Just a quick follow-up to my earlier post this week. I've narrowed the field to three, and one of those three has officially Caught Fire. Which is good, because I feel like somebody tripped my lead horse--my wife brought home some new YA books from home and one of them had a first chapter that had some eerie similarities to events in my first chapter! Not cool, not cool at all. I was fifty pages into that horse! The writers' story and mine veer sharply from the openings, but I think I'm putting that horse out to pasture all the same. Or maybe I'll just cut it loose to run with the wild mustangs in Oklahoma (I recently watched Hidalgo, which might explain all the equine rambles I'm having lately). If it truly loves me, it will come back. Or not.
Ours is still an abundant universe...
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Ours is an Abundant Universe
OK, no trips to foreign lands or exotic meals on the calendar this week. This week it's nothing but writing. Work, work, work.
Yay!
I'm endlessly fascinated by different writers' approaches to the process of writing fiction. I devour writers' memoirs, notes, and "how to" books by the score, and I know this is an essential part of refining my own process. Looking at what has worked for others, I experiment and figure out what works for me.
For instance: I've always worked on multiple projects at once. Usually two or three ideas at once, I'd go back and forth between them, sometimes quitting mid-page on the first to pick up where I left off on the second when I was starting to feel stale. And so I'll go, as though riding multiple horses in a race, until one of those horses catches fire and I've got to take it,now, over the finish line.
Yesterday I took inventory of the various novel ideas that I'd been working on, off and on, lately. There were eight of them, not including the new one that if floating around the offices at Hyperion. Eight! Was this a race, or a round-up?
Eight novels in various stages of completion. And I like all of them. I don't think there's a runt in the litter. Some of my literary heroes, like Shirley Jackson, did not write eight novels in their entire careers.
I spent some time yesterday corraling those horses, because I don't think I can effectively run a race that large. I also wanted to make sure I had enough down on paper, character descriptions, notes, etc., so that if I did have to stable a horse I'd be able to hit the track at a gallop with it when it was the proper time.
Taking stock, I found out I had no saddle for one, no shoes for another, and one needed a good rub down and a rest. Some of the others, though, were chomping at the bit and ready to run.
I can't predict which is going to reach the finish line first. I haven't even narrowed the field to three yet. Regardless, I'm looking forward to the race!
Yay!
I'm endlessly fascinated by different writers' approaches to the process of writing fiction. I devour writers' memoirs, notes, and "how to" books by the score, and I know this is an essential part of refining my own process. Looking at what has worked for others, I experiment and figure out what works for me.
For instance: I've always worked on multiple projects at once. Usually two or three ideas at once, I'd go back and forth between them, sometimes quitting mid-page on the first to pick up where I left off on the second when I was starting to feel stale. And so I'll go, as though riding multiple horses in a race, until one of those horses catches fire and I've got to take it,now, over the finish line.
Yesterday I took inventory of the various novel ideas that I'd been working on, off and on, lately. There were eight of them, not including the new one that if floating around the offices at Hyperion. Eight! Was this a race, or a round-up?
Eight novels in various stages of completion. And I like all of them. I don't think there's a runt in the litter. Some of my literary heroes, like Shirley Jackson, did not write eight novels in their entire careers.
I spent some time yesterday corraling those horses, because I don't think I can effectively run a race that large. I also wanted to make sure I had enough down on paper, character descriptions, notes, etc., so that if I did have to stable a horse I'd be able to hit the track at a gallop with it when it was the proper time.
Taking stock, I found out I had no saddle for one, no shoes for another, and one needed a good rub down and a rest. Some of the others, though, were chomping at the bit and ready to run.
I can't predict which is going to reach the finish line first. I haven't even narrowed the field to three yet. Regardless, I'm looking forward to the race!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Back in the New York Groove
The wild and wooly pre-pub tour continues...
I love New York City. I love taking the train from New Haven to Grand Central Station. I love walking in cities, and yesterday was a rare January day custom made for walking, so I walked to the Hyperion offices and got to meet all of the great people I'd previously known only through email and their work.
