Elvis, Dead Birds, and Leslie

Today is the King's birthday. It seems only fitting to highlight Shake, Rattle and Roll: the Founders of Rock and Roll by Holly George-Warren, illustrated by Laura Levine (Houghton Mifflin, 2001). You can learn more about Elvis and about other picture book biographies at Anneographies.

Attention Texans: if you show up today dressed like Elvis or Priscilla at any local Chuy's, you can eat for free. There also will be food and drink specials, giveaways, and a performance by the man in the white suit himself.

On a more ominous note, dozens of dead birds were found along Congress Avenue, which leads up to the Capitol Building. The street is closed until noon today. No word as to the cause, but for those who saw it on the national news: no one has asked us to evacuate; we feel fine; so do the cats; and the squirrels, blackbird, mourning dove, and chickadees in the back yard seem just fine, too.

As long as we're talking local, I'd also like to note that, according to News 8 Austin, dress-up magnets of Leslie, central Austin's own beloved "cross-dressing, homeless, occasional mayoral candidate and celebrity," are now available state wide and in 23 states across the U.S. You can also order a set from BookPeople.

Ford Memories

I've been watching some of the coverage of former president Gerald Ford's funeral and reflecting back on my own childhood experiences with the Fords.

In my tween years, my parents spent a week each summer in picturesque Vail, Colorado. Back then, during the off-season, it was still an affordable destination for a middle-class family.

We always stayed at a hotel in town, usually during the Jerry Ford Invitational Golf Tournament. It was a celebrity-studded event, and in that small town, I happened to meet Dinah Shore, watch my mama nearly swoon over Clint Eastwood, and try on sunglasses one afternoon with Betty Ford. I also remember playing with the Fords' dogs and at least once meeting the former president.

Under the heading of "small world," Gerald Ford and I also both studied at The Univeristy of Michigan. He earned his undergraduate degree there and played football. I'm a graduate of the law school.

As a tween, I didn't know them, Betty and Gerald Ford. Those were chance meetings. But I do recall that they were geniuinely kind to me, friendly and gracious.

Spooky Note

You can find out more about Gerald Ford via Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1998). Learn more about picture book biographies at Anneographies.

Holiday Happenings

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

Our Christmas Eve, dinner was chopped cucumber and dill over crab salad on pita bread, asparagus-shitake mushroom soup with chicken tamales. Christmas dinner was turkey, green bean casserole, and stuffing. Classic, eh?

On New Year's Eve, we usually go out big. It's my birthday, which is a lot of pressure on one evening. But I felt like taking it easy this year. So, GLS made a shrimp creole over brown rice, and we spent the new year watching various shows, including "Teen Witch," which is still gloriously awful--love it, various episodes of "Northern Exposure", and various episodes of "Bones."

"Bones" is new to me. It stars David Boreanaz of "Buffy" and "Angel" fame and reminds me quite a lot of "The X-Files" without the supernatural angle. Appropriately, the pilot starts with a "Scully-Mulder" joke.

Last week we also had a great lunch with HH, and her husband, N, at Cantina Laredo in Austin's new Second Street District. I was wowed by the Camarones Escondidos.

What else? You can see a photo of our cat Blizzard taken with GLS' new digital camera.

I also have been writing quite steadily on E. I'll be back at it again today, closing in on my--cough--third first draft. Research topics: Marilyn Monroe.

Thanks to all for the holiday cheer, especially KA, GB, RB, NB, AB, TB, JB, Candlewick Press, Dutton Children's Books, RG, MLG, R&LG, HarperCollins Children's Books, Hatchette Book Group (Little, Brown), JFH, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, FH, AH, GK, JL, DL, MM, NJO, DS-B, TLS, JW, JW, BY, JZ, TVZ.

Friends, Fellowship, Cheer

I'm writing as moments offer along with the understanding that it's okay to live a little, especially around the holidays. On Thursday, I used a gift certificate to have a Balinese Stress Relief Wrap at Daya, followed by a manicure. That night GLS and I had dinner with FH and BY at El Gringo. I split the cracker crusted oysters and tequila cured salmon an appetizers and liked the later so much that I ordered it again to split as a desert. Dinner was shrimp and grits, which I enjoyed but would probably try something else next time.

