So, I'm revising...

People say to me everyday, "Hey Katie! What's up?" And I know they're bored when I say, "Still revising."

But seriously. It's all I do. I wake up, drink coffee and walk up to my husband's office where I revise. End of story.

I will say, though, it's gotten fun. It was tearful there for a while. I don't know about y'all, but changing the entire storyline of my book was terrifying initially. People told me that changing plot is much easier than changing character or something else, but I whole heartedly disagree. Changing plot is like someone telling me, "You know how SF lives in Mississippi and is married to John and has 3 girls? Well, we want you to make her a lesbian accountant living in NY with 2 dogs."

Also, revising has given me the sad side effect of blog block. Yep, I can barely read them, much less write one. The only entertainment I take in during the week is Modern Family (which was FRIGGIN' hilarious last night!!!!!!!) and GLEE :-)

Beyond that it's words, words and more words.

BUT, I did read a post from one of my favorite bloggers, Stephanie Perkins and it was wonderful, especially for those of you who are revising, so I will link to it here. Do go meet her. She's hysterical. I can't wait for her book. It's one of the few I'm pretty sure I will adore, just by reading her blog.

Peace Out,

Katie

Finish Strong!

Hello Dear Readers :)

Welcome to TTTT (Tell the Truth Tuesday). Today I want to start by telling you that I was a mediocre high school student. That means I didn't have the grades to go to Harvard or Princeton. Which meant that I had to go to a mediocre college, where once again, I got mediocre grades. This tragedy occured due to my obsession with one thing...

boys.

Sure, blame it on the boys. I know. I know. No, the truth is that I skipped intensive book studying in favor of studying them. That being said, I now tell my girls (and any college friends I know) to "finish strong!" Now that I've experienced the results of screwing around when it counted, I firmly believe in a strong work ethic. So, whether or not you get good grades isn't the issue with me, it's the working hard part. I want my girls to do their best right up to the wire. And as far as the boys go... They'll always be around. I promise.

This week I had to swallow my own pill. You see, I have this little novel - you may have heard me talk about it. It's the one I say is wicked cool (which it is). Well, WC novel has an issue that needs fixin' and I haven't really wanted to think about it.

But last week, while whippin' up some grits, I was struck by the mother of all ideas. An idea so friggin' cool that it will make the wicked cool novel, epic. But an idea that means that I will have to get inside the book and work like a dog for weeks on end - something I don't really wanna do. I want to work on the glossy, new, second novel that makes me feel like racing Ferrari's. But then I remembered that I need to Finish Strong, even if it breaks my back and hurts my head. So, unlike Little Katie from the 80's, I decided to take Wise Katie from 2000's advice and finish strong.

I have decided that whether or not my novel ends up in a drawer or on the bestseller list, it's going to be the best friggin' novel I can write. And if I don't sell the sucker before I die, surely my children will find a way to, and retire millionaires. That's how good I'm gonna make this damn thing before I allow myself to move on to the next one. I'm scared of the mountain I'm about to climb, but I'm lacing up my boots. If you wanna climb with me, feel free to copy the FS logo that I stole online and post it on the side of your blog too. We can do it together.

Okay, enough of that. Now, for our new Plot This Food Feature (which will end all of our posts, much like the typical inspirational quote). SF and I will share with you our current favorite craving. A craving du jour, if you will. The only requirement is that the item must be available for purchase within the Oxford city limits.

Drum roll please.... My craving of the day is from Leonore's. Artichoke bottoms sauteed in garlic butter, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and sauce bearnaise.

Ahhhh I love the south.

Brace Yourselves...

Okay world. I'm about to get honest. Before I started the search for an agent, I felt like I could be honest here. Like I could discuss the pains of plot, the struggle with character, and my inability to outline. It's okay to write about writing, apparently, just not about the struggle of actually selling your book.

OF COURSE, I have received some rejections -We all have. But whenever I wanted to post about it, one of my friends would say, "You better not say you've been rejected... an agent might be reading." Ooo scary. So, slowly but surely, I began to blog about sometimes boring topics, just in case "an agent" was reading. But who really cares that I saw a good movie? Seriously, who wants to read about that?

Here's the deal. Even agents know that this biz is hard! Make that effing hard! And I'd rather be honest, than tell about my daughter's dance recital or my husband's deep sea fishing trip. It seems like my friends (who are all in the process of subbing to either agents or editors) have quit blogging about it. We email each other with The Truth... But here, not so much. And now I look forward to my email, but have all but stopped reading blogs. (well, at least not like I used to.)

Why can't we be honest on our blogs? Are agents and editors really more interested in someone that has never had rejection in their life? Or someone that works their ass off and with the help of a posse of uber supportive friends, makes it? Shouldn't we have Honesty Monday, instead of Wordless Wednesday? Or Poetry Friday? Are those topics just fillers for what we really wanna talk about?

I, for one, am thinking about breaking free and letting the chips fall where they may. I have a feeling The Boss Man is gonna be proud. He calls the shots anyway, so what's the big deal?

PS. Since we're being honest and open, I wanted to post a pic of myself fresh out of the shower, makeup free, and in my robe. But it was far too hideous to even consider! Even I have my limits :-)

PLOT THIS!!!! (said with rock star hands thrown down in true Take That! style)

Come Monday...

