It's Awesome News Day!!!!!!

Yep, I think I left you all hanging long enough. I'm sorry! I was dying to tell, but I had so many things going on and I've been physically fried for awhile.

So I'm home from my trip, said goodbye to my darling son at college, ran a million errands, helped him solve a few problems, drove long days in the car, survived a Mount Timpanogos hike, awed over the beauty of Arches National Park and all the while I was TINGLING with excitement because . . .

I had just signed with Tracey Adams of Adams Literary Agency!!!! Yes, the one and only Tracey Adams, agent extraordinaire!!!

She wants me! She loves my novels! She *gets* my stories! She's going to start calling editors about my novels and get me great deals!

YES, YES, YES!!!!!!

I AM THRILLED TO PIECES.

Tracey was always my #1 choice - and I got her!

More of the backstory tomorrow . . .

A little news

We're taking off at the crack of dawn to take my son back up to BYU, and I'm madly packing and falling over with exhaustion from a wild week AND I have good news, but I'm going to spill next week when I have more than 10 seconds to write a blog. So stay tuned - and have a great Labor Day weekend!

Okay, here's a nugget:

Good stuff on the movie front: I have a new idea for a murder thriller film based on a true story from 1967 that happened right here in my own little town on Route 66 - and the movie producer is very excited about it and cannot wait to see it! I've been researching, figuring out characters, and trying to finish up a short treatment to send to him when I return from the wilds of Utah. It's going to be a cross between No Country for Old Men and Chinatown! How about that?!

I can't keep a secret

I was going to wait until things were more official, but . . . I got an offer of representation from an agent last week and we're having a phone interview next week!!!!!!!!!

After 18 months of querying, stopping to revise, querying, revising (on my own that is) it's finally happened!

So I contacted all the other agents who had fulls and partials and they are all madly reading (and some asked for more - since I just finished my In a Paris Minute novel two weeks ago!) . . . I'm excited and nervous and sort of dazed.

Please pray for me that I won't sound like an idiot on the telephone. ;-D

Movie Update!

I've been traveling the past couple of weeks and now I'm getting ready for some family to drop in on us for a week. I thought I'd better write a blog before I forget how!

WHAT A CRAZY SUMMER THIS HAS BEEN! Seems like everyone I talk to has had the same kind of nuttiness in their lives.

So about the movie and the producer . . . I heard back from him very quickly, unlike the book publishing business where your manuscripts get sucked into a black hole without a map.

The good news: He *loved* the story and my writing and my characters!!!

The bad news: He has a very small budget and doesn't produce historicals because they are way too expensive and mine is time-travel and involves snakes and horses and 16th century armor and guns and cannons.

The good news: He emailed again to assure me that he wants to see more treatments from me and would love to work with me - meaning he wants to buy a movie from me. Just send him a contemporary Southwestern story.

Uncertain news: I gotta come up with a new idea and write it!!! No problemo. Think, brain, think.

Good news redux: My *movie* friend has more potential producers to send the completed treatment of The Last Snake Runner to - yay! And we're brainstorming new ideas tomorrow.

More good news: I did three more revision rounds on my YA novel, IN A PARIS MINUTE - and an editor at Candlewick wants me to send it to her so she can read it during her vacation next week! Now *that's* something that doesn't happen very often!

Gooder news: The manuscript was sent today at 2:51p.m. via email attachment.

I'm trying to catch up on blogs now . . . and I'm sinking fast . . . hope you're all good though!

An Historic Writing Day

This morning I emailed off a 20 page screenplay treatment and resume to a REAL, LIVE MOVIE PRODUCER who WANTS TO READ IT!!!

My treatment (which is another word for a very long developed synopsis with character development and all the plot twists and turns and climax and resolution written in present tense) was subbed to this producer with a recommendation from a writer this producer knows well. Which is even better.

It all started about a month ago . . .

Well, maybe 6 years ago when I thought, hmm, my book, The Last Snake Runner, is certainly a visual, exciting war story and love story. Maybe I'll try my hand at a screenplay just for kicks. I read a few screenplay books, then sat down and wrote it in about two weeks. Very fun experience, but what do I do with it? Screenplay gets shelved in my files. After all, I don't know a soul in the movie business and neither did my agent at the time.

Zip Fast Forward: A few months ago I met a screenplay writer who newly moved here and has sent the last 15 years writing his own or developing ideas or fixing screenplays for various producers. I mentioned I'd written one based on my novel and he said he'd like to read it. He thought it was terrific and the writing was wonderful.

