Somehow it got to be the very last day of 2008. And here I am, still ticking. A good thing, indeed. And all you get in this post is the remains of my thoughts.

Writing in 2008

All the hard writing work of 2007-2008 will be showing up in 2009. I'll have 3 books out. Three!

February: Scandal
June: My Forbidden Desire
October: Indiscreet

That's going to cost me a fortune in promotion and RITA entry fees. Yeah, I often wonder if I can afford to write novels. Apparently I am a writing fool since I will, whatever happens, keep writing.

Technology in 2008

Twitter gets my vote for the application that actually added value to my life. More than mySpace, more than Facebook, probably even more than email. I'll have a separate post on my website about twitter in the new year.

The iPhone gets my vote for the gadget that blew me away. I heart my iPhone. It's worth every dang penny it costs. I can check and reply to my email! I can twitter! I don't need an eBook reader or an iPod (or mp3 player). A free book I downloaded (about how to read tea leaves) sparked a major plot thread in my October historical Indiscreet

I made the move from PC to Mac when I got an iMac. Technically that happened in late 2007, but the primary usage has been in 2008. I am now saving to replace my PC laptop which is old and getting clunky. I'll get a Mac laptop.

Thoughts about 2009

• I will be writing proposals. ::shudder::


• I hope to write my Dark Elf book which is the book proposal my agent loved (before she was my agent)


• February will see the release of Scandal which is the historical proposal that my agent (before she was my agent) said would have been an automatic rejection for her. This is the same book she read (after she was my agent and I rewrote it) and called a tour de force. Seriously.


• A year of uncertainty and hope. That's my take on 2009.

Have a safe and happy New Year everyone!

Labels: End of The Year, Happy New Year, proposals, Technolgy, writing

I want to win this mug.

You could win, too, only if you enter (which is easy) then my chances of winning are lessened. I just know my tea will taste so much better in this mug than some other mug.

Labels: mugs, spirit of competition

I'm finally off deadline enough that I can make some progress on my To Be Read pile. Andrew Davidson's The Gargoyle was a book I was anxious to read. Now, I admit while I've been busy writing, there's a truckload of stuff I haven't been paying much attention to. I knew these things about The Gargoyle; People were talking about it -- it had push from the publisher; It had an awesome cover and a great title. If I'd known more about the story line I might have waited to buy it. I'm glad I didn't, though I could have, since it's been sitting in my TBR since I bought it, like every other book I've bought. Oh, right, I also knew it was a debut novel that got a HUGE advance. And, though I cringe to admit it, I had this vague idea there was an actual gargoyle in the book. I was too busy to pay enough attention, all right?

So, finally, I turn in my last contracted book and I can start reading stuff that somebody else wrote. The Gargoyle was my first choice.

Pretty much from page one, this book was difficult to read. The words were gorgeous. Wonderful, evocative. There's no question Andrew Davidson can write. Fortunately, I have an MA in English and I understand about Books That Are Difficult To Read, having been forced to read a lot of them and even actually ending up being glad. To be clear: I am not glad that I had to read Thomas Hardy's Jude The Obscure but the last line of James Joyce's The Dubliners is so heartbreakingly poetic that reading everything that came before that line was worth all the hard work of getting there.

So, I'm reading and wondering to myself whether I am having a Jude The Obscure sort of experience or a The Dubliners experience and in either case whether I can stomach continuing. I put down Chuck Palahniunk when I got to the part about the guy who got his intestines sucked out through his ass, so let that be a guide to my tolerance level. But really, the decision to keep going was not Does Carolyn want to get through at least one Palahniuk novel just because but whether I was reading something that would be worth the pain by the end. Because that experience is transcendent and Davidson writes well enough to make you think he might.

The ONLY reason I kept reading despite the ugliness of what happening on the pages was the beauty of the writing. I kept thinking there had to be a payoff for this kind of horrifying description. I did keep reading.

I have begun to suspect that Literary Fiction is so afraid of being gasp! commercial, that it runs as fast as it can (in the other direction) at the first sign of a plot. What a bunch of rank cowards, the lot of those literary writers. Let me point out to you folks that Toni Morrison's Beloved has a plot, so it's not like it can't be done. The Gargoyle has a plot, too, which was a major relief.

