carriejones

I have to rush off to get the E Girl to school, which is always THE most stressful time in the morning because the E Girl does not want to spend the day at school looking like this:


Or this:
And it is my God-given duty as the E Girl's mommy to prevent that. It is in the Mommy pledge. Really.

But before I go I have to mention good news stuff, especially since I was so whiny in friends-locked posts last week.

1. TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND is a SEMIFINALIST for the IPPYs. Here is what the site says about it:

Independent Publisher Book Awards (since 1996) awards the best indie-published books of the year

Here is  my book. Doesn't it look happy?


2. LOVE AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE received an amazing review from Teensreadtoo and a pretty nice review from VOYA.

Here is what they said:

Oh! And I will be ANNOUNCING the winner of the SUPER COOL CONTEST TOMORROW!!!!

Grover will help.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my friends-locked blog post. You guys are... well... you make everything better, don't you? I'm amazed by how cool the blogging community is. Do you remember that contest where you get to win two books  (TIPS and LOVE) and a surprise present if you either posted something about your secret book love or if you posted something socially helpful. You all posted something VERY socially helpful to me, and really got me through the day, so everyone who posted is entered (or double or triple entered) because of that.

Even if you don't want to be entered. YOU ARE ENTERED.

The contest closes on May 14. You still have time! Just comment below.

I have to figure out a way to blog about the campaign. Do you think friends-locked posts are safe? Some very interesting things have happened.

But in super cool news, my very amazing editor Michelle Nagler has emailed me the first go at the book cover of NEED. It is stunning and creepy and really, really cool. It also makes me want to buy gold, glittery lipstick.

(Note: This is not the cover. This is lipstick from a British store. The cover is EVEN cooler than this, but I can't post it yet)

It was especially cool to see the cover because it makes the book suddenly real. And that is just the best feeling. Sometimes that feeling comes when a publisher buys your book, or when you see the ARC (advanced reader copy), or when you see get a big box of them from the handsome UPS guy, or when you see it on the shelf.

But for me, this time, it was seeing the cover that made it real. For all you soon-to-be-published writers out there, I hope you get to feel that really soon.

 

Usually, I have a little list in my head of THE COOLEST THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO CARRIE IN ONE WEEK. This is how I keep the horrible things from bothering me, and believe me thanks to Lyra smelling like the litter box and Tala having some doggy indigestion, things haven't been too swell around here. (Note: How goofy is the word 'swell?')

And, I think I already have a winner for the COOLEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO CARRIE THIS WEEK!

I was out taking photos for my campaign flyer and all strung up with cameras and lenses when I saw a librarian walking across the City Hall parking lot.

She also saw me.

Her face lit up.

I instantly panicked and stressed about the overdue books in a bag in my car. I wondered if I had enough cash in my camera bag to cover my fines. Would she tackle me? Would she slap my wrists with something? I didn't know... Maybe I could outrun her, hide in the Grasshopper Shoppe in a clothes rack. Maybe...

But then she smiled and said, "Carrie! I read your book!!!"

And then she told me that she read it because another librarian talked about it on a Maine librarian listserv and then she said the most amazing words an author can hear: I LOVED IT, CARRIE. I really loved it.

YAY! A librarian I know loved TIps on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend.

But it gets better than that because then she hugged me!!!!

There is nothing better than a librarian hug. Except maybe a kid hug. But they are pretty close.

I hope you all get hugged by librarians this week or at least dog kissed. Tala would be happy to provide the service:

There's a tradition on livejournal where some writers post teasers, snippets of Works In Progress or upcoming novels. So, I've decided to be brave and do that today.

I'm posting an excerpt from Girl, Hero, which will be out in late summer. I just finished reading the PDF of the final book, so... Well, it's scary when you close a file, shoot it back to the editor (The Amazing Sandy Sullivan) and know that it is all done, that you can't play with it any more. For more info on GIRL, HERO you can check on that section on my website, if, you know, you're really bored.

Also, this week I'm posting at a craft blog of nine alum from Vermont College's MFA program. It's about dialogue and the first two posts are about class. I'll be talking to superstar agent Edward Necarsulmer, Editor Andrew Karre, authors Micol Ostow, Rita Williams-Garcia and Linda Urban.

