Odds and Ends

It’s morning and the house is momentarily calm. Granted, everyone in the house is looking at a screen–the girls are sharing a Launchpad (but they’re SHARING it!); Matt is catching up on a show on the computer downstairs, earbuds in place; and I’m upstairs in my cozy bed. I just started a cute new book and my mug of coffee is full. It’s like a respite before next week starts. I know it’s only October 30th (my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary!!) but it feels like things really pick up next week, so I’m letting myself enjoy this slow Sunday. 

Here’s a recap on what’s going on:

THE HIDEAWAY: In case you missed how I plastered it on Facebook and Instagram (sorry, I was and am excited), I received the final PDF from my publisher last week.  The pages are designed and basically look like they’ll look in the book. I think some of the typesetting may change, but other than that–and any proofreading errors I or anyone else finds at this point–it’s pretty set. I have until 11/21 to get back with them about any errors I find, as well as turn in my acknowledgements and back-of-the-book discussion questions. Advance reader copies will come later this year, hopefully before the holidays. I can’t wait to hold the thing in my hands. The cover is so pretty, I can’t wait to see what it’ll look like “in person” and not on the screen. 

BOOK 2 (working title HURRICANE SEASON): I gave myself a deadline of 11/23 (the day before Thanksgiving) to finish this first draft. The idea is to have the holidays (T’giving through New Years) to take a break from Betsy, Ty, Jenna, and these other characters I’m spending my days with. Then when I go back into it in January, I’ll be a little fresher and can look at it a little more subjectively. I do love revisions, but I think this time around, the revisions will be a little deeper than they were with THE HIDEAWAY. Still though, easier than pulling words out of the air! With the 11/21 deadline for THE HIDEAWAY, making my 11/23 self-imposed deadline may be a little trickier, but that’s what I’m shooting for. 

BOOK 3??? I keep having these bits and tendrils of an idea for my next book. For lack of creativity and to be as vague as possible 😉 I just call it SILVER. Before I started HURRICANE SEASON, I wrote another book called GLORY ROAD, but I got really super stuck about 3/4 of the way in. My mom was sick, life felt unsteady, and everything was chaotic–no wonder writing was really hard. I made myself stick with it long enough to give it some sort of an ending, but it was super rushed and didn’t do justice to the characters I really loved (and still think about.) So for my next book, I go back and forth between thinking I’ll clean up GLORY ROAD and make it something lovely…or dig into this SILVER idea that keeps reaching in and tapping me on the forehead. We’ll see. Can’t do any significant thinking about it until at least next summer.

LIFE IN GENERAL: Tomorrow we’re off to the ENT at Children’s to see about my youngest daughter Sela’s nose. In her adventurous, no-fear way, she somehow pulled a table on top of herself a few days ago, fracturing her nose and giving herself a concussion. I won’t go into details, but it was terrifying and terrible. She is so brave though and so tough. She feels fine physically, says nothing hurts, but her face is quite a sight. I’ll keep her home for at least a few days until the swelling goes down and the bruises aren’t so…colorful. And I’m sure the ENT will tell us when she can get back to normal. She’s chomping at the bit to ride on her scooter and her bike, play on the swingset, etc, and it’s hard to tell her no. On the other hand, I want to wrap her in bubblewrap and walk right next to her with my hands around her head, making sure nothing comes close to bumping her face. 

Coming up, we have birthdays, a trip to Gatlinburg with family, and those deadlines I mentioned. I’ll be spending as much time as possible during the morning hours at the library cranking out the end of HURRICANE SEASON. At home, I get way too distracted with laundry, dishes, etc. I’m also walking as much as I can these days–walking to and from Sela’s school, walking in the morning on my own, etc. I’ve been missing my regular YCross class at the gym, so I’m trying to fit in as much activity as i can, which is hard when I spent a lot of time with my rear in a chair and a computer in front of me. Natalie and John, don’t give up on me–I’ll be back after Thanksgiving!

READING: Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. It’s very good. It’s nonfiction, which I don’t read a lot of, but this book pulled me in from page one of his author’s note at the beginning, and that was before hearing him speak at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville a few weeks ago. I just saw that the book is 3 or 4 on the NYT Bestsellers List and I felt so happy for him and proud of him, which is strange since I don’t know him at all. He was just so down-to-earth and humbled and shocked by the attention his book has been getting. It’s a really good, important book. 

I think I’m giving up on a YA book I was trying to get into. Sometimes I crave a good angsty YA book, with all the romantic feelings, the “I love him but can’t have him” drama, and whatever life disaster that’s throwing these kids into a tailspin. This one is called Delirium, by Lauren Oliver. I’ve heard her speak a couple of times in Nashville and she’s so cool and interesting and smart. I really wanted to like this book, but I’m just not getting into it. I realize though that it’s likely me and not the book. 

I just pulled Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’Easter by Lisa Patton off my shelf. I bought it at a library book sale and thought it sounded cute (despite the title so southern, it might as well be dripping honey and sweet tea). I’m only a few pages in, but I like her humor. I’ll see where it goes. 

I have Maria Semple’s new book Today Will Be Different on hold from the library and I cannot wait. Bernadette is one of my favorites and I’ve only read good things about this new one. The woman can write a funny book.

I’ll be back soon with my next Bookish People interview and hopefully a report that I made my two November deadlines!