Category Archives: dear diary

Dear Diary (November 2013)

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ddnovI kicked off November in style by attending a Billy Collins poetry reading at the Pantages Theatre.  My darling friend Elyse and I went to hear our beloved poet share his dry wit and perfect imagery and fascinating thoughts.  I asked the man beside me, “Have you seen Billy Collins before?”

“Oh, no,” he said.  “My wife and I are from Oregon, and we timed our visit to our son and daughter-in-law with Billy Collins’s visit here so we could see him.  Have you?”

“This will be my third time,” I admitted.  I didn’t mention that one of those times I actually met him and had him sign my copy of Questions about Angels.  It reminded me once again just how grateful I am to live in the literary community of Minneapolis!

Some of my favorite friends and I went to an improv comedy show for my lovely friend Ashley’s birthday.  The show was funny, but the best part was spending the entire evening with such amazing women.

I was invited to be part of a panel about sadness, anxiety, and depression at a local church.  It was good to be able to share about OCD, ERP, and the stigma against mental illness that is so prevalent in the church (the church in general, not that church specifically, ha!).

My college writing instructor and author Judith Hougen has partnered with Ann Sorenson, a local filmmaker/instructor, and Luke Aleckson, an artist/instructor to pioneer the Emerging Artists Collective, a group of young Christian artists who will gather for sharing and discussions about issues related to faith and the artistic life.  We had our pilot gathering this month, and it. was. wonderful.  I really loved it, and I’ll be sharing about this in more depth soon on my blog.

And then, of course, the book deal.  I am absolutely thrilled that Harper Collins made me a two-book offer!  It’s still a bit surreal; I need to pinch myself.  My dreams are coming true.  I have been writing since I was in 2nd grade, though I don’t think I put my goal to “publish a book” in writing until high school.  Joy.  Elation.  Disbelief.  Wonder.  All of these have been taking up residency in my chest.

November 2013 has been delicious.

I Got a Book Deal!

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It’s true!

I have been bursting at the seams to announce this on my blog, but I didn’t think I should say anything until I signed the actual contract.  But I emailed my agent and my editor tonight and asked if I should wait, and Jill Davis, my [already beloved] editor responded, “No need.”

First, the short story.  Then, the long one.

Short story:

Two-book deal with Harper Collins.  Yes, two books.  That means they will publish Truest AND the next book I write!  Jill Davis is my amazing editor, and she loves my novel, loves my characters.  And I love her!

Long story:

Last week, Steven Chudney (my amazing, amazing literary agent) told me that Jill Davis with Harper Collins loved my story and would be presenting it to her boss.  My friends and family and I were all praying that her boss (Katherine Tegen) and everyone else involved would also want to jump aboard the Truest ship.  My friends who pray prayed, my friends who don’t pray aimed their positive energy toward NYC, and everyone kept their fingers crossed.  All weekend, I kept thinking, I hope that they can’t stop thinking about my story.

Monday, no news.

Tuesday, no news.

Tuesday night, I journalled about it a little bit, first that they must have decided against it, since we hadn’t heard anything in the first couple of days.  Then I thought, Well, actually, it’s only the middle of the week.  Maybe we’ll hear something tomorrow.

Wednesday, Steven emailed me and asked me to call him.

Since I work in a cubicle (goodbye, privacy!), I bundled up in my winter coat and went out on the veranda and made the call.

I was shocked and amazed and thrilled and overjoyed when Steven told me that they made a TWO-book offer!  I asked Steven what the next steps were, and he said, “I don’t know about you, but I’m buying myself a good dinner tonight!  I suggest you get some champagne and celebrate!”  LOL!  He’s so great!

tweets

Jill and I talked on the phone today.  She. is. AWESOME.  She loves my story and my characters and told me, “You’re a DREAM.”  I love her to pieces after just one 40-minute phone call.

So, when will Truest be published?  Probably not until 2015.  Sit tight and save your pennies!!!

 

Billy Collins & Validation

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Last night, my friend Elyse and I ventured downtown to hear Billy Collins, my favorite poet, read at the Pantages Theatre.

He read for about an hour, a lot of new stuff from Aimless Love, his new book (I read all the new poems in one sitting– I can do that for no other poet than Billy Collins) but also some old favorites like “The Revenant” and “The Lanyard.”

If you’re not familiar with Billy Collins, please come out from under the dark rock you’re living beneath (I kid, I kid!).  No, but really, in case you didn’t know, Billy Collins is a brilliant and hilarious poet.  Hearing him read live is such a treat for his deadpan delivery.  Elyse remarked, “It’s like attending a comedy event … but a really highbrow one.”

