Quick writing update
Writing update on Smoke & Mirrors:
No word from editor at Knopf, but she's only had the partial for a little under a month. No word from agent with full, but she's had it a little over a week. And she's in the process of moving across the country (so if you follow her on Twitter or her blog, or if she is your agent, like three of my F-listers, then you know who it is).
I sent a query and three chapters to an editor at Egmont USA. Don't get all excited and put them on your subbing list, because Egmont does not take unsolicited subs. I was able to because I went to the NJSCBWI conference. Anyway, this editor had a 2 month post conference time limit. I figured I'm not going to hear from anyone else before that was up so I wanted to give it a try. I got an auto-reply message saying she was at ALA until Wednesday (this was Monday). Okay, no problem, she'll see it when she gets back.
Five minutes later I get an email from her, saying to send the full, that they had a book set in Philly in 1876 (really? That's a first.) but it was nothing like mine. She sent the email from her iPhone. While she was at ALA. I emailed the full back to her.
So that's all that's going on with that. I am still working away at the new LoA book. That few chapters of plotting I did really helped, because I'm going along at a steady 500 words a day. I'm nearly to the end of Act I and the first major turning point, which should come at the end of Chapter 5. (doing it this way, like a screenplay, keeps me from overwriting and keeps my pacing tight.) I like where it's going.
And since I still have a September release date for The Mirror of Yu-Huang , I guess I should start to think about promotion for that. Hmmm....Chinese theme. May be tough. Might have to head to the craft store to find some cool stamps for my clay, I liked making the clay stuff for the AoI contests. And I'm sure I'll find other stuff to put in goody bags and as soon as I have a cover I'll make some bookmarks and postcards.
I did look at a virtual tour through Pump Up Your Book, but they are way out of my price range. If I ever get a big NYC advance, maybe.
I started watching the new ABC Family show HUGE last week. I have some thoughts on it, but I want to give it it's own post. On one level, I get the show in a deeply personal way, and on the other I'm almost insulted. Or rather, not insulted but disappointed. I'll sort it all out.