If you go over there and comment you will be entered into TWO contests:

1. The first is mine and you will win two of my books and a secret surprise. The books are TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND, and the newly released LOVE (AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE).
2. The second is exclusive to the Thru the Tollbooth blog and you win a signed copy of one of Micol's great books.

This week I'm posting at a craft blog of nine alum from Vermont College's MFA program, so it looks like my regular blog might be a little light.

I'm posting about dialogue, and today (and tomorrow) I'm talking about illustrating class difference in dialogue. I would be super honored if you'd check it out, and if you commented. Actually, if you comment, any time this week I will consider it positive social action and give you another entry in the contest to win.

1. 1 copy of TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND
2. 1 copy of LOVE (AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE)
3. Something super secret but VERY cool. At least very cool by Carrie Jones standards.

I also posted something different on the Ellsworth American site. I post there every Monday.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate Cindy, my super cool friend from Vermont College. She won the PEN New England Discovery Award and there was a big ceremony last night. I hope Cindy is feeling ridiculously proud because she should. She is that amazing.

1. First off... thanks to EVERYONE who sent me luck yesterday. I begged for luck on a friends-locked post and you guys responded. Thank you.

2. My toe doesn't hurt quite so much now. Here's a picture:
This is how it looked right after impact. It is now all uniformly the color of a purple dinosaur and three times as big as my other toes.

3. Have you ever been on the phone with someone and you both are rushing at the end of the conversation and the other person says, "Okay. Bye. Love you. Bye."

Love you!

And you say:

And then you manage to say: Bye

But the other person has hung up and you are stuck there, cradling the phone between your cheek and your shoulder thinking, "OMG! Did that person actually MEAN that they love me, or were they just not thinking?"

And then you think how nice it is to be loved, even if it was loved in a not-thinking and merely automatic way.

That happened to me yesterday and it put me in a ridiculously good mood.

4. My amazing editor Andrew Karre found that Tad Mack had done a book meme over at Finding Wonderland (which is one of my ultimate favorite blogs) and Tad Mack did the book meme with two books and one was my upcoming book, Girl, Hero, which is still in ARC (Advanced Reader Copy-- uncorrected proof) form!!!!



Seriously. How cool is that? I feel kind of famous. And Tad Mack said nice things. Specifically Tad Mack said,

"This one looks really good. Stay tuned for my review on Readers' Rants."

!!!!

I hope I don't disappoint Tad Mack. Note: Typing Tad Mack over and over again is fun. What a great name. I wish I could use it in a story.

5. I hate disappointing people. I hope you all have a great non-disappointing weekend. And thank you again so much. Yesterday was pretty intimidating and it was all your good wishes that got me through. Thank you.

6. Today is the day to remember the Holocaust in World War II. It is good to remember about what people have done and what they are doing now.

Okay. I am going to fess up.

I really love any books with paranormal romance. I mean, if I am TOTALLY AND INCOMPLETELY incapable of relaxing because of this:




Or because of this:
What do you mean my revision is poopy? What do you mean you don't want my picture book? Why are you  throwing knives at me Super Amazing Editor People? Oh.... Wait. I'm only just imagining this. Okay. Yeah.... Being a writer is hard.

Or because of this:
Really. I am writing. Really. Yes. It's very serious literature. Very serious. I WILL be able to be in charge of the craft blog Throughthetollbooth next week. Seriously. I swear. As soon as I get this white thing off my nose...

So, if I am incapable of relaxing because of ANY of those things I grab a book with a little love and a little bit of fairy or vampire or ghosts or what-have-you.  This is why I am super psyched that Melissa Marr and Jeanine Frost both have books releasing today: INK EXCHANGE (This is YA) and ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE (This is not YA). YAY TEAM!

So HERE IS THE CONTEST! Tell me the book (or books) that you love but you are -ahem- a little bit embarrassed about. The winner will get a copy of my new book LOVE AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE, plus a paperback version of TIPS ON HAVING A GAY EX BOYFRIEND (which is officially out in May) plus something super secret but very... very... cool.



