In production...
Sunday, June 14, 2009
I thought I'd send you all this e-arrangement of flowers. It's a little something I put together for Kim's visit in Hawaii. The flowers are all from my garden. Aren't they beautiful? I have to say, one of the best things about a hot, rainy, sunny climate is the flowers. Anyway, these are for all of you; just my way of saying thanks so much for joining the firefly conversation and making all our lives just a little bit more connected. And you KNOW that uploading pictures is basically the only advanced blogging skill I have, so I like to show it off as much as possible. :) Someday soon I hope to master the possibilities of sending you links to things I find cool on the web, but I don't see it happening in the near future...so we'll just keep kickin' it old school for a while.
So, as Kim mentioned in her recent blog post (and thanks so much for that, Kim), I have been busy with my copyedit for the book for 2010. For those of you who are interested, let me give you a little overview of the production process for a novel. First of all, of course, is the draft after draft of original writing until you come up with a finished manuscript. For me, as many of you know, it's about a year all together---seven months to come up with the first draft, and five to seven more months to turn that first labor of love into something that I'm proud of. Then I send to my editor, the lovely Jen Enderlin at St Martins, and she adds her comments, and I rewrite again for a couple of months. Generally, Jen edits the manuscript twice. sometimes three times, although the third pass is pretty light. I'm profoundly lucky to have an editor who cares that much. When we decide that the book is "done" then the publisher sends it off to a copy editor, who has the unenviable job of finding errors, inconsistencies, timeline problems, historical inaccuracies, poor grammar and spelling; whatever. What you want is a very organized, detail-oriented person who finds EVERYTHING. This rarely happens, however, so you have to read the manuscript with a laser focus. It's hard to do, given that you've already read the book and edited it, literally hundreds of times. Shockingly, I always find mistakes; how can I still have mistakes when I've read it so many times? It honestly makes me feel like an idiot. Anyway, that's where we are right now with the book for 2010. It's an especially time consuming task with this book because some of the narrative takes place in the past, so there are lots of dates to be concerned with. Up next: the page proofs and galleys. These are the manuscript--hopefully largely error-free after the copy-edit--typeset (or however they do it nowadays on the computer) into the form they will have in the final book. This is the first time you see your book where it actually looks like a book. Again, at that point, you have to read very closely for errors that either weren't corrected at copyedit. or are new since copyedit, or worst of all, have been there all along and no one caught before. It's like going through a haystack one piece of hay at a time. I can't wait to hear how Kim is doing with all of it...
In addition to that, of course, I'm plotting the book for 2011. It sounds far away, I know, but believe me, it comes up fast when you have a deadline. The most difficult part of the entire writing process for me is coming up with the right idea. I come up with lots--dozens--of good ideas (my girlfriends will tell you its exhausting just listening to my string of what if ideas), but the right idea is something else. It's as close to magic as the process can be. I can't tell you why one idea is a go and another is a dud, but there you have it. I have to find the right one. And that's what I'm doing now. Last weekend my girlfriend, Megan Chance (a wonderful historical novelist) and I had a spa weekend where we discuss plots, characters, etc. By the end of the weekend, we're both relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to start writing.
That's pretty much all that's going on in my neck of the woods. Not much on tv these days, so nothing to report there. I'm still looking for book and movie suggestions, though, so keep those coming in...
Aloha for now---
Kristin
ps: I forgot to tell you that Random House is reprinting trade paperback editions of On Mystic Lake and Between Sisters. OML is coming out next week. Let me know if you see it in your local stores!
38 Comments:
Kristin, I just finished your book, firefly lane, and I checked your blog right after I finished and you just happened to post something today (6/14). The next thing on my "to do" list for tonight is to call my best friend - we tell everyone that we met at birth, since we've known each other our whole lives. I value my relationships with my girlfriends so much more as I get older (turning 40 in a few weeks). My book club will be discussing your book this Wednesday and I'm looking forward to chatting about firefly lane with my fellow readers! From, Karen
Hey Kris thanks for the e-flowers :) and going into the exhausting process of book writing. I've been thinking- I'd love to write a children's book, how about you?