Him: Are you sure this is your first screenplay?
Me: Yeah. I promise!
Him: It's so well done. You've got all the special formatting down, great dialogue, good descriptions, action. I'm impressed. I think I may know somebody who would like to see this.
Me. You're kidding.
Him: Nope, let me help you do a treatment.
Me. Sure!!!

After an intense month of brainstorming, writing, revising, adding many more cinematic elements, a new beginning, a very dramatic, magical climax, it's done. Got resume put together, was introduced to said producer who WANTS to do a movie set in New Mexico with Native Americans. (He's German after all, and Germany LOVES Native American stories) and it's off across the Atlantic.

Best part is: Producer said he's got a two week window to read it and I'll know what he thinks very soon. Not in 8 months. Like some editors and agents I know. Not naming any names . . .

Second best part: He actually has some funding - one of the biggest hurdles to a movie actually getting produced.

Third best part: If it's a go, the movie will be produced and distributed in Europe AND the U.S.

Me: WOW. JUST WOW.

Now you know where I've been the past month of absentee blogging . . . and I'm almost done with final revisions on my novel, In a Paris Minute, too. Can't wait to mail it out! But I'm just a little tired . . .

Fun Video!

Please feel free to just erase/ignore my last post about beautiful cool mornings because this week it's SO hot and muggy! Muggy in dry, deserty New Mexico - sheesh! But it's true. About 100 degrees every day with about 85% humidity. I have to take cold showers at night just so I can sleep. We use swamp coolers - which are terrible in humidity, of course.

Moving right along . . . tell me I'm crazy because I'm sure it's true or else the heat has gotten to me and I'm not responsible for my actions . . . BUT I now have over 100 blogs I'm keeping up with via friends on Live Journal and all the blogs I've put into my bloglines for daily reading. I'm getting carried away - literally. I feel myself going down The Mighty River of Blog Land. Nary a rock or branch in sight to save myself.

So I mostly read other authors, agents, editors, but I also have some historical stuff and I peruse a few adult romance sites since I'm writing romance (of sorts) myself - except they're YA.

I came across this video today. All the authors who have been nominated for the RITA Award (which stands for something in the romance genre, but my brain is too woozy to remember exactly WHAT.) made this and it's hysterically funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2UXH_LWkic

Mornings by the Rio Grande

Mornings are so beautiful here. I got up early, opened all the windows and doors wide to the let cool air rush throughout the house and then laid down on my bed listening to birds chirping, the cats scratching around - or on top of me (I swear their favorite thing to do - or push their heads under the covers with me), and watched pale morning sunlight make shadows and drops of yellow on my bedspread.

I actually spent a few moments ENJOYING the beauty of the day.



I tend to get up quickly, check email, exercise, eat breakfast, shower, throw laundry in, do dishes, write out bills, make any necessary phone calls, catch up on everyone's blogs, do my scripture reading, run errands, etc. and then it's 95 degrees and I try to write.

I'm making a promise to myself that before the summer is over I'm going to lie in bed enjoying the morning with a book. I mean, I only have 25 in the stack waiting for me. I know because I counted yesterday!

All during the school year I'm up at 5 a.m. to teach and I need to indulge in a good *lie-in* with a book at least ONE summer day. All I need to go with my book is a box of chocolates.

Book Purses - you know you want one

I've always been a girl that would LUV to purchase more cute shoes and more cute purses, but when I go shopping I always feel so $$$ POOR and come home empty-handed or with something cheap and then I'm disappointed.

Then I found this!

Now I'm wondering if my brand new daughter-in-law would help me make one of these. Turns out she's quite the seamstress and very creative. Can you imagine a conference or ALA or BEA or Bologna where everyone (the girls at least) were carrying a purse in their favorite book?

(Full instructions with pictures and supplies needed at the link!)

How to Make a Book Purse

Here's a novel purse that is perfect for the bibliophile in your life!

Make this purse out of an old (preferably cheap and unloved) book. It's sure to be a conversation starter wherever you take it and you'll get to recycle a discarded book in the process.

Friday Five

It's 95 degrees and our swamp cooler is not hooked up yet. I sweat all night long. Or is it hormones?

2. I'm getting very frustrated about still not getting paid for a school gig in April and trying to run down the right people for my check!

3. The Sounds of Summer - birds singing outside my window. Along with other unknown chirping insects and the chugging sprinklers.

4. I can't wait for BEA to get done this weekend since I'm supposed to be hearing some *news* next week.

5. My stack of books got even higher. How did that happen? Oh yeah, I ordered these last week and also went to the library. Can I just read for the rest of my life?

A writer's breakfast gab fest

So where do poor writers meet up for breakfast? I-HOP, of course!



