This one's fun to look back on

It's a month of reruns!! (originally published at livejournal on 4/6/06)

It was fun finding this entry. Here is where my career changed directions. Right here. I went from trying to be a PB/MG writer to a YA writer. Still, 3+ years later, I can remember what it was like writing that book - in a word, amazing. It was like a gift from God, it flowed so easily. I've only had one other book like that, and it's coming out in March: IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES.

***

A new story is inside me
and now starting to appear
outside of me.
On paper.
Where it can become
what it is meant to be.

It haunted me all night.

Haunted is exactly the right word.

It is written in free verse.

I don't know if I know what I'm doing
but I know I love what I'm doing
so I'm going to keep doing it.

I got up at 5:30 and have written
6 chapters.
6 short chapters
Almost 1000 words.

I could write it all day long
if only I could write all day long.

But there's that thing called work.

So, Ava and Jackson,
I will see you again,
later on,
if not on paper,
then in my dreams.

How does your garden grow?

originally published at livejournal on 3/17/06

***


I'm busy planting...

Seeds of motivation.

Hints of what's to come.

More personality for each character.

Sometimes it rains hard and I can hardly see if I'm making progress.

And then, the sun shines for a brief moment, and I smile.

I move forward along the rows.

Then I go back, where I missed a spot here and there.

Forward and back.

Sunshine and rain.

Forward and back.

Sunshine and rain.

I'm in the garden of revision.

It's hard work.

But hopefully by spring,

the flowers will bloom

and the story will finally be

complete and full of color!

Free book plates for one week!

I will send you a signed book plate made out to whomever you'd like if you are thinking of giving one of my books for a holiday gift. I can even send you one for CHASING BROOKLYN and you could include a bookstore gift card for the recipient to purchase it when it comes out on January 5th.

All you have to do is send me a note through my web site (http://lisaschroederbooks.com/) and tell me what book you're buying, WHO you'd like me to write a little message to, and the address where I should send it.

For my book plates, I use clear mailing labels that you stick inside the book, on the title page, and because they're clear, it *almost* looks like I really signed the book!

I'll also throw in a signed CHASING BROOKLYN bookmark as well.

Offer good through December 14, 2009.

Thanks!

Dream on

The month of reruns continues. Are you bored yet?

***

Thursday I'm speaking to the local MOMS club about pursuing dreams.

So, I'm talking about how we have to become intentional and decide to DO IT.

We have to take little steps at first, and simply do one or two things that move us in the direction of that dream.

And once a person starts taking those steps, it's amazing how she then feel closer to it, like it is now HER dream, not just A dream.

I'll talk about how fear is a normal feeling, but we have to face that fear, because our dream exists beyond the borders of that fear. If we let fear control our actions, we're basically imprisoned, and nothing good can happen there.

And finally, I'll talk about the importance of enjoying the journey. You must find joy in each step you take, and look for and be thankful for the people you meet along the way, who help you on your journey.

So. You all have dreams. What keeps you going day in and day out? What advice would you give someone who has a little inkling of a dream in their heart, but they are afraid and unsure of moving toward that dream?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

(originally published on livejournal 2.27.06)

About the book I'm reading...

Remember, this is a month of reruns! Original date will always be at the end of the post.

***

TWILIGHT.

Okay, I thought the first couple of chapters were not very well written. I was kinda depressed and upset that THIS book could have gotten THAT much money and interest. I really didn't know if I wanted to read on, but I forged ahead.

And now, OMG. I'm like 3/4 of the way through the thing and my heart is racing and I want everything to be okay and I'm wondering how it might turn out, and if that'd be a good thing or a bad thing and, and...

I have to finish it tonight, so I can sleep!!! Seriously, that hardly ever happens to me. I'm not one of those - I-Stayed-Up-All-Night-Reading-This-Book kind of people. I'm very much a I-Need-My-Sleep-Or-I-Am-CRANKY girl. I mean, for me, there's always tomorrow, and it's just not that big of deal.

But this, well, I have to know what happens. So I'm going to finish.

(originally posted at livejournal 2.19.06)

I'm not the only one...

who watches American Idol and thinks of this writing thing we do.

So many of these people WANT to be singers. Even if they don't have one ounce of talent in their tiny baby toe. And so Randy or Paula or Simon will say, I think you better find something else, 'cause singing just ain't for you. And sometimes, the person is shocked, which is shocking in and of itself. And we sit around and go, well, duh! You can't sing!