Eventually, The Gargoyle moved out of the relentlessly horrifying and I stopped thinking that I totally supported the protagonist's plans for suicide.

The gargoyle, as I'm sure you've guessed by now, is more metaphorical than literal. The plot of the book is actually kind of shopworn. Beauty and the Beast is an obvious trope crossed with lovers reincarnated through time until they get it right. To be honest, the latter sort of story has never made much sense to me. If the love is so Great, why are they doomed to repeat it like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day?

A great writer always rises above the shopworn, which is why those popular frameworks will never die. Someone is always good enough to show us how it's done. Is The Gargoyle that book? Almost.

Damn. Just almost. Before I continue, let me say that there is a difference between pointing out the flaws of a book that basically sucks (Jude the Obscure) and pointing out the flaws in a book written by someone with an amazing talent who one expects to read more of.

The ending of The Gargoyle was touching, but there were missteps along the way that undermined the moment. The conception of the novel was, in my opinion, flawed, and not even the lovely prose could save the story from moments of bathos instead of pathos. When a story begins at such a horrifying low, then the ending had better take you to a terrifying high, and that means the author needs to understand the underpinnings, if you will, of both the lows and the high.

The book is supposed to be a love story. But it's lopsided. There is ample reason to understand why the protagonist, from his original incarnation to the last, loves the heroine. There is less to none for understanding why the heroine, in any of her incarnations, loves the hero. She is, at heart, the typical Doormat with a Too Stupid To Live moment -- a circumstance saved only by the fact that she does not, in fact, live.

There is a long and fairly painful history of Canonical Works written by men who do not understand what it means to be a woman at any time of history. The woman sacrifices .... um.... because? And this book's flaws are directly related to that inability to really see what it means to be a woman. Steinbeck nailed the Depression for men. He totally screwed up with Rosasharn. He got a Nobel anyway. Yes, he deserved it, but I'm right about Rosasharn. Steinbeck wrote her for a man.

At this point, I'd like to point out again that The Gargoyle does not suck.

But the not so subtle subtext of the iterations of the story told is that women sacrifice themselves and their lives (in every sense) for the man they love. Because God forbid she actually gets to be happy. The men go on doing their brave man thing and mostly live on afterward. And it really bugs me. It does.

Still, I recommend this book if you're not squeamish. The first third to half was really hard to stomach. Writers who keep on writing only get better, so I'm looking forward to seeing what Davidson does next.

Labels: Book Review

Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrates one this time of year.

My family celebrates Christmas, so we did the Christmas thing today. I got up at 5:43 a.m. because I was in charge of bringing cinnamon rolls to breakfast at my brother's. It takes about 4 hours start to finish and we were supposed to be there at 10:00. Sigh. A bit later, presents were opened and enjoyed while the dough was slowly rising.

It's very cold here, so alas, the dough really did rise verrryy slowly to the point where being done by 10:00 am was not going to happen. My son was having far too much fun with his marshmallow blaster. Far too much. At ten my brother called and was informed that we'd be there more like 11:00 or so. Which was right. The 2nd and 3rd rising were also slow.

But we made it over there with piping hot cinnamon rolls about 20 minutes before two of my brother's kids joined us after morning with their mother. My brother from Santa Barbara was there with his wife, so we had Gramma, Grandpa, five children, four grandchildren and two daughters-in-law there. More presents. Then the white elephant gift exchange which was really really fun. Lots of stealing.

Then home to finish cooking dinner with slightly fewer people. More marshmallow shooter mayhem. I cut up green beans and peeled potatoes. That was my contribution to the cooking effort.

I did get some writing done. Every now and then I managed to sneak off and do some tweaking of stuff in need of tweaking.

Plus, I made my brother do my RAM replacement for my iMac since I was upgrading from 2GB to 4GB. Parallels is much much happier with 1 GB assigned to it. Ah, yes.

Now I'm exhausted and fighting to keep my eyes open.

Tomorrow I will blog about some books I've been reading.

