mary e. pearson

1.  Busy, busy busy, lately.  And more submerging is sure to follow.  Trying to make headway on WIP.  Trying to keep up on other writerly stuff.  Trying not to open the packages of Halloween candy--  Oh.  I guess that's another topic. 

2.  I haven't opened any of the Halloween packages of candy yet (pat on back) because once I do, those teeny tiny little sweets just seem to disappear into thin air.  Halloween magic I guess.  Especially those Milk Duds and Good n Plenty.  What's up with that?  You have that problem too?


3.  We made it through October without our horrible hot and scary Devil Winds aka Santa Anas.  Whew, and thank you very much.

4.  Book news:  The first draft of the script for The Adoration of Jenna Fox is done.  Hooray!  Also, got a review in from BCCB for The Miles Between.  Really liked this:  "The lightness of the prose and subtle hints of magic belie the substance of this text the way the gossamer appearance of a spider web belies its strength."   Writing light with this particular content was a challenge so it was nice that this reviewer appreciated that.

5.  Anyone dressing up tomorrow? 

Happy Halloween!

~ Banned Books Week begins tomorrow.  More info about Banned Books Week can be found at the ALA website. 
Here is a post I wrote a few years ago about banned books that still reflects my feelings.

~ It always comes in threes.  I hope that is true.  Broken dishwasher.  Broken electrical circuit.  Broken car battery.  I should be all clear for a while.

~  Trying to finish article on setting.  Pray that breaker is fixed and electricity doesn't go out again.

~ Yesterday there was a review for The Miles Between in the LA Times!  I know that The Miles Between is kind of an odd book, and they say as much in their review--because it is odd--but it was wonderful that the reader got it.  And there have been some film nibblings.  I can so picture it being filmed in that quirky, larger than life vein of The Big Fish.  I loved that movie.

Have a great weekend all.

in California!

The Miles Between received an awesome *starred* review from Kirkus.



They say things like:

"Pearson mesmerizes with a heavily cryptic back story that explodes with full emotional force."

"a terrifyingly beautiful truant day"

" page-turning suspense"

Thank you, Kirkus!

Still smiling and dancing . . .

Oh!  I almost forgot! 

On Friday our Miles Between road trip was featured in an article in Publisher's Weekly .   Love the title they used.

And OMG.  Any writer will tell you this, but there is something so wonderful when someone writes a review and they "get it" from top to bottom.  It is more than that you're happy about a nice review.  It is a feeling like you have had a conversation.  You didn't just go on this journey alone.  That's how I felt when I read this blog review by Diane Chen over at School Library Journal. 

And I have to admit, that I loved that she was "sideswiped."

Guess where The Miles Between  road trip  has taken us now?



Talk about coincidence!  How perfectly appropriate that the ARC is visiting a town where at least a billion librarians are descending this week!  (is that a hint or what?)

And OMG, our road trip blogger took some really fun pictures.  Lions and tigers and . . .  oh my!  Her pictures made me smile and sigh as I recalled my past visits to this wonderful city.  (It is also my mother's hometown so I know she would have been especially proud to see the ARC strutting down the streets.)   And I loved how the ARC fit so perfectly into . . . well, you will just have to go look.  Let her know which one is your favorite picture.

Our road trip blogger also sent me a very nice note about The Miles Between saying, "I loved the book! It made me cry, but in a good way."    Thanks, KT!  Like I've said before, only an author is happy when they make someone cry.  I hope she had a few laughs in there too.

Speaking of which . . .

Over at Presenting Lenore book blog there is a review of The Miles Between where she says, "Not only does it explore deep topics such as the nature of fate and the role of coincidence in our lives but it is also full of zany fun."  Yay for fun too! 

She also says a lot of other very nice things.  Thanks, Lenore.  There's a short interview too, where I talk a little bit about coincidence. In the comments, Lenore invites readers to share their coincidences or dream road trips.  So hop on over there and share yours.  You might win one of five free ARCS she is giving away!

And last but not least,  Readingjunky (I love that name ; ) has written a review that made me want to cry.  I guess what goes around comes around.  She says, "Mary E. Pearson weaves together an amazing and tragic tale as she turns four acquaintances into true friends. The range of emotions packed into this novel will take readers from laughter to tears and everything in between. This is a must read due out this September."    You can read the whole review over at TeenReadsToo.

