All Shiny and New

Starting a new novel this week -- a mystery/thriller/romance I do believe, although sometimes the plan isn't what ends up on the page. I'm in that happy first date phase right now. We're getting to know each other, these new characters and I. Already I've discovered quirks and desires in them that I had no idea existed when I first sent my agent a basic thumbnail sketch of what I had in mind and she said, "go for it." One is funnier, one has deeper secrets, and they have told me (yes, they seem to do that) about their family and their childhood and a trip to the circus, which I totally wasn't expecting. Usually, I flesh out the mc first. But her sister spoke louder and the mc is the younger one and so I let the sister tell me stuff and it informed what the mc told me after that.

That was yesterday. Today I'm plotting and character developing some more and in the spirit of fresh starts, supervising (translate: watching out the window) as a crew digs up my back yard to make it all shiny and new, too. Drainage issues and a tree that we loved but whose roots had come up so much during our ongoing drought that it had to go because the yard had become an undraining swamp in spots, which is not what you want a yard to be. So... a drain and new grass and new shrubs and ground cover and then I said, "Oh what the heck. Fix the front, too."

Because home ownership = Money Pit. Did you ever see that movie? My husband can't even watch it because he sees it as a documentary. It is a phobia that has transferred to me and so I won't even post a clip for you, although I almost did.

Even my draft 3 of a book I hope to talk about eventually feels shiny and new because it's with agent Jen so I can imagine that it is totally perfect and she will say: "You know, it was so amazing that I sold it yesterday at auction without even involving you because really, I can say yes to a million dollars as well as you can. Plus they threw in a bag of Dove chocolate. The dark ones with the almonds. And an Sbux card." Even my daydreams are shiny and new today.

It's attitude, folks!

In other news:

Last call for Anastasia Forever Street team members. Email me if you're interested.

Going to be doing a Teen Writer's Workshop next Saturday 5/12 at Barbara Bush Library with the fabulous CC Hunter. 2 PM. Call the library to reserve a spot!

And in July, I'll be teaching workshops in Bay City and Huntsville!
More on all that soon.

And in the most thrilling shiny new news, my friend Lynne Kelly, Houston girl, YAHou, Apocalypsie member, all around talented and fabulous author, has written a phenomenal middle grade debut novel called CHAINED, which is already filtering into the stores but will officially be on the shelves on May 8th. More on that soon too! But here's what Amazon says:
After ten-year-old Hastin’s family borrows money to pay for his sister’s hospital bill, he leaves his village in northern India to take a job as an elephant keeper and work off the debt. He thinks it will be an adventure, but he isn’t prepared for the cruel circus owner. The crowds that come to the circus see a lively animal who plays soccer and balances on milk bottles, but Hastin sees Nandita, a sweet elephant and his best friend, who is chained when she’s not performing and hurt with a hook until she learns tricks perfectly. Hastin protects Nandita as best as he can, knowing that the only way they will both survive is if he can find a way for them to escape.