Labels: holidays, reading, writing

From Romantic Times

Jewel plays readers' emotions like a virtuoso, ensuring they will eagerly follow her characters into dramatic, intensely passionate and gripping love stories that will steal your heart and make you beg for more. She grabs you at the first word and never lets go.

Summary: The Earl of Banallt takes pride in his status as a rake, but even a rogue can fall in love, and he does -- with his friend's wife, Sophie Evans.

Unconventional, smart, witty and yet filled with quiet reserve, Sophie takes his breath away. But she won't fall into his arms even after her husband's death. Banallt is determined to prove to Sophie he's a changed man. He no longer thrives on debauchery, but he has no idea of the secrets Sophie hides nor the deep passion he awakens in her and the longing she denies. If she surrenders, Sophie fears she'll lose her independence and her very soul.

-- Kathe Robin

So really, come on. Can you resist? Places to pre-order

Still not sure? Read Chapter 1.

Labels: reviews, Scandal

I've updated my website with fresh content including the first two chapters of Indiscreet which are, at this point, still subject to revision.

The first chapter is very short so I decided, after some thought, to also include chapter 2 since Chapter 2 depends on Chapter 1 for a great deal of its impact. There is a major reveal in Chapter 2, but not one that directly impacts Foye and Sabine's story.

Let me know what you think.

There's also some fresh and new (both and separately!) content for Scandal and My Forbidden Desire. Less for Indiscreet since the cover copy isn't even final yet and it's not even available for pre-order yet.

Labels: Indiscreet, My Forbidden Desire, Scandal

Both lists are pretty silly. But whatever.

75 books every man should read
26
For the love of God, don't click the slideshow. There's the same BORING STUPID and idot ad every 10th slide.


75 books every woman should read
31

How about just 75 books everyone should read because they're actually fun to read? Plus, too many books missing from both lists.

Labels: books

Title Title, Who's Gotta Title?

First off, The Next Historical (or the book briefly known as Sinful) is now officially entitled Indiscreet. My editor emailed yesterday and said it turns out Berkley has a July 2009 release titled Sinful, and sales didn't like the second choice title which was A Reputation for Sin, so did we (my agent and I) have any other ideas? My agent, I do believe came up with Indiscreet. So there it is. It has the Sales seal of approval.

Reading Controversy!!

Apparently, Suzanne Brockmann has a prologue posted for her next Troubleshooters book, Dark of Night. The heroine is Sophia and as any fan of Brockmann knows, Sophia is in love with Decker. Well, readers are all atwitter (in the traditional sense) with the possibility that Sophia's hero will be Dave, not Decker. Some appear to be enraged. One woman opined that there should never be ambiguity about the hero, to which I must say au contraire!!

Personally, I think whoever the hero turns out to be, Brockmann will pull it off. We'll all be thinking we want to marry Dave or Decker or whoever it is and be glad that Sophia gets her hero.

I also think that the last Troubleshooter book laid some excellent groundwork for Dave or Decker. I think it could go either way, and I don't care which way (ok, I have a slight preference for Decker, who wouldn't?) but I know I'll be entertained and enthralled the entire time either way.

As to the no ambiguity about the hero? By the end of a Romance, there should indeed be no ambiguity over who the hero is. But in the beginning, I disagree with that statement wholeheartedly. In fact, I think a big part of the trouble with a lot of Romances is the very lack of ambiguity.

The only Rule for Romance is the HEA. (Just like the only Rule For Msytery is that there's a mystery to be solved) That's it. All the other stuff that gets you there can be anything at all. Anything. And that can mean a hero who isn't the best candidate for the job at the start.

Off to make sure I've pre-ordered my copy...

Carolyn's Reading List - Partial and in no particular order

• The Outlander by Gil Adams


• The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox by Barry Hughart


• Brain Rules by John Medina


• Clowngirl by Monica Drake


• The Crown Road by Ian Banks


• The Black Arts - a concise history of witchcraft, demonology, astrology, alchemy and other mystical practices throughout the ages by Richard Cavendish


• The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson


• The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewksi


• Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer


• In Cod We Trust, Living the Norwegian Dream by Eric Dregni


• The truckload of books I brought back from RWA


• miscellanous other books lurking in the TBR

How about you? Leave a comment so I'm not so lonely here!

