House Hunting

My husband and I have decided to make the ultimate grown-up move and transform from perpetual renters into home owners. Even though our current apartment is very nice, we had The Talk and decided it was time. Our community is a nice place, our friends and families are here, and our careers (my library job and his music school) are here. It's more practical and, dare I say it, grown-up than continuing to rent indefinitely. 

So at the beginning of the month we began the time-consuming hunt for the perfect house. (By the way, this is my excuse for being absent from the blog. And from the world of social media in general. But I'm still waiting for responses to the queries I sent out at the end of April, so it's not like there's anything new happening with Deep Blue. Not even the playlist I promised to work on. Oops!). I'm having fun with it. Give me a research project and I'm on it like a dog on a steak. I don't let go until I'm done and everything is perfect. Professors loved me in school. I was the kid who had her Final Project done by midterms. (Yep, I was that annoying student). 

So far we've seen 11 houses (with 3 separate agents) and not one screamed "Welcome home, Alissa and Jim". But the ones we looked at... Well, they ended up not being what we were looking for. Since then, we've refined our criteria. Now it's narrow enough that we won't have to sort through a bunch of undesirables, but not so narrow we'll never find anything. In fact we're going to go check out a couple places today. Agent #4 is a friend of Jim's mom and a super nice lady. So we know she'll go above and beyond to help us find what we want. 

I have learned a few things so far:

1. The photos on the listing don't always match the reality. 

2. If you, the potential buyer, know more about a place (from research) than the listing agent, it's not a good thing. 

3. Even if the house looks pretty on the outside, you can tell a lot about the actual condition by looking at the pole barn (if there is one). If it looks like it belongs on the set of a horror movie, RUN! The house will be in similar condition.

4. The things you want to look at are: Roof, Foundation, Windows, Well, and Septic. (Plumbing in general)

5. No matter how much you like the listing pictures, if you get a bad vibe in reality, you'll never like the house. 

6. Most important, know what you want and don't stray from that list. Never settle until you find what you're looking for. 

The house hunt and Deep Blue are both well on the way to having something happen. My goal is to have both resolved by the end of Summer. 

Jumping on the Popular Bandwagon

Seems that every YA book nowadays has an accompanying playlist. It's, like, a requirement or something. These playlists are always filled with obscure (yet still hip and cool) songs by hip and cool (yet still obscure) indie bands. And that, of course, makes the playlist creators seem like they're on that untouchable level of awesome I will, sadly, never attain.

And, of course, they are on that lofty level of awesome. I humbly bow.

But then my inner Devil's Advocate (DA for short) spoke up: "Why? Why create a soundtrack for a book?"

The novels I read as a teen never had playlists. Of course this was back in the era of the mix tape. And everyone who has ever created a mix tape (I know you're out there! I can see you hiding behind the Aqua-Net of Denial!) knows it's extremely difficult to find all the songs you want, some from other tapes and some partially recorded after hours of patiently listening to the radio, and actually squeeze them onto two 45-minute sides of a dollar store cassette without forgetting something or having the tape run out mid-tune. The Perfect Mix Tape: It's just too much work.

My next thought: "OMG! I totally need a playlist for Deep Blue!!" 

"Really?" DA said with an exasperated eye roll. "You're really going to jump on that bandwagon? But you haven't even published yet!"

"Yes," I said. "Yes I am." And then I promptly offered that pesky DA a York Peppermint Pattie and, satisfiablly bribed, she promptly shut up.

Be sure that, as soon as I have a free moment, I will be delving into the unknown depths of my iTunes library to mine from it all the forgotten gems that will represent this story perfectly! I know they're out there somewhere!

Off the top of my head, however, I can't think of a single song (at least none I've rocked out to recently) that would even remotely fir with this story. I mean, nothing says magical dolphins, mermaids, and teen angst like Bon Jovi's "Slippery When Wet" and Weird Al's Greatest Hits, right?  

I can--and will--do better. 

Out of the hundreds and hundreds of songs I've got stored there, some of it has to be hip and cool (yet still obscure) enough to be worthy of a literary playlist.

Stay tuned, Dear Readers. That playlist is in the works!

Feeling the (Library) Love

I just have to say: I love my public library!

Ok, so maybe being employed there has made me slightly biased (nah!), but I'm totally feeling the Library Love right now! Thanks to the free wifi, I've been able to do a TON of research on publishers and potential agents. Plus books on how to write a book proposal. I even scored a print copy of Writers' Market! For free (for 3 week loan). May not be up-to-the-second current, but I'll still take it. Online that same service would have been cost prohibitive! So yes, definitely loving my public library right now!

Social Networking Without the Drama

Set up a Facebook for your book. 

Really? Do I have to?

To me, social networking sites like Facebook etc. are synonymous with reality TV: Entertaining, yes, and everyone has checked it out at some point, but it's got the potential to leave one profoundly disappointed in the human race. The original intent of social networking (to help people reconnect with long lost friends and relatives) is noble, but as with anything available for free to the masses, it has the potential to be used for evil. Bullies, Stalkers, and people who love to air their dirty laundry in public (be it fights with significant others/BFFs/family members/coworkers, health issues, complaints about this or that, and anything that will get a "TMI" reaction) abound there. It's too much drama and negativity for me, and I do my best to avoid it as much as I can in this day and age. I'm kind of old school that way. 

Blogging is more comfortable. It's still strange for me having my personal words and thoughts out there for the world to see. And I'm still shy about self promoting (something I'm doing my best to get over). But blogging is a way for me to talk about my book and my publication adventure without delving into the dark and scary world of social networking sites. 

