Remembering Rehnquist

I was saddened this weekend to hear that Chief Justice Rehnquist had died. Given his status in the history of American law, it's somewhat remarkable and tragic that there's so much bad news at the moment that this isn't still the lead story.

Anniversary Retreat

Just back from two days and nights with GLS at the Hillcountry Hyatt in celebration of our 11th anniversary. (We cancelled our 10th anniversary trip last year after my dad died, so...).

The Hyatt is a golf/spa resort just outside of San Antonio--particularly suited to family vacations (maybe more so than couples). Overall, it's a great destination, though the service is occasionally uneven. The crowd was mixed, but mostly middle class, Anglos/Mexican Americans (lots of mixed families), and ready to soak in the last weekend of the summer.

Pros: the faux river for inner tube rafting, a very hillcountry activity; Viceroy butterflies; waterfall in the hot tub; private feel to rooms; well-behaved child guests en masse; loooong copper bar; throwing peanut shells on the floor (you're supposed to); peeking in on the Laredo/Oregon wedding crowd.

GLS and I also watched "The Incredibles," which I recommend (compare to "Spy Kids"--"TI" was better written but its focus more on the adult than kid characters) and "Bewitched," which I do not recommend (as GLS said, "Nicole Kidman playing Melanie Griffith playing..."....who's being marketed as a 20something "dumb blonde" these days? And when will that stereotype finally die out?).

Back to reality and, so, Katrina. Austin SCBWI is donating children's books to shelters housing survivors locally, so I'm pulling titles today.

Happy Anniversary, GLS!

GLS and I were married eleven years ago on Sept. 4th in Kansas City, Missouri. I'm going to take off the rest of the holiday weekend to celebrate.

To all of you spookycyn readers, play and travel safe.

Opening Doors

I just got a note from my law school ('94) saying that we'd open our doors to visiting students from Loyola of New Orleans and Tulane Law School, which I suspect any number of schools are doing. The Tulane site, for example, has been moved this week over to Emory. My transcript reflects a summer of credits from Tulane, as they co-sponsored the classes I took at the University of Paris after my 1L year. GLS and I went on our honeymoon in New Orleans. We stayed at the Fairmont, which was just outside the Quarter, and paid for it with money we got at the wedding. It's our 11th anniversary this weekend. I'm just free associating, I know. Just sad.

Manuscript Tips Circa 1927

I had brunch this a.m. with FH at the South Congress Cafe, which is much improved, food-quality-wise, since the first time I tried it with DL. GLS had already told me this as he'd had lunch there with AL during WF, but it was my first time back. Have the Mexican omlette with green chili sauce. Yum.

Went on to shop in great detail, which is the only way to do it, down the street at Uncommon Objects. FH found a (Thai?) puppet, a wooden mushroom, and tiny dolls. I picked up a very 1970s-esque embroidered black jacket and How To Prepare Manuscripts by George Milburn (Little Blue Book No. 1143, edited by E. Haldeman-Julius (Haldeman-Julius Publications, 1927), published in Girard, Kansas.

Some manuscript observations/tips circa 1927:

"...I saw the editors' mail cascade from strong cloth sacks. If there is any more disheartening spectacle in the world, I do not care to witness it while I'm young."

"...the amateur writer was the most chld-like, the most gullible, the most addlepated creature in the world."

"They are simply chasing a vain illusion that writing is a soft short-cut to Fame and Japanese valets." (Cyn note: Japanese valets?)

"Typewriters are accessible to almost everyone nowadays."

"Editors for established publishing houses are not likely to be untrustworthy, and the writer can generally depend on them for an honest evaluation of the work."

"It is seldom necessary to accompany your manuscript with a letter to the editor. Often, too often, such a letter is a serious detriment."

"Don't send the same manuscript to different editors at the same time. Suppose both of them should accept it--an uncomfortable situation."

Call Me "Lois Lane"

I heard from my CW editor that I should be getting copyedits on T in about 2 weeks. Can't wait!

In the meantime, I'm going to work on a related article(s). Or at least get started. I try to do a couple of articles a year that spring from my own writing. They've been published in such venues as Book Links, Library Talk, The Horn Book, and the Journal of Children's Literature in addition to more mainstream outlets like Better Homes & Garden and Career World magazine.

I enjoy being part of the dialogue within the industry and raising awareness of it beyond. Plus, as a trained journalist, I appreciate the opportunity to put that hat back on every now and again. It also raises awareness of my name and work, I suppose, which may increase the odds of receiving event invitations or interview requests.