Labels: Heroes, Indiscreet, reading, relaxing, The Next Historical

So, yeah, Sinful is done and all turned in. I should be relaxing. Only it's only a few days until Christmas and on account of the Dec-15 deadline, I'd done 0 shopping. And my mother's birthday is Dec-15. Sigh.

But then I had to pull together stuff for a mini-book trailer for Scandal and send out the few ARCs that I got. I have one left besides the now ratty copy I read to make sure there weren't any major goof ups. My agent told a story about a client who looked at her ARC (or maybe it was her author's copies) and discovered it was the unedited, unproofed version. omg. Scandal seems to have come out very well. So, that's good.

Anyway,on Monday before I went to get my facial and massage (Oh, 2.5 hours of bliss!) I went shopping to for my Mom, my best friend in Denver and this guy whose name I drew in ZeFrank's Duckie gift thing. If you aren't familiar with ZeFrank, get over to his site and get familiar. Watch episodes of The Show and you will be in love, too. Promise.

The Marshmallow Shooter Decision

Anyway, I also chatted with another store owner about his lack of Marshmallow Shooters. He didn't order them this year. But he did recommend that the pump action model is the one to get. I thought Amazon would be the less expensive place to get them, but it wasn't, not by a long shot. I ended up back at Hammacher-Schlemmer where the pump action model was $20+ cheaper. I got two, because what fun is one marshmallow shooter? My son's other gifts color-coded, tagged and ranked out of the H-S catalog: spring loaded shoes, lighter than air slippers (or something), the above mentioned shooters and a blanket warmer thing he's not getting because ... read on:

He has requested a snuggli from my sister ($19.95 two for one plus a free booklite!! Order now, Operators standing by!!!) If you watch TV, you've seen the ad, I'm sure. Hilarious hints have been dropped. Apparently, the Snuggli has now replaced his request for a giant cheese wheel.

The Tao of The Gift Exchange

My next dilemma is a new family tradition which, I admit I started 2 years ago because it's fun. I'm sure it's familiar to you: Everyone buys a gift the price of which is not to exceed some very modest amount. Then we all get together, pile up the gifts and take turns picking. Each gift can be stolen a max of 2 times after that, the person who has it gets to keep it. If the gift you elected to open is stolen, you can steal another gift or open a new one. Etc. For us, participants range in age from 6 to 81. The kids have proven themselves ruthless and eclectic about what they steal.

The trick with this is that you have to buy a gift people will want to steal. Too silly, and no one wants it. That's no fun. Too specific, and only a few people will want it. Because of our age range, alcohol and racy things are out.

It's a responsibility I take very seriously. I bought some pirate playing cards that come with a free! pirate doubloon, but I'm thinking that may not be quite right. I think I'm going to head for the bookstore and look for something there. Just in case. My local independent has a lot of gadget type stuff.

Then there's other stuff

Plus, I have proposals outstanding. I was supposed to send off some brief paranormal proposals to my agent, but frankly, it's too hard to write brief, and I just didn't have the time while I was working on Sinful. So now I'm working on that while helping my son study for his French exam. Soccer, and dinner and also my son has mostly grown out of his pants. Rats! Also, I just remembered I told my folks I'd shop for their gift exchange things for them. Good thing I remembered!

The Future?

Depends on the proposals I have to finish. Fortunately, no chapters at this point. I imagine I'll have to pull together a new historical proposal, too. I have only the very vaguest ideas right now. But I hope to write The Dark Elf Project next. Starting in January. Which may or may not be an issue, depending on if anyone ever wants to publish me again.

Off to relax. Right after I fold the laundry.

Labels: chores around the house, holidays, proposals, writing

Richard Curtis article on publishing

Wow.

Labels: publishing

About Melissa Clark

Melissa Clark is the creator and executive producer of the award-winning television series, Braceface, and has written for shows on the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Fox. She received a master's degree from the writing program at U.C. Davis, and currently lives in Los Angeles. This is her first novel.