We laughed and laughed and laughed– and then made those soft sighs and murmurs that follow poignant poems.

Afterward, he had a very short Q&A session (which he called a conversation) wherein he said (and I’m paraphrasing as best I can here), “If you read great work and feel appreciative, you’re not a writer.  Writers read and feel a burning jealousy.”

YES!  I was so just discussing this on my blog.

It was a delightful evening with delightful company.  Elyse and I were some of the youngest people in the audience, and I felt bad for the rest of my generation that was spending their Friday without Billy.

Click this image to link to the book's Goodreads page.

Click this image to link to the book’s Goodreads page.

 

 

Dear Diary (October 2013, Part Two)

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octoberparttwoWhoa.  So October was kinda crazy.  (TOO crazy for this introvert!)

I taught four college classes all about OCD.  Two were biblical counseling classes and two were abnormal psychology classes.  I’m so grateful to the professors at my university for allowing me to share my story!  I also was a part of an OCD Awareness Week event in Minneapolis, where I was invited to read an excerpt from my first novel, Lights All Around.

I took part in a panel on mental illness for a breakout chapel at Northwestern.  OCD, ADHD, Bipolar, and GAD were all represented!  And then, that evening, I was able to get coffee with a very special family. Their sweet 11-year-old daughter developed a sudden onset of OCD a few months ago (PANDAS, you suck), and we’ve been communicating about Exposure and Response Prevention therapy, a journey this brave girl is tackling!  I am so, so impressed with them– with the parents’ drive to do the research to help them understand what their daughter is going through and with their daughter, for her maturity and courage and tenacity (and brio!).

My friend Addie Zierman’s new book came out, and Northwestern hosted a reading and Q&A with her.  (So proud!)  The next evening, Rainbow Rowell did a reading and Q&A in St. Paul.  Friday, I have tickets to see Billy Collins at the Pantages!  (I love how literary the Twin Cities are!)

I got my first rejection from an editor this month.  Truest is still in the hands of five other editors, and I am essentially heartsick with longing for a book deal.  It was so comforting to hear Rainbow Rowell discuss how difficult it was to sell Eleanor and Park, which is a masterpiece.  (A relief because, you know, then maybe that means my book is under-appreciated masterpiece, right?  Faulty logic?  I can’t hear you!)

I’ve been writing one thousand words a day of my new manuscript: mysterious boy, small island, need I say more?

I finished up my fall travel for off-campus recruitment, which included high school visits, college fairs, and presentations (presentations was essentially the theme of my October; I believe I gave ten, all told).  It feels good to have fall travel done so that I can be on campus and in my office for students.

I’m getting antsy to go somewhere: I’d really like to do some sort of writing retreat or conference.  Tossing around the idea of the SCBWI conference next summer, but that feels so far away!

One more thing: I’m working on a new project with Elyse Kallgren of the Inksplotch blog.  We will likely unveil it right around Christmas.

Dear Diary (October 2013)

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oct2013Absolutely no word on the novel yet.  I know that publishing is a “hurry up and wait” game, but it is so hard.  I desperately want an editor to love my story and give me a chance, and it sometimes feels so close and sometimes so far away.

To occupy my waiting time, I have started to work on a new novel— and not the one I’ve thought for the last two years that I was going to write.  I have an idea now that I love and am excited about, but I am not joking: this first draft feels lethal.  It’s like I’ve forgotten how to write a novel.  I keep wondering, “Maybe those first two stories were all you had in you.”  I don’t really believe that, but sometimes it feels that way.

I’ve been traveling for work.  Just around Minnesota and South Dakota, and I’m meeting some wonderful students!

Alison Dotson and I are putting on an event for OCD Awareness Week!  If you live in the Twin Cities, you should come on out to the Loft/Open Book in Minneapolis.  I’ll be reading some fiction I wrote about ERP, and she’ll be reading from her non-fiction book (soon to be released!).  Check out the details here.

I just shared about OCD with two separate biblical counseling undergraduate classes at the University of Northwestern.  It was a great experience, and the students listened well and asked wonderful questions.

My short story will be published soon through Hunger Mountain!  The rights will revert back to me after that, and I’ll share the story with you then– I can’t wait to hear what you guys think of it!  (I’d be lying if I said my eyes weren’t glued to my mailbox, waiting for the check to arrive too.)

Blessings, all!  Thanks for caring about the details!