Her Book Self

It's day 14 and I have just over 26,000 words written of my novel.  I'm doing a good job staying ahead of the daily minimums but I'm hitting the difficult middle of my story and definitely starting to slump a bit.  Interrestingly enough, I'm not the only one who finds middles challenging.  In a pep talk email this past week, author John Green (Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines) had this to say about writing the middle of a novel:

Why do I quit halfway in? I get tired. It's not fun anymore. The story kind of sucks, and it's hard to sit down every day and spend several hours eating from a giant bowl of suck. And most of all, like the kid who spends hours preparing plastic armies for war, I enjoy setting things up more than I enjoy the battle itself. To finish something is to be disappointed. By definition, abandoned novels are more promising than completed ones.
You have likely reached the moment in this insane endeavor when you need a rock-solid answer to the question of why, precisely, you are trying to write a novel in a month. You have likely realized that your novel is not very good, at least not yet, and that finishing it will be a hell of a lot less fun than starting it was.

And it's true.  Starting, for me, is the fun part.  I like introducing characters much more than I like giving them purpose, destiny, and fulfilment.  But at the same time, I've passed the halfway mark.  I've started something that deserves to be finished.  If I've written 25,000 words in half a month, I can certainly write 50,000 in thirty days.  Here's to the second half!

Welcome back to another ReCOVERy Friday - a meme hosted by Miss Page-Turner's City of Books.  Obviously I've had a busy week working my way towards the halfway point of NaNoWriMo (more on that this weekend) but I wanted to jump in again with this fun artwork based meme.

This is how it works:

1. Think of a book cover you like (e.g. because of its cover art, model, author, title etc.) Doesn’t matter if it’s an old or new one, you just have to enjoy it!
2. Create a ReCOVERy Friday post for your blog and post it with the whole wonderful weekend ahead
3. Maybe add some sentences and explain why you like the cover…
4. Then add your ReCOVERy Friday post to the link list on Miss Page Turner's site so everyone can enjoy it
5. Check out other ReCOVERy Friday posts if you like to compare them, chat about them, get inspiration and just have fun! 

The book I want to spotlight this week is one that I'm really excited to read, although it won't be released until January of 2011.  Check out this cover for Deborah Rodriguez's A Cup of Friendship. 

For the artwork alone, I like the centered title and the symmetry of the open windows and the chairs.  The tea setting on the table with the chairs turned toward it, looks comforting and inviting and adds to the warmth of the word "friendship" in the title.  I also like the color scheme with the bright paint on the window designs and the contrast against the mustard colored walls. 

Like Deborah Rodriquez's first book, Kabul Beauty School, this one takes place in Afghanistan an I think the cover does a nice job of conveying that.  What has me even more intrigued by this book though, is the very small subtitle - "A Novel".  Kabul Beauty School was a nonfiction memoir of Rodriguez's life as an American hairdresser living in the Afghanistan but in her newest book she tackles a fiction story.  I'm really intrigued to read this one as I felt that Rodriquez had a great voice in relating the life stories of her friends in Kabul and I'm curious to check out an entire book in her narrative style. 

Do you have a favorite cover of the week?  What do you think about A Cup of Friendship based on cover alone? 

Corrag, the titular character of Susan Fletcher's work, has been haunted by the word "witch" her entire life. The moniker has often been accompanied by scowling glances and thrown stones. It is the word that took her mother from her and sent Corrag fleeing to Scotland from the English town where she was born. Small but hardy, young Corrag survived and made a life for herself among the MacDonald clan but when politics, oaths, and kingship debates bring a bloody massacre to Glencoe, the word witch places Corrag behind bars sentenced to death.

"The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think."

~Edwin Schlossberg

Well, I'm pretty certain my NaNoWriMo projects don't create much context for thought besides the thought of "what possessed her to compose such drivel?" but I do like this quote a lot.  What writers would you say have created a context for you to think in?

Remember, remember the fifth of November....

