Just what the world needs. Another 2009 best of. I'll keep it short and sweet:
Books:
LIAR by Justine Larbalestier - Best use of unreliable narrator I've read yet.
THE KNIFE OF NEVER LETTING GO by Patrick Ness - Hands down best animal in a book ever.
THE ASK AND THE ANSWER by Patrick Ness - The first book was so good I had to order the sequel from England because I couldn't wait.
CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins - Do I need a reason?
GOING BOVINE by Libba Bray - Best use of gnome and mad cow disease by an author.
Music:
Florence + the Machine - Just really amazing.
Dave Matthews Band - Best album in years (and the concert rocked too)
V.V. Brown - A blast from the past on steroids
Janelle Monaé - Robot girl with bluesey sensibility? Hell yeah.
TV:
GLEE - Need I say more?
Friday Night Lights - I still can't believe no one watches this show but they watch NCIS. WTF?
Vampire Diaries - I admit it, I got sucked in (haha). Their willingness to kill main characters shows they mean business. Plus, the cool kids call it VD.
Misfits - A little known BBC show, it rocked my socks off.
Dollhouse - Yeah, it's cancelled, but the second season may just be the most brilliant stuff of Whedon's career.
Movies:
Sunshine Cleaning - Amy Adams? Crime scenes? I'm in.
Where the Wild Things Are - The best kids movie NOT for kids.
Drag Me To Hell - Granny smack down involving dentures and a stapler. 'Nuff Said.
Julie & Julia - I should really just say, "Any movie Amy Adams is in."
(500) Days of Summer - Never has pessimism looked so optimistic.
Zombieland - I was prepared to hate this movie, but Woodie won me over. Also Bill Murray's cameo made me wet my pants.
Star Trek - I fully admit to being a trekkie. I don't do conventions but I love the franchise. That said, I was prepared to hate this movie too. Instead, I fell for the franchise all over again. Beam me up for the sequel.
I'm actually sad to see this year go. I'm ending it still sick (pardon me for any deranged, Sudafed induced tangents) but unable to find one single thing that didn't go well this year. I'm sure if I looked back at the individual posts, I'd find some moaning and complaining in there (probably more than I want to admit) but the big picture is golden, and that's pretty cool.
The biggest event in 2009 is the sale of my first book, The Deathday Letter. Pretty much my entire world has revolved in some way around that.
But I also got to do a lot of other rad stuff. I visited Chicago, I saw Amanda Palmer AND Neil Gaiman, I adopted my cute little dog Maxx. I didn't come close to meeting my ambitious writing goals, but I did finish one book. I felt a bit like a failure for stumbling through my second book process, but I learned some really invaluable lessons that will help me be stronger in the long run.
2010 is going to be even better, I believe. My best friend is spending the winter down here, so I'll have her and her family around. I adore them all, so that's a huge plus. I'm also going to pick up my marathon training which was sidelined by my back and my cold (bubonic plague?), so that I can get back to the land of the healthy.
2010 is also going to see Deathday sent out into the world. It's a scary cool idea.
There are goals I have, like still wanting to move to Colorado, finishing 2 books this year, and making some movement on my web series, but I know that as long as I stay focused and work my butt off, all good things will come. That's not spiritual or religious or anything like that, it's just a prime truth. Hard work and diligence will out.
There's one other goal I have to 2010, one that I hope to be able to talk about more in the coming months. It involves my desire to become more involved in literacy and outreach. But I'm in the super-early planning stages, so I don't want to say too much.
So goodbye to 2009 and hello to 2010. Best wishes to you all.
So today I'm sick as a dog. These last couple of weeks have been rough--between this and my back--however I believe that this is just the universe's way of getting all the bad stuff out of the way so I can start the new year refreshed and healthy and reinvigorated.
I thought I'd give y'all a taste of what's to come on the blog:
How I massively caved and bought a Kindle (and a Nook).
My reviews of two fellow Tenners' books (spoiler: they rocked harder than that one Whitesnake song).
Predictions for 2010
Blog redesign and maybe some cool Deathday Stuffs (maybe some contests? Maybe?)
Some fantastic author interviews that I have yet to schedule or ask said authors about.
Maybe even some agent and/or editor interviews.
2010 is looking to be a fantastic year. I'll see you then! Happy New Year!
Sorry for the quiet. I've been busy with lots of stuffs, and I managed to tweak my lower back. So when haven't been chained to my computer, I've been crying on the couch with an icepack and cookies. Which is actually a rather typical day for me.
The blog is probably going to go silent until after the New Year as I take time to be with friends and family, and some time to relax and reflect.
One of the things I wanted to say, was thank you. Thank you to my agent and my editors, and my blog chain group, and my crit partners, and every single person who has added The Deathday Letter to their 2010 challenge, and every person who reads my sorry excuse for a blog. Thank you. Because even when this writing gig has a hiccup or things don't go my way, this is the best job on earth. Out of all the billions of people in the world, it's a small few who can say they're living their dream. This year has seen me able to live mine. It hasn't been what I expected, but that's only made it sweeter. And it's because of the people around me that I'm able to do it.