The Interview

1. Tell us about your latest release and the inspiration behind it.
"Swimming Upstream, Slowly" is a novel about Sasha Salter, who wakes up one day to find she is pregnant. Only problem is she hasn't had sex in over 2 years. The doctor's diagnosis is that Sasha's body has been harboring a lazy sperm. Sasha must now open up the Pandora's box of her past loves to figure out which of her exes is the father - and what the future holds in store.

The idea was born because I was having lunch with a friend and overate. I lifted my shirt to expose my bloated belly and the friend said, half joking, "Are you sure you're not pregnant?" and I said, "Yeah, right, from a lazy sperm." I went home that night and started outlining the idea for a movie. I decided, eventually, to write it as a novel instead.

2. If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?

Natalie Portman gets the first call. I think she could bring depth and humor to the character. If she's busy making another movie or doing something wonderfully humanitarian we give Jennifer Gardner a jingle. She's likable, vulnerable. If she's having a baby then we try Drew Barrymore because she has nailed these roles in the past. There are lots of male parts in this movie, too. I'd love to see Emile Hirsch do a romantic comedy.

3. Could you please tell us a little about your writing background?

My dad is a writer, so I was always playing on his typewriter and writing on legal steno pads. I wrote short stories from the time that I could write. I studied writing and literature in both college and graduate school. In my 20's to mid-30's I worked as a writer in television. I created a kid's show called "Braceface" which ran for 5 seasons. I loved that experience, but really wanted to write a novel, so I quit my own show and set out to write "Swimming Upstream, Slowly." It was the best risk I've ever taken!

4. Is writing your main job? If not, what do you do for your real source of income and how does it impact your writing?

I still consider writing my main job even though I'm now teaching at the college level. In between grading, preparing lectures, meeting with students, etc. I somehow manage to find time to write. When I wrote "Swimming..." it was my only job. I had the luxury of time and money from the TV show. Now, my writing time is more precious because it is limited.

5. What comes most naturally for you to write, dialogue? plot? character? And what's hardest?

I love writing dialogue. I've written a few plays in the past and found it incredibly satisfying. I learn so much about my characters through what they say. I often have the feeling that they speak through me and I'm just listening and transcribing their words. I know a lot of writers feel this way. It's hard for me to slow down and be descriptive - really describe a setting or something. I am very aware of this and tried to do it more consciously in the new book.

6. What is one of the nicest compliments that you have ever received about your book(s)?

"I read it in one sitting." Since it took a year and three months to write, I am amazed and flattered when someone tells me they zipped through it.

7. Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?

I was actually very disappointed with the cover at first. I was under the false impression that I had a say in the cover. I suggested a few ideas and then showed them a piece of art I saw at the Venice Art Walk. They were all received with a lukewarm attitude. Once day I got an email titled, "Cover!!!!!!" There were so many exclamation points that I knew I was in trouble. When the cover downloaded, I broke out in tears. A girl blowing bubbles was NOT how I saw my cover. Who was that girl, anyway? Why was she blowing bubbles? After calming down, I phoned the editor and explained my dismay. They made some compromises, like removing the almost-exposed breast and some other things that irked me. Clearly I have not made peace with the cover yet, however, I do think it pops and people have told me that they bought the book BECAUSE of the cover, so I'm humbled by that.

8. What do you love most about this book?

I appreciate this question because I feel a little weird loving it so much. I feel genuinely tender toward my characters and feel very disconnected to the fact that I created them. I appreciate their personalities and foibles. Every time I reread the book, I enjoy going on the journey with them all over again. When I was writing the book I had that swoony feeling of romantic love. I couldn't stop thinking about it, I bumped into things all the time, etc. I've never told anyone this before!

9. What's the most surprising thing that has happened to you on your publishing journey? Have you learnt things about the industry you never knew before?

I was invited to speak at the Carmel Authors and Ideas Festival. There is a famous food writer named Melissa Clark who writes for the NY Times and I was sure they meant to invite her. I wined and dined with the likes of Frank McCourt and Elizabeth Edwards. I gave a talk during which I explained that I thought they invited the wrong Melissa Clark. The audience thought it was hysterical. They were cracking up, but I was really venting my insecurity. The head of the program came up to me after the reading and said it was great, but never assured me... a few months later a friend, after hearing that story, told me she knew the other Melissa Clark - they had been in a wedding together - and gave me her email. I wrote about that experience and she replied, "That's okay, everyone thinks I wrote the lazy sperm book."

