Living Dangerously

I think I'm the only person in the whole country who has NOT pre-ordered a copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Don't get me wrong--I'm buying a copy...somewhere. Wherever I can find one, if I can find one, on Saturday. But I held off on ordering one, even when BN.com sent me a warning on my last day to pre-buy, because I just feel like I'm rushing for it to be over with. And it's the last book. I've enjoyed this series since my little sister, who is not so little anymore, introduced me to it. I think she was ten, possibly younger. (Sus, do you remember?) It may have been the first time she made a book recommendation to me instead of the other way around, given the difference in our ages.

By the time I caught on to the magic that is Harry Potter, books 1-3 were already out. I promptly bought 2 and 3. And when Goblet of Fire came out, I pre-ordered two copies and took Susan to the midnight bookstore opening--the first time they ever did that--as she happened to be visiting us at the time. The guy at the store gave Susan free Hogwarts stickers with the house banners on them and included a set for "Mom and Dad," meaning Greg and me as we were the adults present at the time. I don't think we corrected him, but we laughed later. It's not the first time that has happened to me and Susan, being mistaken as mother and daughter, but it was the first time Greg got dragged into the mix. For the record, at the time, I was twenty three, maybe twenty four, and she was ten or eleven. But then again we both look young for our age and Greg looks older, so hey, it wasn't that far off base for the guy to assume what he did. I mean, who else would have a kid out at midnight?

It's a fun memory.

For book five, my brother and I stayed up until 2:00 am to get our pre-ordered copies at the bookstore because of rumors of a shortage. Greg goodnaturedly teased us the next day when we saw piles of the book everywhere. Oh, well. It was an event, and Michael and I had fun hanging out, waiting. But because of that, I didn't pre-order book 6 and still managed to get it the next day.

For this, the last Harry Potter book, I hope I get it on Saturday, somewhere, but I know if I do, I'll be done with the book and the series by Sunday afternoon...at the latest. And that's just sad. No more anticipation, no more wondering what happens. So, maybe it's okay not to get caught up in the rush, to have those couple extra days of anticipation and eagerness to find out, to contemplate all the possibilities and things that I want to have happen. (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, the twins, and their parents must survive or I'm not a happy camper. Also, Ginny and Harry must end up together. If you know anything on either of these fronts--DON'T TELL ME). The end is there waiting, but I want to make sure I enjoy the last leg of the journey too, you know?

P.S. I say all of this now, but watch for the crazied entry on Saturday when I can't find a copy anywhere and every television station and internet site is blasting spoilers...then we'll see how philosophical I am! "Who cares about the stupid journey, just get me a copy of that book!" : )

Finished 30 pages!

Last weekend, things came together on the proposal I've been working on. Once I got out of my own way (worrying about whether it was any good and if it would work), I finished three chapters. Then I finished the fourth one this weekend, which gives me about thirty pages, enough to be considered a proposal. Of course, I still have to write the synopsis, which for me is the hardest part.

The thing I'm struggling with the most on this one is that I'm really enjoying myself, letting my hair done and writing a shitty first draft (as Anne Lamott suggests). But I'm scared to pull everything together and send it in for official consideration because if it doesn't work for this particular opportunity (the reason I pushed this idea to the front of the development line, so to speak), I'm afraid I'll lose my passion and interest in it. I'll be too down on myself and the particular idea to keep going. I don't know...does that make sense?

That's why I prefer to finish the whole thing--or at least more than the first few chapters--before letting it go. When I've got the full book, I know that it's come together and I feel good about it, confident. If it doesn't meet specific needs, that's okay, but I've learned that doesn't necessarily speak to the quality of the story or writing.

But this...only a few chapters to stand for the whole thing. Eeeek. It just makes me a nervous wreck. Mainly because I'm acting on faith that it will all come together, just as it has in the past for other books. And yet, most books (other than the first few by an author) are sold on proposal versus the whole book being written (that's called writing on spec). So it's something I probably need to get used to.

Writing is, more than anything, an act of faith for me. And every time I think I've got it mastered--faith to write the next scene even if I don't know exactly what happens, faith to know that there's an ending for it even if I don't know it yet, faith to send it out, faith that I'm doing what I'm meant to do--there's another leap waiting for me. : )

So, okay, this is just the next leap. Time to close my eyes, take a deep breath and make the jump.