OR... if that is too embarrassing for you.

Here is your other choice:

Show me that you've posted about something you care about that is about social action. If you don't have a blog, you can email me about something you've done.

It can be about giving away books, cleaning up the lawn, advocating for human rights. I'm pretty open here.  It can be ANY cause or any philosophical/political persuasion. I really think writers and readers and bloggers can make a difference and I'd like to give my little freebie gift who at least one of you who do.

So you pick the contest, you pick the cause and spread the word about the contest, too, if you can. Okay? That will give you an extra entry in the raffle.

And we will have a winner on May 14! YAY!!!!

Giving things away is REALLY fun. NOTE: I am not embarrassed about my Marr/Frost book love because these ladies are ultra talented.

This man? This cute man? His name is Shi Tao. He is a journalist in China who used his Yahoo! email and messaged a website in the U.S. The website was pro-democracy. Yahoo! sent the government the information about it. As a result of this message Shi Tao was sentenced to prison.

How long is his sentence?

10 years.

Support online freedom of speech by asking your Representative to support H.R. 275, the Global Online Freedom Act.

U.S. based companies are helping suppress online speech. As U.S. citizens we need to make our protest heard. This companies, in a strange way, represent us. That makes us part of the problem. The worst thing we can do is be silent.

Ask your Representative to support H.R. 275, the Global Online Freedom Act of 2007.

(The photo and information is courtesy of Amnesty International, rephrased by me.)

Yes, we have a winner in the guess the chef contest. A lot of people guessed correctly, and the best part was reading people's logic. My favorite examples of which are:< br />
1. It has to be the smiling guy. Everyone else looks grumpy so they must be bankers.
2. It has to be the man with the 'taster's belly.'
3. It has to be the guy without the suit coats. Bankers are always photographed in suit coats.

If you'd like to see the picture again here it is:


The Chef is the only one NOT in a suit coat!!!!

Thank you everyone for playing.

In other news, I did not win the beautiful pink scooter, which would have probably only hurt the campaign. Also, in other news I went to a really interesting May Day celebration at Food and Medicine in Brewer, Maine. It was all about labor issues. While there the D-Man gave the Maine State Attorney General my card, which directs him to this site.

While I doubt the Maine State Attorney General has enough time to peruse random house candidates non-political websites I am a bit worried now because:

1. I talked about cleavage in the last post.
2. Um, I talked about cleavage in the last post.

Anyway, he was really nice and brilliant and a fantastic speaker. I am very proud that Maine has him for an AG.



Also, I am thinking up ideas for a new contest to win a copy of LOVE AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE.



 I also went to the celebration of life for Tommy Dean Salisbury. I've mentioned him before in this blog. He died suddenly and he was an absolute hero. I've blogged about his memorial service and his brave, beautiful children at the Ellsworth American site.

As you know, I am not fond of posting pictures but since I was accused of being a tease, I am posting bang shots. I apologize to everyone for having to gaze upon them.

These are my bangs in color:


And yes, I did take that picture myself. Moving on.
These are my bangs in black and white:

Don't I look pained? The wind was blowing. I am VERY bad at self-photos and yesterday was a TOTALLY ROTTEN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE DAY!

As you can tell, Tala has heard it all before.

Every once in awhile a person (this means me) might get tired of their forehead.

In fact, a person (this is still me) might see their forehead in pictures taken at a perfectly nice writing conference and then subsequently gasp and rush to the hair dresser shouting, "HIDE IT!!! HIDE IT NOW!!!"

See this young man? He can't handle my forehead.


See this baby? She is terrified that her forehead will someday look like mine! "No, Mommy! No!" she yells.

So I get to the hair-cutting place, shuddering, horrified that I have frightened children everywhere and possibly forced many into therapy because they have been exposed to my forehead.

"Just give us our medicine so we can forget that monstrous thing."

Anyway, my nice hair dresser, Carol, said, "Carrie. You crack me up. There are lots of beautiful people with big foreheads."
Of course, then she shoved my head into the sink thing and my neck cracked so loudly that THE LADY NEXT TO ME HEARD IT AND GASPED! And then Carol proceeded to do some sort of weird waterboarding-type torture that involved a lot of water rushing at my face and into my eyes before she finally wrapped my head into a towel and... and... and...