Can't wait to read Kim's book, too!
Hey Kristin,
Promised myself I'd be fast at commenting on your blog this time. I'm done correcting since the day before yesterday, so I've got some TIME on my hands, for a change. Even though I've been busy again all day and I've already got plans for like every single hour of the rest of the week. I guess I just like to be busy. Stresses me out when I'm too busy but I also get aggravated when I don't have anything to do, so...
Right now, I can dedicate just the right amount of time to some of my favourite things to do. I'm reading more (Tami Hoag's "Lucky's Lady" is my current one and I've just finished "We need to talk about Kevin" by Lionel Shriver - very intriguing, that one!) and I'm catching up on some website editing, photo backorders and so on. It's almost a good thing there's only repeats on tv over here, since I don't really want to "waste my time" (if you know what I mean) with that. I'd catch up on a few movies by buying them on dvd, but I'll probably get to see my share of them while I'm at my girlfriend's between August 2nd and 22nd. Make sure you don't miss me too much at that time, by the way. ;)
Two more comments on your actual blog post. Most importantly... I think I'm starting to reconsider ever wanting to be a professional writer. Everybody and their dog says I've got a cool writing style and I know I'm pretty good in grammar and spelling and all that, but all that editing and all seems to be a nuisance from hell. Heck, all I ever wanted is to just have one book in the library that has my name on it, so that people will pick it up and remember my name. Pretty egocentric, probably, but well... that was my goal. Maybe when I'm old and grey (getting there on the grey thing, I notice) and I have nothing better to do...
The other thing is something I find funny. Your "advanced blogging skills" include adding pictures, but no links? Ok, for someone with a master in computer science (me), that's either rather funny or it just makes me want to get into a video conference of some kind and explain (show you) in five minutes flat how you're gonna do the linking. I think I'll just laugh for now. It was my turn for making fun of you anyway! :P
Better go into hiding now for a while. You never know how far a KH-curse might reach, so I hope I'm at a safe distance for a change. ;)
Love,
Leen
PS. Been wondering when I'll get to read "True Colors" in Dutch. Is it just me or is the translation taking longer than usual? Did you use so many difficult words or what? Most of all, I'm curious about the Dutch title, though. I just hope they can come up with something matching to the original, since I usually think translations are rather lame on getting all the puns and such.
Hi Kristin, i'ts Christen again....So, I read your blog tonight and started to laugh, not at you of course, but because I felt, almost as if, once again, I had come to your website for an answer that I didn't know I was looking for...I'm currently in the throws of my story. I've hashed it out in my mind a million times, told myself it wasn't good enough... but the story, the characters keep coming back to me as if they want to be told more than I want to tell them. So, I gave up and gave in...I've written almost 50,000 words and I can't wait to wake up tomorrow to get back to it. I'm in the writing stage, just telling the story as it comes to me and ignoring indiscrepencies and facts...I'll get to that in the editing stage I keep telling myself. The editing stage, something, I've been greatly concerned with and then of course I read your blog...thus, the laughter...editing, a topic that has been on my mind. I wondered if you could offer me some advice....here is my dilemma....I'm an unpublished writer and the only people I have to read my writing are my mother and best friends...take a guess, they think everything I put on paper is nothing short of genius. (I won't lie, I like to believe them)...however, at some point, if I'm going to be serious about this, I need a good second look. I don't view my writing with naivete. I'm not the best writer out there but I'm not the worst either, but don't you just find there are days you can't look at your own writing objectively....nor can your friends and family....I need someone to edit, someone to provide constructive criticism without destroying my dreams. I don't like to come across as fragile, but unrealized dreams can be as unpredictable as glass teetering on the edge of a cliff, they can land safely in perfection or they can fall; breaking, shattering, dismembering.
