Girl Detective

#19 in my book challenge for the year is the ubiquitously reviewed Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. He wrote three previous novels, the first and third of which were nominated for the Man Booker prize. Most writers do their autobiographical stuff first, and move on to more complicated stuff. Mitchell, whose previous three novels are both lauded and derided for their intricacy, saved his autobiographical bildungsroman for his fourth book. He and others have noted how unusual this is. The benefit to this method is that it’s a really well-written personal novel. The drawback is that it’s frequently so well-written that it ejected me from the narrative, which was told in what is supposed to be the voice of a 13-year- old boy in 1982 suburban England. Yes, the character is a poet, and yes, he has developed a complex interior life in reaction to his stammering problem. Neither of these, though, completely convinced me that certain sentences and certain insights were congruent with the 13-year-old narrator. For example, “Mr. Nixon, the headmaster, dashed past the doorway, emitting fumes of anger and tweed.” and “….the villagers wanted the Gypsies to be gross, so the grossness of what they’re not acts as a stencil for what they are.” It became clear as I read that Mitchell had set himself a difficult task, at which I think he partially succeeded–trying to write in the voice a boy who aspires to be a good writer, but isn’t there yet. In the end, though, I liked the book so well, and the characters in it, that I gave in and dismissed any quibbles that the voice wasn’t consistently believable. The book is the definition of bittersweet, veering between sadness and humor, with great characters.

Reviews, discussions, and interviews (strangely Seattle-centric links via Blog of a Bookslut):
Entertainment Weekly
CBC Canada
The Guardian: The Digested Read
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Times
Christian Science Monitor
The Stranger
New York Observer
Village Voice
The Book Standard
Seattle Weekly
The New Yorker

One of the best things about the Loft’s Festival of Children’s Literature last weekend were the talks by editors. The festival had one headlining NYC book editor and several local book editors for smaller presses. Some of what was said was common sense, some of the common sense was stuff worth repeating, and some other stuff was good to know, because it clarified or contradicted advice in some of the usual children’s literature canon. One thing that became even more clear to me than previously is that children’s lit is a different thing than adult lit; the same rules do not apply.

Here, in no particular order, are some pieces of advice from various editors, some of which were repeated by all of them.

-Submit polished work, not early or partial drafts.
-Cover letters should be short and professional. No biographical info needed, no past publishing history unless it’s directly relevant, no marketing info for the book, no hyperbolic references to other work. A simple, Dear [Editor], Here is my work, Thank you, [Author] should suffice because it’s your writing that should speak for you, not your cover letter.
-Again, your writing is what should distinguish you, not the color of your paper or your font choice. Use white paper, 1 inch margins, double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman. Never a sans serif font, never all caps. No exploding confetti (I wondered if other people were reminded of Tobias from Arrested Development when that was mentioned.)
-Reseach the publisher and submit to one that is a good match for your work.
-Children’s publisher’s do not want to work with agents; they want to work with you.
-Picture book writers should keep their text short and relatively adjective free. The illustrations will do the work of adjectives.
-Unless you’re an author/illustrator, and a good one, the editor will pick the illustrator for a writer.

There was also a good panel of authors on agents. One had a good agent who had pretty much fallen into his lap, another had sought an agent at a huge firm who had not been a help, and two other authors had never had agents, but instead used a book lawyer as needed for contracts and other legal stuff. The concensus seemed to be that a good agent could help, a bad one could hurt, and a children’s author is fine without one.

I buzzed by the library after the festival to pick up a few books by the local authors from the panel. Drake is currently loving all of these:

The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle
When Mommy was Mad by Lynne Jonell
Night Driving by John Coy

The Scotsman talks to David Mitchell, whose most recent book is Black Swan Green (link from Bookslut last month). What’s nice about the article is that it isn’t a dissection of the book, rather a conversation that includes it. There’s some good stuff on writing a novel from one’s life:

Black Swan Green does not traffic in veiled autobiography and wish-fulfilment.

“I kind of evolved a distinction between a personal novel and an autobiographical one,” says Mitchell, leaning forward on his elbows and speaking softly. “A personal one is where the protagonist and the writer have many things in common. An autobiographical one is where events and everyone around the protagonist or the narrator come largely from life.”

And the difficulty of writing in first person:

So, if you write a book in the first person, you can’t give any information to the reader that the protagonist doesn’t know - unless you smuggle it either through the narrator’s stupidity, or, in the case of Jason, this device of him not knowing what he knows.

