The Divining Wand

Beginning with a late January post, The Divining Wand has revealed how its successful authors have traveled their personal road to publication. And now the remaining five answer the questions of how they handled rejection and what kept them going to reach their destination?

Alicia Bessette (Simply from Scratch coming August 5, 2010):

“Years passed between the day I really got serious about writing, and the day I signed a publishing contract. There is no general time-line for when you “should” have something published. Everyone’s on her own path. It takes some writers decades to achieve publication.

“During the submissions process, I became very familiar with rejection. What kept me going? A husband who believes in me, and an inner refusal to quit. Too, I surrounded myself with positive people who made me feel as though I was bound to succeed. And I tried to avoid negative people whose comments, questions, or attitudes made me second-guess myself.”

Carleen Brice (Orange Mint and Honey, Children of the Waters):

“I’ve been very lucky. Very lucky. My first book was nonfiction and I sold it myself, getting a publisher only after a handful of rejections. My first novel was sold about 4 months after it went on submission. That is remarkably fast. However, it didn’t feel that way at the time, and the novel was rejected by about a dozen publishers. As those rejections were coming in, it felt awful. I started to lose hope. I am a Gemini so I feel uniquely qualified to be on submission. Half of me has complete faith that I will be successful and the other half completely believes I’m a big fat failure. What kept me going is the optimistic half of me. That and my agent’s belief in me, and my husband and my friends.”

Eileen Cook (Unpredictable, What Would Emma Do? YA and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood YA ):

“The answer to this question depends on when you want to start the clock ticking. I always wanted to write and my parents have one of my earliest “works” dating back to second grade. If we use that as the starting point then it took me a looooooong time. If we start from the time I finished Unpredictable, it took me about five months to find an agent and about six months with her between revisions and when I sold. Once I sold it was two years before the book came out. This is my way of pointing out that writing makes a lousy get rich quick plan.

“Rejection is a part of the publication process. When writers gather they show off their rejection scars like old war veterans. My approach to rejection was to feel sorry for myself for a maximum of 24 hours and then pull up my big girl panties and move forward. There is a saying that the difference between an unpublished writer and a published writer is perseverance. Rejection was just the world’s way of trying to figure out how serious I was about this publication plan.”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“From the day I wrote the first sentence of my first draft, to the day my book was available in stores was almost exactly 7 years. I learned to have a very thick skin to deal with the rejections (teaching high school and having kids had already helped me with that!), and I even learned to use the rejections as inspiration to keep going, to get it right. My friends and family also helped, encouraging me every step of the way. And I also knew that giving up simply wasn’t an option–this mattered, my story mattered, and I had to keep going.”

Maud Carol Markson (When We Get Home, Looking After Pigeon):

“How long did it take before you finally got published? And how did you handle rejection, what kept you going? My first novel got published very quickly, but then it took me twenty years until my next novel was published. I handled rejection by getting very involved in other endeavors– not simply seeing myself as a writer.”

Have you heard?

Allison Winn Scotch (The Department of Lost and Found, Time of My Life and The One That I Want) presents:

On her Wednesday, June 16, 2010 blog post, Allison writes:

“Yes, I use those words intentionally. Because today, I wanted to give shout-outs to some women writers (okay, they’re not all mothers) who have in some way been kind or helpful to me throughout my career, and well, throughout certain times of my life. Writing is a very solitary endeavor, but thanks to some of my friends, I always feel like I have a wide network of support. All of these women are generous – with blurbs, with advice, with open ears when we just need to complain, and just as importantly, all of them have (relatively) new books out. And I’m grateful for them, not just for their brilliant words that go onto the page, but for their friendship.

SO.

Here’s the deal:

To enter the contest, click over to my Facebook page, where this contest is announced. Click “like,” on the giveaway or leave a comment underneath the announcement. You’ll be entered. Just like that. I’ll leave it open until Friday at 3pm EST, when I’ll choose the winners, each of whom will receive one of the fabulous books listed below. Oh, and did I mention that each copy will be signed? Yes, the lovely ladies will be sending their autograph too.

Here are the goods that you’ll be up to win:” (Scroll down.)

Announcement: The winner of Three Wishes by Carey Goldberg, Beth Jones, and Pamela Ferdinand is Stacey.

Congratulations! Please email: diviningwand (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address, and the book will be sent out promptly.

Today’s post is the continuation of how authors responded to a recent question posted on The Divining Wand’s Q & A page:

Here’s another question for your authors: What is the word count of most of their novels?

I know that we here all sorts of estimates of what a novel should be, 70,000 to 100,000 words. But what is the actual count for the novels featured here, and do your authors think about word count as they’re writing?

