I had to update the website to include Marcelo in the Real World (due out in March) and I took the opportunity to change the title of this section from Blog to Journal. Why? The simple answer is that ‘journal’ is a word that I am more comfortable with. It makes me feel better. It gives me the sense that I am writing things for myself (as in a journal) except that someone may read them. There was something about calling this a blog that put pressure in me. I felt guilty for not writing in it more frequently, for not commenting on this or that current event. I don’t know, somehow thinking that I was ‘blogging’ made me feel funny. It made me feel kind of pretentious and self-important. It made me feel phony. So now I write the same kind of stuff as before, but I feel better. I feel more honest. Why? I’m not exactly sure. As best as I can figure, writing in a journal (even if it is a public journal) gives me a sense of freedom. Here’s what I am musing on, thinking about, you’re welcome to read it, if you like. I write with a view that what I say may be helpful, interesting to someone and yet I keep a sense of integrity about the process by writing what touches me and affects me, like in a journal.
October 19, 2008
February 23, 2008
Favorite YA Authors (and their cool websites)
Not that I’m jealous or anything, but the authors that I list below are not only good writers (you’ll enjoy reading their books as much as I did – I guarantee it!) but they also have really good websites. As opposed to, you know, this one, which is kind of on the serious side. (Serious sounds so much better than boring, don’t you think?). But, seriously, these author’s websites are full of information that you will find interesting. They are “generous” websites. Their websites don’t just talk about the authors or their books but they provide lots of helpful information to young adults and adults and they are lots of fun. Check them out (and read their wonderful books).
K.L. Going Klgoing.com
Lauren Grodstein www.laurengrodstein.com
Mary Hogan www.maryhogan.com
Blake Nelson www.blakenelsonbooks.com
Allison Van Diepen www.allisonvandiepen.com
January 7, 2008
Why I’m so bad at this
By this I mean blogging. I mean, I am probably bad at many other things but for the sake of my self-image, let’s just take one at a time. When Behind the Eyes came out, I was told by my publisher that I needed to have a site where I could communicate with readers. Ideally, she said, you should be writing a blog at least once a week. Once a week? I don’t have enough to write once a year. Look at the last time I wrote something here and you’ll see what I’m talking about. If I were to write once a week, I would have to resort to telling my imaginary readers (And I’m a one hundred percent certain that there are no real, live and kicking, actual persons who ever read this webpage) about the snow on my driveway and how hard it is to shovel it. Nevertheless, I’ve decided that in 2008 I’m going to be more relaxed about blogging. No longer will I wait to write something useful or inspiring. From now on, I’ll write about the books I read, the movies I see, the music I hear, the people I meet, the candidates I like, TV shows, video games, the weather, celebrities, my dreams, restaurants, food. I am in so in awe of those good writers who can blog almost every day about the most common things which they somehow turn into subjects that are not just personal but communal. How wonderful it would be to have such freedom, such humility and lack of inhibition. Okay, in 2008 I will be more open and try as hard as I can to make universal bread from the dough of the particular.