Yesterday, I had a lovely lunch with JW, newly returned from Korea and San Francisco, at Green Pastures. We were seated in the southeast dining room, and our waiter lit a fire for us. After eyeing it many times before, I indulged in the seafood crepes in celebration of the holiday and plan to make annual use of that reasoning for years to come. I also did some shopping at Prima Dora on South Congress and BookPeople at Sixth and Lamar, where I spotted Santa. Last night, we road-tripped with AB and SP to the Hill Country to TC's log home in Travis Peak. It featured a signing clock in the dining room and singing dogs in the bathroom. Dinner was his signature vegetarian tortilla soup with sandwiches and assorted appetizers.

A Christmas Carol

Each night GLS is reading to me from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch (Candlewick, 2006)(inside spread). I've always been fond of watching the stage and screen reinterpretations, but it's my first time to hear/read the original text.

What makes the difference this time? Here is a beautifully produced, wonderfully illustrated book, designed to be held in your lap, with type big enough to actually see. For too long, classics have been the fodder of flimsy paperbacks for the squinty. Bah to that. Here, we have a book that invites readers into Dickens' world, and it's a very merry experience indeed.

What else? Holiday cards are hanging from the kitchen cabinet glass doors. Currently in a tight race, family photo cards are tied with snowmen, 5 to 5. Letters and animal cards are likewise tied for second place at 3 each. Wreath and sled cards both have two representatives. Making a showing also are an angel, topiaries, candles, cityscape, and drummer boy with one each.

Fredericksburg

Yesterday, GLS and I road-tripped to Fredericksburg, Texas; a historically German-American small town with a healthy downtown shopping and dining district. Highlights include the Marktplatz and National Museum of the Pacific War, which we've yet to visit and is currently under rennovation.

It was a perfect winter day in the Hill Country--sunny, 70-something degrees with a light wind, and the town wasn't nearly as crowded as we'd expected. I especially enjoyed the country western singers/guitar players and accordian players. Though I still have gifts to buy, we didn't find anything there. But I did enjoy my lunch, a Greek salad, at the Silver Creek Beer Gardens and Grille. That said, it's more of a fudge, bratwurst, beer, and schnitzel town.

Research topics: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago; Tsavo lions; Sea World, San Antonio.

Holiday Hotels

GLS and I had the honor dining with GB at MH this past Friday night at the Driskill Grill, which one of Austin's premier restaurants and located inside The Driskill, our grandest historic hotel.

I ordered a three-course dinner: Texas chop salad (Maytag Bleu cheese, smoked bacon, avocado, crisp plantains); pistachio crusted sea scallop (scallop quenelle, chanterelle mushrooms, truffled herb salad); and pan broiled lobster tail (green onion crepe, lobster grits, smoked almond butter).

Last night we stopped by the lobby lounge at the Four Seasons for cocoa, piano, and to check out the always impressive gingerbread village on display.

Beyond that, I'm home for the holidays and writing steadily on E. It occured to me yesterday that a building plotline was off-focus, too big for this story, competing with its core. So, snip! On the upside, it also occured to me that the cut portion might be just the launching bad I need for U, which is the manuscript to follow. So, I moved it to my ideas file.

The Roaring Fork

I'm reading round five of VC packets, having finished public events until the spring semester. Last night GLS and I made an Austin dining find. Locals and visitors should make every effort to nab one of the two incredibly comfy couches tucked discreetly behind the bar at The Roaring Fork on North Congress. We sank into the leather for about two hours last night, and for the cow-friendly, there is another available in cloth. The new shrimp tempura appetizer is likewise highly recommended.

Spooky Link

Julia Durango is having a holiday book giveaway at her LJ! Zip over right now to enter.

On Writing Horror

The Horror Writers Association just released the newly updated edition of its how-to handbook, On Writing Horror (Writers Digest, 2006). This is an official HWA publication, edited by Mort Castle. The 260-page handbook features such masters of the genre as Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, Jack Ketchum, and David Morrell.

