Thank You

This is what my Acknowledgment looks like at the moment:

Thank You

Thanks, first and foremost, to all those other wonderful authors who didn’t write the book I was in the mood to read. I had to sit down and pen it myself.

Many thanks to Ella, Laurie, Nigel, Reshenna, and Tru for your support, encouragement and input. Thanks for pestering me about new chapters and not letting me get away with lazy writing or poor excuses. You guys rock.

I think I can get away with that.

But yesterday, as I was forcing the bits and pieces I’d written for chapter two into a coherent sort of scene—writing longhand; there’s something soothing about rolling ink on paper—I had to realize I should probably amend my Thank You to include something like this:

A very appreciative Thank You also to McDonald’s and Burger King for having enclosed, air-conditioned playgrounds at some of their locations, providing my kids with hours of fun and me with the opportunity to write mostly uninterrupted (“Mom. Mom? Mom!”).

Business needs

I’ve been reading JA Konrath’s blog (okay, I’ve really been avoiding the new chapter two of the not-yet-renamed GHOST CRAB) and I’m taking notes.

There’s nothing but great advice about the business of writing. Not the art and craft of writing so much, but a lot about the business laying ahead of me (I hope).

One thing that dawned on me today: I better get a business account with Kinko’s or OfficeMax soon. Because I’ll need:

• business cards
• bookmarks
• postcards
• flyers/posters
• “signed by author” or “autographed copy” and “local author” stickers (optional, as these can be liberated from the bookstores carrying my book; with my luck, though, they won’t find their stickers on the day I’m there; so I’m bringing my own)
• a car magnet for self promotion (the book better have a good, ie. clean, cover; there is no way in hell I will be allowed to drive around town with a HUGE erection plastered to the driver side door)
  

I feel like I am missing something. But that should do it for starters. Now all I need to know is whether anyone will publish my book soon (Ken's deadline in July 14), what title it will be published under and if my entire first name will make it.

Seventh Window’s Ken likes initials.

Laura Baumbach told me in an e-mail over the weekend that her books sell just fine with her first name on them.

Where My Heart Will Take Me

Where My Heart Will Take Me
sung by Russell Watson

It's been a long road, getting from there to here.
It's been a long time, but my time is finally near.
And I can feel the change in the wind right now. Nothing's in my way.
And they're not gonna hold me down no more, no they're not
gonna hold me down.

Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.
I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or break me.
I can reach any star. I've got faith, faith of the heart.

It's been a long night. Trying to find my way.
Been through the darkness. Now I finally have my day.
And I will see my dream come alive at last. I will touch the sky.
And they're not gonna hold me down no more, no they're not
gonna change my mind.

Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.

I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or
break me.
I can reach any star. I've got faith, faith of the heart.
I've known the wind so cold, I've seen the darkest days.
But now the winds I feel, are only winds of change.
I've been through the fire and I've been through the rain.
But I'll be fine ...

Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.
I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or
break me.
I can reach any star. I've got faith, faith of the heart.
Cause I've got faith of the heart.
I'm going where my heart will take me.
I've got faith to believe. I can do anything.
I've got strength of the soul. And no one's gonna bend or
break me.
I can reach any star. I've got faith, faith of the heart.

***

Do you know where you've heard this before?

Title search

I need a new title for GHOST CRAB.

Naturally, since events unfold days before Christmas, I thought of Christmas related titles. Something along the lines of ON THE 8TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME EIGHT CROOKS A-STEALING.

A bit long, though. :-)

How about THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST? I could still use all my Ghost Crab references...

Way cool

Last Wednesday I scraped my foot on some sharp rocks while snorkeling. I’d come too close and hadn’t worn my fins (or any other protective gear). I had two thoughts immediately: “shit, I’m bleeding and there are sharks in these waters” and “shit, those spiny sea urchins got me.”

Neither sea creature got me, I am happy to report. (I was also snorkeling in a very protected lagoon that’s not frequented by sharks.)

Today, we went to Waimea Bay Beach park, which is very different from the lagoon we usually go to. It’s wide open ocean as far as the eye can see, complete with strong currents that revel in pushing you into the beach sand (I don’t think I have to exfoliate my legs and arms for the foreseeable future).

Yes, this is the famous North Shore of Hawaii. Swimming is great here in the summer months (May to September is the official season, I believe). The ocean is at its calmest and waves rarely crest over a foot or so.

My brother-in-law, daughter and I went snorkeling. Well, the kid stayed on her boggie board, which has a clear window in it so she can see what’s going on in the water. We didn’t see a lot of fish, but I saw a green sea turtle. It was swimming away from me, so I only got a very quick glance, but I saw it again lifting its head out of the water. Definitely green!

Neat.

(I was more cautious around the rocks this time. No spiny sea urchins in sight, but definitely shark territory. Someone was attacked and bitten just last week.)

And from the beach, we saw two dolphins off a bit in the distance. They didn’t leap out of the water (like they are famed to do), but they stuck around and came up for air a few times, checking out the action on the beach.

Way cool.

Bravo!

I got an e-mail from Ken at Seventh Window. He received the manuscript, but hasn’t had time to look it over. He promised to get back to me by mid-July (after having gotten the new MJ Pearson ready for publication in September).

To understand how thoughtful and professional that e-mail was, you need to know that the waiting times most publishers list on their submission guidelines range anywhere from four to eight months. That’s four to eight months without a word or acknowledgement. And there’s no guarantee that you’d even get a rejection then, you just keep waiting and waiting and waiting….

Thank you, Ken, for letting me know that I’d have to wait a little while longer.

Now let’s see how much GHOST CRAB I can write until then.

It’s that time of year …

It’s Christmas in THE GHOST CRAB and Soren has no idea what to get Mason.

Any suggestions?

Keep in mind, Soren is mostly broke.