Here are things that you should not do when in a coffeeshop or the cafe section of a bookstore:

Talk loudly on your cell phone in an extended conversation about how you're not qualified for a job because managers need to know how to re-key locks.

Tap your empty cup on the table in a rhythm matching a song only you can hear...in your own head.

Flip through magazines with your best friend and complain loudly how everything in there "sucks" "is so stupid" and "completely ugly."

Let your cell phone ring multiple times on different calls at the highest volume possible even though it's sitting right there next to you on the table.

Stand there, debating your coffee selection endlessly, while the line piles up behind you.

Sit next to me and do any of the above things when there are any number of empty tables near far less irritable people. : )

***
As you can probably tell, I spend a decent amount of time in the Barnes and Noble cafe. Even with the minor irritations, it does afford some awesome people-watching. Once I sat there and listened to a teenage boy on cell call swear up and down to his mother that he was filling out a job application at said Barnes and Noble for summer work, while he was actually thumbing through FHM and Maxim and the like. Too funny.

Fictionwise eBook Bestseller

Holy crap. Sorry, I’m just a little stunned…but in a good way! The Silver Spoon is #10 on the Fictionwise e-book bestseller list. I’ve never been on a best seller list of any kind before. This is so cool!!!

#3 on the list is Stephen King’s book, Blaze. I can’t believe my book is on the same list! : )

Thank you to everyone who has purchased a copy of my book, whether in print or e-book. I really appreciate it! And thank you to fellow Echelon author, J.R. Turner, for the heads up about Fictionwise.

So, here, look quickly before it changes…*grin*

http://www.fictionwise.com/topstories.htm

Guest blogging this week

Hey guys, just a quick note to let you know I guest-blogged this week at Alien Romances. I wrote about creating new words in world-building. "Shiny" from Firefly was my example of this concept done well.

Check it out here!

Where to Begin?

Working on my current WIP, and this is a weird one for me. Normally, I have a very clear idea of what the beginning and end should be. Now, that doesn't mean that they both turn out that way. But I can see an initial version. With this one, I can see more of the middle and the beginning...is not clear. I've got several scenes, each one would start the book one scene earlier.

They aren't competing ideas in the sense that it would be one or the other, but that very first scene, the one that kicks everything off can start either pretty close to the main "everything changes" event or a little farther back.

The advantage of the farther back approach is the chance to give more context so readers understand why certain events are significant without me having to spell it out. That's a good thing to avoid--the info dump or the telling versus showing.

But starting closer to the "everything changes" scene means you don't have to wait so long for something to happen.

With The Silver Spoon, I start with the diner explosion pretty much right off. It works in that case because an explosion is pretty self-explanatory. But the opening situation I'm working with here--someone waking up from cyrogenic freezing is a little more complicated. Also, it's a future setting slightly, which requires some context.

If I follow the Writer's Journey, I need the ordinary world first, which means I'd have to back up even farther, and I've got part of that scene written too. But does that go too far back? I don't know...

Just need to think more, I think.

Snostorm

Emerald Snostorm

July 27, 1996 - June 4, 2007

I've been avoiding blogging for awhile, as you probably noticed, because I haven't really been sure how to deal with this. I know I don't need to write about it, but it will feel Not Right if I don't.

Snostorm, my baby, died on June 4. To be fair, we ended her life, and God, that was the worst thing I've ever had to do. To make that decision for another living being. But after an incident on Memorial Day weekend when she couldn't stop crying in pain, things didn't get better, only worse. She was on constant pain meds again, after being off them for almost two months after her surgery. Then, toward the end of that week, she couldn't walk properly--dragging her right rear leg--and some of her basic bodily functions started to fail. We suspect that either the cancer spread to her spine or internal organs, or she might have even had a minor stroke.

I stayed with her to the end. That was something I wasn't sure I could do. But after they administered the sedative, I tried to get up and she opened her eyes and looked at me. So, I stayed. As difficult as that was, I'm glad I did. I didn't want her to be alone or afraid in a room of strangers. Life had already been hard on her. She didn't need that at the end.

I loved her. She was my baby. And I miss her so much every day. She used to wait for me to come home. She'd get up in the morning and come and lay in my writing room, even after her surgery when she had to hop there. Her fur was the softest I've ever felt on a dog, and she always smelled sort of sticky sweet, like day old syrup or something.