The 4th is my 11th wedding anniversary, and so I fully intend to take some time off this weekend to play with GLS. This reminds me, if you don't read cynsations (and why not?), there are new online interviews with him here and here (scroll for update).

Comic O The Week: Wonder Woman #220 (guest starring Batman).

My Stunning Popularity Pales Next To Crickets

In the past week, I've (suddenly!) received multiple speaking queries for fall 2007.

Fall 2007!

Multiple queries!

When did I become so popular? Beats me.

Anyway, after a moment O panic, it occured to me that now, today was the time to adopt the SC event organization method.

It's very sophisticated. You staple together every piece of correspondence on each event and then stack them recent to distant, top to bottom, beside your desk. I know, I know, and yet...

I've been doing this five years, and I still needed SC (who granted was, like, Michigan Librarian of the Year before/while she became a famous author) to explain this to me.

Nevertheless, I feel better now.

Also, had dinner yesterday with AB, who now is SO cool/sweet that she gets phone messages from Crickets!

Buffy: The Vampire Sing-A-Long

Last night, GLS and I went out at 9 p.m. and met up with SP (vote for him!) and GB at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown (on Colorado) for the Buffy Sing-A-Long.

Picture an old central Austin theater full of Scoopies, seated behind long tables for food and drink (this is a movie theater with a kitchen, menu, and wait staff), watching "Restless" and then singing along (there are subtitles) to "Once More With Feeling" (see lyrics).

The draft house gave away bubble potion with wands, vampire teeth, and lighters. Wild dancing, underwear throwing ("The Parking Ticket Song"), heckling of Dawn, and singing while holding upheld, swaying hands (as in the entire crowd) were both encouraged and executed.

Actually, I skipped the wild dancing (GLS wouldn't so, you know, marital solidarity, though SP made an impressive effort), underwear throwing, and fire. But all the guys were firey with the flames, and I did do my part in blowing bubbles.

What impressed me most is how strongly the MC emphasized that it was great to be loud and have fun, but nevertheless to show all due respect for the quality of "Buffy," least one be shown the door (this was stated in a somewhat more aggressive fashion than one will find at spookycyn). "A religious experience," he also called it.

Big picture: despite so-so popcorn, highly recommend the Buffy Sing-A-Long. I feel just a little bit spookier than I did yesterday.

Spooky News & Links

Big congrats to GB on his recent admission to VC!

According to my incredible housecalls vet, "[s]ome coat colors are associated with gender in cats; many orange cats are male and most calico cats are female."

MC Essay In Progress

After a summer of much travel and excitement, I'm back to the thrill of BIC (butt in chair).

Today, I put together a draft of an article to appear in a university press book about multicultural children's literature. It's supposed to be eight to 10 pages, and right now I have eight full.

I plan to show it to GLS and my crit group for feedback, and then go ahead and send early to the editors. Truth is, I'm not entirely sure what they're looking for, but there's plenty O time to adjust. Their deadline isn't until December.

You know, it keeps occuring to me that VC requires its students to write essays like this one, and that it's a valuable skill. I wonder how many of them realize that published authors put together pieces like this all the time. It's part of the greater discourse of the literary community, and it raises awareness of our titles in thoughtful circles.

Gas To Go

Communication with each of my book editors, including a revision request. Very exciting. Will wait to apply comments until I see marked mss.

Talk to GG (about TLA) and TLS (about ABBCBGFAG) on the phone.

Put gas in the car $33; have decided that gas prices are a karma thing against SUV drivers.

10 Cantaloupes for $1

GLS and I had breakfast at Waterloo Ice House (scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast), grocery shopped at Randall's, and ran out to the Arboretum Mall so he could autograph stock at the B&N and I could buy feeders for the squirrels and birds. I finished my fifth packet for VC, and I'm going to start working on a few articles. One is for a university press and the other two will be submitted in support of T.

Randall's is having a special on cataloupes--10 for $1. How many people can store/eat 10 cataloupes while they're still fresh? Think about it!

In other news, I've noticed that GLS is wearing his red Brooklyn ballcap a lot, despite the fact that he claims to be "not a hat person" and that the Chicagoan in him is vaguely competitive of all things NYC. Perhaps it is because the cap is a gift from the ever effervescent Rebel Angel that is LB. I think it looks cute on him.

Shouting out: Happy Birthday to Grandma Melba!

Tilted Kilt and Hello Kitty (More Wholesome Than It Sounds)

Had a somewhat hilarious time post GLS's signing at Tilted Kilt (we ended up there because it was in the same mall as the B&N) with everybody who'd stuck around until four p.m. -- FH, BY, AL, her not-so-shy daughter, and SP. The place is like Epcot gone naughty. Most delightfully mockable, though the food was utterly inedible.