I thought I would chime in with a quick update on my progress so far for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).  I'd say overall I'm doing well this year.  I've stayed ahead of the daily minimums, which for me is crucial when I hit the middle portion of my story that more often than not spells a heap load of writer's block.

As for what I'm writing about, there's a title and brief story description on my NaNoWriMo author page.  The story sounds a lot better in that snippet than it does in my first 11,000 words, but I'm hoping that I can put some hard effort into pulling the shining story in my mind out of the slogging drivel I seem to typing out each day.

But as always, I just need to keep reminding myself that this is a draft.  Drafts don't have to be perfect.  They don't even have to be pretty.  The bottom line is that in just over three weeks, a story that's been simmering in my head for years will finally have made its way to paper (or actually computer screen, but you get the drift.)

Cheers and best wishes to all of those making this journey with me as well.  You have no idea how much your growing blue bars inspire and encourage me.  I would never attempt such insanity on my own and for this, I thank you all most kindly!

Imagine if you will the sights and sounds of beautiful carved horses dancing in a circle to lively calliope sounds.  This is the wonder of a carousel and it is with this imagery in mind that I'm pleased to welcome another author to my blog.  Joining me today is Stefani Deoul author of The Carousel!

*applause, applause*

The Carousel is a story of one woman's journey, but it is also about the community spirit and collaboration of the town around her. Have you ever had a teamwork experience like the one in your novel?

I have been exceptionally fortunate, in many ways I get to spend my life that way. As a television producer, I land in new cities, with a new script and need to build a community of artists and peers- actors, directors, designers, crew - to execute this vision. And within each and every one of those journeys, I have met so many exceptional people; some who are only there for that specific time and place, and some who have remained friends throughout the years. So in one sense, I get to build a "carousel" with every episode I produce.

Your town is filled with a wide variety of characters and each has their own story and journey. To which character do you most relate or connect? Are any of them based on people you know?

I don't know that anyone in the book is me or a specific person. Now, having said that - there are aspects of characters that belong, in bits, to me and in bits to people I have known. I think I can honestly claim to be the "bit" who doesn't understand why anyone would cover up perfectly good hardwood floors:) Get an area rug! Okay - even a BIG area rug! Sheesh! Other people in the book, - I honestly haven't got a clue where they come from.

Was it challenging to write this novel with so much of your main character - including her name - hidden throughout the story?

Oh yeah. :) The very next piece I wrote, I must have stated the main character's name ten times in ten lines. But in an unexpected twist, it wasn't writing her that I found difficult. From a "name" point of view, I knew who she was. From an emotional pov, I journeyed with her. So it wasn't really until the editing that the challenges presented themselves. I mean, I thought all was clear as could be. Then came all those pesky "other people", better known as readers and editors, and suddenly I learned that my clarity wasn't necessarily clear at all and I was going to have to distinguish her presence without diluting the drama. Next story - ten times in ten lines!

I've always loved merry-go-rounds and you have great details in this book about the design and construction of wooden horses. Was this a topic with which you were previously familiar or did you do research specifically for the book?

I did a tremendous amount of research. I believe the detail makes everyone's journey credible. And I knew nothing, I mean nothing, about carousel construction when I began. When I began this story (the first thirty pages) I was unaware exactly how long it takes to build one horse - never mind that it would take all those years to realistically complete a carousel. You can well imagine that both transformed, and informed, the structure of the novel.

If you were designing your own carousel horse what would it look like? What name would you choose?

I'm not sure I know the name, but I believe my horse would be a Pegasus, for my horse would need to have wings and fly.

From your author bio, I see that you have experience working on television production (including some shows that I loved!). How did you switch from the screen to the page? Which do you prefer?

First, the producer in me says thank you. As to how I switched from screen to page. I have several big-time dreams - one of which was to write a novel. I've done some other writing and this was one of those holy grail kind of things. I always thought "one day when I have nothing else to do with my time." And then, my industry had a strike. There was no work. Soooooo -I gave it a try. Thirty days later - I had a draft. Now just to be clear, I had a draft that still needed work, but it was a draft.

