This morning my friend, who's a Gulf Coast southerner by birth and by palate both, told us that her daughter-in-law has decided to learn how to make gumbo. My friend greeted this with mixed emotions as in "YAY! Now I won't have to make this for family gatherings" and also as in "BOO! Now I can't make this for family gatherings."
The gumbo sampling happened last night and the gumbo (apparently) was more like chicken soup with sausage in it, so my friend greeted this with mixed emotions as in "YAY! I'm still the family gumbo-maker" and "BOO! I'm still the family gumbo-maker."
I liked this story because it made me go, "YAY! Human beings are so complicated" and also "BOO! Human beings are so complicated."
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
I just looked at Lisa B.'s blog and realized I didn't answer all the questions. Apparently this is why I never do well on standardized tests. I just . . . you know . . . forget to read all the questions.
Additional questions--
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I've been messing around with this one in one form or another for a long time. Fits and starts, people. Fits and starts.
8. What other books would you compare this to within your genre?
I don't know. I can't remember the last time I read a true YA mystery. My book is kind of dark, though--like all those books written by depressed Scandinavians. For the record, I would be depressed if I had to live in Scandinavia, too.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Well, living in the Avenues (for reasons you shall see) provided a big push start.
10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?
An awesome cover. Do you hear that, future editor? I want this book to have an awesome cover, possibly (in complete defiance of Radagast's wishes) featuring witches and/or trolls, even though witches and/or trolls are not involved.
Also, I think we should tag Radagast, don't you?
Additional questions--
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I've been messing around with this one in one form or another for a long time. Fits and starts, people. Fits and starts.
8. What other books would you compare this to within your genre?
I don't know. I can't remember the last time I read a true YA mystery. My book is kind of dark, though--like all those books written by depressed Scandinavians. For the record, I would be depressed if I had to live in Scandinavia, too.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Well, living in the Avenues (for reasons you shall see) provided a big push start.
10. What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?
An awesome cover. Do you hear that, future editor? I want this book to have an awesome cover, possibly (in complete defiance of Radagast's wishes) featuring witches and/or trolls, even though witches and/or trolls are not involved.
Also, I think we should tag Radagast, don't you?
Tag! I'm it!
Hey! Look at this! My incredibly kickass friend Lynn Kilpatrick tagged me with a writing assignment about writing. Thanks, Dr. Write. Here goes.
1. What is your working title of your book (or story)?
Wow. For the first time ever I don't really have a title in mind other than "This Book is Set in the 70's in Salt Lake and Really, Really Bad Crap Happens to a Girl Who's Got a Lot to Learn." I can only imagine how y'all are clamoring to read this now.
2. Where did the idea come from?
The plotline grew out of a secondary plot in THE LOSER'S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE, which I eventually abandoned.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Young Adult Mystery wherein really, really bad crap happens.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Okay, so when I watched (part of) the Golden Globes I realized I don't know who anybody is anymore. I would need young actors, right? And I don't know any right now, except for Honey Boo Boo.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
After the strange disappearance of a new friend, my heroine goes on a dangerous quest to discover what has happened to her. (Man, I am BAD at pitches!)
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agent?
I hope my fabulous agent wants to represent it! We'll see.
And now I tag Ann Dee Ellis, Carol Williams, and Louise Plummer. Meanwhile, if this assignment inspires you, go for it and send me a link to your blog so I can visit!
1. What is your working title of your book (or story)?
Wow. For the first time ever I don't really have a title in mind other than "This Book is Set in the 70's in Salt Lake and Really, Really Bad Crap Happens to a Girl Who's Got a Lot to Learn." I can only imagine how y'all are clamoring to read this now.
2. Where did the idea come from?
The plotline grew out of a secondary plot in THE LOSER'S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE, which I eventually abandoned.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Young Adult Mystery wherein really, really bad crap happens.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Okay, so when I watched (part of) the Golden Globes I realized I don't know who anybody is anymore. I would need young actors, right? And I don't know any right now, except for Honey Boo Boo.
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
After the strange disappearance of a new friend, my heroine goes on a dangerous quest to discover what has happened to her. (Man, I am BAD at pitches!)
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agent?
I hope my fabulous agent wants to represent it! We'll see.
And now I tag Ann Dee Ellis, Carol Williams, and Louise Plummer. Meanwhile, if this assignment inspires you, go for it and send me a link to your blog so I can visit!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Mormon salads
My friend Stef isn't a Mormon, but she does love Mormon cookbooks, which she peruses with a sense of affectionate (I think) awe and amazement. She's a first-rate cook--a pastry chef (among other things) by profession--who likes to dabble in all kinds of food genres.
