Awww!

I always feel like such a schmuck--after our critique sessions (an entire weekend with almost 20-odd emails sent back and forth, fixing up each other's query letters this time), Tia always thanks me on her blog, and I forget to do the same because...well, A.) I'm a schmuck*, and B.) I'm a bad li'l blogger who neglects her blogging duties. I read the thank you note she posted on her blog, and my little heart just clenched up.

So I'm saying "thank you" in return, because I'm so thrilled to have someone who both enjoys my work and also offers brilliant insights and observations, making it all the better. That person is Tia, who I found (or rather, who found me) via this blog in the first place. So it's only proper I should thank her here! She always sees things that completely escape my notice, and her hand (or mouse, rather) never touches my work without improving it greatly. I very much appreciate the time she takes to help me out, even when I (again, with the schmuckiness) take forever to get back to her on her work! (Bad Kristin! BAD!). She also wrote a wonderful fantasy novel that I truly enjoyed critiquing.

Thank you Tia, for all your hard work and for making our long-distance critique sessions so fun and helpful. And thank you, Internets, for bringing me an awesome critique partner!


*I love that word today, for some reason. Today is a schmuck day.

Agent Crit Giveaway

Listening to: Switchfoot, "More Than Fine"

Attention writer friends: In researching agents to query, I discovered that Caren Johnson is giving away a free 3-chapter or 30-page and synopsis critique. Details here, toward the bottom of the post. Genre and subject don't matter--she'll critique it even if she doesn't rep it. Winner picked randomly and announced January 31.

An agent critique would be wonderful and nerve-wracking. I entered, because my nerves can always use some wracking--and my work can always use some, well...work.

Back From the Brink

Listening to: Everclear, "Glorious"

That's right kids, I have returned from the muddle of surgery and recovery. I'm doing lots better now, although the first day or two were mind-blowingly painful. Just sitting up was a two-person job.

But the gallbladder is out, and I now have one fewer organ than the average person. I've decided to take this as a good thing. Who needs all those organs, right?

The general anesthesia makes you really shaky once you wake up, though, which isn't fun when you have four fresh, very painful incisions in your stomach and your abdominal muscles feel like you've just done about 1000 sit-ups. They quickly gave me drugs, though, and then all was well. Very well, in a hazy sort of way.

The funny thing was, I was remarkably cheerful when I woke up right after they sliced & diced me and put me back together (aside from shaking violently enough to rattle the entire hospital). Just happy the darn thing was over, and I had several days of jello and chicken broth and painkillers and laying on the couch, slipping in and out of consciousness ahead of me.

And now all that fun is over, and it's time to get back to work. I'm still tiring easily, and my incisions are preventing me from sleeping on my tummy (grr!), but I can at least do some stuff. After all, going through my CPs comments and incorporating their suggested changes isn't that strenuous, right? Right? No, I was wrong, it is strenuous. But I'm doing it anyway! Also, trying to find an apartment for my mom that allows small dogs. I can't decide which of these two chores is the most worthy of procrastination. They might come up equal, I think.

Thanks to Tia for her wonderful comments and insightful suggestions. I am forever in her debt!
And once all that fun is over, I think I'm ready for the big plunge. That's right--sending out those query letters. I can talk more about that later, though. I just wanted to update the ol' blog, since it hasn't been touched in a week, and put the word out there to all three of my regular readers that I'm doing okay.

How has your first week of the year gone? Anything fun and wonderful, or, you know, the opposite? What do you hope to accomplish this year? Any fun resolutions? Come on, talk to me...I can't drive for another week, and I'm so very lonely and bored!

Onward and upward, into 2008!

Doing the Happy Dance!

Just got Pretties and Specials from the nice mail-lady. Ever since I finished Uglies two weeks ago, I've barely been able to contain myself. If you write YA--or even if you just enjoy a ripping good read-- and you haven't read these books, well...FOR GOD'S SAKE, WHY?! Get thee to a bookstore!

Now, the only downside here is that I just started critting a story for my new CP--we're trying each other out. I'm only about halfway done with it, and I cannot start reading Pretties until I finish. Cannot. Will not.

But...it's so tempting...right there next to me on the table...calling my name...beckoning to me..."Read me, Kristy...you know you want to...."

No! I will not! Besides, we're driving down to Virginia this week, and I need to save at least some reading material for the ride.

*whispers forlornly*: So pretty...have waited so long...just a few pages, while I take a break from critting....

Yes. I do have a problem. And no, I don't need help.

Back to work.

Fear and Anxiety in Central Pennsylvania

Updated to add: Immediately after writing this post, I discovered that the phone was off the hook. Why? Because two hours ago, I used it to call my cell phone, which I couldn't find. Guess it wasn't so much hyperbole, after all.

Like a few hundred other aspiring writers across the country, and perhaps a few of our writer neighbors to the north, I am trembling with fear today. I can't concentrate on anything. I find myself reaching the top of the stairs with no idea why I was going up there. I trail off in mid-sentence. I find myself calling my husband by the cat's name. I over-dramatize everything.

Hyperbole aside, today marks the beginning of the bi-annual Crapometer over at Miss Snark's. I've been following her blog for over a year, but this will be the first time my crap has been metered. At 8 pm, I will send out my hook, which has been revised, honed, sharpened, critiqued, and railed at. Time will tell if I get to send anything else to Miss Snark.

It's just one person, an anonymous lit agent, who will read it. Well, her, and a few thousand of her followers and amused readers. I don't even know if she's a real agent...the signs point to yes, but hey, can I trust the Magic 8 ball to verify an agent's identity? Still, I'll hit the send button and cross my fingers as I offer myself for sacrifice. Okay, not myself...my work. It's a scary feeling, though. I've sent queries out, but the worst that can happen there is a rejection that only you will read. This is different. This is public.

So, to all the others who will, today, march up that mountain, douse themselves in gin (horrible waste, I know, but it's symbolic), and light the match...good luck. We're all gonna need it.

-Kristin