Such cute gals! We had some fun getting-to-know-you talk as well as writing talk and stimulating conversation about being a book publisher. Karlene actually had her own publishing company for several years! I was impressed.

From left to right: Candace Salima. She's even more gorgeous in person than her official blog photograph.

Yours truly.

sarah_create who flew in from Iceland for graduation stuff and family stuff and some writing events, too. She is now seriously jet-lagged.

And Karlene Browning, creator of many blogs and businesses, just take a peek at her profile!

Dream a little dream with me . . .: Thoughts on Being an American

Here's a link to a wonderfully inspiring post from a new writer friend. I got to meet Candace in Provo, Utah when we were picking up my son a couple of weeks ago from BYU. This is the kind of thought processes and patriotism that created our country and made us great!

Dream a little dream with me . . .: Thoughts on Being an American

(Tomorrow I'll post a pic of Candace and me and a couple of other writers when we met each other for the first time.)

French Pastries to die for

Here's a link to my French trip on my web site if you'd like to take a peek. There are too many to post here.

Near the bottom is an example of the fabulous French pastries we ate every day.

The awesome thing was, we walked so much for those two weeks I didn't gain a single pound even though I ate these every day.

http://kimberleygriffithslittle.com/content/blogcategory/18/17/

Au revoir and have a great weekend!

Moi funny?

I found out I could write humor last Friday night at our local SCBWI New Mexico Handsprings conference.

My favorite event at Handsprings is the Friday evening EDITOR PANEL (this year with editor Alisha Niehaus at Dutton and Rebecca Sherman, agent from Writers House, and Tim Gillner, Art Director from Highlights/Boyds Mills Press.)

Attendees get to send in a first page from their YA novel, MG novel, or picture book and have it read anonymously for the panel to make comments on. The visiting agents/editors give tips, pointers and helpful information about what makes a good first page. What happens when and editor or agent reads that first page? What are they thinking, feeling – and will they want to turn the page?

I sent in the First Page of my WIP, IN A PARIS MINUTE, which I am completely revamping at the moment; a total restructure of the time line and events.

I was biting my nails wondering if the panel was going to tell me to go get a new day job. I envisioned comments like, “This writers thinks she can write YA chick lit from a teenage girl’s POV? Ha, ha, ha! It’s obvious she hasn’t seen her teen years in about 3 decades.”

I was worried I’d be laughed out of the room.

But the room laughed at my story, my writing instead - at least 3 times - during just one page! They laughed at parts I didn’t realize were even funny. I was dumbfounded and thrilled. Perhaps it was the deadpan voice of the SCBWI woman who was reading, I dunno, but I’ll take it anyway.

Then Agent Rebecca Sherman said, “This first page does all the things right we’ve been talking about. Establishes, setting, character, voice, situation. It’s a GOOD first page. No, it’s a GREAT first page. I’d want to keep reading.”

Alisha Niehaus heartily concurred - and said she loves anything to do with Paris. Score a big one for me. My first page got the best comments of the whole evening. I'm so psyched to finish this book now!

Here it is, dear blog readers:

In a Paris Minute

by

Kimberley Griffiths Little

I have a confession to make: I’ve become a total idiot over French pastries.

They’re my new favorite food.

My new favorite souvenir.

My new favorite sin.

The Eiffel tower, the Louvre—all of them must-sees like the tour books claim—if you don’t mind heights that make you dizzy and enough paintings to saturate your brain for the rest of your life—but once I discovered La Patisserie the rest of Paris became mere backdrop for my indulgence.

Drizzled chocolate, sugar-dusted raspberries, flaky crusts with perfect crimped edges. I’ll have to run the New York City marathon when I get back just to burn off my new five pounds. French beignets are the worst temptation, like Prada handbags call to my mother from Fifth Avenue. Dunkin Donuts—so yesterday.

Kara and I even ate warm, oozing chocolate crepes for dinner one night while we analyzed French boys on top of the Arc d’Triomphe. If you’ve heard the expression, they’re to die for, well, I’m here to tell you, it’s true. Trust me. The crepes, I mean. Not necessarily French boys.

I've restrained myself from checking out Parisian males because I'm already taken--by Mathew Perotti, the hottest guy at Eleanor Roosevelt High via Lubbock, Texas.

Doing the MEME thang

I haven't been tagged but saw this on my friend Barbara O' Connor's terrific blog and it looked like fun so I'm doin' it. ;-)

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What were you doing ten years ago?

Homeschooling three rambunctious boys who liked to read, think up Imagination games (and tell me to be quiet so I didn't interrupt their daydreams) and play Hide n'Seek with their friends through the house. Wasn't I a nice Mom?