I taught her to sit and shake. Greg carried her down the stairs when, on her first day with us, she was brave enough to go up but not back down. When we first met her, she rolled over on her back in her crate at the kennel, begging for a tummy rub. She was the only dog there who didn't bark when we came in, which was important as we were living in a tiny condo at the time.

She lived with us for eight years, joining our family only a few months after we were married. We were so hoping she would make it to her eleventh birthday next month.

There are so many things I want to say, little moments I want to remember, but I don't feel up to writing it all down just yet. Hurts a little too much right now, the wound is still too raw.

It sounds weird and completely superficial, but one thing I'm really glad of is that Bitter Pill will be making it to print, as Rennie's greyhound, Fritzy, is based on her. In that little way, Snostorm will live forever, you know? I'm just sad that she can't be here to come with me to the book release party next spring. She would have loved all the attention.

Oh, no--BSG is ending!

No, no, no! The best sci-fi show on television, Battlestar Galactica, is ending. Producers announced that next season, the 4th season, will be the last.

Of course, I'm disappointed. And yet, here's the thing. So many television shows just...linger. Replacing characters when actors want to leave, convoluting storylines to come up with something, anything new, slowly degenerating into crap.

What makes BSG different is the producers' willingness to take risks to tell good stories. I've said recently that most shows fall apart during or just after their third season (see Grey's Anatomy, IMO) because they're trying so hard to keep things the same in order to maintain popularity but also to keep things changing and different to elevate interest level. BSG has taken some HUGE risks in the last three seasons, and those risks worked. It kept the show fresh and sharp.

So as much as I love that, I respect the fact that it's impossible to keep that up forever. It would be like writing the middle of a book...forever. Ever notice how many shows get more interesting once they have an end date? They no longer have to worry about taking dramatic action that might or might not close off possible future episode ideas. It's okay that so and so dies or gets married or finally admits her love for her fellow Viper pilot (yeah, okay, so I have my own ideas about how it should all end) because the writers don't have to worry about backing out of that commitment later.

Battlestar Galactica, thanks for showing us all how it's done. I look forward to your last 22 eps with great anticipation and more than a little sadness.

Mosquito Bites, Books and More

Somehow, don't ask me how, a mosquito made its way under my shirt, and I now have bites where it is completely impolite to scratch. *rolls eyes* We live near enough to a lake to have the mass mosquito population...though not close enough to have a water view. They are everywhere, and I take a perverse delight in striking them down whenever I can. : )

Heading into the weekend now, I'm planning to get my synopsis finished up. It's a strange thing. Normally, I know the beginning and the end of a story and the middle is the hardest part. Now, I've pretty much got the middle, but the end and the beginning are unclear. This is why I usually have to write the book first! I mean, I have an idea for the opening scene, but I need the details in order for the end to have resonance. When you're looking for character development, you're trying to see how the character changes through the course of events. How is the character different at the end? What flaw is he/she trying to overcome? So maybe my problem is that I don't know my heroine very well yet. Hmm.

Tomorrow I may also head out and meet up with some libraries and bookstores in the area. Start my promotion push for The Silver Spoon. And hey, just a reminder, I'll be in Chicago (as opposed to the far, far northern suburbs) next weekend for Printers Row!

Second Book in Zara Mitchell Series

Eye of the Beholder, the second book in my sci-fi romance series, will be released in February 2008 from Echelon Press. I'm so excited! I know it's been a long time coming and for those of you who have been waiting, I really appreciate your patience.

I'll be putting up an excerpt as soon as the manuscript is finalized. You can read the first three chapters from the first book, The Silver Spoon, at my website, http://www.staceyklemstein.com/SilverSpoonExcerpt.html. The Silver Spoon is being re-released next month by Echelon Press. It will include an excerpt from Eye of the Beholder in the back.

Yea!

: )

New contract! And a general update...

When I got back home from Hawaii, I found an envelope from Echelon--a contract for the second Zara book, Eye of the Beholder! Also, the re-release of The Silver Spoon will have an excerpt from the second book at the back. : )

I've been a little behind in updating the blog. We got back from Maui last Friday and then turned around on Saturday to drive down to Peoria for my sister's high school graduation. Unfortunately, when I woke up on Sunday, I had the stomach flu. I haven't had that in years. Greg was sick with it earlier this year, just before RT. I was worried I'd get sick before leaving, but I was okay then. But it was just lying in wait.

