Pocket Forest's B-Day!

This calls for a metaphor.

Yesterday, my book b-day, was like a whirlwind. Or rather, a massive, apocalyptic storm. I had front row seats, drinking a mint julep and taking pictures, while Deathless Press frantically boarded up the shop.

And why would I use that metaphor?

Tis true. Late Thursday night, when I received an email from Deathless Press about the books' imminent release, I stayed up late and started spreading the word. A few good friends kept me awake past my self-prescribed bedtime. By Friday morning, I woke tired, but practically electric with anticipation. If I could have worn a party hat to work, I would have (so I'm opting for hanging a hat on today's banner instead).

In my past blog posts, I've said that Deathless Press makes handmade one-of-a-kind books. You can tell that a lot of love has gone into making each one. Reading the Spring 2013 books had been a real treat and I was so excited about having Deathless Press as the publisher of my first book.

POCKET FOREST shares a birthday with two more Deathless Press originals: CATSKIN by Sylvia Linstead and THROW DOWN YOU HAIR AND THEN YOURSELF by A. A. Balaskovits.

I ordered both books. Can't wait to read them!

So, while I was at my day job, I couldn't help but check Deathless Press's Etsy shop, where the books are being sold. And it seemed as if the amount of copies dwindled whenever I refreshed the page. By midday on Friday, the last copy sold - and Deathless Press and I emailed back in forth, wondering what do to! It's a good kind of problem, haha.

To Those Who Didn't Get A Copy Yet:

The first edition of POCKET FOREST may be sold out, but there is more on the way. Deathless Press announced that my book will be back in stock on September 1st. Keeping in mind that each book is handmade, I highly suggest that you contact Deathless Press with your interest to make sure you get a copy when the next batch comes in.

Email editor [at] deathlesspress.com to be notified of availability. 

Where do you go to buy a copy? Deathless Press only sells books through Etsy - and there are so many ways to get to the shop. A simple Google search will get you there. I've also included a link on the side bar of my blog (you can also click on the cover on my Books page) and on the Goodreads page.

Hang in there!

While you wait, you can take a peek at the book! A small teaser of POCKET FOREST is available to read exclusively on Figment.com. Hopefully this will hold you over... (or make you more eager for a copy, mwahaha).

To Those of You Who Did Get a Copy:

Congratulations! *tosses confetti*

In order to have snagged a copy, you must have quick reflexes, haha. I can't wait for your copy to arrive. Harriet and Stig's story has existed for quite some time and I'm thrilled that you'll now have the chance to read about them.

On my Books page here on the blog, I've posted a playlist to go along with POCKET FOREST. These were the songs I listened to while writing the manuscript. I arranged them in narrative order too, so you could almost do a read-along if you want, haha.

There's also a link to the POCKET FOREST Pinterest board, so you can check out some inspiring images.

Once you've read the book, please take the time to leave a review. Whether you love the book or think it's drivel, I'd be incredibly grateful if you share your opinion. The best place to do this is on Goodreads.com. If you don't already have an account, you really should make one. It's a great way to keep track of the books you read, check out reviews of books you plan to read, and stay connected to the going-ons of the book world.

Click on the grungy Polaroid to go to Goodread's POCKET FOREST page.

 

I've also got some fun games in the works, but more on that later. For now, keep watching your mailboxes. POCKET FOREST will be arriving soon :D

It's an Update, Old Sport!

Ack! It's been entirely too long since I last blogged. July ended with a whimper; I barely knew that the month had changed until August's extreme heat finally hit. Everyone's getting ready for a new school year. My MFA friends finishing their last years are preparing to teach new sets of students. Theses need to get written. And I'm out of school. Done. Fin.

I feel like an explorer reporting back to academia. "It's strange out here," I'd shout into my walkie-talkie. "The sky's brighter, but I don't have a way to measure my life now."

Which is true. No more essays, pop quizzes, workshops, final exams. No more measuring sticks. It's freeing in the kind of way learning to fly for the first time must be for baby birds. A scary, exhilarating free fall.

Still, things haven't changed too much. So here's an update on what's been going on between the last post and now.

If you've been keeping up with my Twitter, you've probably noticed the steady influx of Gatsby nonsense. I've always enjoyed The Great Gatsby, but I guess the DVD release of the new movie has gotten me excited about it again. I've reread the book, gushing over some incredible lines I didn't notice the first time around. I also rewatched the Robert Redford version (fun) and started the Toby Stephens one (but I'm having a hard time, because I think that Stephens is too adorable to pull off Gatsby).

Meanwhile, I seem to be the only one half in love with the little book right now. My coworkers are like:

And I'm like:

Writing-wise, I've been busy with projects, as usual. After wrestling with Tread Softly for a long time, I've finally finished the complete draft. Right now, I'm going through each chapter one more time, fixing issues that some of my Figment readers have pointed out. It's been a lot of fun revising the chapters now that Merry and Hue's journey is complete. Have you been checking your mirrors at home for ensnared boys? Just asking! 

