Appearances and Events

2015 - Upcoming Appearances and Events

May

• Sunday, May 17
  • Book festival, Read Local NC
  • 12noon - 6pm, Durham Central Park

Distracted by shiny things

I'm writing the first sequel to Whisper Falls.  Its working title is A Whisper in Time, which I think the publisher will keep but you never know.

Contractually, I was given about nine months to write the first sequel.  That sounded moderately terrifying although, of course, I did agree to the terms.

I am now a few short weeks away from the due date for the first draft. I had my writing schedule perfectly poised to meet that date, with two weeks allotted for a well-deserved break while my freelancer reviewed my new masterpiece. [This is a warning about the fragility of my ego, Miss Free Lancer.]

'The best-laid plans of mice and men...'

Last Saturday night, just about bedtime, I smiled with satisfaction as I saved off my manuscript. It was on track. I was happy.  All was right with the world.  I would check my email one more time before sleeping.

There was a brand new email in my inbox: Edits for Whisper Falls.

My husband saw the message and said, "Somebody is not going to sleep now."

He was so right.  I was up until the wee hours of the morning reading through those edits.  A week later, I'm still making my way through them.  And that beautifully-arranged schedule for Sequel 1—totally mangled.

Here's hoping I catch up this weekend!

Thinking about websites

I'm blogging at the Ruby-slippered Sisterhood Tuesday. The topic is: making websites easy-to-use for disabled visitors.  (By the way, if it's good for disabled users, it's good for everyone.)  Feel free to drop by, absorb the information, or leave a question.

Even more importantly.... drum roll....

I have a beautiful, redesigned author website.  I love the way it turned out. (Thank you, Austin DesignWorks!)

Visit today. Oooohs and aaaahs may commence.

Another day, another blog

I'm blogging Tuesday at the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood (a writing group I belong to).  We'll be talking about readers with disabilities--which includes blindness, dyslexia, and amputations (can't turn pages!)

So join us if you are curious at the blog.

It takes a village

I have become an unapologetic user of people. Everyone I meet becomes a potential source of information for my next book. No one is exempt.

• Tom-the-personal-trainer offers me insights into the mindset of male athletes. 
• My physical therapist helps me figure out how to hurt people (and, not surprisingly, he is very good at that). 
• My nurse practitioner advises me on how long it takes for untreated wounds to become infected (when she's not taking care of me). 
• My cousin (who is studying to be an English professor) can now serve as my finger-on-the-pulse of academia.
• All female acquaintances with teenage sons are now my new best friends. 

Yesterday, I had brunch with a friend and two of her amazing kids.  One will soon be a secondary English teacher (yay! another finger-on-the-pulse). The other is a male high school senior.  Poor guy. I had a list of questions waiting for him. If he could have any classic car, which one? What types of sport teams are available in college?  How much do teen soccer players know about knee injuries?

WARNING to all males 14-18: Avoid me if you don't like talking to earnest old ladies. I have an endless supply of things I want to understand about your world.

So, friends, I may be unapologetic about picking your brain, but I am also deeply grateful.  It may be my mind assembling the puzzle pieces of the plot and my voice choosing the words, but it is your knowledge, experiences, and generosity that provide the building blocks.

I thank you all!

The write kind of holiday

Merry Christmas / meri Kirihimete / Froeliche Weihnachten
 

I'm loving this time of year.  Regardless of your faith tradition, I hope you are too.

However, 2012 brings a major change in how I structure my holiday.

I've spent so much time around work-a-holics that  I vowed I would never be one. When I was off-duty, I wouldn't work. Holidays were a time to relax and celebrate.

Then I became an author, and my attitude had to change. I am writing under a deadline. I can no longer measure a project by its percentage of completeness. The book is done--or it's not done.

So, yes, it is Christmas morning. We've opened gifts. We've eaten our 'special breakfast.' We've planned what we'll take to Christmas dinner at the home of dear friends.

And in-between all of that, I'll be writing.

Happy Holidays!

The scariest question

A blogger in the UK, Reading away the days!, has scheduled me for an interview on January 14th.  Megan McDade has sent me advance questions to ponder.

The scariest question: Tell me about yourself.

Let's think about this a moment.  I'm a novelist.  I write fiction! Why would readers trust me to get the facts straight when I'm paid to make things up?

Okay. Deep breath.  I can do this.  Back to writing answers to my first interview as an author...