I am really enjoying seeing all the places that you live and love.  This has been one of the best road trips I've ever taken.  I wonder where we will visit next.

It is amazing how everything comes in spurts--especially if you go away for a few days.  Hunter develped a hot spot on his forehead (allergies--he always gets them in spring) and I have been cleaning and spraying and keeping a close eye on it.  One year it spread like wildfire and he had to have the top of his head shaved.  Poor guy--he looked like the bald bear in the movie The Great Outdoors with John Candy.  He was quite a sight.

 But among the "hot spots" and piles waiting for me when I got home this weekend were some nice surprise too. I received the Golden Kite Honor Award plaque for The Adoration of Jenna Fox in the mail!   It will be a while before I can hang it, but that kind of clutter I don't mind.



I also had a new review of THE MILES BETWEEN over at The Well Read Child, that had me floating.  Snorting, crying, and laughing--you can't make an author any happier than that.

There was also a newspaper article waiting for me.  A reporter from the San Diego Union Tribune had come to my house a couple of weeks ago because he was doing a story on the San Diego Children's Book Festival and he wanted to interview one of the authors who would be there.  No, that is not my livingroom in the picture.  I met with a photgrapher down at our local coffee house, La Costa Coffee and Roasting, where I sometimes write and of course, drink coffee.  Coffee seems to be an ongoing theme in my day today.

maryrobinette said I should post a picture of the dress I wore to the Nortons, but I didn't have any full length pics, but I thought I would post the purse I took.  I think it is the first time I ever used it, because, well, it doesn't really go with the jeans I usually wear.  It was given to me by a friend as a thank you gift after I went and talked to her women's book club ("really, Nona, it was so unneccessary . . ."  But yes!  I'm glad she did!)



and here is some of the detail:



Cool, huh?  I may just have to start using it with jeans anyway, because I don't go to snazzy events that often.

And last but certainly not least, on Monday my friend melissawyatt birthed her second book, Funny How Things Change.  Yes, she is my friend, but yes, it is truly an awesome, amazing, and hot book.  Hop on over and spray her with confetti.  She deserves it.

1.
Stand up to cancer--tonight at 8pm--ALL THREE NETWORKS will be televising this benefit. Be a part of it. Make a difference. I'll "see" you there.

2. Happy Birthday Boys! The mongrels are five years old today. Bones for everyone!


3. I got a haircut. I love new haircuts. It's short--just to my shoulders. Well, that's short for me anyway.

4. Book Updates: A very nice review for the audio JENNA in the September/October issue of the Horn Book Magazine. I agree. I think Jenna Lamia, the reader, did an excellent job.
Other bookish news: My fall schedule is filling up fast. Lots of book club visits, then heading up to San Francisco for some school visits, and the Not Your Mother's Book Club (yay!), and more. Also, I will be the master of ceremonies for the SCIBA 2008 Authors Feast on October 18th, introducing authors, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dorothea Benton Frank, Brian Sanderson, and Loren Long. Should be a lot of fun. And right after that comes NCTE/ALAN . . . yes, somewhere in all of this, I will be writing my next book too . . .

Have a great weekend everyone--and don't forget tonight!

1. I can't believe summer is almost over. Where did it go?

2. I finally got a review from Voya for The Adoration of Jenna Fox. (Or maybe it's been out for a while and I just now saw it?) They said some very nice things, like "Pearson creates an extraordinarily fine novel." It's a mouthful but I like it : )

3.
"A goal without a plan is just a wish."
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery

hm. I needed that right now. I am so between ideas.

of The Adoration of Jenna Fox is up!

The Holt web guru emailed me yesterday and told me that www.whoisjennafox.com was up and running with all the "extra stuff." The extra stuff includes the book trailer, sample chapters, and lots more.

I loved reading the teen comments! I hadn't seen those yet. : )

Plus the review page included a nice surprise . . .

A snip of starred review #3!

"This is a beautiful blend of science fiction, medical thriller, and teen-relationship novel that melds into a seamless whole that will please fans of all three genres."
--School Library Journal, starred review

Yay!

for The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a mighty fine lucky charm for the day!

"Outstanding examination of identity, science and ethics . . .
Pearson reveals the truth layer by layer, maintaining taut suspense and psychological realism" --Kirkus Reviews

I'm doing my leprechaun happy dance!