Do you have any ideas of where I can look to find some FREE and GOOD advice???? I can only think, as I've read your story that you were once in my boat, the boat in the canal that couldn't move or find a way out, so I ask you now, the tugboat, able to move and coerce others along with advice... what I should do, where I should look. How do you handle criticsm? How do you handle compliments? You have people to help you along, but you've come to the place in your path where others have opened themselves to you, I'm still the girl, unwilling to fail facing a sea of people that hope I will fail...I believe in myself, but I need help and directio. If I didn't believe in myself I wouldn't be smart enough to ask for help....can you provide some guidance???? Thanks, Christen
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On Mystic Lake is a *great* book! Love it and highly recommend it. I have Between Sisters in my pile to take with me to the beach at the end of next week.
I read Life Without Summer on Kristin's recommendation. It was highly readable. The subject matter is a bit tough; especially in the beginning, but the story is excellent. Right when I thought to myself, 'oh, I know exactly where this is going....' Twist...I was wrong.
That editing sounds like a pain in the arse! And I thought just having to proof my essays and applications were annoying...
So how does a book become a movie? Does the author have any control over how the movie turns out? (And if you do, may I suggest me for the lead, co-starring Patrick Dempsey!)
I've finally gotten to do some fun reading. I will admit that I've read the first two books in the Twilight series. Didn't sweep me away but it was a nice brain massage.
I've also read some fantasy/sci-fi. The Dream Maker's Magic and The Lighthouse Land. I tend to read things that happen in far off places with magic - it's like taking a brain vacation.
I generally stay away from stories set in modern times unless they're so good I can get totally wrapped up in it.
I'm back home on the west side for now and it's been nice to see all my family. Plus I've missed home cooked food! I like cooking for myself but it's just so much more fun to have dinner with everyone.
The solstice is coming up and I hope everyone is enjoying the summer weather!
Kim is PULLING HER HAIR OUT with copy edits. I don't mean to whine but waaaaaaaaaaaa. Leen, I hear you on the gray hair. Mine is going grayer by the minute. Must get myself to the hair dresser!!
And Fireflies--the flowers are gorgeous in this photo but you should have seen them in person. Oh my!! Kristin had beautiful arrangements throughout her gorgeous house. Stunning arrangements that Kristin did herself.
Lynn, I couldn't agree more. On Mystic Lake is such a wonderful book. I love all of Kristin's books but this one holds a special place in my heart. Have fun at the beach!!
Kim
Kim,
Since you so agree with me about On Mystic Lake, I have to say that is a book I remember giving me absolute chills....in a good way...because it was so great.
As far as the beach...I always hear people disdaining certain books as in, "well, it's good...for the beach." I disagree with that completely. I do not read what I consider substandard books at the beach. On the contrary, it's because I have a nice chunk of relaxed time, certain titles are *allowed* to go with me to the beach.
Can't wait to hear more about your book, Kim!
I'll admit that I didn't want to like On Mystic Lake. I was having a hard enough time getting into the contemporaries and that one in hardcover. I was still mourning the historicals, but I loved On Mystic Lake.
I got my haircut in March and the hairdresser said I had a grey hair. I've been looking and haven't found it yet. Meanwhile, the day of my birthday, I was mistaken for 15 (which is totally less than half my age). I'm actually kind insulted by that. I mean, except for the short, I don't think I look THAT young.
I'm reading Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I like the movie Pride & Prejudice, but I never got into the book. Now, I know why. It didn't have the undead. So far so good. It actually inspired me to buy and read the real book. I'm sure I'll find it lacking after reading about how Mr. Darcy just decapitated the misfortunate servants and the unmentionables that killed them. :)
I'm going to see The Hangover tomorrow with my sister-in-law. Other than that, Little Miss has turned a corner and now can understand us when we talk to her. She can blow her nose, throw things in the garbage on purpose, and adds more and more words to her vocabulary a day (mostly odd phrases and "appetite" was yesterday's word). Took her 18-month photos last week even though she's almost 20 months. hehehe
Can't wait to read your book either, Kim! Will you have to moderate your own blog at that point? At what point do you get an assistant? :)
Kristin has agreed to be my assistant. :)
ONE grey hair, April? AND being mistaken for a 15 year old?!? So not fair!! LOL And I'm not even going to comment on zoombies mixing it up with my Austen. There are somethings that shouldn't be messed with and P&P is one of them. :) I love reading about with Little Miss is up to. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
Lynn, so agree with you on the definition of a beach read. Be prepared to laugh out loud when you read Between Sisters. I think out of all of Kristin's books, that one has the best humor!!
