Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted here! Time tends to slip away like sand, and although there were many occasions where I thought about posting, something else would inevitably call my name and I'd be off in another direction. Also, I've had some eye-opening experiences over the past year with a relative who has chosen to use her blog as a platform to defame and denigrate other family members, which has left me with a rather bad taste in my mouth about blogs in general. Nevertheless, my Flux editor says I must blog, so blog I shall!
Continued great news on the writing front: THE OTHER SISTER continues to sell far beyond expectations, and the Lucy book, now formally titled REMEMBER THIS, will officially hit the shelves in September 2008. REMEMBER THIS had some last minute cover issues: specifically, one of the models on the original cover couldn't be located to sign a release, and, unbeknownst to me, a horrible substitution was made. I didn't find out about it until I stumbled across the pre-order version of the book on Amazon.com, at which point I emailed Andrew Karre and asked, “What happened to Nana Lucy?!" (BTW, despite the fact that I did admittedly use the words 'horrible substitution', I mean no offense to the interim cover model; you just weren't my vision) Thereafter followed many weeks of breath-holding and fingernail-biting while Andrew finessed the situation and generously called in all the favors in his arsenal, and the end result made it all worthwhile (for me if not for Andrew!) I would venture to say that the new-and- improved version of Nana Lucy on the cover is an improvement even over the original, and the fact that she's related to Sandy is simply icing on the cake!
Speaking of Andrew, he and I are currently negotiating revisions for CATCHING AIR, with the hopes that it will land somewhere on Flux's 2009 list. SUMMER ON LAKE TULABY is still floating around in the NYC publishing pool, but I've decided that I'm not satisfied with its current manifestation and am secretly working on a revision that will take it closer to its original form (shh, don't tell my agent, it's a surprise and I'm not sure whether he'll think it's a good one!) Meanwhile, RETURN TO LAKE TULABY insists on taking shape in my mind, begging for attention ever since Michael Collins told me that publishers get really excited if you can hand them a ready-made series. And Andrew wants a YA book on concussion...
Otherwise, family, work, pets, friends, summer, sports, life ... endlessly unpredictable, amusing, and fulfilling!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Ready to Push the Button
G-L-O-R-Y B-E!!! I never thought I'd see the day, but tomorrow my beloved agent, David Forrer, is sending out Summer On Lake Tulaby to editors at seven publishing houses (William Morrow/HarperCollins, Grant Central/Warner Books, St. Martins, Pocket, Ballantine, Putnam, and Bantam.) He said that he 'doesn't want to send it to too many,' since the London Book Fair is coming up in April (although seven still sounds like 'many' to me.)
And because this is the most delicious thing anyone has ever said to me, I must shamelessly repeat it: I was asking him about the process, saying, "So, you just print out 7 copies of the manuscript and send them to these editors?" and he replied, "No, I'll probably send them via email. I know these editors well and they're fine with me emailing things if I think it's something important."
Well, gentle readers, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that that one should carry me for awhile!
And because this is the most delicious thing anyone has ever said to me, I must shamelessly repeat it: I was asking him about the process, saying, "So, you just print out 7 copies of the manuscript and send them to these editors?" and he replied, "No, I'll probably send them via email. I know these editors well and they're fine with me emailing things if I think it's something important."
Well, gentle readers, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that that one should carry me for awhile!
Friday, February 22, 2008
And on Friday Night, She Rested
It's Friday night, and I'm reflecting on a productive day: dementia evals and therapy clients, a two hour tele-conference conducting oral exams as a member of the ND Board of Psychologist Examiners, emailing my revised 460-page manuscript for Summer On Lake Tulaby to my agent in NYC... the evals went smoothly, the therapy was productive, the licensure candidates passed their exams, and the agent emailed back to say he was going to begin reading the manuscript immediately.
The older kids are at the hockey games with their friends, and the youngest is having a sleepover. My darling husband, who installed every light fixture in the entire first floor of an apartment complex today, is making popcorn for the movie we're about to watch.
Seriously...who could ask for anything more?
The older kids are at the hockey games with their friends, and the youngest is having a sleepover. My darling husband, who installed every light fixture in the entire first floor of an apartment complex today, is making popcorn for the movie we're about to watch.
Seriously...who could ask for anything more?
Friday, November 2, 2007
Life Intrudes...
Just when it seems like the runway is straight and the sky is free of clouds, the demands of 'normal' life bring all planes and projects to a screeching halt. I headed into October grandly thinking 'I'll just wrap up the revisions on the Lucy book and then probably have some time left over for Summer On Lake Tulaby', only to find out that every single day seemed to be crowded with distractions. Not only were there a rather unusual number of work-related responsibilities (including a talk to be given to the residents on Post-Concussion Syndrome and a five-day trip to Colorado Springs for the Association of State and Provicincial Psychology Boards, not to mention a-million- and-one patients on my schedule), but also lots going on in family life (kids busy with sports and music lessons, a major school dance and a Pay-It-Forward trip to Chicago, as well as preparations for our traditional Spooky Halloween dinner). Suffice to say, it was always easier to find something else that needed to be done aside from rewriting books I've already written!
