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And now, in my ongoing pursuit to spam you today, here’s my third post this morning.

I finished the second book in the series of Monster Blood Tattoo books last night: this one Lamplighter. One the most promising areas of fantastic writing currently seems to be the blending of historical literature with fantastic elements, and Lamplighter does this with the precision of a planned military campaign. Apparently writer D.M. Cornish spent the last fifteen years creating the universe these books take place in. The books are rich in detail as well as characterization.

Of course, a book is only as good as its main characters. The protagonist of the books, a young foundling named Rossamund Bookchild is set into the world with Dickensian like prologue. Rosamund enters the service of the lamplighters, but on his way to his apprenticeship has several wayward adventures he survives through courage, luck, and ability. The world around him is populated by colorful and classical characters, echoing the societies of Austen’s world, or Forester’s Hornblower. There are rules, roles, and classes.

There are also monsters. Rossamund finds himself questioning the blanket morality that all monsters are bad and deserve killing. These complicated moral issues interweave the action, adventure, and backdrop.

I can’t recommend the book highly enough. Books like this are a fresh breath of air in the YA and MG market, where we tend to clone what’s selling as an industry. It treats all its readers to morally complex issues, yet maintains a simplicity toward what is heroic and what is not. I hope you will all scurry out and and buy Foundling. Foundling is a fine book, but remember–you need to get to Lamplighter, where both Rossamund and the world come into their own.

Catherine

Disclaimer: This entry is not anti-small press. I will soon be published by two small presses. I’ve been finding lackluster editing in small press books as of late, but I am also sure that it can occur in medium and larger houses as well. I’m also not sure how much control you have over getting an editor. However, it does seem a cause for concern.

Last night, I looked at yet another small press book that I was disappointed in. All I could think of was that the editor had let the author down. There was nothing in this book to make it particularly shiny or original, and the editing allowed the book to be lackluster in its execution, sloppy and wordy.

***

I get it. I know I’m a snob when it comes to reading. It might have something to do with having too many English degrees and some love of literature. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t like artifice for its own sake. That too can be an incredible turn off. An editor can’t save a book of the same old either. That said, an editor and an agent OWE a writer once they’ve decided they’re in on the project. If you pick up a writer, or a book, you need to (and I paraphrase from many letters) “love the project enough” to give it the effort it deserves.

The writer WRITES the book. You then give the writer the benefit of your experience. It’s a gift! You sharpen. You push. You don’t let the author put something out there lesser than your standards. It’s what my major professors did for me in graduate school, and it’s what you should do for your writers.

Writers, you DO NOT want an editor who is going to let you get away with sloppy execution. You just don’t. Publishing is not enough. And you DO NOT want an agent who doesn’t have your best interest at heart. Because YOUR name goes on this stuff. Readers like me will look at it. We know the difference between a book well rendered and edited that isn’t our thing versus a sloppy first draft like book. The former was aided by an editor. I can put it down and respect it. The latter makes me think of you as a bad writer, and it might not solely be your fault.

I’ve seen several books lately that are not the product of team effort, and I am sad. As a writer, do I want someone to help me change my book to make it better, more readable, sharper, and accessible? Yes, yes I do. As a writer, I may well be my own worst enemy. I’m so steeped in my work, I can no longer step back and tell you what’s good or not. I may need an editor or an agent to do that.

Look hard at your agents and editors. Don’t settle if you can help it. They are VERY important to your career. Publishing really isn’t enough if it means you compromise the quality of your work.

Catherine

The next installment of Blood is Thicker than Water is up at Las Habladoras. We are well into Chapter 3 now.

If you’re just starting in, the keyword blood will get you all of the entries.

Catherine

Yesterday I didn’t write. I did go out and shop! I now have Lament, The Graveyard Book, and the first of Mervyn Peake’s two Gormenghast novels. And then I watched the excellent Iron Man documentary on the two disk set. So today, best get to work!

***

Hulk Hercules: Last night, in a flash before sleeping, I decided to do some darling murdering. There will be no grounding, Joe goes to character later land, and the food fight is assigned to the land of orphan scenes, which may or may not be salvaged. I’ve changed some ordering. During the night of the wrestling potluck, we’ll have the Hephaubot planted in the apartment, and later the Hephaubot incident.