A few weeks ago, in what was either a moment of weakness or bravery, I registered to attend the Loft’s Festival of Children’s Literature, a day of general sessions and smaller workshops led by writers, illustrators, and editors. As I contemplated the eight-hour day, I realized I’d have to take Guppy with me. The logistics of being away from him that long would be complicated. So I planned to wear my Maya Wrap sling and bring along a diaper bag with the essentials*. I figured I would attend as much as I could, and leave any session, or the festival, if things went badly.

As it turned out, Guppy was astonishing. He snoozed most of the time in the sling, woke to eat, then snoozed again, lather, rinse, repeat. He was quiet in his brief waking periods, and I was able to attend almost every minute of every session. And if you’re ever having a low day (as I was–recent nights have had lots of interrupted sleep, and the weather has been bad) bringing a baby to an event can be very cheering. Loads of people want to talk with and smile at you.

As I’ve written many times before, the Loft is a wonderful resource for Twin Cities writers. The festival was full of useful information, and I got a lot out of it. I nearly didn’t sign up, and then strongly considered not attending after I did sign up. I’m glad I overcame my doubt and inertia.

*Wallet, phone, PDA, lip balm, tiny notebook, pen, 2 diapers, wipes, burp cloth, Nuk, extra outfit and socks, book (for me), distracting toy (for Guppy).

#10 in my book challenge for the year is Salvation Run by Mary Gardner, about bikers and Lutherans in northern Minnesota. Mary Gardner is such a good writing instructor that I took the same class from her twice. Disproving the adage “those who can’t do, teach”, Salvation Run is exquisitely crafted. In simple prose, tales of flawed people who struggle with themselves and others interweave, but never confuse. Several characters linger long after the book is done.

Well, yes, at nine months pregnant I am rather larger than I was previously, but still, as I waddle about, struggling with heartburn, hip and back pain, and various other unpleasantries, it doesn’t help to be reminded.

I remind myself, though, that I’m in the home stretch of this pregnancy that’s been less than smooth. My definition of annoying has had to expand a lot, encompassing everything that’s not outright dangerous. Soon, I’ll have a whole different set of issues.

The important things to remember, though, are that I’m healthy, and Drake’s imminent sibling seems healthy, too. I’m going to try and keep us that way through labor and delivery.

Lately I am frustrated that I am less active and less creative–writing both for the blog and on my novel has been difficult. The only thing I don’t have trouble writing is lists. Yet I know this is a phase. Conventional wisdom says I’m nesting. I’m feeling very inward and static, which is yin, according to Chinese philosophy. I will swing back to the complementary yang eventually, expanding once again creatively and intellectually.

Late in 2005, almost three years after I wrote the first draft, the members of my writing group told me it was time to send out my novel manuscript, already. Any further fiddling with it should be at the hands of an editor who wanted to publish it. I did a quick final polish, wrote my first query letter (like a cover letter for a resume) and sent out the first ten pages to an editor I met a few years ago at a conference. That was a few weeks ago. It might take as long as six months to get a reply, which I know from listening to experienced, published writers is likely to be a rejection. I already have the next publisher picked out so that the turnaround time should be brief. But the process has begun. I know it’s likely to be long and discouraging, and I think I’m prepared. I’ve unearthed the draft of my second novel, and it sits accusingly in my office, waiting. I’ll try not to let it gather dust.

For those of you wondering about sending straight to an editor and not using an agent, my novel is for the young adult market. Most agents are wary of taking on unpublished writers of YA novels, since the money is much less than for “adult” books. Many children’s book publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts or query letters with ten-page samples directly from authors, so that is the method I’m using for now.

#94 in my book challenge for the year was Revision by David Michael Kaplan, recommended in a workshop I took with writer Faith Sullivan at the Loft Literary Center earlier this year. This is an enormously helpful book that elucidates one of the toughest aspects of writing. His general advice is to get a first draft of a story down however you can, then spend lots of time and effort polishing it. Interestingly, this advice is antithetical to the medium in which I’m discussing it, a weblog. In general, I doubt there’s a lot of time-consuming polishing going on in the blogosphere. Kaplan’s book is simple, practical, and useful. It provides impetus and inspiration for launching into the next round of revisions on a work.

#89 in my book challenge for the year was Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. It would be easy to review the book in a word: wow. As regular readers might know, though, I am not prone to under-writing. Alias Grace was recommended to me years ago by a trusted friend, and has sat accusingly on my bookshelf since. I found its size daunting, which made it all the more ironic when I read the first hundred pages, stopped to read another book for a deadline, then picked up Alias Grace again, and re-read those hundred pages again just because I could, because I wanted to, because they were that good. I flew through the rest of the book, so rapt with the story that I gave scant attention to the awe-inspiring mastery of Atwood’s prose.