Also please welcome The Divining Wand’s latest about-to-become author, Allie Larkin, who leads off with:

Allie Larkin (STAY coming June 10, 2010):

“The final version of STAY is around 100,000 words. The first draft was just short of 70,000, and then grew through the revising process, as the story became more layered and I developed the characters further. I don’t think word count should be a concern in the first few drafts of a book. Those drafts are about creating the framework of the story and getting to know the characters. Obviously, there are ideal lengths for books, but I think reaching an ideal word count should be more of an organic process than a goal to meet. You never want to add words just for the sake of adding them. So, even if it’s necessary to add 10-20,000 words to make the book a marketable length, I think the focus should be more about figuring out a way to grow the story and grow the characters, than trying to hit a certain number.”

Melanie Benjamin (Alice I Have Been):

“This is a good question. Before ALICE, I always aimed at 80,000; my earlier contract, for my 2 contemporary novels, stipulated that should be the approximate word count. When I moved to historical fiction, however, I found that there’s more leeway, and ALICE came in at around 100,000 words, and nobody blinked an eye. That’s the word count I have in mind for my next historical novel, too.

“However – word of advice. Let the story develop as it needs to and try not to obsess about the word count until it’s finished. Revisions always change things. If you finish and you find you’re way under the typical word count (which is, yes, anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000, depending on the genre as I said above), then you may have to decide whether or not the work would be better off as a short story. If you’re way over, you can edit and perhaps divide the work into 2 novels. So – try not to obsess while telling the story, but at the end of the day, word count does matter.”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“Ooh, I definitely think about word count as I’m writing . . . my novels tend to be in the 75,000 word range, which is a bit on the short side. And I NEVER get to that in my first draft. My goal in a first draft is to get to 65,000 words because I know that in revising (which to me means mostly adding and rearranging), I’ll get in that magical realm of 70,000-80,000 words.”

Holly LeCraw (The Swimming Pool):

“Mine is about 80,000 words. I didn’t think about word count as I was writing, but assumed I would come in at 300ish pages. As it turned out, mine is 307. I tend to like books that are tightly constructed and not overlong, although there are always exceptions.”

Lauren Baratz-Logsted (most recent Crazy Beautiful YA, Sisters 8 series with Book 5: Marcia’s Madness coming May 3, 2010):

“Since I write for pretty much every age group imaginable, I’m all over the place on this. Each volume in The Sisters 8 series for young readers comes in at about 22K. My one middle grade was 35K. My adult novels range from 70-100K. Even within YA, I’m all over the place, with most coming in at 45-50K while The Twin’s Daughter (due out on Aug 31) is a whopping 96K! It all depends on what the individual book demands, how long it takes to tell the story right.”

Shana Mahaffey (Sounds Like Crazy):

“Sounds Like Crazy weighs in at just over 105,000 words. I wrote without regard to word count and was lucky enough to have my book published under an imprint that believes a book should be as long as it needs to be to tell the story.”

Maud Carol Markson (When We Get Home, Looking After Pigeon):

“I don’t have the exact number but I believe Looking After Pigeon was just around 80,000 words. The novel I’m working on now is about 85,000 words.”

Sarah Pekkanen (The Opposite of Me):

“The Opposite of Me is 105,000 words (give or take a few). My second novel is about 90,000 words. I do think a little about word count as I write, knowing it would be much harder to sell a book that came in at 60,000 or 200,000 words.”

Kristina Riggle (Real Life & Liars and The Life You’ve Imagined coming August 17, 2010):

“I had to look this information up. REAL LIFE & LIARS was 85,498 in the pre-copyedited version, and THE LIFE YOU’VE IMAGINED is a little longer at 91,171. My work-in-progress will end up about the same. Since I measure my daily progress in first drafts by word count I suppose I do think about it as I write, but only as a handy way to measure productivity. I do feel very pleased when I hit the big round numbers divisible by 10,000. It’s arbitrary, but it does feel like a milestone and since writing a first draft is so solitary it’s nice to congratulate myself on leaping those hurdles. No one else is going to throw me a party.”

Allison Winn Scotch (The Department of Lost and Found, Time of My Life and The One That I Want coming June 1, 2010):

“All of mine hover around the 85k mark. I do think about WC as I’m writing – I think about the book in a series of acts, and I know when to begin each one (generally), so I can time the action – and the necessary arc of that action – to the word count.”

Barrie Summy (I So Don’t Do Mysteries, I So Don’t Do Spooky and I So Don’t Do Makeup coming May 11, 2010, Ages 9 – 12):

“My novels (tween mysteries) are 52,000 to 55,000 words. Do I think about word count while I’m writing?

“Yes. Yes. Yes.

