All Rileyed Up

Here we have a new round of author Q&A, with Carmen Shirkey who wrote the delightful romantic comedy, The List: Can Perfect be Put on Paper?, about Candance, who creates a list of the 50 qualities she wants in her ideal spouse. She soon finds herself attracted to two men. One meets the list’s standards. The other does not. Drama and laughter ensues.

1. How’d you come up with the premise?

I tell a lot of people that I “dream” the creative ideas I have, and they don’t believe me. However, my mind is most thoughtful around 2 or 3 a.m., so often ideas will come to me when I’m half asleep, so I call them my dream ideas!

2. This looks like it was a fun book to write. How long did it take you?

I tried to get a few of my other writer friends to write it first, because I just didn’t think I’d have the discipline to write it myself. I really wanted my screenplay-writer friend to do it, because I saw it as a movie before I saw it as a novel. However, once everyone told me to “write it myself!” I said “okay then!” I wrote it, start to finish, in one month. I participated in National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.com) and that gave me the kick in the pants I needed. Now, that was just the writing. I spent 4 more years thinking about it and editing and adding and cutting . . .

3. Which character did you have the most fun writing about?

Easy peasy. That would be the character of Candace’s best friend, Monica. You see, Monica is about as real as a character can get, because she’s one of MY best friends. The character is based on her, and I didn’t even change her name, because I couldn’t think of anything else that would suit her personality. Now, she IS fiction, in that names have been changed to protect the innocent and situations have been swapped, but she is almost exactly like the character.

4. Do you think any of these characters will make an appearance in a future book?

It’s hard to tell. I have no control of the ideas that come to me. However, I have started another book, this one a travel comedy instead of a romantic comedy, based on the real-life travels Monica and I have been on together. So it would likely be in the same tone, but not likely the same characters.

5. Was the list always 50 qualities, or did it start off longer or shorter?

I thought 50 was a good, round number, and ridiculous enough to catch your attention but not so ridiculous that I had to come up with 100 things. The book never really “lists” the list, but if you kept notes, you could probably figure it out. The only one that knows the whole list is Candace.

6. Do you have your own personal list of preferable qualities in a man? Care to name a few of them?

I did have a list, and I met my Mr. Right-for-Me a few years ago. My list was never 50 like Candace’s, but it started out much longer in my early 20’s, and got shortened as I got to be more realistic and more comfortable with my own skin. My list, which I still have tucked in my Bible, is a list of 12. Mr. Right meets every one of them. Has to love me with all his heart, has to like (or tolerate) cats (cuz the cat was here first), has to have a similar religion (because I dated outside my faith, and it was really too hard). I’ll keep the others to myself.

7. I saw you have a degree in rhetoric and communications. Did that education influence the way you view the sometimes problematic communication that occurs between men and women?

As if! My degree was more about how to communicate in a marketing sense. The communication between men and women would take a lifetime of study, and even then I’m pretty sure we’d still be scratching our heads.

8. Do you think male readers would enjoy this book?

If you had asked me before I published it, I would’ve said probably not. Now, however, I have heard from quite a few dashing, intelligent fellows that they have read - and enjoyed - the book.

9. Fill in the blank: People who enjoyed reading ______ will love The List.

Can I have some wishful thinking and say Janet Evanovich? One Amazon reviewer thought so. Another professional book reviewer compared me to Sophie Kinsella. I’ll take what I can get!

10. I like that you’re an avid traveler. Where do you want to visit next, so that future buyers of your book know what they’re funding?

Now THAT’s a long list! I’m heading to Amsterdam in the spring to see the tulips and windmills, then to Boston and Connecticut for a book fair (Connecticut Fiction Fest - come on out May 2) and then who knows? Unfortunately, the economy hit Mr. Right, so we’re being a little more money-conscious, but you can’t keep us down for long! I’d like to go to Moscow, Rio, Galapagos, Spain, London for the 2012 Olympics - I could go on and on!

11. Ever thought of penning some nonfiction on your travels?

See my answer to number 4. Even if I wrote a story of my travels that was nonfiction, no one would believe it wasn’t fiction. I can’t make this stuff up, but it does seem pretty out there. I’ll leave the travel anthologies to Bill Bryson, and stick with fiction (based on reality!)

12. Any new writing projects?

Honestly, I have been so busy pushing THE LIST that I haven’t had time to do much of anything else. I do have a day-job, and this is my moonlighting. However, I’ve had a few people start pestering me about another book, so I’ll have to start working on the travel comedy again soon. I also write journals about my travels on the side, so as you can see, I’ve got at least 3 jobs going!