Speaking of Figment, I might as well say here that I will be taking down TS when my revision is done. I found a great press to query. Also, I will be taking Olivia down - but not because I've magically finished it. Far from it. My Toads & Diamonds retelling has stalled and I'm not sure what to do with it for now. A new setting may be in order (but don't worry - Ernie, Grendel, and the gang will still be there).

So, with TS and Olivia on their way out, it sounds like my Figment page will be barren. Well, never fear. 

my evil writer smirk

I will be back to writing Boys & Bees. Lorabeth is showing up in my daydreams, begging to get on with her story. You can imagine how tough that call is to ignore, considering her ability to control bees. 

My brain's stuffed with ideas for a new project too. I'm trying to stay focused on one project at a time, but I'm also eager to share a new story with Figment. So many things to look forward to. 

And then there's Pocket Forest. Only a few days ago, I received word from Goodreads that I was clear to have an author profile. It feels very surreal. I've been filling in the Pocket Forest page with information as I've been getting it from my editor. When she sent me the proof to look over, I pretty much had this reaction:

The book's innards look great. I got a little choked up when I saw it (and then wiped my eyes so I could hunt for typos). 

OH. And one more thing. I want to thank you (my lovely readers) for leaving wonderful comments about Birdcage Girl; your support means a lot to me as I continue to query. My feelings about the agent search are clear. Just replace "senpai" with "agent."

Publication News: Pocket Forest!

Guys, I have a job. I've been scuttling through security doors, arranging and rearranging the pens on my desk, and becoming engrossed in projects. There's even a break area with a hot water machine! Be still my tea-loving heart.

I'm still adjusting to having a full schedule and making the most of my time once I'm home. And despite all this excitement, there's something even more wonderful I'm about to share.

Come September, my chapbook, Pocket Forest, is going to be published.

The publisher is Deathless Press, focused on spreading the fairy tale love with handmade chapbooks. You may remember that I wrote a review about the first three books back in May; check it out to get a feel for the kinds of chapbooks Deathless Press publishes.

Pocket Forest will be sold through Etsy with a limited number of copies for the first print run. Get 'em while they're hot!

So what is Pocket Forest about, anyway?

Weeeeeell...

There's a terrible boarding school, ghostly hunting dogs, trains, themed cafes, photographs, mori girl fashion, city life, death, rubies, stealing, a porcelain deer, and a girl who dreams of exploring the forest while a boy tries desperately to escape it.

In anticipation of Pocket Forest's upcoming release, I'll be working on posting some fun stuff, including a Pinterest board, playlist, and site.

I can't wait for you guys to read this chapbook!

Reading Machine

Ever had that moment when you come home with  new book swaddled inside a plastic bag, begging for a prime spot on your bookshelf... and then you stare in horror as the packed shelves, some even piled up with books squished between each other? Yep, that's me.

I know I've mentioned my lack of shelf space before, but summer's a great time to make a dent in your reading list - and donate whatever books don't meet your fancy.

If anyone's keeping tabs on my Goodreads account, you'll see that I've been serious about reading and clearing space on my bookshelves. I feel like I'm holding a new book every day, sniffing the pages and admiring the fonts. After writing for so hard and long in grad school, it's been a wonderful experience to put reading first for a while, allowing myself to explore other enchanting and dangerous worlds, fall in love with dashing boys, and cheer on smart, brave heroines.

But with a lot of reading comes the (often hilarious) hazards. Especially when you're adopting new books while clearing out the old ones.

I tweeted about this a few days ago, but I had a funny experience at a local store that sells used books. After scanning their dusty shelves, I found five books that I'd either been meaning to take out of the library (for years... yeah, I'm lazy) or that I've pined for my own copy of.

So I gathered these books up, stood in line, and met a big non-reader manning the cash register.

I put my books down and fished through my wallet for some dollars. And the lady working the register looked at my books with a mixture on confusion and disgust.

Cashier: "What are you gonna do with these?"
Me:...
Me:...
Me...
Me: ... read them.

What. For a second there, my brain stalled and wondered what exactly you could use a book for besides reading. I've heard of people (surely mustache-twirling villains) who tear up books for craft projects. If you're buying books to give to other people for gifts, that's surely good, though the books will eventually be read - if not by you, then by someone else.

My stunned response must have sparked something in her. The cashier started studying my books, examining each cover. Among the other books, I had found a baby names book. I already have one, and in a pinch, am guilty of using online databases when I'm not near my bookshelf. However, it's been years since I got a new baby names book, so I chose this one (get ready for future awesomely-named characters, guys). She picked up the baby names book, looked pointedly at my stomach, and asked me why I was buying it.

Did that just happen? My stomach is as flat as a board (Thank you, Wii Fit Plus), so her confusion only mounted.

Me: I'm a writer. I need this book to find names for my characters.
Cashier: ... *raises eyebrow*
Me: ...
Cashier:...
Me: ...
Cashier... that'll be $8.03

I left the store feeling a little shaken, a laugh bubbling up in my throat. As much as people talk about the loss of readers these days, I've never really believed it. Everyone reads something - even if it's just Sports Illustrated or the back of a cereal box - and every once in a while a book will come along that they'll want to bring home. It happens. My aunt reads only best sellers. My dad browses business books an biographies. But I haven't met a real non-reader in a long time. It's like meeting an alien from another planet.