We had lunch(mmmm, lunch)with some folks from Barnes and Noble, and they were a very sharp group of witty, charming people and a great time was had by all, especially when the cookies (mmm, cookies) came along with tiny glasses of hot chocolate, compliments of the chef. I am not exaggerating when I say it was the finest tiny cup of hot chocolate I have ever had, and it was the perfect compliment to the pistachio biscotti (mmm, pistachio biscotti).
On the trip home, I wrote and looked out the window, but not at the same time. I made it home in time for my daughter's basketball game, which they won.
Mmmm, victory.
I love New York City. I love taking the train from New Haven to Grand Central Station. I love walking in cities, and yesterday was a rare January day custom made for walking, so I walked to the Hyperion offices and got to meet all of the great people I'd previously known only through email and their work.
We had lunch(mmmm, lunch)with some folks from Barnes and Noble, and they were a very sharp group of witty, charming people and a great time was had by all, especially when the cookies (mmm, cookies) came along with tiny glasses of hot chocolate, compliments of the chef. I am not exaggerating when I say it was the finest tiny cup of hot chocolate I have ever had, and it was the perfect compliment to the pistachio biscotti (mmm, pistachio biscotti).
On the trip home, I wrote and looked out the window, but not at the same time. I made it home in time for my daughter's basketball game, which they won.
Mmmm, victory.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Best Signing, Ever
The author reception at the ABA Winter Institute was pretty amazing. Jenn, E. and I got there a little early. Tables topped and skirted in black fabric ran in a large "U" around the room, where 37 other writers and I would commence signing. I was at table #7 with E., and there were little signs with out names, photos, and book covers on standees, and there was a large pile of my books on the table. It was very hard not to, in the words of my good friend, the writer Rick Koster, "wax cornescent" about the sight.
I was nervous that my pile of books would go unsigned and that folks would have no room in their suitcases once they scarfed the books from people like Augusten Burroughs, Tobias Wolff, Andre Dubus III, and Ethan Canin, but luckily E. was a huge draw. Within moments E. had a deep line, and was very kindly referring her fans over to me. It felt like I'd signed a lot of books by the end of the night.
I did have the coolest book signing experience ever when a bookseller named Jen came over to my table with a copy of the arc in hand. The book's cover had been ripped off, and the pages and binding were swelled and stained as though she'd dug the book out of a nearby swamp. Jen told me that she loved the book and had dropped it in the tub, hence its tattered condition, but she still wanted mne to sign it. That was definitely my happiest moment in a trip filled with happiness--signing a zombie version of my zombie book!
I hope it fits in on her bookshelf...
I was nervous that my pile of books would go unsigned and that folks would have no room in their suitcases once they scarfed the books from people like Augusten Burroughs, Tobias Wolff, Andre Dubus III, and Ethan Canin, but luckily E. was a huge draw. Within moments E. had a deep line, and was very kindly referring her fans over to me. It felt like I'd signed a lot of books by the end of the night.
I did have the coolest book signing experience ever when a bookseller named Jen came over to my table with a copy of the arc in hand. The book's cover had been ripped off, and the pages and binding were swelled and stained as though she'd dug the book out of a nearby swamp. Jen told me that she loved the book and had dropped it in the tub, hence its tattered condition, but she still wanted mne to sign it. That was definitely my happiest moment in a trip filled with happiness--signing a zombie version of my zombie book!
I hope it fits in on her bookshelf...
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Three Graces and a Gargoyle
But first, a brief comment about strange synchronicities:
During a break in the ABA action, I went back to my room to engage in some profound writerly-type activities. Actually, I watched my Netflix movie Dodgeball on my laptop.
In the movie, the Dodgeball finals were held at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. I've heard of the Monte Carlo, of course, but have never been to Vegas. There's a shot of the Monte Carlo in the movie where the hotel is seen from the front at a height that one assumes was shot from a helicopter. When the film was over, I turned on the television, and there on CNN there was a shot of the Monte Carlo, from the front, during the day, as though shot from a helicopter, except this time an ugly black smoke is billowing off the building. In addition, obviously, to being concerned for the people inside fleeing and fighting the fire, I felt the Twilight Zone music turning on in my head.