Of course, next year you'll all have to actually buy the book or I might be out of a job, but that's next year ;)
So have a wonderful holiday everyone. Stay happy, healthy, safe, and don't take anything for granted.
Also, books make great last minute gifts!
Sorry the blog has been silent for a few days, but things have been busy.
Last Sunday I had the pleasure to see Amanda Palmer play a small show in Orlando. She was there on vacation with Neil Gaiman, and decided to do a show. It was just her and her keyboard. She didn't even have a set list, she just played a couple of songs and then took audience requests. One of the highlights was when someone asked her to play IMAGINE. She admitted to not knowing the lyrics or chords, so someone got their iPhone, wrote out the lyrics for her, while someone else got her the chords. She then, learned the song in front of us and proceeded to play it. It was really an experience that can't ever be duplicated.
I knew going in, that I'd be able to have a book signed by Neil Gaiman. He and Amanda collaborated on a book called Who Killed Amanda Palmer. It's a book filled with pictures of her dead, accompanied by song lyrics and stories by Neil. What I wasn't expecting (and neither was he) was that Amanda would get him to come out on stage and read one of the stories. The concert was already amazing, but the reading sent me over the edge. After, I was able to get a book signed. I was going to ask for two books signed, but an overzealous fan kept shoving her breasts in Amanda and Neil's faces and I was lucky to get out with my one book.
Funny enough though, I decided to have the book signed to Oliver Travers. I thought it would make a really cool contest giveaway for The Deathday Letter launch. I'm not a big autograph person. The fact that I got to meet them and talk to them and experience Amanda play and Neil read, was just wow. The problem with my plan is that I completely forgot/didn't take into account that probably 40% of the pictures of Amanda are nudes. A couple are full nudes. They're artistic, yes, and not titillating being that she's "dead" in all of them, but still, I don't think the parent of a teenager would appreciate me giving their kid a book filled with pictures of a dead, naked woman. My bad!
Anyway, one of the things I adore about Amanda Palmer (aside from being an amazing artists and all around sweet person) is that she is brilliant at harnessing social media. I was talking to my agent yesterday and expressing my frustration that I am not better at using things like Twitter. I'm really good at talking AT crowds (giving speeches) and having one-on-one conversations with people, but terrible at this group stuff. Amanda, though, uses Twitter and Facebook and all these other social media mediums to connect to her fan in such an intimate way. Every fan feels like they know her personally. She gets them involved in her life. There's been a lot of stuff written about her and her use of social media, so I'll spare you a long spiel, but you should check her out. She's not just using social media to sell more albums, she's authentic. She actually LIKES people knowing and being involved in every aspect of her life.
More than that though, she's a new breed of artist. She's an example of an artist connecting and selling directly to fans. She doesn't need a label or an intermediary. And I think you'll see many more artists, and possibly authors, going this route in the future. It's amazing and scary and freaking cool.
Posting might be sketchy for the rest of the holidays. I have a lot of work to do and family to annoy. Enjoys some clips of Amanda singing and Neil reading. And have a happy [insert favorite holiday here]. Oh, and sorry about the crappy quality. The lighting in the club was strange. Also, my battery died, cutting off the last minute of the reading. Sorry!
SET LIST:
01) Lua (Bright Eyes Cover)
02) Astronaut - A Short History Of Nearly Nothing
03) Ampersand
03) Blake Says
04) Oasis
05) Ask Amanda (Part I)
06) Runs In The Family
07) Imagine (John Lennon Cover)
08) Mandy Goes To Med School
09) Coin-Operated Boy
10) The Bed Song
11) Neil Gaiman recites untitled story from The Book*
INSERT EYE OF THE TIGER OR SOME OTHER APPROPRIATE THEME SONG FROM A SPORTS MOVIE WHERE AN UNDERDOG INEXPLICABLY RISES ABOVE AND OVERCOMES THE ODDS.
In all seriousness, it's been a little over a year since I signed with Chris, and I really wouldn't be where I am without him. He knows that I'm stubborn and bull headed and that I often have to experience things for myself before I understand them, and he's still patient with me and guides me through this crazy publishing thing. There are a lot of really talented agents out there, and Chris is one of them, but he's also got something in spades that sets him apart: integrity.
Of course he loses points for having cats instead of a dog, but no one's perfect.
Chris has been there to fight for me when he knew my book was worth being published, and to push me when he knew I could do better. So thank you, Chris. Here's to the next year and here's to you!
If you head over to Lisa and Laura Write, you can see a list of everyone who's sharing the love.