. . . with wings!



I posted this picture a while back but it seemed like a good way to bring in the roar of March.

Small Joys: I was up early this morning bailing dirty water out of my old rust bucket washing machine that decided to quit working once it was full of water. Okay, that is not the joy. They just delivered my new washer and dryer! I am actually looking forward to doing laundry today. That is, if I can figure out what all the buttons do. Welcome to my glamorous (but clean ; ) life.

A Star! The Adoration of Jenna Fox has received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly! I loved this: [Pearson] “raises the ante in unexpected ways until the very last page.”

An interview: Little Willow aka slayground has interviewed me over at her blog. I thought her question about the “other” Mary Pearson was interesting, I do love jazz but don’t have a single musical note in my body.

More Book News: There have been some wonderful reviews on the blogosphere in the last couple of weeks for JENNA. I am so happy that reviewers have not created spoilers. It is not an easy task and I have a newfound appreciation of how much skill it takes to write one that doesn’t give it all away.
Many thanks to slayground for her wonderful review. And also thanks to Tez at Urban Fantasy Land for another great spoiler-free review! And then I just saw that Carlie Webber posted an awesome review over at A Chair, Fireplace, & ATea Cozy. Wow.

My cup runneth over! Thank you all!

Happy Birthday: To Jana! Yay! Now you are as old as me! ; )

My Space: I have had my myspace for a whole month now! I've stumbled on quite a few LJers, but if I have missed you, make yourselves known!

Yep, in like a lion. It’s only the first and March is roaring. Now off to read the directions on my new washer. Wish me luck. There are at least a thousand buttons . . .

A New Definition of Hip: I have been a bit out of the loop lately, busy adding a new title to my CV: Nurse Ratchett. My husband had a whole new right hip put in one week ago. This was the result of "little" tumble a few years ago that involved a double black diamond, snow, a mountain, and way more testosterone than common sense. He thought it was just bruised, but it went all downhill from there. (Pun very much intended. I am loving this role of Nurse R) He’s doing great and luckily the dogs are scared to death of his crutches so they give him lots of cruising room. Now if I can just keep him confined for a few more weeks. It ain’t easy to keep the knucklehead down. Gotta love him. And I do. Otherwise I'd kill him : )

Going Green: Even though this year I am a bit partial to “blue,” 2008 seems to be the year of going green. I’ve added more of those curly bulbs. They really do make a huge difference in the electric bill. Also saw that Burt’s Bees (they do make the best lip balm) has a goal of not creating any landfill waste. I’m shooting for that too. We already recycle newspapers, junkmail, and lots of other paper and cardboard, plus all of our yard waste, plus cans, bottles and plastics. I keep wondering, what’s left that is still going in the trash? What are you doing to go green?

Book News: Another review of The Adoration of Jenna Fox over at Kid Lit. Thanks Tasha! I really liked what she said about the secondary characters, too. Lily was especially one of my favorites.

Writing Quote: “I think a certain fearlessness in the face of your own ineptitude is a useful tool.”
–Betsy Lerner, Forest for the Trees.
Hm. Works for me.

Work in Progress: Baby steps. Almost done. I feel like I am going to be bloodied and bruised by the time I cross the finish line. Forget the bandaids. Have a margarita waiting for me.

I have been submerged of late, trying to meet an end of January deadline goal for my next book. It’s true, writing begets writing. I’ve been on a roll.

But then there are the distractions. Like the ALA awards. Since I surfaced yesterday and have been caught up in a few other major distractions (good ones!) I thought I’d do a bit of catch up.

One thing, for those in the midst of writing their own books and struggling through middles–or any part of the book for that matter--I thought I would share something.

When I finished A Room on Lorelei Street and was ready to begin my next book (which became The Adoration of Jenna Fox) I decided to keep a writing journal recording my ups and downs so I would have a visible record (and reminder!) that when I am pulling my hair out and thinking all is lost, and oh god what am I going to do, that I have been on this path before, and I was able to finish the story after all. The wandering through the desert is part of the process. Here is an excerpt from one of my entries:

“I am stuck. Hopelessly. I cannot move forward. I fear I have forgotten how to write. . . if I ever do finish this story through some miracle, I will never do this again!”

And this: “Do I know what the hell I am doing? It feels pretty iffy. Just once I’d like to burst with confidence. It would be nice.”

