It was a couple of weeks ago when my husband told me about this new “wave thing” from Google. “It’s supposed to take the place of email.” What in the what? Nothing can ever take the place of email. That’s like saying faxes, 401(k)s and cars fueled solely by gasoline could be obsolete some day. Pishaw!

Then I read my newest Time magazine, starting at the back with Joel Stein’s column (there’s really no other way to read it) and working my way to the front. On page 48 I spied the article entitled, Wave New World written by Lev Grossman. Suddenly I had to have Wave. Had to. So what did I do? Jumped on twitter, duh!

Within 5 minutes I was invited to the wave party! I was a cool kid, just like that! Well, kinda. See, it’s hard to jump on the wave when you have four people on your contacts that also have the app. Lucky for me the guy from twitter who invited me was kind enough to talk to me and show me some features. The coolest thing to jump out? Watching while a person types in their message, backspaces over misspellings and retypes. In real freakin’ time. It reminded me of Pretty in Pink when Blane talks to Andie on the school computers and everyone was like, whut? that can’t happen. But now it can! You can even put those cute Blane and Andie photos in your wave if you want to…or YouTube vids.

The downside? I wanna share but I can’t. Google’s got a heinous backlog and isn’t sending invites at the moment. They say when they catch up they’ll start sending them out again.

What I’ve read recently:

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

I wanted to love this book for many reasons. First, it is the latest (and the last one to be read by me) of the Sarah Dessen books (at least for now). I was under the assumption that her successive novels would just get better and better. After Just Listen and Lock and Key, I was sure I would adore Along for the Ride. I enjoyed it enough, but it took me several days to read. That definitely means that I did not love it. I didn’t want to spike it into the book depository or anything. It was just okay.

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

This was a FUN read. Smart and sarcastic Maggie Quinn is having a helluva senior year. Strange things are happening and her “spidey senses” are tingling. Suspend all disbelief when reading this book and it will be a fun-house read. The story moves along quickly, lots happening. I got through it much faster than Along… and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next Maggie Quinn book.

And what I’m reading now:

On Writing by Stephen King

I am a huge non-fan of non-fiction. I try to put it off as long as possible. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised when I started reading On Writing and didn’t want to put it down. The first third of the book reads like a short biography, and King knows how to write about experiences. It’s vivid and quick, no wasted words. The second third is the heavier stuff, but even that King makes light. He writes like he loves it (even grammar!) and urges you to love your writing too. I’m not through it yet, but at this rate I will be soon–and for me to read non-fiction this quickly is stunning.

Thanks to everyone who voted for me! I came in 3rd, which means I’m in the drawing for a 50 page critique.

…then vote for me here! I’m Entry #1 in case you’re wondering.

I’ve got a new “gig”.

Have you ever wondered about the state of Fort Worth charter schools?

Curious about charter schools in general?

You’re in luck! I’ve signed on as the Fort Worth charter schools Examiner for Examiner.com! It’s a cool site with national as well as local folks providing information and educated opinions with the public at large. Check it out and see all the neat stuff you can find.

One member of my family escaped the virus that held the rest of us hostage this week. And boy, was he ever proud of it. I guess he deserved to sit this one out since he is the kid with asthma, and has already had shingles in his short 13 years. But it sure is grating when he has his smug “I feel fine” smirk and reminds us every hour on the hour that he’s so amazed that he’s the only one who hasn’t gotten sick.

Do I sound bitter?

What I didn’t do: read a book. Not even one! My only outings were picking the well child up from school…no libraries or bookstores for me. I did read Time magazine cover to cover. You wouldn’t believe all the crap going on in the world.

What I did do: Walk around with a can of Lysol every day spraying everything, including the couch. I don’t even know if that works. I did it anyway.

Wash every linen I could on HOT.

Broke hearts when I reminded the sickies that if you miss school you don’t play computer.

Pimp fluids like my life depended on it.

Remind everyone that coughs and sneezes go in the crook of your arm (or a kleenex–aka roll of tp). I am not amused by the light speed breaking force and sound of your most impressive spewage.

—

Make-up-school-work week–here I come!

The odds are stacked against you.

The market’s flooded.

It’s too hard.

You’re more likely to be struck by lightning.

You can’t make any money.

——-

It could happen.

Don’t give up.

Learn. Work hard. Adapt.

Be a duck and keep paddling.

Believe.

When I was a girl I wanted to be a famous actress. By the time I was 16 I’d started filling a glass jar with change to fund my move to L.A. I even got my little sister to contribute. 18 came fast and I’d let the “are you sure you want tos?” and the “yeah, rights” get the better of me and so I spent the money in the jar…most likely on cans of Franco-American Spaghetti from 7-11.