What amused and sometimes discouraged me most read was how Atwood brazenly flouted conventional wisdom on how to write a novel. Phrases from writing instructors echoed in my head: don’t switch verb tense; don’t vary point of view; be wary of flashbacks and dreams. Atwood did all these and more. She is writing proof that rules are meant to be broken by those who can, and a novel need not be experimental and weird to break the rules. Alias Grace is a tremendous story written with astonishing skill, with Atwood’s trademark ambiguities that give so much credit to the reader for interpretation.

I feel as if I should come up with a standard disclaimer for when I haven’t posted in while. Kind readers, please know I don’t take you for granted. The last few weeks have been filled with pregnancy-related rest (I’m fine and Swimmy’s fine; we just need to rest) and crafting my very first query letter so I can finally send out the manuscript for my novel.

Stunning insight of yesterday: the more pregnant I get, the more rest I need.

Stunning insight of today: the more I rest, the less I get done.

But I continue to read, write, and watch movies and TV. I continue to challenge my brain into activity. Remember, the law of inertia concerns bodies, not minds.

I did not clean my kitchen floor. I did not do any laundry. I did not blog. I did not read blogs. I did not run more than one errand. I did not bake brownies. I did not run to the grocery store. I did not succumb to my obviously tired toddler’s pleas to read him more than two books before his nap. I did not read an entire short story. I did not return phone calls.

Instead, I did a final edit of my novel to complete the latest draft, which I hope is the penultimate one before I send it out. I also gave several sharp looks and comments to the baby monitor whenever Drake stirred before I finished. But, bless him, he took a good, long nap, and I did finish.

I am averaging two drafts a year. I wish it were better, but it could be worse. I wrote the first draft in National Novel Writing Month in November of 2002. For any reader who ever thought they’d like to write a novel, I highly recommend NaNoWriMo. It’s not easy, but it’s rewarding. I’m not participating this year. Instead, I’m getting this manuscript ready to submit. But I did it last year as well, so as soon as this one is out the door, I’m setting to work on last year’s novel.

Someone had cause to translate this blog into French. Thanks to Blogenheimer for the link.

Twin Citians, did you go? I did, and had a great time. I attended a morning talk by Siri Hustvedt, in which she read from her new book of essays on art. She talked about Goya and Giorgione. Both her book and her discussion were intelligent yet accessible, even for this art novice. I am nearly finished reading her novel What I Loved, and will have more to say about it when I do. (I try not to talk about a book until I’m done, but I’m really enjoying it.)

I was late to the talk by Audrey Niffenegger, the author of the huge bestseller The Time Traveler’s Wife. She was discussing her new work, which is actually an old work begun before her successful novel, an “illustrated novel” called The Three Incestuous Sisters. The art looked lovely, and the process to produce the book sounded daunting, but I left the talk unconvinced that I would enjoy either of her works that she discussed.

Finally, I attended a dual talk with Alison McGhee and Pete Hautman, two authors who write both for adults and teens. McGhee has also written picture books and a middle grade novel, and is currently collaborating with another author on what she called a Frog-and_Toad-type chapter book. Both said they resist labels such as “young-adult” or “Minnesota” author. McGhee clarified, though, that Minnesota is a great writing community. Both agreed that getting paid in advance for a book can be a disincentive to finish it. McGhee encouraged writers to practice their craft in preparation for trying to publish, rather than sending off a rough manuscript. Both were well-spoken, intelligent, and the excerpts they read from their new teen novels were quite good.

This is the second year I’ve attended, and I was even more impressed this year. If you missed it, and you’re a reader or writer in the Twin Cities, keep it in mind for next year. This was a great event, and I think it exemplifies why Minnesota is such a good reading and writing community.

I recently saw a friend who complained I was posting too many reviews; she wanted to know more about what was going on in my life. I know the posts can get review-heavy, but I spend a lot of my time on books and movies, so the reviews are a reflection of what is going on in my life, at least in part.

I have also been asked more than once how I find the time to read, to write, and to watch movies in addition to caring for a toddler. The answer is simple, though it’s not easy. I set myself book and movie challenges because I did not feel I was reading or seeing movies enough. The reason I have a weblog is so I keep up a regular writing practice. I’ve moved these things to the top of my priority list, which means other things get moved down, or even bumped off.