Hold on. I need to go hug Grover.


Okay. Better now.


So, while being tortured I realized: Yes, there are plenty of people with big foreheads who are still beautiful:


And I also realized: Unfortunately, this is not me.

This is more like me, although obviously, I'm not a guy or blonde or have black letters across my brow:


Although, it does seem like a good way to make money, just in case nobody buys my book, LOVE AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE. Perhaps I could just become a walking ad.

People could pay me and I could walk around with my forehead saying things such as: JUST DO IT

Or: MAINE COAST MEMORIAL HOSPITAL YOUR HOMETOWN HOSPITAL

Or: TWO FOR ONE GUN SALE AT GARY'S GUNS ARE US.

But, that would be an actual business making endeavor, so instead, I just got bangs.

YAY BANGS!!!!

One of the greatest guys I've ever met died suddenly last Sunday while at the American Legion Hall in Trenton. Pretty much the only post I've had this week (due to power cord issues and revision stress) was about him over at the Ellsworth American blog.

The link is here. I'd be so honored if you'd check it out and comment, because, basically Cowboy Tommy Dean was/is one of the greatest gifts this community ever had.

This is Tom (His true name was Thomas Dean Salisbury) doing dj/sound stuff. He was also a volunteer dj at our local independent (award-winning) radio station WERU. The shot is from country artist Stevie Cee's website. They were great friends and did a lot for the benefit Christmas is for Families together.

This week, the Girlfriends' Cyber Circuit is interviewing Megan Crane, so it's a good thing that my power cord for my laptop FINALLY came yesterday, because touring Megan is an absolute priority?

Why?

Oh, because she is brilliant and witty and a great writer.
Don't believe me?

Check out her new book. It's proof that I tell the truth.

First, the cover, which is amazing:


Now, the additional evidence? Here is what the critics are saying:

“…witty…Crane’s brisk voice and knack for finding the humor in Courtney’s angst keep the mood upbeat all the way to the rosy resolution.”
– Publishers Weekly

 

“…will keep readers entertained…an inviting take on universal themes.”

- Kirkus Reviews

 

“This engaging story…toes the precarious line of stereotyping its characters, but it’s to Crane’s credit that the story rises above such confinements of character.”

–Romantic Times Magazine

Finally, here's what the lovely Megan had to say when I subjected her to the Love (and other uses for duct tape ) interview. She was gracious and charming and a tape-lover. More evidence.

 

My favorite Muppets are those cranky old men up in the box seats.  They're pretty good internal critics, too!

 

(The multi-tasking Statler and Waldorf)

 

(Statler and Waldorf engage in a little role playing)

 

Thank you Megan! And congratulations on your book!

 

 

 

Did you notice that I was missing?
Really.
I barely was able to comment online.
I barely was able to get email.
I barely was able to do my revisions.

WHY?

Because I forgot my laptop power cord in NH!!!

It is hard to be a writer (or a blogger) without a computer.

But... the nice hotel people found the missing power cord and mailed the missing power cord and it has returned!!!
So, I can post this:

My way of rockin' the drop is to leave a book at a coffee shop and another at a super secret destination. Mission Accomplished! Now, I only have to write 5,000 emails.

I am really sorry if I've missed important blog news or email news. It was not because I was blowing you off. It's because I was powerless.

I am going to be off-line for a bit because I'm off to the amazing NESCBWI conference in Nashua, N.H. where I'm presenting about improvisation and writing and I'm in a slight panic mode because I have failed to:

1. Wax my eyebrows. Yes, I am now addicted.
2. Get a hair cut.
3. Pack

I'll be back in the blog world Monday. But in the meantime I am incredibly psyched to see so many writers and bloggers in Nashua.

Behind the cut is information about Darfur.

( Read more... )

Well, you may have noticed I haven't been the most active blogger these last few days.

This is because of my awesome editor Michelle Nagler.