10. Who was the first person you told when you got The Call announcing you'd sold your first novel?

I have a crazy publishing story, which is far too long to explain here, but the short of it is that I knew through a third party that an editor was going to call me and make an offer. I had been talking to my parents along the way, when it was going to happen, but hadn't yet. As I said earlier, my dad is a writer, so he was giving me advice, etc. When the editor finally called, I had to pretend I knew NOTHING. It was the best and only acting job of my life. When we finally hung up I phoned my parents and simply said, "She called," and then we all broke out screaming.

11. Writers are usually big readers too. How do you make time for reading and what are you reading at the moment?

I'm reading "Bright, Shiny Morning" by James Frey and "Veronica" by Mary Gaitskill. A reader reads, just as a writer writes. You somehow find the time.

12. What's next for you?

I JUST completed a draft of a new novel, "Imperfect". It is another medical anomaly type of story, but very different than "Swimming..." This one is more of a coming-of-age story. I sent it to my agent last week and am now on pins and needles waiting for her response.

Labels: Interview

I couldn't stop laughing.

I heart xkcd

Labels: humor, xkcd

Sinful AKA The Next Historical, is done. Emailed to my editor.

Huzzah!!

Tomorrow I'm going to get a pedicure and a massage.

I will resume more regular blogging soon.

Labels: Sinful, The Next Historical, writing freaking writing

Sinful is pretty much done.

I rewrote my last chapter, finished the major tweaks on the back half and now all that's left is some critique stuff, and deletion of very, pretty, words ending in ly, ing and the like and any last minute panicking that may come up between now and Sunday evening.



Photo by Amodiovalerio Verde

Labels: polishing, The fork is out, writing freaking writing

Yup. Down to the Wire. But the fork will be out soon. Standby for that. There will be a wild celebration after that. Which is, admittedly, not quite yet.

In the meantime three pictures I took today when I was out with the camera and said, gee, I wonder what that button does? Oh.

Sterling Silver Rose

Sterling Silver Rose Again

Snowbells

I actually kind of hate this flower for some reason, even though it's pretty. Shrug. It's cute. And I don't like it.

Labels: pretty pictures, writing freaking writing

Things are going reasonably well. Making progress. It occurs to me I haven't even posted chapter one. I'll have to do that. Later.

Meanwhile, more pictures to entertain you. This one is from last month:

Yellow Rose

Red Rose

This one is from October. I think the gopher got this rosebush shortly afterward. Frown. There are now two rosebushes to replace.

Labels: pretty pictures, writing freaking writing

Deleted 1500+ words today. Sigh. Still, progress is being made, seriously.

Pics to distract you:

Golden Iris

Even prettier in real life. This is from last May.

A purple Iris

From last April.

Back to work.

Labels: pretty pictures, The Next Historical, writing freaking writing

Still writing, freaking writing.

Also, The Next Historical will, I believe, officially be titled Sinful but that's not official yet. It is, however, more official than The Next Historical.

Here's another pic to look at while I'm busy:



Obviously, I have much more practice in order with respect to raindrops on roses. But still. It's pretty.

Back to work.

Labels: pretty pictures, The Next Historical, writing freaking writing

Still alive.

Still working madly.

Here's another picture to look at:



Back to work.

Labels: pretty pictures, writing freaking writing

Today I've got an interview with the terrific Malena Lott, author of Dating da Vinci.

About the Author

Malena Lott writes humorous and heartfelt mainstream women's fiction novels. With national speaking experience, she is a brand and marketing consultant and facilitates personal and professional development workshops for women. Dating da Vinci is Malena Lott's second novel. Lott is a married mother of three and resides in Oklahoma. Lott invites you to her web site where she has posted cooking videos, contests and an excerpt of the first chapter: www.malenalott.com.

The Interview

Give us the premise of your book in 2-3 sentences.