In more wholesome news, yesterday brought a surprise gift of a plush stuffed kitty and kitty card from HB! Thanks! Kitty is resting comfortably on my bed as I type.

And finally, filing this under wicked happy: I got my check for the remainder of my advance for T!

Spooky Link

Julie Kenner's Scary Boyfriend List from E. Lockhart's blog.

Welcome Home, Greg

GLS was back late yesterday from a business trip to San Francisco! He's been gone since Monday, and I've really missed him.

I have one more VC packet to finish (have already emailed comments back to the rest). It's a full YA novel mss, which requires a bit more head/heart time. But I'll be done by the end of the weekend for sure. No worries.

Today is a busy one. I did an interview with The Marion Star (Marian, Ohio) on multiculturalism in children's/YA literature and then boogied over to lunch at Hyde Park Bar & Grill with the always charming JL and MS, who I was meeting in person for the first time. Lovely! MS is an illustrator whose debut title, Oliver's Must-Do List (Boyds Mills, 2005), was written by STB.

Spooky Link

Twilight Time from The Goddess of YA Literature. (You would've thought I'd have had a chance to read this by now; talk about your crazy summer!).

How Hot Is It?

"Truth is stranger than fiction,
but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities;
"Truth isn't."
-- Mark Twain

It's so hot that I requested a bag of ice to put in the bag with my spicy salmon brown rice sushi so I could walk home from Whole Foods without worrying, and the bag was mostly water by the time I hit the back door. (Sushi was still cold, though).

GLS went to see "Cursed," a werewolf movie, without me. He noted that it, "Had Scott Baio in a minor role, the pompous guy from Dawson's Creek, and the guy who plays Lex on 'Smallville' with hair." For the record, I never thought of Pacey as pompous and I was a devoted "Joanie Loves Chachi" fan, possibly the only one.

Spooky Links

For those of you who like to indulge in pretentious reader-related purchases (but are on a budget), I'd like to point you to the Levenger Outlet (a great source, by the way, for editor/agent gifts). On a related note, Hold Everything is having a 15% off sale on shelves.

On a more esoteric note, this scares me.

Emily Undaunted

Finished up my third VC packet yesterday (I'm going to let them all sit until I'm done and then re-read the letters to ensure I'm making some sense), waited an extra hour for my annual doctor's appointment (brought Teach Me by R. A. Nelson (Razorbill, 2005) to read in the waiting room), and then promptly went to Hyde Park with AB to chow down on a turkey burger.

Spent most of the night in bed and online, continuing to read Teach Me. I'm normally a super-speedy reader, but this one has been slowing down to look up the various ED references. I'm now even more vexed by the NBC coverage. So far (pg. 165), this is a very smart, very thoughtful literary trade novel with no trace of gratuitousness or sensationalism.

Clearly, this is another example of Fear News, which seems to be the trend. Why are parents so vulnerable to this kind of thing? Don't they remember being teenagers?

Starting on packet #4 today.

There's a Lizard In My Bathtub!

"Don't say the old lady screamed . . . bring her on and let her scream."
--Mark Twain (on "show, don't tell")

Yesterday a surprise came in the mail: a thank you gift of Southwestern Corn Chowder from WF Royal KGL AKA Victoria, Empress of Germany.

I had another surprise, too. There was a teeny gecko in my bathtub. It looked bigger at first glance. I, um, screamed, which wasn't even slightly manly, then felt really guilty for scaring the wee thing, took it outside in a cup, and finally gave it water and a couple of long grass strands.

I'm hoping it is happily relocated.

For my efforts, though, I got two bug bites. One on my right hand and one on my neck (my neck, vampire insect!). Mother Nature owes me some serious karma.

Beyond that, I was all about reading my VC students' packages. Two down, three to go. Fascinating! And I read Thou Shall Not Dump The Skater Dude (And Other Commandments I Have Broken) by Rosemary Graham (Viking, 2005); more on that to come at cynsations!

Spooky Links

How To Work With Control Freaks by Albert J. Bernstein from MSN.com.

The Spark Sparkles

While bathing, a novel idea I've been nurturing (as in "of which I have a full first draft") sparked brighter, offering up a better plot structure, new kickoff setting, and even some thematic thoughts. I so seldom have thematic thoughts at this stage, but it was one of those built-in kind of things. I could even dive back in now, except that I need to grade my packets (yay!) and do my essays (also yay!) first.

I find that water is very condusive to ah-ha moments. (Not that you should have literal sparkage and water together, just metaphorically speaking).