So now it's November and I'm finally working on the revisions on the Lucy book. For the first time, I find myself hoping not to get emails from my editor or agent; lucky for me, 'next week' in the publishing industry seems to translate in reality to 'sometime in the next couple months.'
I did receive notice that my first royalties check for The Other Sister is on the way, so I'm thinking a new laptop is in my future. Life is good.
So now it's November and I'm finally working on the revisions on the Lucy book. For the first time, I find myself hoping not to get emails from my editor or agent; lucky for me, 'next week' in the publishing industry seems to translate in reality to 'sometime in the next couple months.'
I did receive notice that my first royalties check for The Other Sister is on the way, so I'm thinking a new laptop is in my future. Life is good.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Notes from the Trenches
Good writing news and bad writing news:
1)The good news is that the 'soft' offer from Flux on my National Write A Novel In A Month manuscript turned into a concrete offer (complete with an advance!), so look for another S.T. Underdahl book next fall! The book has no name yet; we simply refer to it as 'the Lucy book', since two of the main characters are named Lucy (which probably sounds like a bad idea, but read the book and you'll understand.)
2)Perhaps calling it 'bad' news is an overstatement, but the NYC agent (who, BTW, did the negotiations on the Lucy book contract), wants a few more changes on the Tulaby book. Nothing I can't live with, though, so it's back to work on that one. It's a learning curve, folks.
Other breaking news:
In 'real' life, my oldest is off to his first high school dance (the kind where you actually have to go out and buy special clothing!) and our youngest seems determined to be the youngest person ever to require full dentures; how many teeth is it normal to lose at once? All the in-betweeners are busy with cross country, Castaway weekends, drum lessons, skating, friends, iPods, Legos, and on and on and on. The days are endlessly rich and interesting, even in just our own little world.
1)The good news is that the 'soft' offer from Flux on my National Write A Novel In A Month manuscript turned into a concrete offer (complete with an advance!), so look for another S.T. Underdahl book next fall! The book has no name yet; we simply refer to it as 'the Lucy book', since two of the main characters are named Lucy (which probably sounds like a bad idea, but read the book and you'll understand.)
2)Perhaps calling it 'bad' news is an overstatement, but the NYC agent (who, BTW, did the negotiations on the Lucy book contract), wants a few more changes on the Tulaby book. Nothing I can't live with, though, so it's back to work on that one. It's a learning curve, folks.
Other breaking news:
In 'real' life, my oldest is off to his first high school dance (the kind where you actually have to go out and buy special clothing!) and our youngest seems determined to be the youngest person ever to require full dentures; how many teeth is it normal to lose at once? All the in-betweeners are busy with cross country, Castaway weekends, drum lessons, skating, friends, iPods, Legos, and on and on and on. The days are endlessly rich and interesting, even in just our own little world.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
That's All She Wrote
Last night I finished rewriting Summer On Lake Tulaby, complete with a spankin' new main character, and sent it off to the NYC agent, accompanied by an implied threat on his life if he asks me to do a third rewrite. I'm completely spent after this major overhaul, and I really don't think I can do it again. I never thought I'd say this, but if this isn't what he's looking for I may have to realize that he and I don't have the same vision for the story. Ugh, I hope it doesn't come to that.
On the positive side, I have real interest from Flux in my National Write A Novel In A Month (another rewrite that is ongoing) so there's some movement in the right direction there. This whole writing thing has turned out to be more complicated than I ever imagined.
We just got back from a 'vacation' with our kids to the western part of North Dakota where we visited Medora and did all the Medora things (the Musical, the Pitchfork Fondue, a trail ride, etc.) We spent the end of the week in Williston where we attended the 11th Annual Krenz Pig Feed at the ranch of my sister and her husband. Over the past 11 years, it's grown from just a pig roast to include a catfish fry, a tiki bar, open mike night, a ring-toss competition, and much, much more. People bring tents and RV's; I think there were about 120 people there this year (75 of which seemed to be children with dirty faces carrying big sticks or pretend guns).
When we got home, I found myself in deep need of a) a shower, and b) another vacation.
Currently reading: Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg
Very quaint and enjoyable with some unexpected plot twists!
S.
On the positive side, I have real interest from Flux in my National Write A Novel In A Month (another rewrite that is ongoing) so there's some movement in the right direction there. This whole writing thing has turned out to be more complicated than I ever imagined.
We just got back from a 'vacation' with our kids to the western part of North Dakota where we visited Medora and did all the Medora things (the Musical, the Pitchfork Fondue, a trail ride, etc.) We spent the end of the week in Williston where we attended the 11th Annual Krenz Pig Feed at the ranch of my sister and her husband. Over the past 11 years, it's grown from just a pig roast to include a catfish fry, a tiki bar, open mike night, a ring-toss competition, and much, much more. People bring tents and RV's; I think there were about 120 people there this year (75 of which seemed to be children with dirty faces carrying big sticks or pretend guns).