Dating da Vinci is a Texas-based Under the Tuscan Sun meets How Stella Got Her Groove Back. A young widow, 36-year-old Ramona Griffen, searches for joy with the help of a handsome younger Italian immigrant named Leonardo da Vinci. Her humorous and heartwarming journey takes her on some unexpected adventures of body, mind and spirit as she learns to let go of her grief to make room for a wholly new life.

How did you get the title of your book?

The title came pretty quickly, early on. I love alliteration and really wanted to incorporate da Vinci since he's the catalyst that starts Ramona's renaissance. Since publishers have final say, I don't get too attached to my working title, though. I do like getting credit for this one, though! Of course the book isn't just about da Vinci and romance is only a part of the story, but I think it's catchy and hopefully it will catch people's eye to learn more about the book.

What pulled you into this story, and as a writer made you think I have to write this What do you consider the heart of your story?

Women, especially mothers, tend to put themselves last on the list. I wanted to share the story of someone who has lost the love of her life and has focused on just "getting by" each day, but is ready to find a way to be joyful again, even through the pain. The heart of the story really is, is there love after death, and the courage it takes to not only survive but to build a great life again.

How do you come up with the names for your characters?

I spend a great deal of time with character names, even when I snatch them from real life. I used a lot of word play in Dating da Vinci. For Ramona Elise Griffen, you can pull "Mona Lisa" and "Grief" from her name. Leonardo is of course named after the real da Vinci and shares a lot of common traits with the genius. Pretty much all the characters have meanings in their names since Ramona is a linguist and it fits with the theme of the book.


How do you go about choosing a setting for your novel? Does it, like New York in Sex and the City, almost play the part of another character in the book, or could the plot be transported to another setting and work?

Picking the setting is one of my favorite parts of brainstorming upfront, because I do think it's so important. I selected Austin, Texas as the setting for Dating da Vinci because I wanted a college town and Austin is the home of UT (rival to my beloved Sooners), because I needed Leonardo da Vinci to be in America on a student visa and Ramona is finishing her Ph.D. And I've actually been there several times, so that helps, too.

What would you change about your life if you became the next Sophie Kinsella?

After hiring the cook, the nanny and the housekeeper, I guess I'd start interviewing stylists and personal shoppers (loathe grocery shopping.) No, seriously, I don't think much about my life would change except that I wouldn't get "that look" from my darling husband when I've gone on a shopping spree and I'd get to vacation more and feel good that my kids can go to college easily and perhaps not have to work as much as I did. *Not* that I'm complaining. On second thought, maybe I would spring for the housekeeper. Loathe laundry nearly as much as grocery shopping. That reminds me, that load needs to be changed out. Be back in a sec.

Any tried and true tricks for beating procrastination?

I have to say, I'm pretty lucky. Hugh (Jackman) typically promises a shirtless steak dinner (him, not me) if I meet my word count goal. If that's not enough motivation, Brad's aromatherapy massages usually get me in the mood, though sad to say, it's not for writing. Heck, usually my imagination can trick me into getting back on the laptop to write away into the sunrise. Like, "finish this and you'll be as famous as Sophie Kinsella and you'll never have to buy groceries again and you can spend all your time lounging on the beaches drinking frozen Flirtinis!" I'm so easy.


If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?

I did envision the book as a movie as I was writing it. It helps if you can find actors that you can draw from. I imagine Kate Winslet (in her plumper roles) as Ramona, a sexy unknown Italian for da Vinci, Greg Kinnear for handsome, charming doctor Cortland, Jane Krakowski for her egotistical sister, and Sandra Oh for her best friend Anh. I'd only want a bit part. Perhaps the barista at Starbucks? Or be the bed salesperson when Ramona is shopping to replace her marital bed Lumpy. (I do a mean rolling of the eyes.)

Do you have a sample chapter posted?
You can read the first chapter at www.malenalott.com

What is your author fantasy?

Writers already have active imaginations, so this one is a no brainer. Vision board, here I come! Hit the top 10 of the New York Times bestseller list, have a long line waiting for me when I arrive for book signings, have my books optioned for films that actually get made and made well, and a few national TV appearances to boot. TODAY show, The View, Oprah, you know. Just the small stuff, you know? Not that I've given any of this much thought. Not a bit.