Monday, my chickens go to camp for two weeks.

Wait. Did you hear that? I said, Monday, my chickens go to camp for TWO WEEKS!!!!!!!!

Holy Mackeral!!! what am I going to do with myself?! I thought about jetting off to London to see family, or Paris? or Arkansas? Several of my friends have called and tried to line up lunches, pool dates, pedicures, and movies.

But I have gracefully bowed out and alerted the world that I intend to use all thirteen days to finish KISS & TELL - once and for all. Luckily, it just keeps getting better, and now there are quite a few peeps actually waiting on it :) Oh! And CTK is armed and ready.

The trunks are packed, the chicks are excited, we ate crawfish this weekend and all is well. Come Monday, it's just me and Edwin...

KISS, INCORPORATED - behind the scenes

You've heard the old saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." Well, in my case, it takes a corporation to write a book. Allow me to introduce you to a few of the key players and departments within Corp KISS :-)

Although I hold the title of Writer in Residence, I could never have produced the book without the following divisions:

First there's the Boss Man. This is the guy who pulls the strings. The mastermind behind the book. The one who calls the shots. This job is lovingly and faithfully filled by none other than Jesus Christ. Thank God he works at Corp Kiss! I couldn't do it without him.

Next there's the CFO. He pays the bills, manages the money and barely winces when I announce that I need to go to LA or Atlanta or Birmingham. This job is forever assigned to my uber supportive husband, Lindsey. Occasionally my father has also made appearances in this department.

The largest and most crucial department at Corp KISS is the Encouragement Division. This division has offices all over the US and is headed locally by SF. The Vice Presidents of this department are my parents who never forget to remind me that I can do it! Behind them are too many people to list, but this large wing is overseen primarily by Shelli and Jessica from their Atlanta posts.


The Tech Support wing is operated in Memphis and is led by this guy, Glen. Glen makes sure my laptop is in top working order. As a fellow writer, Glen also sometimes does double duty in the Encouragement Department.

Randy, at the UPS store, who is also an aspiring writer, has asked to be my bodyguard and chauffer when I become super famous. I love Randy for this. Whenever I show up with some snail mail, he reminds me that he will drop his job at UPS to chauffer me around in all of my literary glory while he also works on his novel. So Randy heads up the Support Staff. SF's and my hairdresser Carrie also works in the department and we have promised to take her with us should we be nominated for an Oscar one day :-)

The newest division at Corp KISS is called CRACK TEAM KATIE. CTK was formed in the middle of the night recently and operates much like the Navy Seals, or any black ops division. CTK consists of three new adorable readers, Lisa, Laura and Elana. They are going to help me polish my first 15 pages to a shine for submission to the LA critique and beyond that, the first 50 for a special "classified assignment." CTK also includes an adult literary agent and editor who has volunteered her services but who's identity must remain a secret for now.

Lastly, in light of the economy, there is one department which the Boss Man says MUST GO! This is the Self Doubt Department. My desk was recently moved into this room and I feel it's totally UN-Feng-Shui and messes up my mojo. I am taking the Boss up on this idea.

Boy, I could literally go on and on listing people and departments without whom this book would not be possible. It's strange to think about how many people it has taken to get me here. Does everyone operate like this? Oh! And I also have a few job openings. The first and most critical is the "Agent" post. Interested parties may inquire within.

Here's hoping for success! Thanks to all who work at this amazing corporation!

I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is me (not really) this morning because I forgot to tell you that in addition to the first pages contest, I also entered a logline contest on Query Tracker.

And I WON!!!!

Holy Mackeral I am flipping out! I think I might need to go run or something, lest my brain explodes! I didn't think I'd win, so I didn't even mention it on here. Holy Moly, what a morning!

Thank you Query Tracker and Joanna Volpe! I am over the moon!!!!

Look!!!

UPDATE: I just received an honorable mention in the Miss Snark contest!!!! What an incredible day! whew!

I've Kissed and Told.

I am FINISHED! Woo Hoo!

word count : 56,726

pages: 240ish

Title: Kiss and Tell

Genre: YA Suspense

Premise: Top Secret and Wicked Cool

Now what? Submit and wait... and wait....

Mental State: Half excited, half terrified!

I think I wasn't prepared for the anxious fear I would have at the thought of people reading it. Not other writers so much (except I really hope they like it), but more like my parents, and my non-writer friends.

Also, I have found that since I'm not yet published, when I talk about "my book" to most people, they are like, "uh huh... So when is soccer practice?" Or they say, "You're finished with your book? What did you read?" So, I've realized that to discuss trying to get a book deal is almost as strange sounding as if I was casually talking about the lottery that I was waiting to win.

Anyway, all of that aside, having just finished writing my first ever novel, I feel like a large and wonderful weight has been lifted. I didn't expect this feeling either, because I literally LOVED the process of writing it. And while I am looking forward to thinking of another one, at least I can leave my laptop at home now, and enjoy skiing with the family over Christmas.

Wish me Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(P.S.This weird photo is how I've always envisioned the cover - except with my young teenage main character, instead of moi. And a very wise little bird told me that a boy's face should be coming in from the side all puckered up to kiss her. What? I don't have a say in the cover? ...of the book that hasn't yet sold? Sheesh! Can't a girl dream?

Katie