So here I am, trying to read a book a day, and squeezing in writing time when I can. I've been utterly delighted by some of these books, while others had won my heart until they gutted it on the very last page (the WORST!). With each page I read, I feel more refreshed, and the blank document that blinks its ugly one-eyed cursor at me becomes friendly and a little playful.

I may not have traveled to England this summer, but I've been a great many magical places via my bursting bookcase.

What I Learned From Being a Fiction Editor

Drinking tea is becoming a serious habit for me. I've been steadily going through my hoard of mostly unused spice and fruit teas, staining my mugs and floating away in the hazy afterglow of sugar and murk. Have I drunk enough tea to fill an ocean? Maybe. But then, a curious thing happens when you develop a habit like this: you start caring about what you're drinking your tea in.

Which leads me to a discovery and a serious case of nostalgia.

My former graduate professor, John Henry Fleming, gifted both past and present Saw Palm staffers with fantastic mugs. I hadn't used mine until now; it spent the beginning of the summer on a high shelf with other lonely mugs. With all the tea drinking, I finally made it up there - and seeing the glossy literary journal cover on the mug brought back a flood of memories.

I have been a fiction editor (twice!). And I'd like to think that I learned a few things along the way.

When you're a writer, you know that one of the first steps in getting published is to make those opportunities happen, usually by submitting your short stories or poetry to literary magazines. You'll find some amazing journals and mags along the way, some you may even subscribe to in order to devour the stories inside. You'll also accumulate a healthy amount of rejections. Don't eat too much ice cream when you get them - and don't be so quick to rage against the editors who sent them to you.

Rejection letters sting, no matter how long you've been writing, but what helps me get past them is remembering my time on the other side.  

When I was a freshman, I joined my college's literary journal, Cantilevers: Journal of the Arts, as a wet behind the ears staff member. The following year, I became the one and only literary editor. My duties included collecting and organizing all fiction and poetry submissions for the journal, developing an evaluation system (this was before Submittable existed, mind you) for choosing what pieces go in, and writing up rejection and acceptance letters. If an argument broke out over a piece, it was my job to be the deciding vote (though, more often than not, I rather left it up to our adviser. She was much better at that). Since we were a small organization, I also worked closely with the Art Editor and Managing Editor.

In graduate school, I served on a team of fiction editors for Saw Palm, the graduate literary journal that focuses on publishing Florida-specific prose, poetry, and art. The best part about this experience was being part of a large, reliable staff where everyone worked together to produce the new issue; although there was much work to be done, having more people on staff than my undergraduate experience made the work fun (and manageable). For us fiction editors, Submittable was our best friend; the site made it easy for us to make decisions about each submission and share them while balancing crazy grad schedules, haha.

Check out these lovely covers!

It's hard to sum up the eye-burning hours of writing and printing rejection / acceptance letters (and licking the envelopes), evening pizza parties, developing grammar pet peeves, and learning when exactly, by the clock, my patience runs out. But I can think of three:

1) Formatting Matters. Nothing physically hurts the eyes (brain) more than opening up a submission and finding the rules of writing physics forgotten. No indented paragraphs. Comic Sans font. Dialogue punctuation? Nonexistent. No matter how seriously you take your job as fiction editor, it's almost impossible to keep your cool when you find one of these stories. Even more so, it's harder to read past the first paragraph. I told my students this all the time: make sure you edit your stories before submitting. If you don't understand formatting, simply open up any book the universe and observe. You'll be glad you did.

2) Learn to Compromise. Part of the challenge of being a fiction editor is that, obviously, you're not the only person deciding what pieces are going in the next issue. There's usually co-editors, or regular staffers, or higher up editors with enough time to look over your shoulder. Whether you get together in person or communicate over the Internet, there's going to be a clashing of opinions. You may think that the story about a talking palm tree should be accepted, but Beth thinks that it's cliche. Staffers take sides. Many a meeting turned into a courtroom, editors battling it out with clever words and heating arguments. If you feel strongly about a piece, stand up for it - but be ready to defend your position. As a writer, know that the decision to reject or accept your piece isn't easy; yours may have been one that was debated over (and congrats to that!).

3) Pizza Parties. Or rather, having some fun. A lot of work and money go into creating an issue of a literary magazine. When you're a staffer, certain times of the year get clogged with work and it's hard to remember that the people you work with are your friends. Saw Palm was really great at maintaining that balance; we told jokes during meetings and held events that kept us excited about the upcoming issue. On Cantilevers, the other editors and I lightening the mood whenever we could - especially after keeping the staff in a classroom, evaluating submissions for eight straight hours (anyone would get a little punchy...). Sometimes, even the best of us needed to be reminded about why we were here: our love of words and art brought us together and we're here to promote the talented writers, poets, and artists that grace us with their submissions. Pizza parties don't hurt.

Question Time! Dear readers, have you ever been a staffer / editor on a literary magazine? Newspaper? Yearbook? What advice might you add?