“I’m a HUGE plotter, and I know where I should be word-count wise for the major plot points, darkest moment, the resolution. This is how I keep the pace up.

“And also how I keep my sanity. I promise myself treats all the way through the first draft. For example, when I reach the first plot point, around 13,000 words, I get to have a package of licorice as a reward.”

Wendy Tokunaga (Midori By Moonlight, Love in Translation):

“I believe that my word counts come out to be around 85,000. I never think about this when I’m writing, though. I just write as much as I need to tell the story and it always seems to work out okay in the end.”

Therese Walsh (The Last Will of Moira Leahy):

“My publisher, Shaye Areheart, likes books to come in right at about 90,000 words, which is the word count for The Last Will of Moira Leahy.

“I keep tabs of word count using Word, but I don’t stress about it much while drafting a story. I tend to trust that the word count will fall near the right mark in the end. Word count definitely becomes more important during editing, though. I find it easier to edit a “fat” story down to size rather than add new beef.”

And a final word on just the facts….

Randy Susan Meyers (The Murderer’s Daughters):

“According to fictionfactor.com, ‘”Most print publishers prefer a minimum word count of around 70,000 words for a first novel, and some even hesitate for any work shorter than 80,000. Yet any piece of fiction climbing over the 110,000 word mark also tends to give editors some pause. They need to be sure they can produce a product that won’t over-extend their budget, but still be enticing enough to readers to be saleable. Imagine paying good money for a book less than a quarter-inch thick?”‘

“That said, there is much back and forth on this issue. I think the topic is very well covered by agent Colleen Lindsay in her blog, the swivet.”

If you have a question for our authors feel free to post it on the Q & A page or email: diviningwand@gmail.com

ATTENTION: This site’s rather exclusive sidebar has a new addition under the category of Must See. ArounderTouch is an iPhone app from Arounder.com. The virtual reality site — featuring gorgeous 360-degree panoramas of the world — is what I frequently used on Seize A Daisy’s “Friday Getaways.” It’s a first-class ticket for your travel plans or imaginary flights of fancy, please check it out.

Announcement: The winners of Quick’s debut YA novel, SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR, are Keetha and Beth. Congratulations! Please send your mailing addresses to: diviningwand (at) gmail (dot) com, and I’ll have your copy sent out promptly. Many thanks to everyone who entered.

Yes there are more of our favorite authors’ writing books for your consideration and, though duplications become more numerous, there are also thoughtful additions to this question:

I wondered, what do your authors read in the way of writing books? Do they have favorites they refer to again and again? Do they read the classics like, Bird by Bird, or Writing Down the Bones, or do they favor books on craft like, Save the Cat?

Reading (and writing) minds want to know!

Carleen Brice (Orange Mint and Honey, Children of the Waters):

“Definitely Bird by Bird, also Story by Robert McFee and This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“I love both of the books already mentioned, and I’ve also becoME a big fan of Donald Maass’ books: WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL and THE FIRE IN FICTION. And I also firmly believe my craft improves by reading lots and lots of fiction that’s already out there–both the classics and what’s new, which, of course, rocks because I can claim time spent reading is ‘”work!”‘

Ivy Pochoda (The Art of Disappearing):

‘”The Stuff of Fiction”‘ by Doug Bauer is essential.
I also like James Woods ‘”How Fiction Works”‘
‘”Bringing Down the House”‘ by Charles Baxter”

Randy Susan Meyers (The Murderer’s Daughters):

“If I MUST choose, my favorites would be:

On Writing by Stephen King for the most down-to-earth advice presently like a memoir.

Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner because she’s an instant shrink for writers.

Modern Library Writer’s Workshop by Stephen Koch because it’s an MFA in a book.”

Allison Winn Scotch (The Department of Lost and Found, Time of My Life and The One That I Want coming June 1, 2010)

“I wish I could help but I’ve honestly never read a book on writing! Instead I read what I enjoy.”

Kristina Riggle (Real Life & Liars and The Life You’ve Imagined coming August 17, 2010):

“BIRD BY BIRD is classic and amazing, as much for its practical advice as its humor and commiseration (operative root word being “misery” of course). Whenever I have a bad day I think of KFKD (you have to read the book to get the reference) and I have re-read the Jealousy chapter more than once when I’m chewing on my own spleen about something.

“I’m a big fan of Sol Stein’s books ON WRITING and HOW TO GROW A NOVEL. Also, I read the classic SCREENPLAY by Syd Field in preparation for writing a film treatment of an earlier book. I don’t plan to walk down the screenwriting road but there were lots of plot tips in that book which helped me focus on my novels.

“Really though, the best education is to write more. Writing is a ‘”learn by doing”‘ affair.