Actually, I'm pretty sure a woman on the flight back between Maui and Los Angeles last week was sick. She kept getting up to go to the bathroom and taking blankets off all the empty seats until she had, like, eight of them. Clearly, she had a fever or something, just as I did. Damn that airplane recycled air! : )

So, I missed Susan's graduation, and I feel so bad about that. I know she's been eagerly looking forward to this event, and I so wanted to see her graduate. I've been there for most, if not all, the major events in her life, and I'm bummed that I missed this one.

I started feeling better slowly on Sunday night and we spent another night at my parents' house before leaving early Monday morning.

Other Stuff:
Before leaving for Hawaii, I sent out a proposal for a new project and I'm waiting to hear back on that. This weekend, I'm working on a different proposal and having a blast with it too.

Unfortunately, I spent most of yesterday at the doctor's office and then the hospital. My right shoulder and arm have been bothering me since we got back from the trip. They were getting better, but I decided to make an appointment, just to make sure everything was okay. I've always been able to pop my shoulder out of place at will, so I figured hauling things around (including my freaking laptop, which, hello!?!, it was vacation and should have been left at home) probably just stretched or pulled something.

Well, when the doctor was having me rotate it around, he kept hearing it click. Which is not good. So he sent me to the hospital for x-rays. And by the time, I was done with all that, my whole arm was throbbing and aching from being pulled and prodded. The part that weirds me out is that my shoulder on that side feels out of place or something, like it's lower or something, but the x-rays will show it if something's out of whack. At least, I hope so.

But because it's the long weekend, I have to wait until early next week to hear the results. Ugh.

I also picked up a new ergonomic keyboard (with money I don't have!) because my wrist has been bothering me. That seems to help.

As my friend Stacy G. says, I'm now banned from vacation. Clearly, my body can't handle that much relaxation. : )

P.S. Also, Nathan Fillion accepted my friend request--hee! Yep, I know he's got thousands of friends on MySpace, but I don't care. It's still cool.

Hawaii Photos

View from Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant in Lahaina, Maui.

My one attempt at an "artistic" photo--the morning light came in so brightly and lit up these red flowers so beautifully, I couldn't resist.

Cool tree on resort grounds (I don't know how to switch to be right side up--sorry!)

The view from our lanai.

Kaanapali beach, right near our resort.

See how blue the water is--I love it!

At the rehearsal dinner (and yep, I've got my eyes closed, as usual!)

Aloha!

Greetings from the Lahaina Cannery Mall Starbucks! We're just taking our daily email break--yes, I know we're pathetic. But even checking email is pretty cool when you're staring out at the beautiful, purple-y Maui mountains while you do it. ; )

We're having a great time. Last night was the rehearsal dinner at the Old Lahaina Luau, and it was amazing. Also, very cool to be hanging out with people you know in an unfamiliar place, you know? Several Valpo folks here, as expected, for the wedding.

I'm not sunburned yet, but Greg is! We've done lots of shopping for little trinkets here and there. So far my favorite afternoon was when I hauled the computer out to the lanai (aka, the patio) of our cottage and wrote for a little bit while staring out at the mountains and golf course.

The ocean here is, of course, spectacular. I've never seen such a clear shade of blue green. I'm taking pictures to the best of my ability, but they never quite compare to the real thing.

Dogs seem to be doing okay at home from the reports we're getting from our petsitter who is staying with them--they're proably relieved that they don't have to leave the house for the kennel! So that helps me relax too.

I've hit a couple of bookstores here, buying reading material, of course, but also handing out my flyers and such. It is so amazing here. I think I'm going to have to write a book set here, just so I can come back and make sure I get all the detail right! : )

I'm behind, I know, on responding to emails and messages, but I swear, I'll take care of it all when I get back. Internet is very limited here--and for good reason, I guess. : ) So, we pretty much just make a short stop here.

I would soooo love to live here. Even if only for a few months out of the year. The relaxed attitude and the slower pace of life are absolutely wonderful and contagious. It's virtually impossible to be tense here.

Anyway, I will write more later, probably when we get back home. And I'll have pictures to share too.

Aloha and Mahalo!

: )

Things should be calming down here in a day or so, but check this out in the meantime.

Colby Hodge, awesome sci-fi romance author who was on the panel with me at RT (which I haven't told you about yet...I know, bad Stacey!), read my book and wrote about it in her blog.

