The studio is dead, long live the studio (and other news)

It’s been almost a month since my last update. As you can imagine, it’s been an intense time between closing up the old studio (*sob*) and setting up the new one (yay!). Above and below are first looks at my new space. Above is my writing corner adorned by my Queen of Arrows painting from The Lover’s Path Tarot and a beautiful print of the Lady of Shalott (given to me by my friend Lunaea Weatherstone). Below is my new chalkboard wall which replaces the chalkboard wall of my previous studio. The peacock feathers are for inspiration.

Best of all, I have a studio view for the first time in over a decade. I can see several blocks all around. Cats in backyards, people walking, trees galore, squirrels and birds. Northern exposure, so no harsh sunlight on computer screens. It’s going to feel like a tree house of green once spring arrives.

It’s been a lot of work closing out the old for the new. (You may recall that besides moving my studio I also moved my home. Changes upon changes upon changes.) On top of all this, I’ve had some personal stuff going on that necessitated my attention and an unexpected trip to the West Coast. These interruptions are simply the realities of life when one has an elderly mother and a young daughter. All of this has pushed me behind on my January 31st deadline for THE LILY MAID, my novel-in-progress set in Victorian England. But what can one do except “make it work” (to quote St. Tim of Project Runway fame)?

However, a break awaits: I’m off to England for two weeks for a writer’s retreat. During this time, I plan to tie up the remaining plot threads for THE LILY MAID as well as finish researching the last details. For example, an entire section of my novel is set in the Cotswolds, a part of England where I’ve hardly spent any time. I’m also planning to revisit the Tate Gallery for a dose of inspiration from the Pre-Raphaelites and their cohort.Waterhouse’s Lady of Shalott painting is back on display there.

As for my intentions for the book, It would be lovely to come back with a ready-to-send-to-agent manuscript, but I’ll setting for the rest of the book being drafted after all these interruptions. Right now, I have about 95,000 words revised and polished to a high sheen. But I fear that the remaining 20K will be the hardest; they’re going to require the most amount of revising and reworking.

So here’s to the muses cooperating and nearly-completed manuscripts!

• Filed under The Novel, art and words, studio and gallery, travels | 4 Responses

Publishing Monday: home stretch—and an interview with moi

As I gear into the home stretch of this draft of THE LILY MAID, I’m reminded how I felt when I was nine months pregnant with Thea: so ready to get it over and also not believing that it would ever be over. This, on top of moving house and studio, makes me a very grumpy and overwhelmed camper. Bah humbug and all that! Regardless, here’s where I’m at right now with my novel:

~ I’ve revised about 320 pages of the manuscript. I have about another 120 to go. So if I revise 30 pages a week between now and my February 1, 2012 deadline, I should be okay. Right?

~ That written, based on the comments I’m getting from my wonderful critique partners, I’ve still a few last refinements to make. Not big deals, but they’ll help immensely with clarifying character motivation, plot arc, and all those important details that push a novel from “why did that happen again?” to “wow.” Hopefully. So I need to allow time for that.

~ I’m also off to England for two weeks in mid-January for my next writer’s retreat/last round of research trip. This time I’ll be staying in the Cotswolds, where a section of my novel takes place, as well as in London. Since daylight is short in the UK right now, I’m figuring I’ll research during the day and write at night. Having uninterrupted time is so useful for my focus at this stage, so I suspect this will speed up the process. But I will miss my family, especially Thea who is at such a delicious age right now.

Aaaannnnd in typing all this up, I’m starting to feel overwhelmed all over again. (Cue hyperventilation. Reach for paper bag.) But I know this is a normal part of the process when finishing up a big creative project—it will pass, the book will get finished, life will go on. On a related note, I was reassured to read via author Sandra Gulland that Sarah Waters (FINGERSMITH, AFFINITY) keeps a bottle of Rescue Remedy by her desk to help with writing anxiety. So I’m in decidedly good company these days.

Other news:

~If you’re in the NYC area, we’re having a studio closing party this Saturday at my “old” space—our last hurrah.So come by, say hello, and take a last gander at the space where I’ve created many projects very happily over the past four years. Children are decidedly welcome.

~Out with the old, in with the new: The new studio space is in the process of being set up. I’m pleased to announce that, instead of a chalkboard door, there will an entire chalkboard wall. I also have a view that goes for blocks—gorgeous! Photos to come soon.

~Finally, amid all this craziness, I was recently interviewed about my publishing career, writing process, and views on storytelling. Here’s some advice I gave for aspiring authors:

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

A: To jump in and not be afraid. To allow yourself to write badly and often—what author Anne Lamott calls a “shitty first draft.” She also advises that “perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people.” It’s so true! I’m convinced that writers who become successful (which I define here as published by an established publishing house, though there are many definitions of what constitutes creative success) are those who allow themselves to do just this. The craft of writing is in the fearlessness of beginning and the tenacious bravery of revising and rewriting. It’s also in the willingness to allow yourself to be criticized and rejected, though of course acceptances and accolades are far more pleasant…”

You can read the rest of the interview here.

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Above: The Lady of Shalott by J. W. Waterhouse, the painting which inspired THE LILY  MAID.