Otherwise, yesterday was kind of all over the place. I spent most of the morning working on my site with LF, then went with GLS for pizza at Mangia (I had the spinach dip, but he had deep dish), and after that, we hit the mall to pick up a couple of shirts and packs of socks for him.

On the "Buffy" front, since when is Spike a Texan? He actually uses the phrase "all hat and no cattle" in "I Only Have Eyes For You." Also Principal Snyder refers to a vegan protester who chains himself to the snack machine. This delighted GLS as one of his two POV characters in Tofu and T. rex (Little Brown, 2005) is a vegan. Finished season 2 with all its heartwrenching-ness. Take a break now.

Why Would Chiropractors Exhibit at the Home and Garden Show?

GLS and I hit the Home and Garden Show at the convention center yesterday, which was quirky fun. Lots of pool people, deck people, air conditioning people (it is Texas), and the occasional chiropractor offering a free back alignment check. Then we hit The Four Seasons Town Lake for perfect margaritas and a cheese plate. By the way, when will I ever learn to not wear heels to a convention center?

Continued our "Buffy" marathon with "Surprise," "Innocence," "Phases," "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," "Passion," and "Killed by Death." It is with "Innocence" that the mythology arc of the series kicks into much higher gear. "Phases," though, is my all-time fave ep, probably because it's so Willow/Oz driven and because it's the first ep I ever watched on TV, necessitating my having to talk GLS into trying the series. The downside of my entering the timeline then was that I never felt, say, the full-impact of the Angel/Angelus transition. In "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," I was confused about Amy's use of Dianna as the goddess of love, as were apparently the nice people at the Buffyguide (scroll to goofs and gaffes). "Passion" reminded me that I always cry when Willow cries (it's worse when Buffy's mom dies and Willow/Tara breakup).

To Whom It May Concern

Spent yesterday afternoon writing another VC rec for another WF Royal (which could potentially make five of us there next semester, depending), and then GLS and I went to Olive Garden for dinner. They now have whole wheat linguine with any pasta dish, which is just dishy.

Indulged in a "Buffy" marathon of sorts. "The Dark Age" is all about Giles' Ripper past and features a return of Ethan and a brief, but traumatic break in Giles/Jenny. It's interesting in the whole series that that was Giles' only real relationship, despite the "Band Candy" fling with Joyce and, later, whatever was going on with Olivia (clearly a wonderful actress, but no storylines were ever built around her).

"What's My Line," a two-parter, is Career Day (reminder that Buffy just wants a normal life), the intro of Kendra, the whole second/multi-slayer plotline that would climax at the series finale, and the Spike/Dru power reversal. Have I mentioned lately how much Dru freaks me out?

"Ted" and "Bad Eggs" are stand-alones. On the former, GLS is much critical of Whedonverse's sci fi efforts, but I find the bots intriguing (though perhaps overused). I also thought John Ritter was fabulous as "Ted" and so annoying with the "little lady" business that I really didn't care if Buffy had killed him as a human being (I know, bad Cyn). On the latter, I agree with the BuffyGuide that it's weird Willow and Xander's egg-raising mates never appear. Why even make it a team project, under the circumstances, except to emphasize the Buffy/Joyce single mother parallel?

Spooky News & Links

Ghost on the Stairs from The Clarity of Night blog. Its author is another gothic fantasy/law type.

Summer Weather and Cat Behavior from GLS on our weird kitty Blizzard Bently, named after, well, ya know.

Comic(s) O The Week (3-way tie): Ultimate Spider-Man Annual #1; Birds of Prey #85; Batgirl #67

Sales, Celebrations, and Spookiness

Today, I'm off to lunch with KA and AB at Magnolia Cafe on Lake Austin Boulevard. Very exciting.

Yesterday was big fun, too! GLS and I celebrated his 38th b-day at Sullivan's in the Warehouse District.

I also was thrilled to learn yesterday that another 2005 WriteFest Royal's manuscript has sold to a major literary trade house. I'll give you the whole who's, what's, and when's later on. The details are not yet mine to share, but may I just say, "Wahoo, honeys!"

Kept watching "Buffy," season 2. Highlights of "Halloween" were the costume-fantasy element that sets up the Willow-Oz costume joke in a season 4 Halloween episode, "Fear Itself," and the introduction of Giles' "Ripper" past. Highlights of "Lie To Me" are Angel arguing that the wannabes don't even know how vamps dress--until one walks by wearing an outfit identical to his and Willow realizing what that song is really about. By the way, if you aren't clicking the links, BuffyGuide.com rules.

Comic O Last Week: Supergirl #1