Spooky Links

Gothic Fantasy and Suspense for Teens and Tweens from my website.

Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, 2007).

Decking the Halls

What's new? GLS and I did another radio interview about Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006), this one with WEOL AM 930/"Les in the Morning" in Elyria-Lorian, Ohio. I spent some time cleaning up my profile and sidebar on Cynsations and Spookycyn. I also worked on a discussion guide for Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007).

This weekend, GLS and I will be reading and signing at Barnes & Noble Round Rock on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. and at Barnes & Noble Westlake on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. GLS also will be speaking to a teen reading group at the Cedar Park Public Library on Saturday at 11 a.m. We hope to see some of you there.

I plan to spend most of today blessedly working on E.

More personally, my home is now decorated for Christmas. The electric train is set up on the kitchen table. Berry garland is draped over the fireplace mantle and what was once great-grandma Bessie's clock. Red and white crystals hang in candycane colors from the parlor chandelier. Throw pillows are embroidered with German nutcrackers and sayings like "hum bug." The stable of the creche sits atop four Chirstmas picture books.

What I love most is the tree. It's about 10', set in the corner of the dining room, safely protected by French doors from the cats (and vise versa). The unifying colors are traditional--gold, silver, red, and green, though GLS is talking about adding a dark blue.

The theme is music as represented by musical notes and instruments, as a tribute to the original owners of the house. We plan to augment that with books/writing ornaments this year.

The tree also features ornaments more personal to us. The ballet dancer from "The Nutcracker" is a tribute to the years I spent in audiences cheering my pseudo-baby sister and dear friend, a dancer who lived next door to me as a child. (She was later my matron of honor).

The Plaza Lights painted ball is a reminder of my hometown of Kansas City, which hosts a traditional lighting ceremony each Thanksgiving night.

The Eiffel Tour is a reminder of my summer law studies in Paris.

The Marshall Field's clock and miniature silver Art Institute of Chicago harken to GLS's hometown, where we lived in the early years of our marriage.

There are clay armadillos and metal angels and a new limited edition Radko Austin postcard ornament, and a T-rex lurks in the branches in honor of GLS's debut novel.

Here and there, I can also spot an ornament inherited from Grandma Dorothy. This is my first Christmas without her, but the spirit lives on. I can almost hear her, complaining about how the gravy didn't turn out just right.

On the Radio and Austin B&N Authors of the Month

GLS and I had a great interview this morning about Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) on KCMN 1530 A.M.

It's been a while since my last radio interview. I did a few for Indian Shoes (HarperCollins, 2002) a few years back.

Basically, you have to be quick-witted, upbeat, and mention your title as many times as possible. The host was great though, and really gave us time to answer the questions.

GLS and I both spoke from my office on our main land line, pulling in a phone from the bedroom seating area on a long cord.

We would gesture to one another to decide who would take which question and mostly traded off. It was a good system because if one of us had a mind blank, the other was there to jump in.

I just scribbled off our thank you card to the program director/host.

This afternoon, we swung by the Sunset Valley Barnes & Noble to meet with the Austin area B&N CRMs. We're honored to be the Austin area B&N authors of the month for December. This involves special displays and posters, which we autographed. Very exciting!

The Twig

Thanksgiving was lovely. AB was kind enough to join us for dinner.

I also think I've gotten all my NCTE/ALAN thank yous and follow-ups done.

Yesterday, GLS and I hopped on I-35 south for a successful storytime signing at The Twig in San Antonio. We also brought Hershey's Kisses (those with the caramel centers were most popular) and the booksellers served cookies with orange sprinklers in honor of the U.T. football game. It was a particular treat to see CR there. She's a VC grad and a past Southwest Texas SCBWI RA. She mentioned how successful their recent conference was and what a treat it was to host MDB.

Then yesterday, I wrapped up my upcoming interviews with DMF and MetroFamily Magazine. I'll let you know when they go live. In addition, I got maybe fifty pages of changes keyed in on E.