Kim, who is avoiding finishing her copy edits by mucking about on the internet. ::sigh:: I like to think I was more productive before the world wide web.
Ya, I agree...one gray hair! I think that falls into the 'boo the hell hoo' category LOL!! You hairdresser should not have even brought it up!
I also enjoy the tales of Little Miss. I was so thrilled when my kids could blow their own noses. Made it much easier to just hold the tissue and say, 'blow'.
April, it's probably hard to grasp this, and I'm sure you're tired of hearing it, but the time when your child is young goes so FAST!! She sounds like a lot of fun.
"Boo the hell hoo" is now my favorite saying, Lynn!!!!
Hello Kristin,
First of all I have to say that you have a lovely website! And your blog is very nice! Unfortunately I haven´t read any of your books yet, but that will soon change. I love books and words in any form, well in most form anyway lol.
I wish you a good day and hope that summer will be fine at your end. Here in the northern part of Sweden, the sun is shining, the birds are singing..
I will come back and read more of your posts and read about your books. Good luck!
Best Wishes/IKA
Hi Kristin!
Kim, too!
I just thought that I would pop in and say hello! Firefly Lane has me crying again! I must say that it takes one GREAT book to make me cry the first time I read, but the 2nd time too? Even though I know what is coming at the end?
I felt many of the same emotions that I felt the first time I read it, and I felt some surprising new ones the 2nd time around!
Kristin, you just HAVE to write a sequel to it. You just HAVE to! Please say that is what you are working on for the novel coming out after the next one in February. I just KNOW you have to have some more story in you to complete Tully and Johnny's story. What happened to Mara, William, and Lucas? Does Tully ever settle in and finally find her lonliness gone with Kate's family? Does she find love with Johnny? You kind of leave us hanging in the wind with the end of it. There is SO much material that could be written to close out the book. Perhaps having a second novel in this story line would be a wonderful cathartic book to write! It could be the avenue to release any pent up emotions that Tully has over what happened to Kate. There just has to be more! Yeah, okay.. I am begging here!
Please consider a sequel, Kristin. I really believe that if you did write it you would find such joy in writing it, that you may get hooked on writing a few other sequels too.. you know like Magic Hour.. ;)
Your fans want to read more about Tully and Johnnie. Just think, Kate could "visit" Tully in her mind.. help her through the transition from starlet to stepmom.. Be her best friend foreve literally, even from beyond! Of course, she could also visit Mara, William, and Lucas, and most of all Johnnie.. Give him her blessing to find love again.. So MUCH story left..
Please?
Linda
If Linda gets to ask for a sequel to Firefly Lane, I'm going to have to lobby for the sequels to The Things We Do for Love, and On Mystic Lake. For equally compelling reasons :D
How bout it? You could do one book with several short stories in it that let us know how our favorite characters are doing. A little story about Tully, an update on Izzy, Lauren and the DeSarias...
Smiles to all~
I love reading about us and what we're up to...although I don't have too much to contribute right now.
I miss you Kristin! Trying to decide on a new Susan Wiggs book, and I started to read Summer on Blossom Street, but what I'm WAY looking forward to is Magic Hour!
Dear Karen G---
I'm so glad you enjoyed Firefly. One thing everyone on this blog agrees with is how important our friends are. Like you, the older I get, the more treasure those important relationships in my life. How did your book club like the book?
welcome and come on back!
aloha,
K
Dear Michelle--
Book writing is a lot of work, but like the best things in life, it's also a great deal of fun. I can't imagine doing anything else.
I don't think about writing a children's book, but I do sometimes dream of writing young adult. And if you think about writing a kids book, you should do it. You might find a new passion in life!
aloha,
k
Dear Leen--
Congratulations on finishing your work! I totally know what you mean about both liking to be busy and wanting to relax at the same thing. I find the same thing myself. I'm always more productive when I'm busy. Same with you?