My first book, BREAKAWAY, was just coming out and I was nervously biting my fingernails.

Doing revisions on ENCHANTED RUNNER for my editor.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

1. Go to Los Lunas Middle School to talk to the kids in the Book Club about the process of book publishing.
2. Grocery shopping (found some great sales at Albertsons).
3. Talk my son through a school final crisis. Not on the "to do" list but it happened.
4. Make spaghetti for dinner.
5. Wash my hair. Seriously.

What are some snacks you enjoy?

Chocolate chip cookie dough.
Donuts, especially chocolate frosted ones with sprinkles
Chips/Salsa

What would you do if you were a billionaire?

Hire a maid
Travel to Egypt. Hit every European country.
Lounge on the beach for a couple of weeks
Buy any book I want
I'd definitely donate to several charities as well as medical research for cancer. That stuff scares me.
Give my mom (who only has a small social security check every month) enough money so she'll quit worrying
Take my whole family (my brothers and sisters, and their kids, too) on a big, splurgy vacation

What are three of your bad habits?

Fretting/Nagging ;-(
Eating too many sweets
Not having enough confidence in myself

What are five places where you have lived?

San Francisco, California
Concord, California
Provo, Utah
Ponca City, Oklahoma
Albuquerque, New Mexico

What are five jobs you have had?

Saleswoman at a clock store (grandfather clocks and imported clocks from Europe)
Piano Teacher
Kelly Girl
Office clerk for a CPA
Seminary teacher

What six people do you want to tag?

sarah_create
susanwrites
stacy_dekeyser
lisa_schroeder
selimsa803

Gotta Add a P.S.

About CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT by Laurie Viera Rigler. Check out Laurie's adorable, fun website, too! Good stuff and contests even.

I posted my blog this morning and then this afternoon Laurie herself emails to tell me she's seen my blog - my blog, no less! - and thanks me for mentioning her book. I was very glad to do it because I really ADORED this novel. No, it's not YA like I write, but it's juicy, suspenseful, un-put-downable with twists and turns and a surprising conclusion. It's sort of like time travel and historical wrapped inside as well which I love (and which my last book from Knopf is all about, The Last Snake Runner.)

A young woman (Courtney) wakes up one morning in Regency England remembering her life back int he 21st century and wondering how she got there. THEN she starts realizing that she has memories of the woman (Jane) whose body she is inhabiting. But what happened to Jane - the woman Courtney took over? Is she in her old body two hundred years into the future. And will they switch back - or not?

A terrific novel with first rate writing and yes, tons of fun, as well as romance and handsome men.

I hear a sequel is in the works . . . yay!

Go grab CONFESSIONS from your nearest bookstore and have a great read!

Life/Blog Updates You've Been Waiting For

But ya ain’t gonna get ‘em - at least not quite yet! I’m doing the catch-up dance after a month of school travel, personal travel, illness and family crisis - and I’m boogying away like mad.

For now, here is a list of books I’ve read in the past couple of months.

I can’t keep track of dates anymore – are you kidding?

THE TALENTED CLEMENTINE by Sara Pennypacker, illus. by Marla Frazee

Absolutely darling!

RED MOON AT SHARPSBURG by Rosemary Wells.

Great American historical fiction

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY by Jane Austen

A classic – what else can I say?

THE WELL OF ASCENSION by Brandon Sanderson

Intriguing new Adult fantasy with a brilliant world, yet the main character is only 18 years old so it reads like sophisticated YA.

RED GLASS by Laura Resau

The imagery and writing is wonderful in a whole new setting in Mexico

THE WHITE DARKNESS by Geraldine McCaughrean

I never knew you could describe the snow and white colors of the Antarctic in so many ways.

CONFESSIONS OF A JANE AUSTEN ADDICT by Laurie Viera Rigler.

Very fun read if you love Jane!

THE MYSTERIOUS EDGE OF THE HEROIC WORLD by E. L. Konigsburg

Elaine Konigsburg will go down in history as one of the best writers of the last generation

REPOSSESED by A. M. Jenkins

Wicked and delightful! Love her work.

OPHELIA: A NOVEL by Lisa M. Klein

Fantastic retelling of Hamlet by Ophelia herself. Love this kind of historical fiction, rich and wonderful.

THE LUXE by Anna Godberson

A fun gossipy read, but doesn’t live up to all the hype. Don’t buy it. Use your library, that’s what I do.

REACHING FOR SUN by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

A wonderful new poetic writer!

COLLISION COURSE! Cosmic impacts and life on earth by Fred Bortz

Fascinating non-fiction!