Eileen Cook (Unpredictable, What Would Emma Do? YA and Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood YA):

“Speaking for myself – I have a zillion craft books. Whenever I’m stuck I seem to buy a new one. I think I buy them in the hope it will help me figure out my problem! My favorites include:

On Writing by Stephen King
Save the Cat by Snyder
Writing the Breakout Novel by Maass
The Writer’s Journey by Vogler”

Kristy Kiernan (Catching Genius, Matters of Faith and Between Friends coming April 6, 2010):

“My top three: The Forest For The Trees by Betsy Lerner. On Writing by Stephen King. And yes, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.”

To be continued…

Announcement: The winner of Jenny Gardiner’s memoir, Winging It, is Cathy Carper and the winners of Ad Hudler’s novel, Househusband, are Dera and Katie Alender. Congratulations to all of you! Please send your mailing address to diviningwand (at) gmail (dot) com and the books will be sent out promptly.

Have you ever fallen in love with a fictional character, someone who IF only existed…? On the other hand, when writers imagine their characters, do they ever create their “ideal?”

Our guest author for this week, Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers), has experienced both and shares how her romantic dream came true.

In the summer of 1973 I fell in love. Hard. This was no schoolgirl crush, no scribbling his initials and mine on my fabric covered three-ring notebook. In a way that I didn’t fully understand, this was it, was real, was grown up.
I was 13.

That summer I read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD for the very first time, and along with all the other emotions the book elicited in me, on some level, I also realized that Atticus Finch was my dream man. And this was before I’d seen Gregory Peck playing him on screen (that pretty much sealed it for me, though, when I did).

Atticus was a good man. He strove to do right even when everyone around him told him it was wrong. He loved his children. He was smart and funny and believed that most people were good. He wanted to make the world better.
Now, my passion for Atticus didn’t keep me holed up in my room all through high school, pining for a man I could never have. No, I fell for crooked grins and dimples, sweet smiles and piercing blue eyes . . . most of it unrequited. And, I always had my worn hard cover copy of MOCKINGBIRD at the ready to dive into anytime I needed the comfort of what had come to feel like home.

Ten years later I got married (what was I thinking? I was only 23!), had babies and began playing adult. Dreams of writing and of Atticus collected dust while I nursed my boys, did the laundry, cooked the meals and created a home for my family. On rare (very rare when you have two active little boys!) occasions I’d get a few moments to myself and I’d grab a book to read, sometimes reaching for the comforts of Maycomb and Atticus Finch.

Twenty years later, I was a single mom to those same two sweet little boys, feeling a bit stunned and shell-shocked to be an ex-wife. Eventually, I would try dating again, hopeful that I might find Mr. Right, but doubting he really existed, at least for me. My mantra became “hope for the best but expect the worst.” Once, after another bad first date, I was bemoaning my situation to my best friend who looked at me and said, “You’re looking for Atticus Finch, aren’t you?”

I was, of course, but had never admitted it to anyone, even to myself. And it occurred to me that perhaps I’d set the bar a tad too high.
I had a full life and I knew I was lucky. But, as I wrote about my main character in ALL THE NUMBERS, “Fortunately for Ellen, her life was full of family and friends and work. But sometimes her bed seemed too big for just one person. And sometimes she wished for a welcome home hug and kiss from an adult.” This was true for me, too.

I found time to chase the dream of becoming a novelist, and I poured many of my hopes and dreams and frustrations into Ellen. And, through the magic of fiction, I created her (and my) in the character of Bob Hansen, a lawyer who helps her after the death of her son. He’s patient and kind and good-looking. He’s smart and funny. He’s Ellen’s Atticus.

And I wanted him, too. But, like Atticus, he existed only between the covers of a book, and in my case, a book that hadn’t yet been published.

Flash forward another eight years, to 2001. Almost thirty years after I’d met Atticus; two years after I’d created the character of Bob Hansen.

My own Atticus Finch/Bob Hansen walked into my life, my REAL life, a life that existed not in the pages of a book I loved or a manuscript I hoped would someday be published.

A funny, smart, kind man who adored his children and mine, was respected as a lawyer, and wore glasses just like Atticus and Bob. A man who made me laugh, kept me on my toes, and had those great crinkles around his eyes when he smiled.

When my book was published five years later. Our friends (by then, we’d been married for a year) teased us that he was Bob Hansen. The character in my book. They didn’t believe me when I explained I’d written him, described him in the pages a full year before we met. The dark hair, the eye crinkles, the intelligence and kindness. All of it was John . . . but I hadn’t met him yet. In my toast to him at our wedding, I said he was my Atticus, and my best friend, my matron of honor, the one who all those years ago had said that’s what I was looking for, smiled through her tears as did I and as did John.

