Christmas post #2

Let's face it, it's December, so there's a very good chance that all posts this month will be Christmas oriented.  If you know me at all, you know that I just can't resist the Christmas spirit!!  So, if you are a Scrooge or a Grinch get over it (you might want to talk to Alex about how to do this...apparently it's not easy).  I thought today would be the perfect day to post this- something I've been obsessed with since the summer thanks to Sharon Grossman and now it's finally Christmas time so watching it is even better.  If you're like me, you'll be quoting it by the end of the day.  Go turn on my tree!

Some things about Christmas!

Hello December, it is finally, officially the Christmas season!  Yesterday I opened the first little door of my advent calendar to find a sketch of a squirrel holding a huge acorn behind my piece of chocolate.  I bought my Christmas cards, which I will say are pretty amazing this year, and found out something today about Christmas that I never even knew existed it is called Miracle on 34th st but it's not in NYC it's in Baltimore!

Apparently, 34th street in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore bands together and every single house goes crazy with decorations.  They even connect each house with lights across the street through the windows!  It looks like this:

I'll just say this, if I ever move to Baltimore, I'm moving to that street.

I died for beauty

I just read Metamorphosis Junior Year by Betsy Franco and got inspired.  I've been thinking about a story revolving around my favorite Emily Dickinson poem I Died For Beauty for a long time, but haven't gotten that much further than thinking I Died For Beauty would be the best YA title ever.  But then I read Metamorphosis and something just clicked.  It was very Perks of Being a Wallflower but not so 90s and also totally different because it's told through journal entries, poems and drawings.

So I'm thinking of playing around with that structure, and even trying to write some poetry while also incorporating Emily Dickinson's poems into the story.  We'll see what happens, it looks like I'm putting My Life in The Romance Section on hold for now- NaNoWriMo seems to have gone the way of lent sacrifices and new years resolutions for me.  But I'm still writing, just in one of  those start a million projects but never finish one modes.

Two side notes: 1. Betsy Franco is totally JAMES FRANCO's MOM!! Which makes me basically in love with that entire family!

A Message from James Franco's Mom from James Franco

2. I am listening to classical Christmas music on Pandora right now.  Being that it's classical music, it's not really like full fledged Mariah style Christmas music, which I will admit it's too early for that.  But I'm so ready for Christmas this year I can't even wait!

So here is what I just wrote.  I'm going to go and try to write some poetry now.  Thanks for reading!

    I got this notebook for poetry, but I can’t write a poem right now.  It’s just, I’m going through a really bad break up- with the world.  This is how it starts, it’s like you don’t realize it’s happening when it’s actually happening, and then one day you wake up and your family’s fallen apart, your friends have problems that you didn’t even see coming- or maybe didn’t want to, and you turn on the television and the ice caps are melting and people are bombing the shit out of each other, and that’s it, you and the world are over.  But that’s the thing with break ups.  The end is just the beginning.  Dealing with the end is what really hurts, what’s really hard.  I’ll admit it I’ve thought about getting back together with the world, but then I do something that helps me remember that breakups are final, and feel better for the time being.
    My parents are so busy worrying about Monica that most of the time they only communicate with me through looks and sighs.  They never say out loud, we need you to be the perfect daughter, the one we don’t have to worry about doing anything wrong ever.  But I can read those words in an eye brow, or a line in the center of my dad’s forehead, or in a barely audible sigh.  So I’ve tricked them into thinking that’s what I’m doing, but really I’ve died inside.  For the time being I’m not here anymore.  When someone asks the world “how’s Rebecca doing?”  The world just says “Rebecca?  Who’s Rebecca?”  because that’s what you say when you’re through with someone.  It’s like you can’t even remember their name.
    I’m doing this for all of them, and the best part is, I don’t think they’ll ever find out about what they’ve driven me to do.

Interview with Josh Farrar!

I am happy to report that a member of my writing group has landed a book deal!  Walker Books for Young Readers is publishing Rules to Rock By by Josh Farrar in June 2010!!  I feel like a rock star just knowing Josh and having given my fair share of two cents on the many drafts I read of the book.  I would explain the plot to you but check this out, Josh made a "book trailer" that does it for me.  And I'm in it!  I am a Total Rock Star- oh wait, it says "Children's Librarian, Author" next to my name...anyway, I also interviewed Josh after work one day and he's got some pretty interesting things to say.