13. Anything else you’d like to say?

I want to say thanks to you, Jessica, for giving me this forum. I’d also like to thank anyone who has - or will - take a chance on a book written by “some girl” who had a passion for the story. And if anyone would like to buy it, they can go here. It’s available in the Kindle 2.0 version as well (you’ll have to search by my name on Amazon to see it, though. The print version doesn’t link to the Kindle version *hint, hint, Amazon!).

Thanks, Carmen, and good luck with The List!

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This post contributed to Thursday 13.

A few announcements:

One, I did a 20-question interview on Under Construction that ranges from ridiculous to profound-ly ridiculous. Please enjoy, and while you’re at it, enjoy all his 20 Question Tuesdays.

Second, tonight by midnight Pacific time is the deadline to enter my signed book giveaway.

Third, today is my birthday.

You say it’s your birthday! (cue the guitar riffs)

I wrote a list — a list I read about some time ago on This Eclectic Life — where you write down the things you’d like to do by your next birthday. Since I’m 32 this year, I wrote a list of 32 things to do. I had planned to post the whole thing, but realized that half the things were a tad too personal and might not even make sense to you lovely readers, so I’ve decided to just put out some of the fun ones:

* Attend (is that the proper term?) a sweat lodge. I’ve always been fascinated by sweat lodges and still regret not taking the opportunity to do one when I visited Canyon de Chelly. When I learned about the opportunity to do them with someone in central CA, my interests were piqued once again.

* Go sky-diving.
Just kidding. I had an interest in sky-diving for a while, but the appeal sort of dwindled away. My zipline experience was sufficient.

* Go camping in Big Sur. My goodness, it’s just so beautiful there. Who wouldn’t want to camp there?

* Visit friends and family in San Francisco. A trip that is LONG overdue.

* See the wildflowers bloom at Anza Borrego Desert.

* Figure out how to shave the Notorious FOX myself so I can stop handing over the ungodly price they charge at the groomers (though after my first attempt, I realize it’s not as easy as it looks. Chow Chow = thick hair).

You’re going to cut my hair? What the…

As the list has only just been compiled, feel free to help me out with prioritization by telling me which of these you think would make the best post.

Other pictures at Wordless Wednesday, MomDot, and Special Exposure Wednesday.

Me: Good morning, everyone, time to get up!
Kids: Yes! Let’s jump on the bed!

Me: It’s almost time for school – please put your socks and shoes on.
Kids: But first, we will jump on the bed!

Me: It’s time to eat – please wash your hands and come to the table.
Kids: Quick! We must jump on the bed!

Me: It’s shower time – please get undressed, put your clothes in the laundry and get into the shower.
Kids: Of course, but after we’re undressed but before we get into the shower, we must jump on the bed!

Me: The shower is over. Here are your towels.
Kids: Whee! Jumping on the bed with wet towels is fun!

Me: It’s bed time. Go get in bed.
Kids: But I don’t want to go to bed!

…

And people wonder why I say I’m slowly going insane…

I remember a long time ago, someone said to me, “When you don’t have money, your teeth are the first thing to go.” I never thought I’d see the day when I’d put my dental care on the chopping block, but, you know, times are tough, and I’ve been putting off my six-month check up for two months now.

On a phone call with my friend who recently married a dentist, she mentioned that his business has, like everything, been slow. It seems many people are not getting their cleanings often enough and not following up on recommendations like cavity fillings, etc, leading to even worse dental problems. Apparently, some have paid to just have the offending tooth removed because it’s cheaper. Gads. Let me just say up front, if I have a cavity, I will pay to get it filled. But man, dental costs are expensive when you don’t have dental insurance. I asked my friend the dentist what was the best insurance, and his snarky answer was to brush, floss, and fluoride rinse every day. “It’s easy and cheap.” So there you have it. Brush and floss every day and rinse your mouth with a fluoride rinse.

While I’m a fan of buying many things generic, Listerine is one brand I refuse to buy cheap versions of. I had the chance to sample LISTERINE® TOTAL CARE, Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash, which, in addition to preventing cavities, restoring enamel, strengthening teeth, killing bad breath germs, freshening breath, and fighting unsightly plaque above the gum line (yes, I totally just stole that from their marketing write up), is also exciting to the kids because it’s purple. They never liked the blue mouthwash, but the purple, well, wow! It’s purple!!!!!!

Who knew that all it took to make them happy about mouthwash was a color change?

This post sponsored by Johnsons and MomCentral. Picture drawn by The Boy just for the fun of it.

Before we get started, don’t forget I have a book giveaway going on until Wednesday.

Here are some of the musicians who chose to play on street corners and fill the air with their lively tunes over the weekend during the Temecula Bluegrass Festival:

“They think the banjo can only be happy, but that’s not true.” –Bela Fleck

“I don’t care much about music. What I like is sounds.” –Dizzy Gillespie

“In memory everything seems to happen to music.” –Tennessee Williams

“Music is about listening, the more you play, the more the magic spreads.” –Maynard James Keenan

Happy Swallows Day! Today is the day we celebrate the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano. Parading and festivities to continue on through the weekend. Since not all of you will be able to join me for them, here’s a little online celebration.