Sorry about the whole link thing. I really wish I knew how to do more of these things. I thought I was doing well with the photos. :)
And don't give up on writing so fast. It's hard, but everything worthwhile is, right? And it's also so so fulfilling and fun. I absolutely adore it.
What else are you reading?
aloha,
K
Dear Christen--
boy, do I know where you're coming from. That's both the best and worst thing about writing--no matter where you are in the process, there's always so much more to learn. I've written seventeen book and there are still lots of times when I read another writer's work and feel a swell of depression. A certainty that I'll never be that good. I usually try to immediately read something terrible that restores my self esteem. :)
As far as advice, the best thing I can tell you is that its a process. One step at a time. It takes drive and ambition and belief in yourself. Then it takes commitment, a constant getting up and dusting yourself off and trying again. Here are the things that helped me most: joining a writer's group. Meeting with and talking to other people who are commited to the dream will make you believe its possible and give you the information you need to keep going. Attend workshops and conferences. Writers are especially giving people--especially genre writers (thriller, mystery, romance). There are lots of wonderful national conferences that will provide you with endless sources of inspiration and information. Read everything you can get your hands on and analyze it. Learn to really understand what makes a book work on a structural level. I always recommend Dwight Swain's great how to book, Techniques of the Selling Writer. It's a godsend for beginners who are serious about the craft.
Good luck and keep working at it!
aloha,
K
Dear Christen--
Oops, forgot the part about criticism and compliments and how I handle them. Honestly, I handle them both in the same way, which is listen and try to learn from them. Like most people, I find its harder to accept compliments and easier to believe criticism, but the point is that I am always trying to learn and improve. There are always people who want to built you up and those that want to tear you down, but I just focus on the positive and keep going forward. Writing is a career that takes a lot of inner strength--to finish a book, to start another, to succeed, to fail. All of it is tough. But when it's all over and you've made it through, you have this magical thing in your hands--a book that is yours alone. It's worth all the struggle.
aloha,
k
Dear Lynn--
glad you liked Life without Summer. It is a tough subject matter, but the author handled it really well, I thought. It wasn't as desperately sad as it could have been, and there were plenty of surprises.
what else you reading these days?
aloha,
k
Dear Sheila---
Glad to hear you're having a fun summer break. Welcome back to this side of the state!
If you like fantasy, I just read an interesting YA title. The Graceling. I didn't adore it, but I liked it. And...drum roll, please, I'm off to see Harry Potter, the movie tomorrow. Will report back!
aloha,
K
Dear Lynn--
Bravo about the "beach read" comment. I hear that all the time. It's a nice beach read. Usually it means something is less serious, but I'm with you. I only take the very best books to the beach with me. I adore reading on the beach, and I want a book that will sweep me away. If I lose interest, I'm into the water instead...
aloha,
K
Dear April---
first of all, let me say that anyone who is thirty years old and gets mistaken for a fifteen year old is looking FINE. And since I've met you, I know that you do look remarkably young. I can't believe you have a grey hair. That's parenthood for you. :) All I can say is that we earn them, every one.
And I can totally understand your original hesitation about Mystic. As a former paperback writer, it was scary for me to go hardcover, too. I didn't know how many, if any of my original readers would follow me. Especially considering how expensive hardcovers have gotten. So thanks for giving me a chance and staying on the train. I know how tight money is these days for people, so I'm especially glad for libraries and paperback editions.
aloha,
k
Dear Kim---
You REALLY want me for your assistant--me, who can't link to my own blog, work a digital camera under pressure, move text, or figure out facebook? All I can say is God help you.
I am so lucky to have you, thats for sure. So good luck on finding someone as good as you are!
And did you tell everyone how GORGEOUS your cover is????
aloha,
k
Dear Lynn---
I'm with you on the Little Miss stories, and allow me to agree wholeheartedly with the whole how fast they grow up thing. It's STARTLING. Really. My son was toddling around a few years ago and now he's a senior in college. Wow.
