August 16, 2009 at 11:28 pm (Industry News, Random, Weekend Wrap-Up)
Tags: family, oklahoma, packing
Yes, I missed last week. And all of this week. I’m horrible, I know.
But here’s a wrap-up for the past two weekends! A recent study documents a huge decline in reading time among US citizens (the average American spends only 7 minutes a day reading!), even though another study shows that reading for pleasure can cut stress levels by almost 70%. So be good to your friends/family and buy them books this year. Maybe you’ll look at the new graphic novel version of Fahrenheit 451, or at Justine Larbalestier’s Liar, recently revamped after controversy over the previous cover. Or maybe you’ll jump on the Dan Brown bandwagon and pick up The Secret this year, or even the “teen version”. Why teens can’t read the adult version, I’m not quite sure. All I know is that, when you’re done, you ought to reward yourself with a scoop of library-themed Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Too bad it doesn’t exist yet!
A couple other random reads: What’s really to blame for the quality/quantity of your writing (hint: it’s all inside of you!), and should authors be their own censorship committees?
Hope you enjoy the reads! Meanwhile, I’ll be packing like mad, saying goodbye to family/friends/dog and bidding a very fond farewell to the house that I grew up in. My parents and brother are moving to Thailand in October, so this Thursday will, in many ways, be my last night as a resident of Oklahoma. Bittersweet, bittersweet. I’ve probably written a million words under this roof, and I’ve read several million more. A whole childhood of school projects and sleep-overs and learning all the creaks and sighs of an 80-year-old-house can be found wrapped up within these walls, and I’ll never forget the rumblings of squirrels in the attic and the smell of wild mint in the back yard. C’est la vie, C’est la vie.
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June 15, 2009 at 5:53 pm (P/S Novel Contest, Random, editing, new york, travel, writing)
Tags: book lists, editing, family, friends, new york, novel, oklahoma, summer, writing
So I made it home okay and have been taking a few days to settle back in. It’s funny, because I wasn’t all that excited about leaving NYC, even though it meant that my relaxing summer was beginning. Then, as the plane was skimming down over OKC, I got this huge wash of emotion. I was happy to see things that felt familiar, and excited to see my family in the terminal, and even relieved to feel the long-lost pressure of humidity as we deplaned. I knew two things: It was good to be home, and this was going to be the setting of my next novel.
Since then, I’ve spent time cooking and visiting people and talking to my brother. And taking my dog on walks. And gathering books from my to-be-read list. Oklahoma really makes me appreciate the simple things.
I’ve also finished up edits and sent out copies to a bunch of friends. I need some time away from the novel, and I need a pool of feedback to draw from. I hope to get comments back by July so that I can rewrite again and send the second draft back to NY. Until then, I think that I’m going to take a few days off from writing to do things around the house and digest some new books. Then I may get started on my new next novel. Yes, that does mean that the last new novel is being put on hold. But that’s okay. I think that it’s one that deserves more tact and time than many.
So just a quick post to keep you updated on where I am. More news within the next few weeks, I’m sure.
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August 16, 2008 at 3:16 pm (Random, college)
Tags: college, friends, high school, oklahoma
I woke up with a jolt today and, for once, it wasn’t due entirely to my alarm clock. I opened my eyes and realized that I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Tomorrow.
That’s really soon.
I don’t think that there’s anything as hard as saying goodbye to friends that have been there for years. Coming from a joint middle-and-high school means that I’ve known some people since the sixth grade. It makes it seem like college is going to be a flash in the pan.
I’ll never forget the ridiculous group projects. Lord of the Flies in 10th grade meant bloody piggy banks that got us an “A”. Our The Merchant of Venice final junior year was perhaps the best video I’ve ever put together. As for physics roller coasters… We don’t talk about that.
I’ll never forget being an Outside Artist when it came time for AP Studio Art portfolios, or complaining about a laundry list of bad teachers, or learning how to take a piece of photo paper and make it beautiful. I’ll never forget the Cadillac. Or the runs to Sonic. Or the History Day projects that froze our hands and turned us into overachievers. And then lost to some slap-dash cardboard.
Post cards and letters and sweet birthday wishes… These ink-and-paper promises not to forget will be our homing pigeons. And between the words? Hold on to the road trips and sleep-overs and midnight conversations. Hold on to the jokes and dreams and whispers. Hold on to the photos and hugs and Facebook messages.
Hold on, but don’t hang back.
I’ll be home for Christmas.
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August 8, 2008 at 7:14 pm (Random)
Tags: blog, family, friends, minnesota, oklahoma, tv
Contrary to popular opinion, I haven’t been not-blogging for the sake of not-blogging.
In fact, I’ve been avoiding the internet in general, but that, again, is not for the sake of avoidance. I’ve just been trying to relax away from the greedy reaches of the web (It’s a time sucker! It wants my soul.), and enjoy the things that are unique to Oklahoma.
What things, you ask? Well, my family, for one, and my friends, for another. Also cable television. And all those books that I’m not bringing with me to Minnesota.
Actually, I’ve got a rather hefty stack of books in my Read-Before-You-Leave! list, but I’m mostly hoping to just finish off the ones I’ve actually started.
So if you don’t hear from me for a while–I’m not giving up on blogging or the internet or whatnot. I’m just soaking up the last few days at home sweet home.
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