I don't know what moments of bizarre synchronicity mean, if they mean anything. I have them quite often, and I assume others do as well. It's fun to speculate--are they evidence of a purposeful cosmos, or merely the end results of a mind imposing patterns on a random world? Are they signposts along the way that remind us everything happens for a reason, or just wacky coincidences that mostly go unrecorded and unobserved.
I've got my own conclusions about the moments; suffice to say I'm happy when they occur and look forward to the next one.
Back to the ABA. The three graces are my traveling companions, the aforementioned E. Lockhart and Jenn from Hyperion. We're joined this time out by my editor Alessandra. The three graces are super-elegant and super-accomplished women, and they all Know the Drill when it comes to publishing/bookselling events. Even if I wasn't a rookie I think I'd still feel like a lumbering oaf, constantly smashing into furniture and smiling when he has spinach in his teeth. Luckily they are also super-gracious and just super-good company. I was feeling very special and fortune to be with them.
Especially we went out and I got a Hot Brown. Alessandra got one too, thus upping her own already high cool factor in my eyes. A Louisville Hot Brown, whatever horrible image your mind conjured up at the term, is a sort of open-faced sandwich, except it comes in a crock. It has chunks of turkey and bread and is covered with a heavy Mornay sauce, and then topped with cheese they then bake and brown. Our came with a garnish of a tomato slice and strip of bacon. Yes, the Hot Brown has a bacon garnish. I believe it is very important to sample native cuisines when in foreign lands like Minnesota and Kentucky, hence the cheese curds and Hot Brown. My world is expanded.
Oh, yeah. Booksellers are awesome! Awesome, awesome people. Even if I hadn't once been one I'd say that. On my next post, I'll tell you about the Zombie Book of my zombie book.
During a break in the ABA action, I went back to my room to engage in some profound writerly-type activities. Actually, I watched my Netflix movie Dodgeball on my laptop.
In the movie, the Dodgeball finals were held at the Monte Carlo in Las Vegas. I've heard of the Monte Carlo, of course, but have never been to Vegas. There's a shot of the Monte Carlo in the movie where the hotel is seen from the front at a height that one assumes was shot from a helicopter. When the film was over, I turned on the television, and there on CNN there was a shot of the Monte Carlo, from the front, during the day, as though shot from a helicopter, except this time an ugly black smoke is billowing off the building. In addition, obviously, to being concerned for the people inside fleeing and fighting the fire, I felt the Twilight Zone music turning on in my head.
I don't know what moments of bizarre synchronicity mean, if they mean anything. I have them quite often, and I assume others do as well. It's fun to speculate--are they evidence of a purposeful cosmos, or merely the end results of a mind imposing patterns on a random world? Are they signposts along the way that remind us everything happens for a reason, or just wacky coincidences that mostly go unrecorded and unobserved.
I've got my own conclusions about the moments; suffice to say I'm happy when they occur and look forward to the next one.
Back to the ABA. The three graces are my traveling companions, the aforementioned E. Lockhart and Jenn from Hyperion. We're joined this time out by my editor Alessandra. The three graces are super-elegant and super-accomplished women, and they all Know the Drill when it comes to publishing/bookselling events. Even if I wasn't a rookie I think I'd still feel like a lumbering oaf, constantly smashing into furniture and smiling when he has spinach in his teeth. Luckily they are also super-gracious and just super-good company. I was feeling very special and fortune to be with them.