Who knew I could write the man of my dreams in my book and less than a year later he’d be standing on my doorstep, taking me out for dinner?

So, when I say that writing my book and having it published was the fulfillment of a dream, it’s true on so many levels.

Book Giveaway: The Divining Wand is giving away two signed copies of Judy Merrill Larsen’s debut novel, All the Numbers. Please leave a comment on this post before tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. EST to be entered into the random drawing. The winners will be announced in Thursday’s post.

When Judy Merrill Larsen, a former high school English teacher, wrote her debut novel, All the Numbers, she brilliantly told the heartbreaking story of losing a child. And, although it was purely fiction, the book resonated with so many who had lived through that tragic nightmare. In fact Judy was overwhelmed with “thank you” mail for giving voice and respect to their grief.

With her talent and literary skill grounded in the core values of middle America, it’s not surprising that this author simply says: “I live in St. Louis, MO with my husband, our five kids, a really sweet (but very dumb) golden retriever and a diabetic cat.”

Now let’s g;et to know Judy much better through what she reveals:

Q: How would you describe your life in 8 words?
A: Really happy, very lucky, always grateful, needs coffee.

Q: What is your motto or maxim?
A: It is what it is and it’s all good. (Or Go Packers!)

Q: How would you describe perfect happiness?
A: Recognizing and appreciating how good I have it when I have it. Not to be all preachy or anything, but I sometimes have to catch myself to enjoy the moment without wishing for more. Most days, I choose to be happy.

Q: What’s your greatest fear?
A: Something really bad happening to one of my kids or my husband. That and being in a snake pit.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
A: Somewhere warm (I’m pretty sick of winter these days). More specifically, I’d love to be in the South of France or in Tuscany, enjoying the view, the wine, and my husband.

Q: With whom in history do you most identify?
A: This is hard because mostly I look at people who have struggled/made a difference/survived and I’m in awe, thinking, how did they do that? Where’d they find the strength to do what they did? And I wonder how I’d hold up under such pressure. I like to think I’d stand up for right, that I’d be strong, but I haven’t been tested in the ways so many people throughout history have been, so it seems wrong to compare myself to anyone like that.
And just regular folks like me don’t really stand out in history.

Q: Which living person do you most admire?
A: Barack Obama.

Q: What are your most overused words or phrases
A: Okay okay okay. Just a minute. I’ll be right there. Is the wine open?

Q: If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A: I’d love to be able to understand how to write music. Or draw and paint. That would rock.

Q: What is your greatest achievement?
A: Raising my sons who’ve turned out to be really fun, kind, happy young men.

Q: What’s your greatest flaw?
A: Hmm. I’m impatient. And cluttered. I’m a bit of a hypchondriac. (I just asked my husband and he said, “Not having any flaws.” Ha!)

Q: What’s your best quality?
A: Understanding the importance of family and friends and learning from experience.

Q: What do you regret most?
A: Not having a third (or fourth? Eeek!) baby.

Q: If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
A:I’d love to be a roadie for a Bruce Springsteen tour–you know, the person who tosses him the guitar.

Q: What trait is most noticeable about you?
A: According to my husband, I’m pretty much without pretense (which isn’t always a good thing).

Q: Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A: Atticus Finch.

Q: Who is your favorite fictional villain?
A: Quentin Compson from The Sound and the Fury. He’s just so wonderful to hate. And it all comes back to bite him in the end.

Q: If you could meet any athlete, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
A: Brett Favre. I’d thank him for all the fun and excitement of watching him over the years. And then I’d ask him to please apologize to my son for going to the Vikings.

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve?
A:Probably rudeness and intolerance– they both seem so pervasive these days.

Q: What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
A: Reading or cooking or planning my next trip.

Q: What’s your fantasy profession?
A: I think I’d love to be a chef or a singer in a band.

Q: What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
A: Honesty/integrity, a sense of humor, kindness

Q: If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
A: Really good pizza or my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. Oh, or homemade chex-mix.

Q: What are your 5 favorite songs?
A: Fly Me to the Moon, Thunder Road, Sweet Baby James, Little Darlin’/Here Comes the Sun, Brown-Eyed Girl

Q: What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
A: To Kill a Mockingbird, Crossing to Safety, The Things They Carried, The Sound and the Fury, and Grapes of Wrath

Would you like to know even more? Become Judy’s friend on Facebook and welcome her next Wednesday when she guest blogs during a special week at The Divining Wand.

Book Giveaway: The Divining Wand is giving away both of Kristy Kiernan’s novels, Catching Genius and Matters of Faith, as a duo. Please leave a comment on this post to be entered into the random drawing. The deadline is tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST. with the winner announced here in tomorrow’s post.