Today, I'm off to the Barnes & Noble Sunset Valley (Austin area) for a Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) storytime at 11 a.m., and then GLS and I plan to stop by AB's house to celebrate KA's good news. I'm reading a mss for a pal tonight.

But things should begin to downshift from here on. We still have three Santa Knows signings, two radio interviews, one public library, and a partridge in a pear tree. But they're all local.

Syndication Glitches

Spookycyn and Cynsations LJ readers, please click the link to read my posts at Blogger. My apologies for the connection acting up. This happens periodically and always seems to resolve itself. Thanks for your patience.

Holiday Intermission

It's Thanksgiving morning, I'm just home yesterday from NCTE/ALAN in Nashville, and my puffy purring white cat Blizzard Bently is curled on my lap, clinging to me like I was gone 500 days (rather than five). I missed the furry bunch, too. JAP was telling me at ALAN about fostering kittens, and I dreamt about them that night.

I feel so out of sync with the holiday. Having been gone and preparing for my Santa Knows signing tomorrow morning at The Twig in San Antonio, I hadn't given much thought to Thanksgiving until today (except to realize that my diet had tanked amdist the choices of the Gaylord Opryland, so it will not be the traditional T-day feast for me, which is not to say I regret my grits).

GLS is just back from shopping, and he tells me he's serving salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast, followed by poached Cornish game hens and lobster for dinner. (You can always tell when he takes a credit card unaccompanied to Whole Foods).

For those of you in the U.S. who celebrate it, have a wonderful and blessed day.

Santa in College Station, at the Junior League

On Wednesday night, we drove to College Station for a TV interview on KAMU TV Texas A&M University. It went well. I liked being on a furnished stage within the otherwise warehouse setting. One challenge though was that the highly reflective paper of the picture book made it difficult to show the art on camera.

We also signed stock copies of Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) at Barnes and Noble in College Station, Texas (711 Texas Avenue South) and at Jacque's Toys in Bryan, Texas (4301 B S. Texas Ave.). In addition, I dropped of an ARC and bookmark for Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) with the B&N CRM.

A highlight of the trip was dinner with author-librarian DL at Cafe Eccell. I had the crab cakes.

On Thursday, GLS and I autographed Santa Knows from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the information booth of the Austin Junior League's "A Christmas Affair." This year's theme was "Home for the Holidays" so they invited Austin area authors to participate. I was wowed by the volunteers. With their help and support we sold out our stack of 75 books in four hours.

The lovely JL overlapped and followed, signing Galveston's Summer of the Storm (TCU, 2003) at the author's corner.

The event is ongoing through the weekend. Parking is at a premium, but I highly recommend Austinites check it out.

Research Topics: Chinese Astrology.

Lovely Libba

Wahoo! How much fun was it to spend yesterday evening with the glamorous LB, who was in town from NYC for the Texas State Reading Association conference? So very incredibly much.

We visited BookPeople and signed stock of Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) while she shopped for toys and gave me a Good versus Evil Unicorn Playset. Love it!

Then we continued onto dinner at Green Pastures (Texas appetizers sampler, crispy mushrooms, sea bass with crayfish, ice cream with chocolate sauce and nuts--split three ways) and continued on for drinks at the Driskill Hotel.

Grading and writing are both ongoing. Research topics: 100 Worst Aviation Accidents, Devil's Night.

Fancy Dancing Santa

I'm living in this odd mental state, juxtaposed between Native American Heritage Month and the North Pole. Last night, I dreamt that I was on a book event panel and Santa was fancy dancing around the table as I was answering the moderator's questions. The weird thing is that's not hard to explain.

November is always a time of many teacher and librarian information requests, much like Black History Month for African American authors, I'm sure. My website traffic zooms, too. I try to support those who're using my Native-themed books with kids and refer them to quality support resources. This year I'm also busy promoting Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006). GLS and I have nine speaking/critiquing/signing/media events for fall down and thirteen to go!

It looks like I'm going to have more writing time than I expected this week, though. So, I'm off to jump on the treadmill and then dive back into E. Time to write some new scenes!