But then this too: “I’m in a good place. A very good place . . . I am starting not to question my progress . . . the dead times seem almost necessary . . . I like it!”

This roller coaster process is part of every book I write, and yet it always feel like the first time when I am in the midst of it. Now I have visible proof for myself that it is not. Just keep writing, Mary. Onward.

In other book news, a few very nice reviews for The Adoration of Jenna Fox:

This one from Goddess Librarian, Teri Lesesne aka professornana: I Adore Jenna

And this from Teen Book Review

And this one from an unknown bookseller who explored the crossover aspects of the book: Crossing over

All a very nice boost to get me throught this current roller coaster. Back to submersion, and hopefully fast fingers . . .

This from thunderchikin about The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Wow, a nice start to the new year.

I also wanted to say I received a few more ARCS of JENNA. If you would like one, post here or email me at: mary at marypearson dot com

I know Henry Holt will also be giving a lot of them out next week at Mid-winter so if you are going you can pick one up there. I love mid-winter but won't be making it this year. Anyone going?

Following the links on Jen Robinson's Book Page, I found out there has been quite a discussion going on about book reviewing. I discovered the blog Chasing Ray and she had some very interesting insights into the book reviewing process. At least, her process. It seemed very reasonable to me.
It reminded me of reviewing guidelines I had read years ago by Grace Anne DeCandido which I always thought were very well thought out and fair. I think that is all any author wants.

Well, this was a lovely way to start my Monday morning.

Jen Robinson's review of A Room on Lorelei Street was a very nice surprise. I especially loved this line:
"This is a book that will make you think. About the connections between people. About what kids need from their parents. About what makes some people keep going, while others give up. About where responsibilities to family end, and responsibility to self beings." Thanks, Jen!

And in other news, I have to say: I lied.
My apologies to halseanderson. I commented on her blog that I loved hot weather. Well, ahem, I guess I didn't know what real hot weather was. 70 and 80 degreee days with no humidity is not hot. BUT . . this past Saturday, with 100 degree temps and 100% humidity I think I learned more about hot than I ever wanted to know. Each day since has gotten cooler (or maybe my steamed skin has just lost all feeling) I think today is only supposed to be 95 with 100% humidity. whoopee.

At least I have learned a lesson to choose my words carefully. Sort of. A while back I gloated happily when I had the last empty seat on a plane next to me and the flight attendants were closing up the hatches. I joked to my husband, "With my luck, a big linebacker will take this last seat." Then, I swear, the most enormous man I have ever seen started walking down the aisle toward me. I thought, no, no way is he going to fit in this seat. He must be here to push the plane or something. But, sit he did. By the end of the flight I felt like I was a growth attached to his shoulder. (But he was a very pleasant seat mate) And as it turns out, he WAS a linebacker. What are the chances?? Yes, I need to be a little more careful about what I say . . .

I love cold weather . . . I love cold weather . . .

What a fun marathon weekend! My niece was married on Saturday and my daughter was one of her bridesmaids. It was a beautiful wedding and the reception was a blast. The young man she married (whom we all adore) is from Peru and much of his family doesn’t speak much English, and much of my family doesn’t speak much Spanish, but boy, we all speak dance, so there was no communication problems out on the dance floor.

From the wedding we went straight to my husbands high school class reunion, and guess what-–more dancing. Yep, dancing all day and all night. I was one tired puppy by the time I got home.

But this morning I was perked up to see a very nice review by kelcrocker of A Room on Lorelei Street for the Des Moines Register.

Yes, that was better than a double espresso to get my eyes open.

I see that Kerry Madden is here at LJ as mountainmist. Kerry is the author of Gentle’s Holler which I have been hearing fabulous things about. And if you haven’t been to her website, check it out. It is SO cool. Be sure you have your sound turned up.

YA Goddess, Teri Lesesne, aka as professornana had some very nice thoughts about A Room on Lorelei Street that really made my day.

Yesterday I had to get a little organized about my wip. You know when you get to that point where there is so much “stuff” you are trying to remember, that you feel like you are totally overwhelmed? So I went through it page by page, jotting notes, creating a loose map and I feel like I have a better handle now about what has happened and will happen. Onward.

For those of you who are wilting in the summer heat, I will leave you with this very “cool” picture:



Have a great–and too cool–weekend.