Then we’ll move back to school and plans for the Fall Festival (new material) and some investigation into the Hephaubot, moving the spotlight onto Hannah. We’ll also get that visit into the zoo, where Leo asks Diana out.

Scene Counts:

13 / 37 (35.1%)

***

Substance of Shadows: Revised Chapter 5. Mostly cut snotty Errol dialogue, and polished Milo a little bit.

162 / 387 (41.9%)

Off to make dinner!

Catherine

Steroids: the anti concentration drug! I’ve spent my day hopping from task to task with my temporary ADD. I am earnestly going to try to do some writing at this point. Here goes nothing.

Hulk Hercules: Tony and Bianca’s classroom scenes were actually pretty well written first time, so they are revised and ready to rock. And I’ve written the potluck kitchen scene. I’ve busted out the Tony asks wrestlers for tutorial help with Marshall scene on its own, and I’ll draft it next session, as well as revising the food fight scene.

Word Count:

11 / 38 (28.9%)

***

Substance of Shadows: I’ve actually revised through Chapter 4 now. I added back in Andrew to talk to Stephan, and the burning of the other Rowther letter. I’ve also destiltified a lot of the kids dialogue. Now I’m ready to begin some of the Rowther material, introduce the dark magician kids. I plan to add in more POV and development of the characters.

140 / 387 (36.2%)

And the ‘roids appear to be wearing off, so I think I’ll trust myself around the oven to begin some dinner preparations.

Catherine

As often happens with my colds, they migrate to my bronchial tubes and become this thing-that-is-not-asthma-that-pretends-to-be-asthma. That’s been the doctor’s mantra for the last three years. Today, Doc Tyler sang a different tune. Some of you might remember my “temporary” grass allergy last spring? Well, it looks like we may well be on the path to being officially labeled allergic.

I’ll be heading to the doc next week to have him listen to my lungs, and to talk seriously about allergy testing, so I can be medicated to protect myself from nature. I’m also supposed to get pro-active about mid-August and mid-May and start using over the counter allergy meds if nothing is prescribed.

It seems to be a loser fall for health. First arm breaks. Then, lungs break. Steroids, however, are mind-altering. This morning I smoked the magic hookah, and went on the magical mystery tour (read the 75th cup of coffee jitters. Paranoid? Me? *nervous tick*) followed up by a chaser of three steroids. This always turns me into the Incredible Hulk.

And now, I’m crashing. I feel like I haven’t slept all night, a fairly accurate assessment. So, my writing plan is to get out my computer. Yup, that’s it. 😛 Who knows? Maybe I will yet perk up, but I do have about a month of wiggle room.

And that’s what’s happened to me today! Well, that, and I played editor with about 30 students. You?

Catherine

Last night, my elbow started twittering, so I quit my writing session about 15 minutes in. The heartache! However, I managed to get this great sequence into Hulk Hercules before shucking out.

“Hera is coming over. To talk, she said.”

Hephaustus whistled low. “I don’t want to be anywhere near that.”

“She’s calmed down a lot over the years.”

Hephaustus flung back the box lid and grabbed a jumbo piece of pepperoni.

“Sure. And Aphrodite and I are getting back together.”

***

It’s now 8:11 am. I’m at Coffee Talk waiting for a 3:15 osteopath appointment. (Arm girl doesn’t drive, so a friend will take her to said osteopath when friend is finished with work at said Coffee Talk at 2ish). And I’ve had a reasonable night of sleep for someone with a head cold and a bum elbow, so carpe-frikkin’-diem! I’m working like gangbusters on the books!

***

And now, it’s 9:42 am, and I’m done with the Hulk Hercules tasks for the day. I’ve revised the Hera scene, and added the first two drafts of a Tony in science class scene, and a Bianca perspective scene, both of which I will revise next session, along with the wrestler potluck scene. My work count is current 39, 431, and the scene counter looks like this:

8 / 37 (21.6%)

The highlight of the Hercules’ day was learning about swamp gas for a much, much later scene, and integrating it earlier here.

