Leaving them behind

I am deep in the middle of my novel-in-progress, What He Left Behind, which means I have finally found a way to let the characters of TIWIWTTY go and spend time with some new characters in my head. On the page. It is exhilarating to be in a new book but, there is something devastating about leaving characters behind, not knowing where they ended up. I recently read a really wonderful book of poems called The Pajamaist by Matthew Zapruder. There is a series in here called 'Twenty Poems for Noelle' and I find such solace in reading them. I imagine this is *my* Noelle, a little bit grown up, and now I know where she is. I find relief in knowing that she is okay, that someone else loved her with the same sort of desperate sadness that she loved Parker. Is that silly? It does make me feel better. Here is one poem for Noelle, according to Matthew Zapruder.

Night, one hears sounds
under the pavement,
something is always
being repaired, under
the red painted table
that Aztec Camera
tape lies where it fell,
its label with drawings
in pencil of little flowers,
Noelle were you ever cool,
that is aware that somehow
not to be aware is the only
lasting form of awareness,
you live in Brooklyn,
a green hexagon
floats above your head, now
everyone sees it, my problem
is I would like to be there
some kind of preferably
gentle sorting without me.

Debut Author Extravaganza

Last weekend authors, booksellers, writers, book lovers descended upon new York for the annual Book Expo America (fondly known as BEA). I did not take part in the festivities... mostly because I was still trying to recover from sleep lost at a beautiful Roman wedding and a New England tour of colleges, complete with three charter buses and 150 16 year olds (these are stories for another time). I did, however, get to have lunch with fellow debut authors Shani Petroff and Megan Crewe and it was perfect to come home to New York for eggs and bacon with some of the debut authors who have made this year what it is... and SPEAKING of debut authors. Here are four more to add to your list.


This cover rocks and Sarah Cross is quite amazing and Dull Boy, I know, is the next big thing in boy superheroes. Buy it here.

1. For Dull Boy it was a lot of green tea & chocolate. Other necessary fuel: good books & comics to stay inspired, and lots of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance sessions. ( http://marvelultimatealliance.marvel.com/#/Home/ ) Destroying digital barrels while you pretend to be Wolverine is good for the soul.
2. I actually posted a Dull Boy playlist here: http://sarahcross.livejournal.com/9066.html
Top picks: "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath, "It's not my time" by 3 Doors Down, and "Umbrella" (any version will do).
3. Open, well lit, somewhat quiet, not freezing.
4. My general rule with secondary characters is to remember that *this* character could be someone's favorite. So I never want to give the secondary characters short shrift; I want them to be just as essential and interesting as the main character. They all have something at stake, too.
5. Stalk my book until I finally see it in the wild. And then maybe get ice cream.



Since she is already a New York Times Bestseller, Aprilynne Pike may need no introduction here. But there are still some things you may not know about her! Buy her book here.

1. What is your preferred writing brain food?
Has everyone else said chocolate already? How about salt and vinegar potato chips.:)
2. What is the soundtrack to your debut novel?
My children playing (and hopefully not screaming) in the back ground. I rarely listen to music while I write because I find myself typing the lyrics. LOL! I have, however, been listening to the Broadway musical Wicked a lot lately and find it very inspiring.
3. Describe your perfect writing space.
Comfy chair, nice light-colored desk, one cup of tea and one can of diet root beer at one hand, and a snack at the other. The door is closed and the overhead fan is one, giving me a nice light breeze. Mmmmmm . . . .
4. Tell us about one of the secondary characters in your debut novel. How did he/she come to life?
I have this secondary character named Chelsea and when I first started writing her I gave her the quirk of basically being very blunt and saying whatever came into her head. This was so fun and refreshing that in every scene I wrote with her it was like, "Hmmm, what would Chelsea say about this or that." And it became almost like a game. And now she is the character that som many of my readers relate to.
5. What did/will you do on your launch day?
I was on tour on my launch day so I didn't really have much control over my schedule, but I did go over to the Borders across from my hotel and saw my very first floor display! I also had a very lovely dessert at dinner that night!
Thanks!!!



I haven't read this one yet, but I can't wait to. Not only beacuse I've heard amazing things about it, but also because C. Lee Mackenzie is the kind of writing whose generosity and warmth makes you want to just know more about her.


Danielle Joseph and I are Flux-mates. But her first book, Shrinking Violet, came out with MTV this spring, joining the world just about the same time as her beautiful new daughter.

1. What is your preferred writing brain food?
Gimme chocolate!
2. What is the soundtrack to your debut novel?
I have a play list up on my web site, check it out, www.daniellejoseph.com
3. Describe your perfect writing space.
My office when it is very clean or my laptop on the coffee table in the family room.
4. Tell us about one of the secondary characters in your debut novel. How did he/she come to life? Audrey is Tere's best friend. She came to life early on because everyone needs a loyal best friend that you can just be yuorself with.
5. What did/will you do on your launch day? I plan to go to my local Borders and wave to my book on the shelf. It better be there:)!

This Is What I'm thinking about right now

lying on this beach and writing stories in a notebook. With a pen.

Summer here I come.