Please meet Kathryn Fitzmaurice, a local author whose debut novel, The Year Swallows Came Early, is a work of middle grade fiction featuring Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson. Groovy is an 11-year-old girl with dreams of cooking school and a life full of (sometimes unhappy) surprises. Join her and her best friend Frankie as they take tentative steps into the world of parents’ mistakes, betrayed feelings, and the power of forgiveness. (There’s a more detailed story description on Kathryn’s site).

1. You were first inspired to write by your grandmother, a science fiction author. Have you ever penned any science fiction?

Kathryn Fitmaurice: I have never written any science fiction or fantasy. I always think that those science fiction/fantasy authors must be very talented in order to create an entire world. Just think of all the details they make up!

2. Your main character in The Year The Swallows Came Early, 11-year-old Eleanor “Groovy” Robinson, is named after your grandmother. Are there any personality quirks that your fictional Eleanor and the real Eleanor share?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The only thing they share is their name. But Groovy’s great grandmother, Eleanor Robinson, whom she is named after; her character is almost exactly how my own grandmother was. My own grandmother (the real Eleanor Robinson) had a porcelain owl collection, she wrote very late at night, and was interested in paranormal happenings. I tried to make the character in the book very much like my own grandmother. I did this to honor everything she had done to encourage me in becoming a writer. Of course she never got to read my book, but it still feels really special to me.

3. I love the article in the OC Register about your journey from inspiration to published book and your grandmother’s inscription in the Emily Dickinson book. Have you ever shown your grandmother’s box of unpublished writings to anyone else?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: My family has seen them, and then I showed them to the photographer at the OC Register. My mother and I go through them sometimes, but no one else has seen them. Here is a photograph of a few of them in a pile:

These were from her short story collection. I really love reading them along with the detailed notes she wrote to herself about her characters and their personalities, etc.

4. How long did it take you to write The Year the Swallows Came Early?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: It took me three years to write the story. Of course, a lot of it was done (revised) the last year, after I got an agent.

5. Your second book is about Groovy’s friends. Do you intend to write more books about these characters or are you going to stop at two?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: The second book is about Frankie. It’s written from his point of view. I’m still revising it right now. He is more difficult to write about than Eleanor because he’s much more complicated. I’m not sure if I’ll write one about any of the other characters. I think it would be fun to write one about Marisol, though. She’s so bossy and talented at the same time!

6. You’ve woven a lot of food into your tale. Does food play a large role in the second book as well?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: No, food does not play a big part in the second book because food is not really a part of Frankie’s day to day life. In fact, the only thing he really likes is cheese sandwiches!

7. Did you ever attend or want to attend cooking school yourself?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Well, here is where I admit that I completely can’t stand to not only make out a grocery list, but go to the market! I cook because I have to. I have two teenage boys who are always starving, but really, I don’t enjoy cooking that much.

8. How did you come to choose writing Middle Grade instead adult fiction?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Yes, it is considered middle grade fiction, for readers ages 9-12. I enjoy writing for this age because kids these ages are still so hopeful about their world and all the possibilities that may happen. And also, when I first started the book, my own boys were about this age, so I was reading (with them) a lot of middle grade novels.

9. What are some of your favorite Middle Grade (or YA) books?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I enjoy anything written by Kate DiCamillo, Debra Wiles, Sharon Creech, Susan Patron, Ann Martin, and Katherine Hannigan….I could go on for awhile here. There’s so many amazing writers today.

10. What is your writing schedule like, ie do you have a set time every day during which you write?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Usually, I write every weekday between the hours of 9am and 3pm. But that doesn’t always happen. I drink very strong green tea while I write and try not to answer the phone (unless it’s my mother!). My dog, Holly, sits with me in my home office. She is a very big help!

11. Do you find you spend more writing time with the computer keyboard or pen and paper? Pros or cons of either?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I always write the first draft on the computer, then print it and make revisions in pencil. I need to see it on the floor all layed out so I can cut and paste sections together. Then I retype it back on the computer, print it again, make more revisions, etc., until it is done. This usually takes SEVERAL times before it is ready to be read by my agent, who usually (luckily!) sends it back again for another draft. Then, once the publisher, Molly O’Neill at HarperCollins, sees it, she will also have suggestions to make it better. There is the copy editor, who looks at it after the editor and helps me find the discrepancies I may have overlooked. On one page of the manuscript, there could be up to ten sticky notes from the copy editor suggesting changes.

