Tip of the Day: As the summer days cool into fall days, dress in layers and ignore your manpanion if he says he doesn't like your "shapless shawls" (aka cardigans) that you wear to stave off inclimate indoor heating and cooling.
Welcome to Wednesday morning on A2A. Today you get to learn about my CP and your Thursday blogger, Kristina Springer! She is a talented, funny, gorgeous woman. I had the pleasure of reading her novel THE ESPRESSOLOGIST when it was merely a fledging book and I knew then it would sell. I'm so happy I was right! Here's some more cool stuff from Tina's mouth. :)
1) With 4 kids, a husband, and lots of driving around to take the family here and there, how and when do you make time to write?
I have 4 ropes that I tie to the porch that are only long enough to just barely meet the sidewalk out front. So, when we're home, I tie one to each kid and let them run around while I write on the porch.
KIDDING.
It really is pretty chaotic around here most of the time since my oldest is 5 and the youngest is three months. But I still manage to, I think, get quite a bit done. Writing is relaxing to me so the kids' job is to drive me insane all day so then a few times a week when my husband gets home he'll feed, bathe, and put the kids to bed while I'll go to Starbucks to write. It works out great—I think I write faster this way.
Deena: I am so impressed! This just goes to show that anyone who wants to write will make the time to write.
2) What parts of the publishing process so far have surprised you?
Editing. You think something is done and wonderful but then it goes through 5 or 6 rounds of editing and there is always still new stuff to be found and fixed. Oh -- and more specifically? Line editing completely baffled me. Now I understand all of those funny squiggles and lines but with the first round of line edits came I wanted to cry.
Deena: Yeah, I was a legal editor and I still didn't understand those marks you shared. Crazy publishing world! ;)
3) What novel idea that you haven't written a word of yet do you really want to work on?
Oooh —- tough question! I have a number of books in the works but I always write a few pages to a few chaps to get them going so I don't forget the idea. One of the ones that I haven't "officially" started that I would like to write some day is a second Espressologist —- one where I send the girls to Europe for more love, laughs, and coffee.
Deena: I want to read that second ESPRESSOLOGIST book! Please write it!
4) If you could live anywhere for a year and write, where would it be and what do you think you'd write while there?
How about a two-fer? I'd love to live in Paris for a year and write a great romantic comedy that hits the bestseller list and then is turned into a blockbuster hit with a really dreamy cast. And I'd also like to live in Southern California and write a YA Chicklit in that setting.
Deena: Hey, two-fers are perfect. We indulge fantasies here. I'll come visit you in both your locations for writing retreats!
5) Will you ever write a boy main character?
Are you making fun of me Deena? :-)
Deena is one of my wonderful critique partners and as she knows I have a tough time with male characters. I'm trying hard though! That is one of the areas I have to revise A LOT. You would think growing up in a house with three brothers I'd have this nailed. But alas -— they still puzzle me. And I'm going to let you in on a secret -— this weekend I bought He's Just Not That into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo at the library booksale. (It promises to tell exactly what men think about every situation.) Not for personal reasons (see kids 1 through 4) but to get insight into how men think. The hope is that someday I will attempt a male main character. We shall see!
Deena: Hey, I haven't written a guy MC yet either...maybe we'll have to try together. I do have an idea for an alternating pov boy and girl.... I love the book you got for your research into the male mind!
Thanks for your answers, Tina! All of us at A2A look forward to hearing about your next book!
Deena, Miss Recently Repped
6 comments:
Deena...I think its the man's job to whine about loose fitting clothes on his woman. (cue the rolling eyes).
Tina, though I have only 2 kids, I know how hard it is to get through the day and dream about your writing time. My youngest had some special needs, and it was really a challenge. Like you, I have a great man who always encouraged me and gave me time to run away to the cafe and write.
Can't wait to read the Espressologist!
Tina, for my boy characters, I start with "I hate my father" and go from there. It seems to inspire me to get inside their heads. Time will tell if I'm good at it or not. But I heard Laurie Halse Anderson at Rochester's first Teen Book Festival when she was writing Twisted, and she said she tried to nail boys' relationships with their fathers to understand them as characters. I found that so inspiring!!
Okay, can we please get a picture of the clerk's face as you go up to the counter to buy that book with 4 kids in tow?
It's so fun to read everyone's answers to these. Whose brilliant idea was this again? Not mine, I'm never this brilliant!
Lisa, LOL! Good call on Tina's book purchase with 4 kids -- on rope leashes. :)
Kate, I'd forgotten about that "father-son relationship" thing from LHA -- very good idea.
Mary Ann, I want to meet Ghost Hunk some day!
Thanks for all the sweet stuff you said Deena! :-)
And yeah GG-- I'd have a really rough time if dh wasn't so supportive!
Kate-- so are you saying all teen boys hate their fathers? Or just that you have all your male characters do that?
Lisa-- Hee hee. :-)
Great answers, Tina. How fun was this. And if you get to move to write those books, please let me come for a visit :)
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