When we got home, I found myself in deep need of a) a shower, and b) another vacation.
Currently reading: Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg
Very quaint and enjoyable with some unexpected plot twists!
S.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Be Careful What You Wish For...
Remember my last, dreamy post in mid-June where I was talking about how doing a rewrite made me feel "like a real writer at last"? Well, I'm ruing the day I ever uttered those fateful words.
I finished the rewrite for Summer On Lake Tulaby in a record-setting two weeks, thinking of pretty much nothing else in the time I wasn't at work or in family-related activities. When I finished it, I breathlessly turned it in to the agent, David F. He read it...and said that while I'd made the manusript "a million times better" in the rewrite, he still thought that the story needed to have a focus: one primary female character with whom the audience could 'connect'. Daringly, knowing he was hundreds of miles away in a nice, safe office in NYC, he proposed that I consider another rewrite, reducing the role of one of the existing male characters and writing in an entirely new character .
As I was wondering where I might locate a sword with which to commit hari kari, David managed to hook me by suggesting that the character be a psychologist like me. In the course of our discussion, the character reather quickly began to take shape in my mind and by the time I got off of the phone I'd actually forgotten about the disembowelment thing. It felt like maybe, just maybe, I could find the energy and the motivation to take on another rewrite of my 376 page novel.
As fate would have it, around the same time Andrew Karre from Flux (my publisher for The Other Sister) read my National Write A Novel In A Month manuscript and said that he thought it could make a very nice YA novel. This comment was a little surprising to me since I thought it already WAS a very nice YA novel. But no... Andrew felt it read more like a middle grade novel, or, worse, an "old fashioned YA novel." Unfortunately, this kind of made sense: I admitted to Andrew that the last YA novels I read were published somewhere during the 70's.
Shaking his head, I'm sure, Andrew gave me a reading list of contemporary YA novels, all of which I immediately read, and I have to say that I could immediately see his point. My characters needed to be smarter and edgier, maybe even to swear or make out a little (much more than that went on in the books Andrew suggested I read, but I'm not willing to go THAT far!)
So here I am, working on two complete rewrites simultaneously. It feels very much like unraveling and re-knitting two very complicated sweaters; I feel like I'm tangled in words, reforming a collar into to a sleeve or moving a back to a front, and trying to weave in entirely new elements to boot. Prior to this, the most complicated thing I've ever knitted was a stocking cap shaped like a Christmas tree,... I'm not sure whether either product will be wearable in the end, but I'm hoping so! Stay tuned; in the next installment I may have abandoned writing entirely and taken up bricklaying.
I finished the rewrite for Summer On Lake Tulaby in a record-setting two weeks, thinking of pretty much nothing else in the time I wasn't at work or in family-related activities. When I finished it, I breathlessly turned it in to the agent, David F. He read it...and said that while I'd made the manusript "a million times better" in the rewrite, he still thought that the story needed to have a focus: one primary female character with whom the audience could 'connect'. Daringly, knowing he was hundreds of miles away in a nice, safe office in NYC, he proposed that I consider another rewrite, reducing the role of one of the existing male characters and writing in an entirely new character .
As I was wondering where I might locate a sword with which to commit hari kari, David managed to hook me by suggesting that the character be a psychologist like me. In the course of our discussion, the character reather quickly began to take shape in my mind and by the time I got off of the phone I'd actually forgotten about the disembowelment thing. It felt like maybe, just maybe, I could find the energy and the motivation to take on another rewrite of my 376 page novel.
As fate would have it, around the same time Andrew Karre from Flux (my publisher for The Other Sister) read my National Write A Novel In A Month manuscript and said that he thought it could make a very nice YA novel. This comment was a little surprising to me since I thought it already WAS a very nice YA novel. But no... Andrew felt it read more like a middle grade novel, or, worse, an "old fashioned YA novel." Unfortunately, this kind of made sense: I admitted to Andrew that the last YA novels I read were published somewhere during the 70's.
Shaking his head, I'm sure, Andrew gave me a reading list of contemporary YA novels, all of which I immediately read, and I have to say that I could immediately see his point. My characters needed to be smarter and edgier, maybe even to swear or make out a little (much more than that went on in the books Andrew suggested I read, but I'm not willing to go THAT far!)
So here I am, working on two complete rewrites simultaneously. It feels very much like unraveling and re-knitting two very complicated sweaters; I feel like I'm tangled in words, reforming a collar into to a sleeve or moving a back to a front, and trying to weave in entirely new elements to boot. Prior to this, the most complicated thing I've ever knitted was a stocking cap shaped like a Christmas tree,... I'm not sure whether either product will be wearable in the end, but I'm hoping so! Stay tuned; in the next installment I may have abandoned writing entirely and taken up bricklaying.
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