While experience is often the ultimate teacher, there are usually words of wisdom that guide an author through the process of writing. What words might those be? This Fairy Godmother asked:

What is the best advice about writing that you’ve received/read AND put to use?

What follows are several of our authors’ responses:

Alicia Bessette (Simply from Scratch coming in August 2010):

“Write what you write, and don’t compare your writing to others’.”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“Wow, lots of advice. Don’t give up. There’s no such thing as writer’s block (I mean, do plumber’s have plumber’s block? Lawyers have lawyer’s block? No. I’m a writer, so I write.). You can’t fix a blank page. Give yourself permission to write crap. It’ll get better upon revision. Write from the heart. And, Of course it’s not always easy. If it was, everyone would do it. And few things that really matter are easy. But it’s who I am, so I write.”

Maud Carol Markson (When We Get Home, Looking After Pigeon)

“The best advice I ever received was to keep writing, and to write the kind of work that I myself would want to read. So I continue to write for the reader who is like me.”

Sarah Pekkanen (The Opposite of Me, coming March 9, 2010):

“Keep on writing, no matter what. Don’t stop. Aim for 1,000 words a day, at least. Never give up!”

Ivy Pochoda (The Art of Disappearing)

“Write fearlessly. Avoid adverbs.”

Trish Ryan (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: A Memoir of Finding Faith, Love, and Happily Ever After, A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances coming June 22, 2010):

“Stephen King: ‘“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”’ One of the last things I do before submitting to my editor is run a search for all words ending in LY. Typically cuts my word count WAY down, and I don’t miss the deleted words.”

Wendy Tokunaga (Midori By Moonlight, Love in Translation):

“Read your work aloud. This is so helpful in figuring out what works and what doesn’t in terms of word selection, dialogue, the rhythm of the prose, etc.”

Announcements: The two winners of Shana Mahaffey’s debut novel, Sounds Like Crazy, are Rebecca and Steve. Congratulations!

AND

The winner of Carleen Brice’s two novels, Orange Mint and Honey, Children of the Waters, is Wendy. Congratulations to you too!

Now, if you will all please send your mailing addresses to: diviningwand (at) gmail (dot) com, I’ll get these books out to you as promptly as possible. And my thanks to everyone who entered.

‘Tis Christmas Eve…

Giving Joy for Christmas

My parents are college professors and were never very religious. But they had grown up going to church, and Christmas and all its trappings seemed normal to them. Despite the fact that we lived in the country and didn’t belong to a church, every December my family went out caroling. We learned to sing carols from old Unitarian hymnals we had on the bookshelf, and even now I sing “good will to all” or similar PC lines when I’m at church while the rest of the congregation sings “Good will to man.”

There was a ritual to caroling. We would dress warmly, and gather the hymnals and flashlights. And then we would all pile into our poorly heated VW bus. Our first stop: one of the farming families on our dirt road. We would figure out what to sing at each stop, usually two or three songs. I learned to sing “Joy to the World” when I was three, and it is still my favorite carol. It has a cheerful tune (as opposed to songs like “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel”), a happy message and a gorgeous harmony.

One Christmas our neighbor down the road, Mrs. Johnson, had been very ill. We stopped at her house and knocked tentatively at the door. When her husband answered, we asked if Mrs. Johnson would like us to sing for her. He said that she would, and requested that we sing her favorite carol “Silent Night.” He opened the window in the bedroom so she could hear us down in the front yard. The sky was full of stars, and our voices lifted and soared into the heavens. We could probably never repeat the beauty of our singing that night as we helped her celebrate her last Christmas. When the last note died away, Mr. Johnson was crying and so were we.

My goal this Christmas is to find a way to give joy to my family, friends and neighbors. May we all find a way to give the perfect gift, and may we all a holiday full of peace and happiness.
Meredith Cole (Posed for Murder, Dead in the Water coming May 11, 2010)

Therese’s Fireplace

We didn’t have a fireplace in the home I grew up in, but on Christmas Eve my father would turn the television to a channel that displayed a faux fireplace. The wood crackled and the flames danced as I cozied up in blankets, listened to Christmas music, and drifted off to sleep. It probably sounds hokey, but it was such a comfort.
Therese Walsh (The Last Will of Moira Leahy)