Spooky Notes

So, yesterday, I'm having lunch at Mangia Pizza (Chicago-style thin crust on whole wheat) on Lake Austin Boulevard, and I notice a movie poster on the wall behind me. Has anyone ever heard of "Spamorama: The Movie"?

Library Love

I'm grading VC packets and celebrating the passing of the bond for the new central public library here in Austin as well as the election of one of my law school classmates, Robert Wilson (Democrat), to the Borough Council in Somerville, NJ.

Last night, I had a wonderful time speaking to Dr. Leavell's children's literature class at St. Edward's U in south Austin. Someone asked whether I have more fun writing fantasy or realistic fiction, which I thought was a good question. The challenge in answering it though is that I always love most the manuscript I'm working on at the moment. So right now I'm all about E. That's sort of necessary. But with that caveat, what I love most about fantasy writing is world building, and what I love most about realistic fiction is finding the angles at which I tackle the realistic aspects.

In other news, I spent a day integrating the fruits of my organizational efforts into the third rough draft of E. Research Topics: sunrises and sunsets; Oklahoma City Bombing; L.A. Riots; Our Lady of Angels Fire. Ended up using only the first of those.

Story Compass

Massive organizational push today on E.

This is what I had: several chapters with scenes written, followed by a lot of notes and rougher-than-scene vignettes.

This is what I have ten hours later: same scenes as above, plus quasi-organized new and date-stamped chapter headings leading to the falling action, each of which begins with a summary of what must happen and is followed by related notes.

I also gave one character, previously mentioned in passing, a last name and a larger role, which solves an interior development issue I was having with M, one of my co-protagonists. In addition, I changed one name.

Notes on known revision points are at the end, but I want to make it through a draft before I address them.

I'm a plunger-plotter hybrid. Plunge and then figure out how to swim. On my third first draft, it looks like I've got the plot 85% figured out and have at least a tentative title for each chapter.

I love chapter titles. I can see where you might want to just stay in the story itself, but to me, it's part of the rhythm of a novel. Also, it's an opportunity.

Research topics included: James Dean; Irish boy names.

Enough for today. My brain is leeking out of my ears.

San Angelo

On Friday, GLS and I packed up and headed out to West Texas--about three and a half hours of Hill Country and flatland roads past cotton fields, small towns, ranches, cattle, goats, sheep, horses, and barbecue restaurants to San Angelo to keynote at the Fifth Annual Fall Literacy Conference "Reading and Writing: Not an English Thing, but an Everything!" ("Literacy is the common thread that connects all learning.") on Nov. 4 at Angelo State University.

The event included a giveaway, book sale, and several breakout sessions. Lesson plan displays featured the work of EC, MG, and LN. Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006) was our biggest seller.

San Angelo itself is a charming town with friendly folks, downtown shopping, a saddle-shaped art museum as well as the traditional West Texas enthusiasm for football (think: "Friday Night Lights") and deer hunting (it won't be a bad season, but trophies won't be what they were in previous years).

We were put up at the new Fairfield Inn on Knickerbocker, which was clean, comfortable, and convenient with good service and a computer for free Internet use. (It's a division of the Marriott).

On Friday night, the leadership group was kind enough to welcome us for dinner at Miss Hattie's Cafe and Saloon on Each Concho Street. As they once said, "Miss Hattie's business was the hospitality business. She found great pleasure in entertaining her clients. She believed that if she created a place that was intimate ...private...and ...romatic, no one could resist what she had to offer." (I had the shrimp scampi with wild rice and mixed veggies). Sadly, we did not have time to visit Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum.

However, we did stop by for a peek at the lobby of the Cactus Hotel, which was the fourth built by Conrad Hilton. A stage was set and two very young girls in gowns were rehearsing for an upcoming production of "Cinderella."

We also enjoyed lunch on Saturday at Mr. T's Deli, which apparently used to be a general store, (I had the cheese hotdog with waffle fries) on W. Avenue J. in the historic neighborhood.

Spooky News & Links

On Wednesday, I also voted early at the Howson Branch of the Austin Public Library in Tarrytown. Austinites: remember that the proposal for a new central library is on the ballot!

LF has updated my website, now current with the September status of Cynsations.