Especially we went out and I got a Hot Brown. Alessandra got one too, thus upping her own already high cool factor in my eyes. A Louisville Hot Brown, whatever horrible image your mind conjured up at the term, is a sort of open-faced sandwich, except it comes in a crock. It has chunks of turkey and bread and is covered with a heavy Mornay sauce, and then topped with cheese they then bake and brown. Our came with a garnish of a tomato slice and strip of bacon. Yes, the Hot Brown has a bacon garnish. I believe it is very important to sample native cuisines when in foreign lands like Minnesota and Kentucky, hence the cheese curds and Hot Brown. My world is expanded.
Oh, yeah. Booksellers are awesome! Awesome, awesome people. Even if I hadn't once been one I'd say that. On my next post, I'll tell you about the Zombie Book of my zombie book.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I Like Music
Just got back from the stellar ABA Winter Institute and I have a lot to write about, but first I wanted to post this mini-interview Brian Hallenbeck, an Arts writer from The Day, a stellar newspaper in nearby New London, did with me concerning some of the many treasures on my iPod. Mr. Hallenbeck does a column called "What's On Your...?" and the "..." can be just about anything--bookshelf, iPod, DVD player, etc.
What's On Your...iPod?
Dan Waters, Author
by
Brian Hallenback
• “COSMIC SOUNDS,” The Zodiac. This collection of “bizarre, short, trippy songs” tops Waters' list of favorite albums “you might not have heard.” The 38-year-old Norwich resident, whose first book, “Generation Dead,” a young-adult horror story Hyperion will bring out in May, says some believe this is the first psychedelic record, and the first one to feature use of a Moog synthesizer.
• “WEB OF DHARMA,” Michale Graves. “Perfect, two-minute punk songs powered by Graves' clear vocal delivery and sharply ominous lyrical sense,” says Waters, who already has a contract to write a sequel to the first.
• “ONLY THE STRONG,” Thor. “I bought this when I was still in (St. Bernard) high school,” Waters says. “I am an unreformed metalhead at heart, and this album was one of the reasons why. I'm proud to say I actually met Thor on a tour, and he used some of my photography on two of his CDs.”
• “RAISE YOUR SPIRITS,” The Rosedales. “My first writing for pay was CD reviews for Cemetery Dance publications, a column I called Dead Beats,” he says. “All my reviews were of 'horror punk' CDs. I listened to this type of music constantly while writing 'Generation Dead'.”
• “DUB SIDE OF THE MOON,” Easy Star All-Stars. “On paper, this sounds like something I would absolutely hate: a reggae version of Pink Floyd's “Dark Side of the Moon.” ... But it totally works for me.”
That's it for today. Tomorrow I will tell you a tale of the Louisville Hot Brown and record some more Moments of Bizarre Synchronicity
What's On Your...iPod?
Dan Waters, Author
by
Brian Hallenback
• “COSMIC SOUNDS,” The Zodiac. This collection of “bizarre, short, trippy songs” tops Waters' list of favorite albums “you might not have heard.” The 38-year-old Norwich resident, whose first book, “Generation Dead,” a young-adult horror story Hyperion will bring out in May, says some believe this is the first psychedelic record, and the first one to feature use of a Moog synthesizer.
• “WEB OF DHARMA,” Michale Graves. “Perfect, two-minute punk songs powered by Graves' clear vocal delivery and sharply ominous lyrical sense,” says Waters, who already has a contract to write a sequel to the first.
• “ONLY THE STRONG,” Thor. “I bought this when I was still in (St. Bernard) high school,” Waters says. “I am an unreformed metalhead at heart, and this album was one of the reasons why. I'm proud to say I actually met Thor on a tour, and he used some of my photography on two of his CDs.”
• “RAISE YOUR SPIRITS,” The Rosedales. “My first writing for pay was CD reviews for Cemetery Dance publications, a column I called Dead Beats,” he says. “All my reviews were of 'horror punk' CDs. I listened to this type of music constantly while writing 'Generation Dead'.”
• “DUB SIDE OF THE MOON,” Easy Star All-Stars. “On paper, this sounds like something I would absolutely hate: a reggae version of Pink Floyd's “Dark Side of the Moon.” ... But it totally works for me.”
