Miscellaneous, et al.

Just finished making a massive homemade lasagna for dinner tonight. I always do my sauce and cheese mix a little differently each time so hopefully it will taste okay. I tend to experiment when I'm having people over for dinner. I'm not sure why. All my old recipes just seem boring. But we're feeding two hungry missionary guys and they'll probably eat anything. Now that I think about it, my baking started this morning at five a.m. I got up and made chocolate chip muffins for my early morning class. Fifteen year-olds love food. If you didn't already know that.

Finished three books over the weekend that I was rereading about the murder/death of King Tut for my novel. I'm SO glad I did. Lots of details got put back into my head that fell out while I was in Bulgaria and revising my other two novels. They're filled with yellow sticky notes which I now need to put into my outline - or somewhere.

I've also become addicted to some blogs. In addition to the ones on the right side of your screen I've been reading Jennifer Jackson, an agent at Donald Maas Agency. WatchMeBe an aspiring writer, Mette Ivie Harrison ,a writer I recently discovered that I definitely want to read. In fact, I'm on my way to the library to get one of her books. And Shannon Hale, a recent Newbery winner whose first adult novel, AUSTENLAND will soon be out. (I've been watching all of Jane Austen's movies again recently. Okay, they're not HER movies, but you know what I mean).

The next best thing to writing is reading about writing. I jump around to a lot of other blogs, too, from people who post comments. Yesterday I posted for the first time on Alex Flinn's blog. I feel very shy about posting for some reason. Maybe I'll get braver.

Here's a link to the recent Newbery *storm* of the last week. Bad words, banned books, what a ruckus. New York Times letters to the editor.

Because You asked

Yes, I emailed said editor from post below and she said, "Do send it on to me, I'd love to take a look at the revision." Yay! She's a dream editor for this middle grade magical, bayou project. All fingers and toes crossed, but I'm also trying to be realistic. The good news is that this editor usually responds in a very timely manner of no more than a couple of months. She's very fab that way. And just bought a project from another writer friend recently. (A big shout-out congrats to Melissa!)

Of course, I had to go back through the entire manuscript one more time - the first chapter has been redone about 20 times in the last month (why are first chapters - the first page especially - the hardest?) - and it was mailed last Friday just before the post office closing. I'm always barely making it before the post office closes!

This week I've been digging back into my YA chick-lit, IN A PARIS MINUTE again because I'm feeling the need to flesh out my characters more deeply. I also changed the backstory to Sasha's boyfriend, Matthew, because he felt too flat and he's an important part of the story. Of course, aren't all guys?! Because of Matthew (and the French hottie, Jean-Paul), Sasha learns that what she wants isn't necessarily what she needs.

Just finished reading two of the Newbery Honor books, PENNY FROM HEAVEN by Jennifer L. Holm and RULES by Cynthia Lord. They were both wonderful and I couldn't stop reading until I got to "The End". Truly fabulous writing and stories.

Last week I read SEE JANE DATE by Melissa Senate, a very fun adult chick-lit and THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd. I'd heard about this last one for years and finally read it. Thought-provoking, moving, incredible writing, and I also loved the southern setting which I hadn't realized about it before.