A Laugh For Your Monday

I'm coming out of hiding to share a funny video by fellow middle-grade writer Jack D. Ferraiolo, who has a new book out this coming weekend called Sidekicks (how cool is that cover?) which will be on my TBR pile pronto. His video proves three things:

1. Middle-grade writers never completely grow up
2. Even when they wear turtlenecks
3. We must invent a timemachine already

Anyway, check out Jack's video; I laughed my butt off. And we could use some of that on a Monday, right?

Crimespotting

The regular YA Sleutheri have probably noticed it’s been a bit quiet around here lately. Normally, I would have chatted your ear off by this point in the week, but as it turns out, I’m writing. I have a tight deadline, so alas, there’s no time for monkeybusiness. No Twitter etc., at least not for a few weeks.

I’m in my writing cave, as my writer pals and I like to call it. Just me, Pandora radio, and my boy Linc, on an adventure in Paris. It’s very cool, and there’s something special about writing that first draft. It’s all up to me, no critiquing, no feedback, not just yet.

But since I don’t want to leave you all bored while I’m in the writing cave (which isn’t actually a cave, I hope you got that—it’s whatever comfy spot I find to set up my trusty ol’ netbook), I figured I’d tell you about Crimespot, your one stop for all crimey blogs. That should keep you busy a while.

And I’ll be back in May, no worries.

Comfy Spot

I love this picture up at the Tattered Cover Bookstore (where it's at in Denver) blog of Agatha Christie and her typewriter. I like to imagine she's dreaming up great stories in that photograph, but she's probably just posing for the camera, dying to get it over with.

Still. There's something cool and magical about an author's writing spot, that place where they made stuff up. I'm sans comfy spot at the moment due to an impending move, evicted from my office, so no desk and chair. Right now, I'm sitting on the floor at my cheapo coffee table, with calendar, notes, pens and piles of research books strewn all over the floor. And I kind of like it that way.

It really doesn't matter whether you have a fancy library-ish office like Agatha Christie, or if you're writing on a notepad while taking the subway. The magic happens inside your head anyway.

Still a cool picture though, right?

Treasurehunt (insert exclamation mark)

Adults could stand to have a little more fun. Kids know it, and kidlit writers too--it's one of the reasons we write for kids, or at least the reason for me.

The NY public library seems to get this: they're holding an overnight(!) treasure hunt(!) on May 20th where participants get clues (!) to find objects around the library. How fun! Unfortunately, I don't live in NY, so no treasure hunt for me. Grumble.

NYers: You have to sign up by Friday, details here.
Go! You know you want to...

Monday Music: Price Tag (Or Pic Vs. Reality)

I first heard this song on the radio, and I pictured the female singer... Differently. She looks great, don't get me wrong, but I thought it was the same woman who sings the Pretty Girl Rock. I'm not always with it as much as I'd like.

It got me thinking about those superduper author photos--my writer pals know what I'm talking about. The ones that look like they were taken in the nineties, or with five filters to make the person look better, or at one of those glamor photo salons. It may make the author feel good (look! I look awesome!), but when you meet the person at a conference or a signing, they look...

Different.

Why do this to yourself? Why point out that you've gained thirty pounds, don't actually wear that much make-up, or aged twenty years (or more--I've seen author photos from the eighties...). Nobody's perfect, like Hannah Montana says, and let's face it: people love you because you sit your butt in the writer's seat every day. Supermodels we ain't.

On that note, I should probably get my author photo redone...

Friday Foolery

I've never been very good at fooling people, which is such a bummer. I would love to pull a great April Fool's Day prank, but I have no poker face.

Betty White does, apparently, because she's working on a Punked-style TV show where seniors punk young folk. Sounds like fun. Watch out, kids...

How about you? Pull any good pranks I can learn from?