Why is it that sometimes when I’m distracted by life’s
events, nothing will help me except to write? Other times, I’m too distracted
to write. What’s the difference?
Going on the premise that everything that happens to a
writer is grist for the mill, here’s my theory. Some distractions (life events,
disasters, glorious successes) can be celebrated by immediate writing. Others
have to be processed a bit first.
But eventually, everything has the potential to be written
about.
Right now, the upcoming Malice Domestic is distracting
me--in a good way. I’ve found the bookmarks I had safely stowed where I almost
didn’t ever find them again. I’ve located the books I’m bringing for
consignment, and the extra copies of my new book for a signing right after
Malice in Baltimore (at The
Gift Cellar, 4337 B Harford Rd., Baltimore, Maryland 21214, from
2-5 on Sunday, May 5th). I bought new clothes and sewed the buttons that came
off the first time I washed them. My vitamins are packed and I have plenty of
audio books and snacks for the drive.
But I need to practice my pitch for the Malice Go Round some
more! This is a fun event, like speed dating. Two authors pair up (I’m going
around with Sasscer Hill, lucky me!) and each give a two-minute mini-talk about
her new book, allow a minute for discussion, then rush to the next of the 20
tables, each holding 10 eager listeners. You hope the result will be that some
readers who’ve never heard of you decide they’re interested in what you’re
writing.
So, enough blogging. Off to finish packing and practice my
two-minute talk, which is about one minute and twenty seconds.
(I’ve written this well ahead of my day to post, since I’ll
still be out of town when the 11th of May rolls around. Malice will be over and
I’ll be exhausted.)
4 comments:
I reckon you are back home now, Kaye. Hope you had a great time. Laura brought back your bookmarks for us. Very cool. Kathy and I are celebrities! You are a celebrity! I can't wait to read hard cover Death in the Time of Ice. I want to hold that elephant in my hand!
That Malice Go Round sounds like fun. A little harrowing, but fun.
Sometimes the least distraction is more than enough to ruin our day. I sometimes wonder if I'm not secretly looking for an unwelcome distraction to avoid having to work. On the other hand, when something is going right, no distraction in the world can hold you back.
Ten years ago, I had a spare bedroom I converted into an office. I was writing my first novel, The Little Mornings. I was really getting into it, when my daughter, her husgand and four kids crashed in on us and yep! they took over my "office". I literally had to crawl over air beds and kids and clothing and toyes to get to my desk and despite all that, I not only finished the book, but the entire experience went faster and better than any that had gone before. The crowding, the kids, the background conversations, none of that disturbed me in the least and looking back, I don't know how I did it, but there must be a message in there somewhere. Lately I've been in a real funk., Maybe I should encourage that gang to move back in on us. Now it's an even bigger gang since some of the kids now have kids too.
So, did you have a great time at Malice?
It's taking me a long time to get around to everything after Malice and then a week away. Thanks for stopping by!
Gale, I hope to see your books (and Kathy's and Laura's) in the dealers' room soon!
C.M., it's amazing what I got done when I was younger, too. Maybe, um, being younger had something to do with it? Nah.
Yes, Marilyn!!! A wonderful time!
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