Friday Five!
1. I'm alive. I figured you might have been wondering given the cavernous silence here on my blog. I've been busy enjoying summer, playing hard with my family and friends in attempt to make up for the disappearing act I pulled on them for most of the spring while finishing novel #2. The vacation outings and out of town guests are behind me now (boohoo!) and I'm starting to get back in the swing of life, such as it is when my sons are out of school and in my space 24-7. They're cool kids though, and we're having an awesome time together. So awesome, in fact, that I go days without turning on my computer or coming to my desk. (The iPhone makes it possible to do that without missing any important e-mails!)
2. What have I been doing with all this time off? Going to museums. Riding cable cars. Riding roller coasters. Hanging at the beach, hanging by the pool, hanging in the garden (and occasionally weeding it), and reading, reading, reading. Other than my critique partners' WIPs, I'd read little to nothing so far this year (hey, I have three CPs and they're all prolific!) so I'm making up for lost time. I'll be reviewing a couple of my favorites here next week. (For a hint, see #5 below.)
3. Also, I've been painting. I've always wanted to, rather desperately, but never had the guts. You see, when I go to draw something, I can visualize it perfectly in my head, down to the last detail. But what comes out on paper? Stick figures. Chicken scratches. Pathetically pre-schoolish doodles. What I had to do was decide that my paintings don't have to LOOK like something; they just need to FEEL like something. (Of course, it helps that I'm under the tutelage of my friend Kelly, who is a rockstar painter and is currently finishing her graduate degree in art therapy.) So, yeah. I have paints (acrylics, because oils aren't speaking to me yet) and canvases, and brushes and sponges and paint knives and molding paste for texturing. I'm playing at this, enjoying the process and divorcing myself from the need to have gallery worthy (or even wall worthy) products in the name of experience and the spirit of adventure. I'm happy to report that I'm having an absolute blast with it and...drumroll please...I don't suck.
4. I'm planning to get the blog back up and running, though on a more limited basis until the kiddos go back to school. I'm also planning to ease back into working - maybe just a half-hour a day - so that my neurons don't get too rusty. I have piles of editing to do. PILES. Besides, I have a pitch to write before PNWA, the writer's conference I'm attending the first week of August. In Seattle. With my lovely friend and CP Kate. There will be great food (probably off site), great wine, great conversation, shopping, sightseeing and a visit to the art museum. Oh, and workshops, an agent pitching session (EEP!) and dinner with my blog-pals from Black Ink, White Paper.
5. Speaking of BIWP, I am still blogging there bi-weekly, so if you miss my rambles, look for me over there. Today, we're hosting Gae Polisner, the fun and fabulous YA author of The Pull of Gravity, which currently holds the title of Best Book I've Read This Year. Stop by and check out her post (and the awesome linked videos in the comment stream) and say hello. And read her book! It ROCKS.
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