Trimming the Tree

I always got each of my boys a new ornament every year, and my mom always made one for each of them, too. I’d date them and when we’d decorate the tree, it was always fun to remember where and when and why we’d gotten each one. One year, when my older son was about 11 (he’s now 23), he made an off-hand comment that this one ornament that didn’t really belong to anyone in particular, a tiny cuckoo clock, was his very favorite and he looked forward to putting it up on the tree every year. I’d never known (and was amazed it hadn’t been inadvertently tossed one year . . . it’s that small). Well, ever since that year, it’s always the very last ornament he puts on the tree, and even now, when he’s living away form home, so he’s not always home when we put the tree up, I save it for him, so that when he gets home for Christmas he still has that one tiny ornament to hang. He loves it and so do I. Last year, he flew home on the 24th, and I had it waiting for him. He found the perfect place to hang it, turned and hugged me and said, “Now, it’s Christmas.”
Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers)

Throughout the fall The Divining Wand has asked its authors: What does your Muse look like? Or what does s/he sound like? Or what does s/he feel like? Muse(less)? What inspires you to write? While all the responses have been fascinating and varied, it’s now time to put the Muse to rest with these final thoughts.

Melanie Benjamin (Alice I Have Been coming January 12, 2010):

“Well, my muse for Alice I Have Been was the photograph of Alice Liddell herself, at age 7, taken by Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll). But I really don’t think I have a muse; I have a great curiosity about many things, and I follow that until it leads me to the next amazing story I just have to write.”

Eve Brown-Waite (First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria: How A Peace Corps Poster Boy Won My Heart and A Third World Adventure Changed My Life):

“I don’t think I have a muse … and I’m starting to feel left out. I was inspired to write my book because I JUST HAD TO TELL THAT STORY. IT WOULD NOT LET GO OF MY LIFE until I did. Plain and simple. I have felt at other times like I have JUST HAD TO WRITE an essay, a political commentary or (don’t laugh) a letter to the editor, as well. This urgency comes not solely because I feel strongly about something, but more because I feel like I am seeing it a way that others are not. I guess my muse (such as it is) is just feeling like there is something I just have to say!”

Tish Cohen (Town House, Inside Out Girl, Little Black Lies YA):

‘He’s purple and hairy. He sulks quite a bit, if I’m being honest. He has a naughty chair. Or what does s/he sound like? Like the adults on the Peanuts. Believe me, that gets old…fast. Or what does s/he feel like? His feet feel like leather.”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“My muse (or muses, perhaps?) is more the voices in my head–characters sort of start talking or muttering, sometimes even shouting, until I know I have to sit down and write. When I’m on a roll (and the muse is happy, I suppose) I feel kind of itchy-twitchy until I can get back to the WIP.”

Lauren Baratz-Logsted (most recent Crazy Beautiful YA):

“I’m embarrassed to say that my Muse looks like me. How vain is that? But seriously, if I don’t drive me, I don’t know who will.”

Allison Winn Scotch (The Department of Lost and Found, Time of My Life and The One That I Want coming June 1, 2010):

“I’m not sure that I have a muse, in fact, I definitely don’t. I think my muse is more myself, at least that’s what inspires me to write. What I mean by that is that I enjoy taking snippets of my emotional map – for example, maybe wondering about my what-ifs, exploring my feelings about my past and how it’s led me to where I’ve become, – and putting them into my characters. This is true for both my protagonists in my first two books, and to an extent with my third protagonist with my upcoming book. I like exploring women who maybe aren’t taking full responsibility for living complete lives and seeing if I can transform them. So that’s really my inspiration – I always feel like I learn a little bit about myself as I write.”

Emily Winslow (The Whole World coming May 25, 2010):

“Is it too glib to admit that my muse looks an awful lot like a good cup of coffee?”

Is there a question you’d like the authors to answer? If so, please email it to diviningwand (AT) gmail (DOT) com

With a slight lull in book releases, The Divining Wand decided to take this time to go beyond its authors pages and discover what favorite books they reread.

Are any of the following on your own list?

Katie Alender (Bad Girls Don’t Die):

“I find “‘Pride and Prejudice’” rereadable in the extreme. That’s my old standby (and I love the audiobook and all the movie versions, too). Of books I’ve read over the past year or so, I can see myself going back to “‘Story’” by Robert McKee. It’s so densely packed with information that another pass would definitely be useful and no less interesting than the first one!”

Judy Merrill Larsen (All the Numbers):

“I used to reread To Kill a Mockingbird every year or so. Now, there are so many books on my TBR pile that it’s hard to justify re-reading anything, but a few that I’d reread include The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, any Faulkner, and East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath. I like to revisit the masters from time to time.”

Holly LeCraw (The Swimming Pool coming April 6, 2010):

“I reread any book that inspires me. Some of my all-time favorites are: The Great Gatsby: So Long, See You Tomorrow; All the King’s Men; To the Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway; Evening; Gilead; Atonement; The Unvanquished; the Last Gentleman; and many, many more. I tend to read books like this over and over. You always learn something new, or, if necessary, can use the best books to bring you back to your own center.”