As you all know, 2010 is the year my first book The Deathday Letter comes out. It's an exciting thing for me. But it's not just the year my book comes out. A lot of really spectacular books come out in 2010. I've had the pleasure of speaking to many of them through The Tenners website.
To that end I wanted to mention and encourage everyone to join the 2010 Debut Author Challenge over at The Story Siren. Follow the link to the website for all the details. But the short of it is that anyone who joins in is encouraged to read at least 12 YA or MG (middle grade) books from debut authors. It's a fantastic way to find some new writers. Since landing my agent, I've made it a personal goal to read as many debut authors as I could, and I've had the fortune to read some really, really amazing stuff. YA and MG literature is where it's at right now. Some of the most imaginative, witty, clever books are being written for the YA and MG audiences.
I'm honored by everyone who's included The Deathday Letter in their challenges.
So, head on over to The Story Siren and see what it's all about.
Happy Tuesday! Someone was crazy enough to let me start off this blog chain. I was going to pose a question that delved into the deep issues of race and stereotypes but then I realized that it's the holidays and everyone's overwhelmed and busy and probably not in the mood to tackle something so complex, so instead I'd like to ask the following question:
What is the silliest thing from a book or short story you've written, and why? It can be a line or a paragraph or a whole page. Anything that you look back at and go, "Say what?"
There are some days where I read previous work and I'm like, "I wrote that? Holy cow!" And then there are times where I go, "I wrote THAT? What was I thinking?" So I thought I'd share one of the silliest things I've ever written. It's a little long, but every once in a while I reread it and thank heaven it never saw the light of day. Until now.
The lo-fi video camera adds ten pounds to my rainbow colored hair. It looks like cotton candy curlicues. Or gay snakes. My red rubber nose glistens in the dark shadows of the alley and the interminable layers of pancake make-up run from the steam.
"Yeah, I know people see the giant feet and red nose and polka dots and they see a monster, but that's not how it has to be." I stare at the camera and try to ignore the pink and fleshy kid holding it. "We don't have to be evil. We have a choice. We all have a choice."
The rain starts to drip and I hold my hand over my eyes; no one wants to see a clown cry.
"You asked me why I do it. Why I'm here. I'm here to put the fun back in funeral. Evil's funeral."
The red light keeps blinking and I keep getting wetter. "Cut, kid."
Carter Rankin puts down the camera and holds it at his side. No one would miss him if he disappeared. The thought strolls across my mind like a Wall Street ticker and I let it wash over me. Addiction means taking the good thoughts with the bad.
"Stitches?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"People aren't gonna believe you if you don't let them see what you do." The kid has a doll face, all eyes. Goopy, gelatinous eyes. Eyes that rolled around on the tongue like a lolly. "I know you changed, but the world needs to know. Saying it don't make it so."
My hair droops into my eyes and I brush it back with my orange-gloved fingers. Even the waterproof makeup won't hold up under this rain. I'd looked worse though. "I'm not out here making balloon animals, Carter," I said, spittle spraying his face. It mixed with the rain and ran down his nose. "When I throw a party, people die."
"Bad people, Stitches. The clowns you kill deserve what they got coming."
I honk my horn in Carter's ear. "That doesn't mean I want an audience. I'm cleaning up the streets, kid. I'm gonna stuff as many people like me into a car as I can and then drive it straight to hell. Just 'cause I'm laughing doesn't mean it's fun."
This was one of the first things I wrote when I was trying to find my own personal style. I hadn't thought about writing YA yet. I was actually thinking I'd write some horror. I had a story about a Cupid that murders everyone unlucky enough to fall in love on February 13th, one about a phone psychic who predicts the end of the world, and a really bad one about small town doctor who learns that protect her pregnant patient she'll have to practice placentophagy. But this story, about the clown, was the last and silliest thing I ever wrote in my attempt to be a horror writer. The concept is that all clowns are inherently evil except for Stitches, who chooses to fight his evil nature and kill other clowns instead. Aside from the writing just being bad, it represents for me, a turning point. A signpost in my writing journey that I can look at and say, "What was I thinking!"
I turned to YA after this and wrote two and a half pretty bad books before finally finding my voice and writing The Deathday Letter. I think it's important to be able to look back and see how far we've come as writers. I have this philosophy about life. I may not be happy about all the stuff I've done in my life, I may be embarrassed about some of it, but it all led me to this moment. So I don't regret any of it. I feel the same way about this story. It's bad, it's silly, but it got me to here, and here is awesome.
So next up is the Sovereign of Silly, Cole. Check out her blog tomorrow for more silliness. Have a great holiday season!
I'm a writer, a major geek and I'm all about nerdy shenanigans. My book THE DEATHDAY LETTER is published by SImon Pulse and my second book will be out in 2012.
I can be reached via tin cans and string or by emailing shaundavidhutchinson at gmail dot com
I accept all cash gifts, especially if you're a prince from Nigeria. Call me.