For your second question, as to which I prefer, I don’t have a good answer. Producing is a pretty external job, novel writing - not so much. Being able to have both in my life is kind of extraordinary.

What projects are you currently working on?

Haven, a series I produce which airs on the SyFy Channel, has just been picked up for a second season and I'm working on another novel, having just completed a short story, titled June 28th.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

I have a Carousel Facebook Page and my publisher, A & M Books (AandMbooks.com) is kind enough to post some links on my behalf. And going back to your very first question, there's also a youtube promo, which was made possible by some of the community I have met along the way.

Let's take a peek at that video:

And now - if I might ask for your indulgence - a note from this writer.
Dear Lisa -
First - Thank you for reading my book.
Second - Thank you for your reviews and for this interview.
And Third - more than anything - thank you for being someone who introduces her blog by saying "I read. I love to read. I love to read a lot." It makes both the writer in me AND the reader in me feel so incredibly welcome.
Thank you.

And thank you, Stefani!  The Carousel is on sale now!

Lights, music, motion, animals - what is there not to love about a merry-go-round?  As a child, I remember being enamored by carousels, and as an adult, I still see a bit of magic in them.  I'm never surprised when the local carnivals come to town; and even with the Ferris wheels, fun houses, bumper cars and kiddie roller coasters, the longest lines always seem to form in front of the carousel.  It is this wondrous appeal of a carnival contraption that lies at the center and forms the heart of a great new debut book I had the privilege to read and review this year.  

The Carousel by Stefani Deoul tells the story of a woman on the road who wearily stumbles into a small town and is captivated by a group of carousel horses at the local scrap yard. The horses seem to call out to the broken stranger; and she soon finds herself embarking on a project to restore the animals and gift the town with a brand new carousel, as well as a community project. The mysterious woman, who becomes known simply as the merry-go-round lady or the boss, acts as a catalyst to bring the town together and she finds herself pulled into friendship with several of the local residents, despite her secret past.

Overall, this was a really interesting story. I loved Deoul's descriptions of the horses that the townspeople carved and restored - each one unique and individual. However, I wish more of the protagonist's mysterious past had been revealed bit-by-bit throughout the book, rather than all at once at the end of the story. Without even learning her name, I never truly connected with her as a character, but I did like that she was the one who brought the other characters together. The supporting cast in the story was very extensive and they felt like a real community. The magic of the carousel brought new life to the town, and as a whole, The Carousel is a great story about restoration in both art and life.

Were you fascinated by merry-go-rounds as a child?  Was there another aspect of carnivals or fairs that captivated you?

And stay tuned this week for my interview with author Stefani Deoul!

Fourteen-year-old Billy Harriman knew his life would be turned upside down when his father died, but what Billy didn't know was that there was more to his dad's life than anyone really knew. Everyone called his father a hero for working as a presidential adviser, but soon Billy finds out just how appropriate the moniker is - and that superhero is an even more accurate description. Eventually Billy discovers that he's inherited his dad's special talents, but alongside that birthright comes a host of enemies too.

Hero was a fantastic book. Mike Lupica does a great job of creating believable young adult characters - filling their vocabulary with sports analogies and pop culture references and populating their lives with schoolwork, bullies, concerned parents, and caring friends. Though Billy turns out to be far from ordinary, he and his friend Kate are everyday teenagers and young readers will instantly connect with and invest in them.

Filled with excitement, action, and suspense Hero is a novel that is as much about growing up as it is about saving the world. Lupica invaluably fills a niche market in literature writing books geared towards young boys. Though adolescent males interested in sports will happily devour his earlier works (such as Heat and Travel Team) Hero will likely draw new fans to Lupica, perhaps from fantasy or graphic novel markets. Yet, regardless of age, gender, and typical genre preference, Hero is an enjoyable work. The book tells a complete story but readers may be left with crossed fingers - or gripping a lucky coin - in hopes that Lupica has more adventures in store for Billy Harriman, the new fourteen-year-old superhero.