Trish Ryan (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: A Memoir of Finding Faith, Love, and Happily Ever After, A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances coming in June 2010):

“Right now, I’m working on a novel, so I’m immersed in fiction. I just finished THE PROMISED WORLD by Lisa Tucker, and I’m going back to read all her others–she’s a master at moving the story along without giving away secrets. And Laura Dave’s LONDON IS THE BEST CITY IN AMERICA and THE DIVORCE PARTY show me what it looks like to create an entire world with words. Her books make me forget where I am.

“For memoir/essay, an unsung genius is Heather King. Her most recent book, about her transitions (from barroom drunk to married lawyer to divorced Catholic seeker) is called REDEEMED. Her words and her honesty raise the bar pretty high for those of us who want to write our own stories.”

Kristina Riggle (Real Life & Liars):

“I re-read books all the time. Some of my favorites: BREATHING LESSONS, Anne Tyler, NOTES ON A SCANDAL, Zoe Heller, THE GREAT GATSBY, F. Scott Fitzgerald, anything by David Sedaris. Also, I haven’t read them a second time yet but I know I will: THE EMBERS by Hyatt Bass and CONFESSIONS OF A PREP SCHOOL MOMMY HANDLER by Wade Rouse.”

In choosing an author as I would a friend, I’ve “met” and made wonderfully caring writers/friends during the past three years. And Judy Merrill (Moticka) Larsen (All the Numbers) is certainly one of them. In fact, shortly after we met and a post of her debut novel appeared on my former blog, Judy was inspired to create her own blog, Not Afraid of the “F” Word. However you may have heard that inspiration struck again on Monday afternoon when Judy launched JUST BE NICE… in an attempt to reclaim respect and civility for today’s society.

The author’s “About Me” description is simply put: I’m a middle-aged midwestern mom, wife, novelist and former high school English teacher. I’m a mom/step-mom to five between the ages of 16 and 24. I tried to teach my kids (and my students) to be nice. It’s not rocket science. I’m trying to spread the word.”

What prompted the author to take on this new platform? I’m sure you know, we al know, but here is Judy’s explanation:

“Yesterday [Monday] morning, on my way home from the gym, I started thinking about the insanity of rudeness . . . and I posted about it on my regular blog (Not Afraid of the “F” Word). Carleen Brice (love her!) e-mailed me and said I needed to write a non-fiction book using my mom and teacher experiences to promote good behavior. Non-fiction is a bit out of my comfort zone (plus I’m in the middle of writing my newest novel) but, in the shower, I thought, hmmm, maybe start an internet movement . . . a new blog . . . let’s be nice, let’s get people talking/demonstrating about kindness and accountability and showing you can disagree politely. That kind of thing. What we learned from our parents/teachers/preachers and teach to our own kids.

So, I started a new blog. And put it out on FB. And people twittered about it. And then I heard back from the twitterers that people had asked how we get the movement started. And, after a brief moment of “‘I have no idea what I’ve just gotten myself into’” panic, I thought, heck ya, let’s start a movement. Carleen (my muse in this) suggested the “‘Tuesday’s child is full of grace’” idea, and I love your idea about “‘Friday’s child.’” I started a group on FB and have had over 130 visitors to the new blog in the past 24 hours. Folks are linking from all sorts of blogs and on their FB walls. It’s so gratifying to see good behavior being talked about rather than just the bad.

For now, and until I really get a sense for what I’m doing, I’m going to hold off on a press release (until someone tells me not to!) and I’m also thinking of bracelets (like the LiveStrong ones). I’m open to ideas and help.

But from the comments/e-mails I’ve gotten, people are very excited about this — all over the country. That’s thrilling to me.”

As well it should be, especially since Judy updated me a few hours later with:

“The word is clearly spreading . . . over 400 visitors [to the blog] since it started yesterday afternoon. Wow!”

And to think that all this excitement and support is about Just Be Nice.

If you wish to learn more, have suggestions or merely weigh in with moral support, please visit JUST BE NICE where you can read Monday’s initial post, What Mama Said, followed by the second post, Tuesday’s Child Is Full of Grace.

Also consider joining the JUST BE NICE Group on Facebook.

Judy Merrill Larsen’s all-time favorite book is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and on the right-hand sidebar of her new blog she notes: “Atticus Finch taught Scout to walk around in someone else’s shoes. He was right.”

And so too is this author, well beyond her pages…

[Note: The Book Giveaway comments/entries will continue to be accepted for Ivy Pochoda's The Art of Disappearing until this evening at 7:00 p.m EDT. Here's a great opportunity to win a most memorable debut, don't let it pass you by!]