Michelle sent me the notes for NEED on Monday. These are the editorial notes where the editors gives the author feedback and the author thinks, OH MY GOD. I AM SUCH A SUCKY WRITER. WHY DID SHE EVER BUY THIS BOOK?


Not all authors think this. I'm sure he doesn't think this:
James Patterson: I don't care what Stephen King said about me in the Washington Post. Pshaw. I am an awesome plotter.

But I do think this. I am also the type of person who thinks: OH MY WORD (I am in 1950s housewife mode here) I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE ACTUALLY MARRIED ME SINCE I AM TOTALLY INCAPABLE OF MATCHING MY SOCKS, WAKING UP IN THE MORNING, OR  BAKING ANY SORT OF BAKED GOODS.
 
I think this because I am insecure. A lot of authors are insecure. A lot of authors are not.

Philip Pullman: Stephen King has never said anything negative about me in the Washington Post. Wait. Has he? Perhaps I should pay him to do so. Hhmm...

But the point is that editorial notes are the best things ever, especially Michelle's. They are brilliant. They make you work hard. They make you think hard. They make your story better, which is the point isn't it? I think the point is to write the best book that you can.

However, it's all made me a tiny bit stressed because I have to do it quickly, and I am also trying to get in all my clean election forms (since I'm running for political office) and I have to prepare for the New England SCBWI Conference. I am presenting there! And people have signed up for my workshop! A lot of people!


In other good news:

Birthdays: kidlit_kim just had a birthday! And wldhrsjen3 wrote an incredibly nice review of TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND on her blog. AND Tips is about to come out in paperback! I just received a whole box load of them, which means.... I need to have a contest. Stay tuned...


I can't remember if I mentioned that Little Willow put LOVE AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE on her best of March list. This totally rocks. Even if I've already mentioned it, I am still happy.

And finally, despite the fact that the D-Man's nose began bleeding last night at 2:30 a.m. and then kept bleeding a lot (despite pressure and cold compress), and then necessitated a trip to the E.R. at 4:30 a.m. IT HAS NOW STOPPED BLEEDING!
Male Doctor: I know it's a gusher, but that's probably a little excessive there.
Female Doctor: It's the hospital CEO. I'm going to make this nose packing as painful as humanly possible.

The current lack of blood gushing is absolutely celebration worthy. In bleary-eyed joyfulness, I am going to go guzzle some Postum now, since it is the elixir of the Mighty Mainer, liquid beverage cereal, and non-caffeinated coffee substitute. Yum.

Sometimes I feel like I'm turning into my grandmother.

(You should be so lucky,Carrie)
Or maybe just Stephen King.

(You really are pushing it, Jones)

Do you think Stephen King or James Patterson or Pullman or Estelle Getty get editorial notes?
Do you think I'll be able to revise at all since I only had 2.35 hours of sleep?
Better yet, do you think I'll be extraordinarily punchy at my campaign meeting today? Perhaps I'll pull out my Clinton/Obama/McCain impersonations.... Hhmmm....

Welcome Back to the Glam World of Children's Book Writing!

Yes, I have survived receiving an award Thursday night. It was for Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend, my debut novel.

Yes, I did just write survived.

The people were incredibly nice and kind. Grape-eating abounded. Brie-eating abounded. There was wine. But more importantly there was sparkling cider. The awards were held in a dark room on the seventh floor of a library. Yes, there are buildings with over three floors in Maine, thank you very much.

But I expected to be like this:
(Image from solar navigator)

Instead, I was like this:
(image from the Times)
Why?
Well, a woman who is very nice read pieces of the award winners and then presented them with the award. There were awards for poetry, published fiction, published non-fiction, published children's book (THIS IS WHAT I WON!) and then there were awards for teen writers, which is super ultra-cool, because let me tell you that winning an award looks SOOOOOOOO good on college applications.
(Dakota Fanning is going to get into every college she wants. I guarantee it.)

Anyway, I went up. I received my award. I smiled. I hugged. I went back to my seat while people applauded.

Then an ultra-cute teen went up and received her award. She went back to her seat, then the host called her name into the darkness and asked what high school the ultra-cute, ultra-good-writer teen went to.