I have time because I make time. I make time for these things by not doing other things. My father has a few favorite phrases, one of which is “everything is a compromise.” The older I get the more I see how true it is. I can write, or read, or watch a movie, but it means I don’t clean the bathroom, do laundry, obsessively check my email, surf the ‘net, or dabble in other hobbies. I used to play the flute and do counted cross-stitch projects. I got rid of these things because I wanted to focus on the things I already love, which include books, music, cooking, movies, television, and comics.

I’m able to finish books because I take time to read. I’m not a fast reader, but I am a consistent one. I read a little bit when Drake goes down for his nap, then again before I go to sleep at night. I take my book with me wherever I go, so if I have a spare moment I can get a little reading done. There are so many things that can distract me, but by eschewing some things and focusing on others, I have a life that better reflects what is truly important to me.

Apologies for sporadic posting. I feel like I’m being flung from one thing to the next. First was G. Grod’s surgery, from which he continues to recover nicely. Then was Drake’s birthday, and this week it’s a very nasty head cold. I can’t quite get my groove back, and I’ve not worked on my novel in a while. I am trying, though,and hope to be back up to speed soon.

I don’t know why it surprises me when I find out someone reads this weblog. If I didn’t want or expect people to read it, then I’d write in a journal, not online. Over the years, I’ve found I can’t predict who will or won’t read it. There are close friends and relatives who don’t, yet distant acquaintances who do. Then there are also strangers, and others who I’ve come to know in person and online. This strange mix challenges me to try to write things that have significance beyond just my little midwestern life. I began a public weblog to keep me honest about my writing practice. The expectation of M to F posts helped ensure I was writing SOMETHING on a regular basis. And since that something was for public consumption, then it better be of interest to other people besides the ones who liked me already.

Since starting at this new URL last fall, I’ve had it happen not once, but twice now, that people involved with something I’ve critiqued have written to me. Both times, the responses have made me go back to what I’ve written and wonder whether I was fair and accurate. The good news is that the answer was mostly yes. The whole truth, though, is that sometimes things bother me out of proportion (see the topic category of “Weird Things that Bother Me”, for example) and that can skew a review to the negative. I’ll be editing a recent book review because the author asked me to clarify what it was that bothered me. In so doing, I also took the time to clarify what I admired and liked about the book.

I began this weblog three years ago as writing practice, and have kept it (perhaps, no, probably, at the expense of paying writing gigs) because I enjoy it. It is a good reminder to me that not only are people reading, but I can’t know who is reading. If I keep it honest, and fair, and fit for public consumption, then maybe I can please most of the people, most of the time.

And, just in case anyone who works on Battlestar Galactica is reading, I don’t take back my gripe that nothing happened in the first two episodes of Season Two. I was somewhat heartened when two things happened in the third episode–the team got off Kobol and Tigh declared martial law. But so many things happened on the last episode that I can’t even count them; I was thrilled. It was a very slow start to the season, but things look very good again.

I’ve been bothered for a while how acknowledgment pages have gotten out of hand, and written about Melissa Bank’s The Wonder Spot’s curious lack of one.

Here, Emily G. does a much better, funnier job of critiquing these pages. I especially like her idea of having a film-credit like list at the end. Link via Bookslut.

Who on earth would be ringing our doorbell at 8:05 a.m. on a Sunday, we wondered. Yet no one was there. It occurred to my husband G. Grod that he had just turned on our laptop. The doorbell, which is radio controlled, rang several more times during the day, always in conjunction with some activity on the laptop. We have removed the batteries from the doorbell until we have a better solution. Better to disable the doorbell than the laptop, methinks.

I’m coming to you cordless from the relative cool (about 80) of my basement as I test drive some new hardware while Drake naps. I have a few wrinkles to iron out, but I think a new writing routine is in the works, one that doesn’t involve skulking around the too-hot upstairs study.

Technically, I’m wireless, not cordless, but then I wouldn’t have been able to quote from one of the best teen movies ever, The Sure Thing. Did you miss that 80’s gem? If so, watch it to see Anthony Edwards with hair, Nicolette Sheridan before she became a skank, John Cusack being cute and charming as always, and a funny small role by Tim Robbins.

In my writing group, we try to have a credo of no apologies, with the assumption that we are all busy people, not sitting around on chaises eating bon bons. Unfortunately, I find it very hard not to apologize sometimes. I haven’t posted much this week, and won’t be posting next week, either, so please check back week after next.

Among other things, I’ve been working on my novel. I took my favorite chapter, which was 5 pages. I wrote a revision from memory, which was 13 pages. Then I edited down the revised chapter to 6 pages, and am really pleased with the result. So pleased that I actually submitted it for a publication. Without having anyone else read it.

If I think too much about this, it terrifies me.