Anyway. When we made arrangements to watch the Super Bowl together, she left me with this cryptic message: "I already know what I'm bringing."
I was intrigued. And, of course, hopeful. Hopeful that she would bring her great guacamole and home-fried tortilla chips, because those are awesome. What she brought instead was perhaps even awesome-er. That strawberry/cream cheese/pretzel "salad" thing that has graced the holiday tables of many, many a Mormon family for the past forty years.
Okay. Time for a takedown.
First. Salad. Don't you love how my people call desserts "salads"? Obviously we like to trick ourselves into thinking we're eating something healthy when we do that.
Second. I always wonder how certain dishes came into being. Like, who woke up one morning and went, "I know! Pretzels and cream cheese and Cool Whip and strawberry Jell-O (with frozen strawberries thrown in) WOULD TASTE SO DAMN GOOD TOGETHER!
Third. As is often the case with these things, it tasted shockingly divine.
Mormons are geniuses when it comes to salads, don't you know.
Anyway. When we made arrangements to watch the Super Bowl together, she left me with this cryptic message: "I already know what I'm bringing."
I was intrigued. And, of course, hopeful. Hopeful that she would bring her great guacamole and home-fried tortilla chips, because those are awesome. What she brought instead was perhaps even awesome-er. That strawberry/cream cheese/pretzel "salad" thing that has graced the holiday tables of many, many a Mormon family for the past forty years.
Okay. Time for a takedown.
First. Salad. Don't you love how my people call desserts "salads"? Obviously we like to trick ourselves into thinking we're eating something healthy when we do that.
Second. I always wonder how certain dishes came into being. Like, who woke up one morning and went, "I know! Pretzels and cream cheese and Cool Whip and strawberry Jell-O (with frozen strawberries thrown in) WOULD TASTE SO DAMN GOOD TOGETHER!
Third. As is often the case with these things, it tasted shockingly divine.
Mormons are geniuses when it comes to salads, don't you know.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Getting Ready
. . . to watch the Super Bowl. I've thought about live-blogging the event, and maybe I will a little bit. But I think I might just sit back and watch what I hope will be a tough, gritty, defensive battle.
Ah, football. I love you.
Ah, football. I love you.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Yup. Another column.
The sun! It's shining! So different from when I wrote this earlier in the week!
Friday, February 1, 2013
An assessment
These, you might recall, are my writing goals for 2013. Let's see how I'm doing, shall we?
1. Getting serious about sending the first few chapters of a YA mystery out there.
(Okay. I've been wearing my serious face. I'm all serious about this. Serious, serious, serious. And, actually, I have experienced some movement here. So, score!)
2. Developing an idea for a middle grade series--and speaking of middle grade, maybe starting a novel suggested by an experience my friends and I had while walking Hadrian's Wall.
(Have thought a little about this. Have kind of an idea, which is better than nothing at all, right?)
3. Publishing something (things?) online and seeing where that takes me.
(UGH. I still want to do this. But since learning how to turn on my own TV was a major milestone for me in 2012, this one will be hard.)
4. Writing a column for the Trib every week and keeping it fresh.
(Don't know how fresh it is, but yes. I've provided the Trib w/ a column every week.)
5. Developing one magazine story a month and seeing if I can sell it.
(Have an idea. Have started a story. Barely. Gotta get this one on my radar more.)
6. Blogging every day for the year of 2013.
(YES! I WIN!)
1. Getting serious about sending the first few chapters of a YA mystery out there.
(Okay. I've been wearing my serious face. I'm all serious about this. Serious, serious, serious. And, actually, I have experienced some movement here. So, score!)
2. Developing an idea for a middle grade series--and speaking of middle grade, maybe starting a novel suggested by an experience my friends and I had while walking Hadrian's Wall.
(Have thought a little about this. Have kind of an idea, which is better than nothing at all, right?)
3. Publishing something (things?) online and seeing where that takes me.
(UGH. I still want to do this. But since learning how to turn on my own TV was a major milestone for me in 2012, this one will be hard.)
4. Writing a column for the Trib every week and keeping it fresh.
(Don't know how fresh it is, but yes. I've provided the Trib w/ a column every week.)
5. Developing one magazine story a month and seeing if I can sell it.
(Have an idea. Have started a story. Barely. Gotta get this one on my radar more.)
6. Blogging every day for the year of 2013.
(YES! I WIN!)
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