That's it for today. Tomorrow I will tell you a tale of the Louisville Hot Brown and record some more Moments of Bizarre Synchronicity
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Sick of Being Sick
I almost never get sick. I hardly ever get colds. I think this has a lot to do with my rigorous diet and exercise regimen, which involves gallons of diet cola and pacing in ever widening circles around my home office. Either that, or my organs are so preserved by the many chemicals I ingest via brightly packaged snack treats that they have become resistant to bacteria and viruses. Whatever the reason, I'm very thankful for my strange mutant constitution.
The worst part about being sick for me, believe it or not, is that it interferes with work, although it hardly seems honest for me to call writing work. Not that it doesn't take effort, or that it isn't extremely frustrating or difficult at times because it is, but even when the writing is bad and the process painful I still have more fun doing it than almost anything else on Earth. Outside of being with my family, there's nothing I'd rather be doing. Given the choice between lounging in the shade of a palm tree on a white sand beach, frosted drink in hand, watching the sunlight play across a gentle azure sea, or having a solid day writing in my uninsulated office in New England with the heat off, I'd take the writing. Crazy, I know. (Note: If there's anyone out there that wants to set me and my family up so I can go write while lounging on your white sand beach, drop me a line.)
Anyway, I finally got back to work today, work as in actually putting pen to paper and fingers to keyboard, and it felt great even though I'm still not at 100% (maybe 83.6%). I had the records spinning, the keys tapping, it was all good.
There's something about a congested skull that prevents me from being able to write. Although I don't get sick often, I do suffer from hay fever, but that is something I can usually medicate pretty effectively. Nothing seemed to be touching this cold for a few days, so I didn't get much writing done. Trying to accentuate the positive, I had a lot of time to think, when I wasn't scrolling through my Tivo queue and sucking down chicken noodle soup by the gallon. I think I may have thought through some key problems I was having with a supernatural thriller I've been working on as well as reasoned out some issues with my next book for Hyperion. These solutions came forward when I wasn't trying consciously to think of them, either, which was really pretty cool. I'm glad my brain, which I thought had become one giant sinus, was still trying to write while my body was punking out.
In a couple days I head off to the American Booksellers Association Winter Third Annual Winter Institute, being held in Louisville, Kentucky. I expect to be hale and hearty for the event!
The worst part about being sick for me, believe it or not, is that it interferes with work, although it hardly seems honest for me to call writing work. Not that it doesn't take effort, or that it isn't extremely frustrating or difficult at times because it is, but even when the writing is bad and the process painful I still have more fun doing it than almost anything else on Earth. Outside of being with my family, there's nothing I'd rather be doing. Given the choice between lounging in the shade of a palm tree on a white sand beach, frosted drink in hand, watching the sunlight play across a gentle azure sea, or having a solid day writing in my uninsulated office in New England with the heat off, I'd take the writing. Crazy, I know. (Note: If there's anyone out there that wants to set me and my family up so I can go write while lounging on your white sand beach, drop me a line.)
Anyway, I finally got back to work today, work as in actually putting pen to paper and fingers to keyboard, and it felt great even though I'm still not at 100% (maybe 83.6%). I had the records spinning, the keys tapping, it was all good.
There's something about a congested skull that prevents me from being able to write. Although I don't get sick often, I do suffer from hay fever, but that is something I can usually medicate pretty effectively. Nothing seemed to be touching this cold for a few days, so I didn't get much writing done. Trying to accentuate the positive, I had a lot of time to think, when I wasn't scrolling through my Tivo queue and sucking down chicken noodle soup by the gallon. I think I may have thought through some key problems I was having with a supernatural thriller I've been working on as well as reasoned out some issues with my next book for Hyperion. These solutions came forward when I wasn't trying consciously to think of them, either, which was really pretty cool. I'm glad my brain, which I thought had become one giant sinus, was still trying to write while my body was punking out.
In a couple days I head off to the American Booksellers Association Winter Third Annual Winter Institute, being held in Louisville, Kentucky. I expect to be hale and hearty for the event!
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