"Scarborough," teen replied. Her voice flitting through the darkness.

Then the host said INTO THE MICROPHONE (!), "Carrie. What high school do you go to?"

Me:

Everyone in the audience turned their heads to stare at me.

Me:

Super cool administrator started saying, "No! Carrie -- Carrie -- wrote --"

Me (finally capable of speech): No! I'm --  I'm old.

People began laughing. People began laughing somewhat hysterically. Emily, my super lovable kid, pet my back and said, "It's okay, Mommy. They won't remember."

Sigh.

I don't know if any of my regular blog readers remember me writing about Zmister Dashkevich, but there's good news! He has been freed, which is the ultimate of happy-dance worthy news. I've posted the information from Amnesty International behind the cut. It is a direct quote from the website.

( Read more... )

This is Mr. Dashkevich, who is now free.

Have I mentioned that  Zara, the main character in NEED, (the book I'm writing for Bloomsbury) is all about Amnesty International? She is.

In less exciting (but still happy dance worthy) news I am off to Portland, Maine to receive the Maine Literary Award for TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (ex) BOYFRIEND.

The ceremony is tonight.

In bad news? My closet is barren and it looks like I'll be wearing this:

(This picture came from times on line. It is not me)

Happy birthday rosefiend and congratulations on going to Hamline!

If you guys don't know Hamline offers a master's program specifically for writing for children. This is a very cool thing. I went to Vermont College. V.C. offers a master's in writing for children and young adults.

What was it like?

I can't tell what those MFA students are doing? Can you?
I think they're frolicking?
NO! I think they're stealing plots from 80s movies.
NO!!!!! Let's go get'm.

Um.... It was great. No plots were stolen.

But when I first got there it was a little scary. You know how when you go into the cafeteria and realize that you know absolutely nobody. No, seriously, and everyone else looks like they know everybody else and so you just stand there with your tray... wondering how you can go into the kitchen and eat with the cooks because they seem really nice... the cooks.



That's what it was like.

And then you meet all the other people in your class and it feels like everyone is SOOOOOOOOO much cooler than you are and they all sort of have roles.

There's HE WHO WRITES SEX SCENES and SHE OF THE PEACEFUL POETRY and MAGICAL URBAN FANTASY WOMAN and PICTURE BOOK GURU and I AM FLUFFY and then of course, THE ONE CUTE GUY. This is a children's writer's program.

(Note: We were a rocking class because there were actually three cute boys out of our 18 writers. This made our class ultra-cool.)

Anyway, I felt like I didn't fit in because everyone else was so cool,  and basically I almost had a complete nervous breakdown the first residency until Lisa Jahn Clough talked me down and said, "Carrie, writers never feel like they fit in. That's why we're writers."

And I said, "But I'm from Maine. I'm not used to all these people talking everywhere about writing. Actually, I'm not used to people, which is part of why I wear a parka inside buildings at all times."



And she said, "I know. I'm from Maine too, but it's good. Really. It's sometimes overwhelming, but it's good. And parkas are fine."

And it turned out she was right.

Everyone in my class at Vermont helped each other and HE WHO WRITES SEX SCENES eventually WROTE PEACEFUL POETRY, occasionally and MAGICAL URBAN FANTASY WOMAN wrote an occasional picture book, and everyone in my class just basically loved each other, creating a happy ending much better than any 1980s teen movie and we eventually all crunched up together and looked all emotional and dramatic but right together.



And I kind of miss it because as Molly Ringwald (1980s actress always wearing pink or black) said in the movie, Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone, "Us loners got to stick together."

And you know, writers wrote that line. And they also wrote that movie. Which is why we all need to support each other because sometimes... well... we writers stink.

Anyway, I really miss learning about craft and becoming an exponentially better writer because of amazing writer/teachers.
And I really miss throwing cookies at people in the cafeteria and then looking all happy-faced like this:



Us loners got to stick together, baby, and that counts for writers and readers both, and writing programs give us writers a place to do it. So congratulations to all my friends who are starting programs, and to all my friends who aren't. Because, basically, we all have our own paths and they are all cool.

Well, almost all of them are cool.