I know all the fireflies join with me to tell April to enjoy every nanosecond...
aloha,
k
Dear Ika---
Welcome to the blog!! And from Sweden. How absolutely cool is that?
I hope you have no trouble finding the books. Good luck! I think most of them are out in Sweden, but I'm not certain. Leen, you're my European connection--any idea?
aloha,
k
Dear Linda---
First of all, let me say that you should ask Kim about crying over Firefly Lane on multiple readings. The poor girl cried every draft she entered, every single time. I would walk into the office, see her sobbing and turn right around. If I didn't turn right around, she would yell at me to get the heck out and leave her be. She hates it when I make her cry, but she REALLY hates it when I don't.
As to a sequel, yes, yes, yes, I know that people are hoping for one. And I can honestly say that I do intend to write it. It is not, sorry to say, the next book, or even the book after that, but it will be coming. The truth is that I don't yet know the story yet. I have ideas and thoughts, but the point of it all hasn't quite jelled. I feel really strongly that my readers deserve just the right story for Tully. She's got a lot yet to go through, as does Cloud, and Marah, and I want every reader who follows me there to be completely satisfied. When I have all of that in place, I promise I'll start writing.
I'll tell you about the 2010 book, soon, and I promise you'll love it.
aloha,
K
Dear Sheila---
Keep lobbying! I don't seen any sequels on the horizon right now, but I've learned never to say never!
aloha,
K
Dear Michelle---
I hope you enjoy Magic Hour. One of my all time favorite characters is in that book. Little Alice. Let me know if you like her as much as I do--
aloha,
K
Hi Kristin,
I recently read Firefly Lane, and just yesterday I finished On Mystic Lake (trade paperback edition!). I thought they were both wonderful, and I truly loved Izzy from OML. I think you did a great job of capturing the voice of a little girl, how she perceives her world and the pain she is feeling. However, I would have LOVED to have a final reunion chapter between Annie,Katie, Nick and Izzy. I understand why you didn't, but still...I think it is empowering for readers to see a woman come so far in her life in such a small period of time. Very inspiring.
Thank you for the wonderful stories!
Rebecca (from Canada!)
Hi Kristin,
I have been to the library I I did find some of your books, not all, but I got 4 of them;
Between Sisters
Distant Shores
Angel Falls
Summer Island
I will start with Between Sisters.
Here in the Northern part of Sweden summer is upon us, it´s very hot and playing outside with my 2 sons will make it even warmer *smiles*
If you have the chance to visit my blog you will be able to read it with the google translator, press it and you can choose any language you want, however it may not be 100% correct but I think you will understand most of it. That goes for anyone who wants to visit me.
I love books and words in any form, well in most forms anyway.
I hope you have a great day,
Take care
Hugs/IKA
You wouldn't even have to write sequels. You've been known to have characters pop into multiple books, just show us people are doing well that way! :)
I don't usually cry upon rereads. That said, I swear there is one ridiculously NOT SAD scene in Angel Falls that makes me cry every time. It's so silly. I'm a sucker for kids in books though.
I still don't look 15 no matter how you spin it though. I'll admit to looking YOUNG, but I don't look half my age (or less than half my age).
Oh, here's a Little Miss story - when she sees photos of members of the family, she'll call them by name and kiss them. When she sees photos of herself, she'll say "mama" and kiss it. hehehe
Hi Kristen,
I Have to say THANK YOU for all the wonderful stories! I picked up The Things We Do For Love about a year ago and Loved it so much I managed to find all of you books, Loving every one of them. Firefly Lane took awhile to reach our area But was well worth the wait, again thank you and I look forward to for your 2010 best seller! I can finally say I have a favorite Author.
Jessy in Oregon
Congrats Kristin on your Firefly Lane voted best Contemp Cover @ Cover Cafe!
The E-Flowers are beautiful! thank you =)
I just had to let you know I went to the book store lastnight and I picked up the paperback of On Mystic Lake. I am so looking forward to reading it seeing that I LOVED Firefly Lane and True Colors!
I am 23 and never got into reading till I picked up Firefly lane. So I want to thank you for giving me the 'reading bug'
Take care!
Kait
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