So, we get rejection after rejection, and we start to wonder, is that what they're telling ME? Is this their way of telling me, this just ain't for you honey?

And after much pondering, I think not.

My thought is that a great singing voice is probably one of the few things we can't really improve upon. Either you're born with it or your not.

Some might say sports is another thing, as we watch the Olympics and stand in awe of what these people can do. But no one is born a gold medalist. Each and every person at those games has worked hard and long to get there. And how many of them will go home without a medal? A lot. Does it mean it ain't for them? No way. Maybe they have more to learn. Maybe they need to practice more. And maybe, luck just wasn't on their side this time.

I know I have more to learn. I know I need to practice, every day if I can find the time. And I know in the end, luck plays a big part in all of it. The right place at the right time and all that.

Lots of times I'll read a good book and get depressed because, geez, I want to write like THAT. But the thing is, I'm seeing the best part. I'm not seeing the earlier drafts where parts didn't make sense. I'm not seeing the parts the author cut because they were crap. I'm not seeing the 10-page letter the editor wrote that told the author all the things he/she needed to do to make the story better.

Sometimes I can't even get myself to open my current WIP because I get into that whole mindset of, "what's the point? It isn't any good, I have no clue what I'm doing, there's nothing special I can offer that the world doesn't already have, blah, blah, blah."

When I'm feeling down about it all, and those ugly, negative things are going through my mind, I remind myself that it's my ugly ego trying to protect me from getting hurt. It's a constant battle, getting that ego to shut up, let me tell you. The best way to shut it up, I've found, is just open the document and WRITE. And then another letter comes in the mail and my ego says, "See, I told you so." Oh yes, I know, it's so fun, isn't it?

I try to tell myself, so what - I'm going home without a yellow piece of paper taking me to Hollywood. So what - I'm going home without a medal today. So what - another editor said "NO" to me and another hundred people in her stack.

I'm going to keep learning. I'm going to keep practicing. And I'm going to keep writing. With each word typed on the page, we get better. With each book we read, we get better. With each idea comes the possibility that maybe THIS ONE is the one that some editor or agent will fall in love with.

Don't. Stop. Believing.

(originally posted on livejournal 2.12.06)

Oh say can you see...

Remember - it's a month of reruns!

***

On Wednesday, the band teacher had "try-outs" for the Star Spangled Banner, to be played at the next 6th grade concert. Each student could decide if he/she wanted to try out or not. There really wasn't any pressure. But at the end of each performance, the teacher would tell the student - yes, you will play with the special group at the next concert for that song, or no, you will not.

My son, who at one time had counseling for anxiety issues, couldn't decide if he was going to try out or not. He practiced Monday and Tuesday nights. The high note didn't sound right to me. He said, it's right, Mom. Okay, I thought, maybe they haven't learned the really high note, so they're playing it this way? (how stupid, I now realize - the band teacher would never let the song be played that way). But at the time, I don't know, I just thought, okay, whatever.

I gave him lots of pep talks Tuesday and Wednesday. The good, motherly ones. You know it's okay if you try and get a no. At least you tried, which is more than a lot of kids will do. If you don't try, won't you wonder later what would have happened if you did?

Wednesday after school, he came home. I waited patiently for him to tell me. He didn't say anything. Finally, I asked.

Me: Well?????
Him: I had 3 mistakes. I played the high note 3 times and each time it was wrong. To get a yes, you can't have any note mistakes. You can squeak a little, that's okay, but no wrong notes.
Me: Oh, I'm so sorry.
Him: Mom, I was so nervous, my whole body was shaking. And I squeaked a lot. But I got all the notes right except that one I was playing wrong.
Me: Did the teacher show you the note it should be?
Him: Yes. And we can have a redo on Friday.
Me: You can??? A redo? Are you going to try again?
Him: I don't know. I was so nervous. It was terrible. I thought I was going to throw up. I don't know if I can do it again.

Last night, he asked his dad to say a prayer with him, about having courage to try again today. And to do well.

He played the song again today.

And he got a YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so proud of my boy.

"O'er the land of the free, and the home of the BRAVE!"

***
A good reminder that sometimes, we don't get it right the first time. But if we keep trying, anything can happen!

(originally posted at Livejournal 2.10.06)