A contributing factor had to be the theater program I was in that regularly introduced the class to local actors. They were not famous, definitely not rich. Middle-aged, overweight graying men in black stretch pants were the norm.

Those guys never gave up. Acting, like writing is more need than occupation. Those men understood that.

I may have wasted my ingenue years, but I won’t waste my more mature years wondering what could have been if only I’d not given up.

Plus, I haven’t been able to find that FA canned spaghetti in years.

Whew! That was a long title, my goodness. Let me take a breath…

‘kay.

catching fire

On my fifteen last Friday I mentioned that I read Catching Fire. That wasn’t a lie. I did, and I loved it. It left me hanging more than The Hunger Games did, so now I’m angry  with Suzanne Collins until the next book comes out. BTW, READ THIS BOOK. But make sure you read The Hunger Games first, of course.

writing stuff

This is really cool – MIT’s (that’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology) FREE online writing course. No grades, but you get the syllabus, assignments and course materials (downloadable).

This is where I got that link. There are also free courses offered by Purdue University, UCLA, and the University of Utah to name a handful (minus two fingers).

I learned a lot about writing this weekend thanks to my pal Jenny Martin. She is the librarian who guest blogged for me last week, remember? I learned that one of those courses mentioned above would be a great idea for me. Passive voice, who knew! (It seems like everyone I know knew. ugh.) Also, this one space between sentences is going to take some getting used to. It was the only thing that stuck from 7th grade typing class.  There!  I did it again. oy.

soggy Texas edition

These monsters range in size from 3 to 6 inches in diameter

1.  It has been raining/overcast/blah outside for a week…this is not normal and makes me feel that something more ominous than rain in Texas is afoot.

2.  I’m aware that these feelings are a product of an overactive imagination…but just LOOK at all the mushrooms!

3.  Hubby won’t quit saying “The phong is ringin’!  Is it Michael Trabtree?”

4.  Speaking of phongs, my new LG Xenon is due today! woo hoo!

5.  Read: Catching Fire…finally!  More on that later.

6.  Reading Dead Until Dark.

7.  Did I already tell everyone that I like this blog?  I think I did.  It’s been a soggy week.

8.  Cats are already fattening up for the winter.  You’d think they were getting ready to hibernate or something.

9.  #FF (follow friday feels so nice.)

10. @calistataylor is so helpful!  I know I mentioned her before, but seriously…she gave me a soup recipe for my angry stomach.

11. Thanks thanks thanks to Jenny Martin for being my first guest blogger.  You rocked it!

12. Completed my 500th tweet today…what an accomplishment.

13. Ugh.  Where’s that soup?

14. Oh yeah.  I have to actually make it.

15. I promise a better list next week. *doubling over queasy mid section*

When Jen asked me to post about advice I’ve gleaned from writers’ groups, I wasn’t sure what suggestions to give. After all, as a writer, I’m a novice. I have zero expertise to offer on the mechanics of writing.

But I am a librarian. As such, it’s my job to read widely and well. I’d like to think I’m acquainted with the transaction between reader and book. Perhaps an examination of this exchange could be helpful. After mulling over the helpful hints offered at AQ and writer’s workshop, I’m struck by a single question.

What happens when I read a good story?

Reading is an interactive experience, an emotional communion between the reader and the tale. If a story reaches me, touching my intellect and psyche in a meaningful way, I consume the story.

Or does the story consume me?

After reading a really good book, I absorb the emotional core of the plot and carry it with me. Although I may never read it again, it never leaves my subconscious. Like a talisman, I examine the tale each time I devour something new. I compare its characters, its setting and its message against those inside the novel in my hands.

A good story haunts the outposts of the soul.

If this is true, what implications does it have for the writer?

Simply put, if the writer’s setting, characters, themes and plot do not spark an emotional connection, the story dies. It is not carried on, it is not absorbed, and it does not take root in the consciousness of the reader. The story slips away, a vapor. It’s lost.

If your story is does not yet live in the heart of its reader, do not lose faith. Return to your characters. Reach inside of them and extract the essence of that which makes them real and vibrant. Close your eyes and experience the story through their eyes. Transfigure this experience until it fits comfortably on the page.

Then, with any luck, your story will either break the reader’s heart or heal it.

About the blogger:

Jenny Martin is a school librarian in the DFW area. She holds a Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of North Texas. She also reviews books and writes YA.