***

Onto Substance, I finished today’s revision today at 10:30. I’ve finished the first part of the book, and I’m ready to revise into the Esme’s trial part. I’ve whacked out a lot of deadwood, but I’ve replaced a couple of scenes with older ones. The overall effect is that Errol seems more genuine, and I think the characters seem less arch than they did.

In the next section, I broaden out Milo’s role more, and work on developing those interiors. I’m feeling pretty good. Word count has increased to 72, 783, and as you can see below, we are close to having revised a third.

105 / 386 (27.2%)

And that’s it for today. See you tomorrow!

Catherine

It’s a big, big day for Maggie Stiefvater, whose novel Lament comes out today. Maggie is truly an inspirational writer. I haven’t had the good fortune to meet Maggie yet, but I have to tell you how much she impresses me. In the writing world, it is so easy to spin, moan, and worry. I have never heard Maggie do this. Her journal is upbeat and positive, and she’s always talking about the possibilities, rather than the drawbacks. I’m sure she’d disagree with me about how she feels, but she looks great in cyberspace!

The story of Lament is the story of the discovery of a good book. Lament languished in the slush pile, and was rescued from there. Then Maggie found an agent (she had to choose from 4, if memory serves!). It goes to show you that there are all sorts of ways to get published if you are patient and bide your time.

Maggie inspires me to enjoy the ride. I’m an unagented soon to be published by small press writer. This is an okay place to be for now. Right now, my life is still flexible in regard to my writing. That’s a plus. I can still explore projects I want without publishing deadlines looming over me. That’s a plus. I am enjoying the submission process and the revision process. That’s a plus. I’ve got an opportunity to write a series for kids that might get bought for film. That’s a big plus! Thanks, Sonya!

I’ll eventually be somewhere else as a writer, and maybe even soon I’ll be an agented writer, but since life is uncertain, and publishing is full of bubbles that pop at a moment’s notice, maybe I’ll just appreciate what I’ve got. It’s an important thing for all of us to remember, no matter what we’re doing, no matter where we are in our life. Maggie, thanks for making me think of this!

Champagne to you, Maggie! You can read some of Maggie’s wisdom at David Bridger’s excellent blog.

***

Oh, and Neil Gaiman’s Graveyard book also comes out today. I was lucky enough to hear an excerpt of it at Fantasy Matters in Minnesota last year, and I’ve been looking forward to it since. However, I’m sure Neil’s machine will gear up to tell you all about it.

Me, I’m pulling for Maggie!

Well, of course I’m supposed to be writing an academic paper proposal, modifying generic syllabi, and working on my writing research trip to Chicago! That’s exactly why I’m choosing to procrastinate.

I’ve been reading Jim Hines this morning, and he linked to a post about the books that he’s written. Some of you have done this before, and just yesterday Tina Gray and I were talking about this topic. I suppose it got me thinking about the big projects, so mostly for my own reference, here’s a list of the novels that I have written or started.

Continue reading “Books from Before”

This just in: Julie Rose has posted her latest podcast with Alex Dalley MacFarlane on the Writers and Their Soundtracks web page.

***

Let’s talk about tonight. I’m really colding, so creating isn’t as easy as revising. Hulk Hercules: I revised the Hera scene, but didn’t have it in me to write the important science class/bully scene, or the scene where Dalton tells Bianca that Tony has gone to the office, and she meets Hannah and works on the newspaper.

Next session, then, will be to sharpen up the Hera, Bast, and Livy scene, and hopefully create the next two new scenes. So, the meter doesn’t change for tonight, but should move forward tomorrow, and actually get a little longer.

7 / 38 (18.4%)

***

In Substance, I have added in a couple of old scenes and whacked them up a bit to make them less austere. I think that the Hamwiches are introduced more naturally. I’m running out of the agent’s material, so I’ll need to sweep through the rest of the book on my own, working on deepening the points of view and destiltifying the dialogue. Milo may get more of Amanda’s bits than previously. We’ll see how that goes.

79 / 384 (20.6%)

Now, to relax and embrace the cold…

Catherine