12. Though you grew up in Arizona, you now live in California and set your story in a California town. Do you find the California landscape/environment inspires your writing?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: I have always loved living in California. I’ve lived in three houses since I’ve been here, all within a couple of miles from each other. But Arizona is really beautiful, too. I love the desert almost as much as I love the beach.

13. Anything else you’d like to say?

Kathryn Fitzmaurice: Thank you very much for interviewing me!

Kathryn has graciously offered to give away one signed copy of The Year the Swallows Came Early. To enter the giveaway, please check out Kathryn’s site and leave a comment here by midnight Pacific time Wednesday March 25 (which happens to be my birthday) telling me why you want to read this book or what you enjoyed learning about Kathryn. The more entertaining the comment, the more appreciative I am…

US addresses only.

EDITED: The winner is Edj! Come on down!

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This post contributed to Thursday Thirteen.

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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So that’s it. This is the part where I usually reminisce about some St Paddy’s Day memory (like my lucious leprechaun polyester suit or the St Paddy’s Day celebrations in New Orleans), but truth be told, I find myself just staring at the blank screen with an enormous amount of writer’s block. Every morning, it’s the same. Get up, look at the screen, get discouraged, close the screen.

In case you haven’t guessed, I’ve been feeling less inclined towards the personal posts on the blog lately. Interviews, product reviews, random ‘kids say the darndest things’ posts, I feel like they give me something to write about, but I had intended for this blog to be a personal one, and preferably with a sense of humor. Perhaps that’s the problem.

There’s so much going on over in the House of Riley and most/all of it is too personal to broadcast to the world wide web.

There’s also all the work I’ve been doing with my non-blog writing. I’ve been trying to get more paid writing gigs and when you’re writing for work, writing for fun has less fun in it. They warned me this would happen. (They talk a lot, don’t they?)

Then there was the Twilight Saga incident of last week, during which I just HAD to find out what would happen with Edward and his Bella, love. Sigh. I never did read my book club book, but I realized that Husband had invited someone over for dinner the night of book club (tonight), so I won’t be attending anyway.

This past weekend also marked the one year anniversary of the death of my grandmother. It came and went without much ado, but I wonder if it emotionally drained me involuntarily.

I find I just don’t want to think about anything these days. Is that possible? To just turn your brain off for a while – a long while – and stop thinking? I bet there are a number of insults I could throw in at this moment, directed mainly at Mariah Carey and/or fans of Jean Claude Van Damme movies, but even that is too much effort. So you tell me: have any of you ever just wanted to turn your brain off and how did it go? Because I’ve already read the Twilight Saga and watched Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. I clearly need something stronger. Any suggestions? Reality TV? 90210 marathon? Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals? Hmmm. I think I’ll stick with the Monty Python Philosopher’ Song.

So the country as a whole is in a financial crisis and we’re trying to get out of it. Don’t forget to keep your kids in the loop on financial responsibility.

I remember my classmates back in the day who had no spending restrictions and I hear of teenagers nowadays whose parents give them a credit card or ATM cards that basically enable them to always have money, in case of an emergency. But the definition of ‘emergency’ varies, and a last minute pizza party is not one.

Enter the Current Card by Discover, which in addition to providing this card option, is sponsoring the MoneySmarts Program to encourage financial awareness and responsibility among juniors and seniors in high school.

What parents can do with the Current Card:

• Talk to their kids about financial responsibility before giving them the card
• Restrict merchants
• Track spending via statements and email/text alerts

What teens can do with a Current Card:

• Talk to their parents about how they want to use their money
• Spend wisely
• Direct deposit
• Receive rewards and coupons for select merchants when using card (yea! everyone loves rewards!)

The card also comes in a lot of nifty designs, my paticular favorite being the black background with a pink skull and crossbones, as if to say, “Spend wisely or else, lassie!!!!!”

13… hours I’ve spent the past two days spent reading Twilight and New Moon

12… hours I’ll likely spend over next two days reading Eclipse and Breaking Dawn

11… dollars spent to acquire the book, Twilight

10… times my teenage niece asked me if I had read the book yet after I bought it

9… pages it took to get me hooked on the first book

8… times I thought to myself “Edward sounds dreamy”

7… times I’ve spotted missing quotation marks – who edited these books?

6… errands I blew off today to finish New Moon

5… times I exasperatedly thought “how could Bella have not yet figured out Jacob’s problem?” while reading New Moon

4… times I have eyed Eclipse, debating on whether or not to start reading it now or this evening

3… position on my Netflix queue for Twilight, even though the DVD won’t be out til the end of the month

2… other books I should be reading instead of these, Loving Frank for book club next week and Song of the Lark which is due back to the library

1… time I will read these books because while the story is quite intriguing, I daresay I won’t gain much more from a second reading.

So what about you? Have you fallen into the trap that is Twilight?

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This post contributed to Thursday Thirteen.