What is a typical writing day like for you?

Kiss the older kids goodbye for school. Coffee next, with sugar and peppermint mocha creamer. Take my laptop upstairs to the playroom while my toddler still sleeps as synapses start firing. Re-read the last chapter I wrote the day before, however short or long that might be. Only slight modification, no re-writing, yet. First half of first cup of coffee is drunk, so now can dig in to actual words on page. Write until I hear my toddler yell my name. If he did not wet the bed (yea!) it's downstairs for cereal and a cartoon while he eats. Second cup of joe for me. When he's done, he usually wants to play games on the computer for about an hour, so I get at least a chapter written if I didn't stop to look up some research fact online. (I can't wait; I'm impatient.) Then I'll usually close things down for my fiction writing and work on any marketing consulting work here and there throughout the day when I'm not playing with my toddler or running errands before it's time for the older kids to get home from school. Get on laptop again in the evening, but usually only for marketing Dating da Vinci type of work.

Do you pay attention to book reviews? If so, has there been any particular review that made your heart do a little dance?

I use Google Alerts so I'm kind of like Santa. I know when people have said naughty or nice things about my book! Fortunately, reviewers have enjoyed Dating da Vinci, so that's a thrill when you click that link and get to read what people are saying about your "baby." I've selected some of my favorite quotes on www.malenalott.com.

What They're Saying

Malena Lott brings a tale of love, longing and la dolce vita!

Malena Lott's charming, heartfelt novelwill have you cheering bravissimo as Mona Lisa experiences her own Renaissance, courtesy of one very hot Leonardo da Vinci.
-- Award-Winning author Jenny Gardiner, Sleeping with Ward Cleaver

Ramona Elise is in a rut- a 36-year-old widowed mother of two, she can't seem to find what make her truly happy in life. Making sure her kids are happy isn't the hard part; Ramona's looking for the passion she lost two years ago when she lost her husband and her world turned upside down. When a handsome Italian immigrant walks into her English class, Ramona never expects to find la dolce vita (the sweet life) in a younger man--or in her self!

Come experience a renaissance to love and life as Sourcebooks Casablanca presents the heartwarming novel Dating da Vinci by Malena Lott (ISBN: 9781402213939; Fiction; $12.95 US/$13.99 CAN/6.99 UK; November 2008).

Written smartly...satisfying and uplifting.
-- Publishers Weekly

This book was an extremely well written story that captivated me from the very beginning. I fell in love with the characters and Ramona's journey I will definitely be reading more by Ms. Lott.
-- The Book Binge

"Finding herself on a new path wildly different than the one she envisioned with [her husband,] Joel," comments BookList's Annie McCormack, "Ramona Elise (or Mona Lisa, as da Vinci calls her) learns to open her heart to new possibilities in order to find la dolce vita in Lott's delightfully affirming romance."

. . .a Texas-based hybrid of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Under the Tuscan Sun. Happily, Lott takes her story in several surprising directions: she throws some serious curve balls in her wise-in-the-ways-of-love Italian stereotype, and Ramona, in a refreshing plot twist, discovers that some of her carefully nursed unhappiness was the product of her own insecurities. . . it's thoughtful, heartfelt, and undeniably engaging.
-- Word Candy

By facing the suspicions of her late husband's infidelity, and coming to terms with the fact that love never truly dies it is just passed on Ramona paves a path to a new romance and outlook, straight to la dolce vita! This is a heartfelt, well written account of a woman's search for self after losing her husband. Malena Lott is a skilled writer and I look forward to reading more from her.
-- RomanceReaderatHeart.com

Carolyn says, check it out!

Labels: Authors, Interview

Hi. Still writing. There is hope for this.

Here's a picture I took for you to admire or whatever while I'm busy.



I can see already the blogger pic doesn't show the awesomeness of my new macro lens.

So here is a link to the photo on Flickr so you can check out the dewdrops just balancing there on the rose petals.

Back to work.

Labels: writing freaking writing