Check it out here!
http://cindyholby.blogspot.com/

Head spinning

I know, I still owe an update on RT (the best one that I've been to yet), but I'm scrambling here, trying to pull a bunch of things together. I promise I'll be writing a full entry soon. Right now, though, I've just got to keep my head down and keep working. : )

Uh-oh

I had two and 1/8 butterscotch martinis last night. Or, butterscotch "RTinis" as I dubbed them last night in a fit of drunken genius because, for whatever reason, it has been "the" drink of the convention and the hotel bar actually admitted they made it up. They are so good.

Also, I was just buzzed enough to ask one of the cover models to come over and take a picture with us. He said he would. He didn't. Probably all for the best. Funniest part is, I knew I would be embarrassed about it in the morning, but I couldn't be bothered with being embarrassed at the time. As I told my friend Kat, my "inhimbitions" were lowered. Yeah. No more "RTinis" for me.

Okay, more later...I had never laughed so hard in my whole life last night, and that was even before the drinking started. : )

RT Update

Greetings from Houston! I'm having a great time, and can't wait to tell you guys all about it when I get back. As you can see, it's really late and I have to be up super early, but I just wanted to say I am having a total blast. : )

I always forget how much fun I have being with other writers and readers. It's such a relief to talk to other writers and find out I'm not the only neurotic and weird one. Some of us make our living being neurotic and weird!

More later...

So excited!

I can't write for very long tonight as I'm running around like crazy, trying to pull together all my last minute items for the big Romantic Times convention Houston. I leave tomorrow—eek. I hate flying!

By the way, if you're in the Houston area, come visit me this week!!! The convention keeps us pretty busy during the week, but on Saturday, there's a giant book fair, full of big name authors, that's open to the public for, like, $5. You may even see some of us on TV. : )

So, as some of you already know, I got some big news late last week. Echelon Press, the company that will be publishing Bitter Pill in May 2008, has just signed The Silver Spoon for re-release! I'm so excited!!! Echelon has been fabulous to work with. They totally kicked into high gear to get me awesome covers for both books before RT—how cool is that?!? (Check out my new covers below.)

The Silver Spoon will be out in June 2007. The sequel, tentatively titled Eye of the Beholder, could be out as soon as Fall 2007, depending on sales, of course.

So here's my plea to you *grin*--if you've thought about buying The Silver Spoon but haven't yet, wait a few more weeks and get the brand-spanking new version. I really want to kick butt in sales, not just so that Echelon will want to keep working with me (though, clearly that's a big part of it) but also because I really want to get that sequel out there as quickly as possible for all of you who've been waiting and asking for it.

For those of you who already own a copy, thank you so much for your patience and support over the years—I wouldn't be here without you!

Also, I want to make an offer. If you know someone you think might enjoy one of my books and you want to send them a bookmark or postcard to let them know about it, email me. I would love to send you bookmarks, postcards, etc. to give out to anyone who's interested. Same goes for your local libraries and bookstores. If they'll let you leave bookmarks there, email me and I'll send you some. : )

Signed books make great gifts too. : ) If you want to get a signed book as a gift, email me and we can figure something out. At the least, I can send you a bookplate—signed stickers that go in the front of a book with a personal message.

Finally, if you're in a group of some kind (book club, Rotary, etc.) and you need a speaker, I'm more than happy to travel in the Chicago-land area to talk on all sorts of topics. If you're outside the area and want discussion questions for your book club, email me and I can pull those together for you as well! : )

Okay, more later, but my as yet unpacked clothing is calling to me! Did I mention that I'm going as a tavern wench this year? : ) And yep, I'm bringing my camera. If you're really good while I'm gone, I'll bring you back pictures of the shiny and muscle-y, half-naked cover models that will be walking about.

Quick note

Just a quick note as it's waaaay after midnight and I should already be in bed. You guys--I had the best time tonight at my Echelon Press meeting. Once again, I was so impressed and awed by the amount of work my publisher puts into working with the authors and promoting the books. And the other authors...wow. So much knowledge, so many things to learn. : ) Will write more later!

New website coming soon

Hey everybody,
Take a look at the new site. It will eventually be under my current domain name, but I'm still working on it, so it's not live there yet. Also, I have yet to figure out to get my blog on there, but I'm hoping Ed can help me figure that out! : )

Tell me what you think! Is there anything else that should be there? Is something there that shouldn't be? Let me know.



http://staceyklemstein.vpweb.com/index.html