• Filed under The Novel, interviews, publishing, travels | No Comments

Publishing Monday: HNS update coming soon….

I haven’t forgotten about posting about my experiences at the Historical Novel Society conference in San Diego. I’m just totally snowed under with work and responsibilities and solo parenting.

In the meantime, here are a few recaps from the following participants:

Elizabeth Kerri Mahon – author of SCANDALOUS WOMEN

Teralyn Rose Pilgrim – she has a series of posts about HNS.

Susan Spann – ditto as Teralyn.

C. W. Gortner – author of THE CONFESSIONS OF CATHERINE DE MEDICI and THE TUDOR SECRET.

Christy English – author of TO BE QUEEN.

I know there are lots of other HNS updates out there—send me your links if you have one. And my update coming soon!

• Filed under The Novel, the world around me, travels | No Comments

Creativity Friday: HNS conference, new projects, and graduations

I’m back from the Historical Novel Society conference in San Diego—a whirlwind of an experience. The short version: I flew out Thursday, spent four exhilarating days with 300 historical fiction authors, agents, editors, and readers, and then flew out on the red eye to make it back to Brooklyn in time for my daughter Thea’s kindergarten graduation Tuesday morning.

Yup, that kind of weekend.

I have a long post brewing about the HNS conference for my next Publishing Monday feature. There was a lot to take in that I’m still processing. The sessions were thought-provoking and entertaining. Unlike most of the authors there, I wasn’t pitching or promoting a book (though I did participate in the group book signing for DOOMED QUEENS). My main goal was to build community so I’d feel less isolated as I continue with my Victorian-set novel, THE LILY MAID.

On that note, I was extremely fortunate to have the opening pages of THE LILY MAID critiqued by the esteemed and established authors Laurel Corona (THE FOUR SEASONS, FINDING EMILIE), Christy English (TO BE QUEEN), and Michelle Cameron (THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS). All three were extremely encouraging and helpful. They also surprised me by telling me how literary my writing was. Strange as it may sound, in some ways I’m so new to this fiction writing thing that I have no idea where my novel fits. Is it upmarket commercial? Women’s fiction? Historical fiction? Or some combination of genres? I’ve been describing THE LILY MAID as GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING meets the early tightly-plotted novels of Sarah Waters with a soupçon of JANE EYRE. (If you can figure what genre this is, let me know.)

Frankly, I’m usually a loner when it comes to groups and organizations. What creatively-inclined introvert isn’t? However, by the time I left San Diego, I felt very much part of a vital, passionate publishing community. I can’t even begin to name all of the wonderful people I met who inspired me with their love of the historical fiction genre who I now consider friends. I’m also much clearer about the place my novel will have within the market and as literature. This alone seems a graduation as tangible in some ways as Thea’s little Pomp and Circumstance march in her classroom.

And now, I’m back at work. As usual, there are a gazillion projects underway as well as the usual household and childcare responsibilities. Foremost on my project list: finalizing the graphics for the Goddess Tarot android app and finishing up the Sacred World Oracle for U. S. Games Systems. On top of that, I’m workshopping fifty pages of THE LILY MAID at the Sackett Street Writers Workshop—a wonderful experience. The six other writers in my group are all so talented and insightful. Sackett Street specializes in small intensives with gifted writers, many who have MFAs or go on to get MFAs. (I was astonished my application was accepted since I don’t consider myself a dyed-in-the-wool literary writer. But after my critiques at HNS and at Backspace, I’m definitely rethinking this.) My first two chapters were workshopped last week, another graduation of sorts.

On a semi-related note, we’ve moved onto summer hours at the gallery through September. This is to allow me time to focus on my publishing deadlines. For more information, visit our events page.

• Filed under The Novel, art and words, creativity, studio and gallery, travels | 2 Responses

HNS conference: I’m on my way … almost. And big news for Android users.

This past week has been even more crazed than usual. (If such a thing is possible in Art and Words land.) But much of my busy-ness was in preparation for this weekend’s Historical Novel Society conference, which I’m attending for the first time. Now that I’m deep into revision land for THE LILY MAID, the timing couldn’t be better in some ways. I’m excited to see friends such as Mary Sharratt and Chris Gortner in person. I’m also thrilled that I’ll have the opportunity to meet authors such as Michelle Moran and Margaret George. (I’ll do my best not to go all fan girl.) As well, I’ll be signing DOOMED QUEENS during a group book signing.

I’ll do my best to post an update on the conference upon my return next week. But in the meantime, I have some big news for Android users: the Goddess Tarot app will soon be available for your phones and tablets. We’re doing our best to keep the app as similar as possible to the iPhone version. I hope that it will be on the market in July. This is a very major undertaking of resources, so I’m hoping it will be well-received! On a related note, the iPad version is still under development. I hope to have concrete news about that soon.

There’s lots more stuff going on—novel-writing workshops, travel planning, kindergarten graduations, and more. While I’m away, the gallery will be closed to the public and all that. But first things first: I still need to pack clothes and print out chapters and pack books. So to be continued next week!

• Filed under The Novel, art and words, creativity, iPhone apps, studio and gallery, travels | 2 Responses