However, I did recently start a Twitter. I'm still figuring it out and, frankly, think I'm far too long-winded for the likes of something where you have to get your point across in less than 150 characters. Even while working in the newspaper business, I was terrible at coming up with catchy headlines. I'm determined to get the hang of it, though. Twitter, for all it's limitations, seems a lot less dramatic than the alternative.

So check it out. @DeepBlueBook. 

I promise I'll get the hang of it. 

As for a FB account for my book... Not just yet. 

Copyrighting: Perils, Pitfalls, and Navigating Blindly

I spent a good chunk of the afternoon online, attempting to obtain an official copyright for Deep Blue. This is only a safeguard until I'm ready to self-publish or negotiate the rights. Besides, $35 a pop is a small price to pay for piece of mind. 

Even though getting the job done took me the better part of an hour. 

That long? You ask. 

Have you ever tried to navigate a government website? Do you know how confusing they are? Whether federal, state, or local, it doesn't matter. There must be a general rule that these sites be designed to confuse the crap out of anyone with an I.Q. under 220. Promising links lead nowhere, search engines turn up results that have nothing to do with what you're looking for, and everywhere, everywhere is jargon, jargon, jargon. Siri, Onstar, the smartest of smartphones... They're no help. Nor is the "help" function built into the sites. Do not click on the "help" function! You will be directed to a cold and impersonal page that will only confuse you more. Or just right back to the homepage, making all your progress for naught. 

I needed an XXL cup of coffee and a hug just to take the edge off the experience. It's a miracle I didn't end up curled into a corner with a serious case of internet phobia. 

But finally, finally SUCCESS! I received the email stating that my document was successfully uploaded and the transaction complete. Hopefully I'll never have to deal with that website again. But because I intend to keep writing, I probably will. At least  I'll know what to do next time. 

Unless the site gets "updated" and everything changes. 

Inspiration & Influences

My favorite stories were (and are) the sort that unfold slowly, like a time lapse video of a flower blooming. The kind with lyrical prose that sets a certain mood, gives off a certain vibe. The sort of story that paints a vivid picture for the reader. Authors like Libba Bray, Allison Croggon, Kathi Appelt, Laini Taylor, Alice Hoffman, Maggie Stiefvater, and, the Grandmaster himself, J.R.R. Tolkien all do this. All are my heroes. 

I can't help but recall the advice of Professor Berry, my Journalism 101 teacher from Freshman year at Grand Valley State University: "Show, don't tell," he'd bark as he made the rounds, peering over our shoulders to read directly from the computer screens whatever projects my classmates and I happened to be working on. At the time, I really didn't know what he meant. 

Now I think I understand. When writing, don't just say what's going on (the "and then, and then, and then" approach).  Write so the reader feels as though they're there, as if they're part of the story. World building, setting the scene, showing instead of telling... It's all the same. This to me is the hallmark of a well-written story. This is what will pull me into a book and keep me invested throughout. 

This is what I tried to do with Deep a Blue. I want my readers to be able to visualize the characters, the settings, the action. I want them to see what I saw and feel what I felt, as I was writing. And, most important, I want them to enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

I received an answer to a query today. A prospective agent wanting to see some sample pages. Wish me luck!

Cat Got Your Tongue

I'm constantly amazed how I can be so coherent and, gasp!, reasonably intelligent-sounding in writing, but when it comes to making concise, verbal statements that actually make sense and follow some rational thought pattern, I'm a complete klutz.

I actually attempted to verbally explain Deep Blue to someone today. Keeping in mind all the advice I'd ever read about giving a stellar book talk (You need a hook. Gotta have a hook. Oh, and make it concise as possible while still keeping it interesting), I was all set to launch into that gripping synopsis...and instead came off sounding like I'd spent the morning inside the Orb of Confusion. I assure you I was perfectly and 100% lucid and unaltered (unless you count the 4 cups of coffee in my bloodstream). Listening to myself ramble like a tweenage fangirl faced with One Direction, I couldn't help thinking, "Oh my god! Do I actually sound like that?" I wanted to slap myself with a ruler for each "Um" or "Like" or each time I backtracked. But, at the same time, I couldn't stop myself. Poor girl was patient enough to listen, nodding and smiling--and even asked a couple questions--but she was probably secretly thinking something along the lines of, "Really?!? YOU wrote a book?!?" And I'm sure she went away and told all her friends about the delusional madwoman who wants to be an author. I can only imagine their conversation:

Girl: I just listened to the worst book talk ever today! That crazy librarian was telling me about this book she wrote and, even now, I'm not sure if it was supposed to be about a dolphin or an evil clown*.

Friend: Really? And she actually wants to be an author?

Girl: I know, right! I kid you not, the woman couldn't even put two thoughts together. 

Friend: Do you think she'll get it published?

Girl: Search me. If she writes like she talks, I don't even want to think about what a hot mess of a disaster the book would be.

Friend: At least it would be good for a laugh.

Girl: True that. There needs to be more funny books out there.

Friend: Affirmative.

To be fair, I was nervous. I didn't expect to be asked about Deep Blue. And I'm the sort who isn't exactly comfortable tooting her own proverbial horn. When faced with that, I clam up. Get all jittery and shaky and cold-sweaty.

I can be thankful that at least I wasn't in front of a camera whilst giving said book talk. Had that been the case, I'd likely have dissolved into a quivering puddle of gibberish...which would have, in turn, garnered a visit from the men in white coats, come to fit me with a white coat of my own (complete with stylish shiny buckles).

Public speaking. I'm going to have to work on that before I really embarrass myself. Especially if I want to pitch this book to prospective agents and have them take me seriously.

I wonder if Dale Carnegie is accepting students. I'd promise not to get kicked out of class for doodling rather than note taking.

Also, wonder if I should go easy on the coffee.

*p.s. I assure you, there are no evil clowns in this book!