ONE WHOLE AND PERFECT DAY by Judith Clarke

An Australian author who tells a story using about 10 different points of view brilliantly. The first 50 pages is sort of slow, but it doesn’t disappoint as it begins to get more complex and all the pieces fit together at the end.

CATASTROPHE Great Engineering Failure – and Success by Fred Bortz

More great non-fiction with fabulous photos

THE SECRET by Rhonda Byrne

Intriguing way to look at success and happiness and your personal dreams and goals.

THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Read this for my book club – it’s been decades since I’ve read it, but it’s still timeless and healing.

GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz/

Really different kind of format with little known medieval facts and information.

Book Giveaways this Week!

Go to Author2Author to post a comment and win a great YA novel! Be sure you sign up to read the wonderful posts about writing and publishing, too.

Today's book: FRENCH KISSES by Aimee Friedman.

I'm writing a book set in Paris on a class trip about Sasha who misses her bus and gets stuck for 24 hours without her tour group in a city where she can barely speak the language. But she meets Jean-Paul and is mesmerized by a boatload of decadent pastries. So what about Matthew, her boyfriend back home in New York? Is destiny pulling her in a totally different direction? In a Paris Minute. Life can change in a minute. On the turn of a dime. Or in the seconds it takes to miss your tour bus.

See how much I NEED to read this book? It's called RESEARCH.

Fingers and toes and eyes crossed that I will be the winner. Hear my plea, oh Universe . . .

P. S.

For some reason I can't get Ally Carter's link to work. Just Google her name or book title and you'll find her. I promise. Cross my heart.

Two blogs in One

Good Answer! Good Answer!

Ever watch the TV show "Family Feud"? Each team enthusiastically claps every time one of their team member comes up with an answer to the question - whether it's a good answer or not.

But Ally Carter, author of I'D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I'D HAVE TO KILL YOU and it's sequel, CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY, has written a perfect answer to the question kids like to ask visiting authors in their school library, "How can I get published?"

I got that question last week after my writing workshop with 8th graders. I know how they feel. I was there once - writing and dreaming of the day I'd be a published author. In 8th grade I was barely producing stories that made any kind of sense with their earnestness and struggling metaphors. But I - they - WANT to be published - desperately.

Ally's blog answers writers who are currently under 18 years of age and their concerns completely and honestly. Take her advice. She's right. She's inspired. Go to: www.allycarter.com and click on the Diary link.

Then go read her books. They're FABULOUS! She's already spent TWELVE WEEKS on the New York Times Bestseller list! Congrats, Ally!

May the spies be with you . . .



MARCH MADNESS!

Weddings, babies - it's been a roller coaster, my friends. Throw in a big Easter choir program I accompanied, Spring Break, and a hugely awful, terrible, no good very bad cold to boot. But I am better!

And frantically finishing the final touches on a handout and goodies for my upcoming school visits tomorrow and next Tuesday. "The Creative Diary" is a fabulous writing workshop that I've been honing and perfecting for the last couple of years and it's amazing how excited the students get to write during the presentation - even the ones who DON'T LIKE writing. It's great! Imagination exercises, fast writing, and an exciting premise for them to write about.

I'm visiting 250 8th graders tomorrow in the library (in two different shifts) at John Adams Middle School and the teacher whom I met in February is giving it all a fabulous unique twist. Over the next month the kids will have the chance to finish, revise, and polish the two stories they will write with me tomorrow, put them together like a book, then display them at an Evening Dessert Reception with their parent's on May 1 when I will return and give a keynote speech and autograph books.

Since the students will have a month to take this piece of a story and turn it into a full-blown project, I'm adding several new things to the talk tomorrow to help them think about the elements of a story and how to build a story with all of its many pieces. I hope they will be inspired and excited!

Great New Books!

Pulling your hair out over trying to help your youngster learn the basics elements of doing a research project or paper? I have just the book for you! Or maybe you're an elementary school teacher with a class full of blank stares as you try to explain what to do. Then check out this new book by my friend Toni Buzzeo!

R IS FOR RESEARCH
by Toni Buzzeo
Publisher: Upstart Books


My wonderful friend Barbara O'Connor has a book birthday today! She's an extraordinarily gifted writer of middle-grade Southern family novels that have been on dozens of state award lists and wins all kinds of awards. Go to your nearest bookstore and grab a copy and curl up with a great read! Then check out all her other books on her website. You won't want to miss a single one. Promise.


GREETINGS FROM NOWHERE
by Barbara O'Connor
Published by: Farrar, Straus & Giroux