felt I could save up my creative "juice" for my personal pursuits. Why would I want to spill a drop of that on actual "work" when I could be using it on my novel? Bad because I've gotten bored of my job over the past year or so. Which, among many other reasons, is why I quit.

And then they go and bring up this copywriting thing. And I go and take it.

Because you know what? Why put your happiness on hold? I really believe, one day, I will be the published author of a novel (dare I say novelsss? Sure, what the heck). But I'm not foolish enough anymore to believe it will happen overnight. So in the meantime, I figure it's time to start challenging myself in other aspects of my life.