Josh's project is more than a book, his idea lead him to work with kids who are actually in real rock bands just like Annabelle.  He wants to record an actual Bungles album to go with the book and play shows and everything.  It's a really great cause that needs some money.  Josh has set up a page on kickstarter.com where you can donate to his cause.  The cool part is, he doesn't get the money until he achieves his goal, so you really know what you paying for and it gives him an added incentive to get things done.  Only $10 will give you "stage diver" status and an mp3 of the first single!  So give a little something, it feels good to be a stage diver, I should know cause I am one.  Listen! Watch! Donate!  You'll be really glad you did :)

Josh Farrar Audio Interview:

If you would like to download an MP3 of the Josh Farrar interview, please right-click HERE and go to "Save Target As" ("Save Link As" in Mozilla Firefox)

PS- I wouldn't have been able to do this audio interview without Alex and his amazing sound skillz.  He does projects like this all the time over on his blog at Sounds Abound check it out!

Dropped my last dime in a wishing well

For the past week or so, I've been sort of obsessed with listening to Daniel Johnston again, especially "Casper the friendly Ghost."  I haven't been on any listening to music kicks in a while and am finding myself playing this one song over and over again, and not being able to get the lyrics out of my head. The part when he goes "love lives forever" gets me every time.   It's a nice feeling, to not be able to get enough of a song like that, I wish it would happen to me more often.  Oh, and if you haven't seen The Devil and Daniel Johnston, please rent it.  It's a beautiful film.

A damp, drizzly November in my soul

Today is day 15 of National Novel Writing Month!  If all was going as planned, I would be at around 100 pages right now.  100 that magic number, man I wish I was there.  Unfortunately I'm stuck at grumpy old 64.  Don't get me wrong, 64 pages is waaaaaaaaaaay more than 12 pages, which is what I had on October 30th and had had since August, but it ain't no hundo.

Week two was way harsh, and my very first ALWAYS A TROMBONE rejection didn't help.  However I'm happy that this week is finally almost over.  Tomorrow will be Monday where I will honestly be able to say "well at least a rejection means I wrote something that an actual editor of books actually read- that's an accomplishment!" and really mean it. Last Tuesday, I was fooling myself with that line, but tomorrow, I will be sooooo over it and ready to keep getting up at 6 am to write no matter how painful it is!

As Ishmael says, I am living the damp, drizzly November in my soul but when I find myself "involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off –" I will not go to the sea, as Ishmael does, even though that would  be nice, I will just hunker down with my laptop and keep on writing.

Also, I've realized that if I hit 50,000 words at the end of the first week of December, which is where my word count seems to be putting me at this point, or even by Christmas break, that's still pretty cool.  Although I won't be eligible for that oh so desirable NanWriMo certificate.  I really am desirous of everything at the same time! LOLS!

In other news, I am working on putting together an interview I did with Josh Farrar about his new book coming out this June Rules to Rock By.  My goal was to have it edited and up on the blog by this weekend but it's looking more like the beginning of the week.  So stay tuned for some exciting stuff while I continue to be, as always, desirous of everything at the same time.

And thanks to everyone whose encouraged me to keep writing this month!  Words cannot express how much that truly means to me <3<3<3

I will close this blog with the opening paragraph of Moby Dick one of the best openings to a book ever written. Favorite parts highlighted!  Enjoy!

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

Eff daylight savings.

I know I'm not the first person to say this, but man, daylight savings sucks.  Who cares about the sun being out at 6 in the morning?  I don't!  And I'm up at 6AM.  However in these dreary beggining days of winter, the perfect thing to write about is summer.  Which is why MY LIFE IN THE ROMANCE SECTION takes place in the summer, set at the best place to be during the summer- Lake Michigan!  woot woot!

Since its a new novel, that means new inspirational desktop background.  Behold below, a little picture of paradise (note this is Lake Huron not Lake Michigan).

Don't mean to brag, but that was the view from the upstairs porch of where we stayed this summer.  (dear friend Jason's parents "cottage")  I sigh at the prettiness of it all.

This is what I am picturing in my head as I work on my 50,000 words this month!!!  Day four, just hit 6,705 and let me tell you it was rough, but that picture above helps.

Okay, gotta go rescue my favorite sweater that Queenie is turning into a nest right now.  She's purring like crazy, what a weirdo.