Goodbye, My Friend

This weekend, I said goodbye to an old friend... my writing desk. As you can see in this picture, it's huge. (Read: heavy!) To get it into my office, my mom and I had to break it into two pieces using only a rock, shoe, and a screwdriver. Yes, I eventually bought an electric screwdriver and a hammer. :)

Here's my cozy little office, crammed with books, pictures, and writing memerobilia. It helps to be surrounded with things you love when you're going to Storyland.

I wrote so many good stories at that desk. It was sad to see it go, but latest fit of down-sizing I decided that it needed a new home. Luckily, my new friend Linda, who is just starting out in writing, loved it and wanted it! Yay, desk! So, she and her hubby came and got it on Sunday. Hopefully, it will give her many hours of comfort as she writes her novels.

As for me, I was given a new, lighter, fold-out style of writing table a la Ikea. I like it because I can carry it myself, it's easy to set up, and it's sort of sleek modern. The old desk was mission style and sort of went with my furniture better, but portability is a major improvement.

I can't wait to get everything all set up and start working at the new desk. It's going to be a fresh start.

What does your writing room look like?

Smart Vs. Pretty

Had a super weekend in the city with my little sis. Strangely enough, when she started introducing me to some of her friends and neighborhood peeps, one guy went, "Oh, you're the pretty one."

Uh... my sister is freaking gorgeous, people! She has always been and probably will always be the "pretty" one in the family. She's a pageant girl, for Pete's sake! So here's the question -- why can't there be more than one pretty, smart, funny, etc.. one in the family? No one is ever truly that one dimensional. No one can own an adjective.

Now for the comment I totally dug... "You must be the younger sister." Seriously. I got that more than a few times, and I credit writing YA novels for that little age-defying nod. :)

When I first began writing for teens, I put on sparkly eye shadow, cranked music from when I was sixteen, and went to work at my keyboard. My dogs eyed me dubiously, but it all worked.

I don't have to do all that stuff to get into the YA mood anymore. I love writing about the conflicted feelings you get on the road to self-acceptance and realizations about the important things in the world. I also love writing different endings to the often laughable outcomes of my various high school and college crushes and so-called relationships. The pain -- and joy -- of that time is fresh, even after all this time.

Maybe it's because everything seemed so life and death back then. Without the perspective of time, it just felt like situations meant more. Moments counted. Futures seemed so far away.

I kind of miss that sometimes...

New YA Blog!!!

Hey y'all ---

I posted today on the brand spanking new YA blog I'm starting with authors Tera Lynn Childs, Stephanie Hale, Dona Sarkar-Mishra, and the lovely Simone Elkeles!

Here's the link to our new blog -- BOOKS, BOYS, BUZZ...

http://www.yawriters.blogspot.com


Go check it out and read all about my worst college break-up ever!

And if you happen to be the Gnome Boy in question, please don't sue me....

Hugs!!

Author Photos

I'm contemplating updating my author photos soon. Since May, I'm a bit skinnier (or more svelte as I like to say) so as much as I love my 2005 photos, I may have to give them the old heave-ho.

The problem is always outfits. How to choose the perfect, timeless-yet-current ensemble to wear. The make-up is a whole different story.

The one thing I'm not searching for is locations. There's a perfect spot on the steps of an old factory building close to my house. I can just picture the sensitive yet thoughtful look on my face as I stare out from those empty, paint-chipped steps.

More on this later...