Pardon my silence – been getting back into the swing of writing while doing interviews and writing correspondence and trying to reassure an editor I’m good with writing a character down from YA to MG. Fingers crossed… I may get a chance to work with a new editor and a new house. Wow.
Meanwhile, frantically trying to catch up with many things (including the Wicked Cool Overlooked Books celebration!), whilst guiding people through the wreck of our boiler. It’s always a bit stressful to try and get anything done with people wandering in and out of the house. Worse still, they’re still in the gape-and-point stage, and no one is actually doing anything.
Yes. Week three with no central heating or hot water. I am deeply grateful for my canning vessel, and all the small plastic bowls I have. It’s not easy to wash your hair that way, but standing in a bath pouring water over yourself does make at least cleanliness possible.
But, let’s talk about something else. Something… nicer.
Remember last August, when I blogged about one of my favorite vintage children’s books, and one of my favorite children’s authors, Sesyle Joslin Hine? The intrepid Joyce D., who wandered to my blog all the way from Cedar Rapids, Michigan, actually did a bit of sleuthing and managed to find the author’s daughter — who assures us that her mother is alive and well!!
You know we needed to make a fanpage for her (and possibly Joyce D.), right? My cunning plan is this: we all get on the fan page, find copies of her books and read them and love them and chat about them on her fansite. And then, we’ll contact her and give her the kudos due someone who wrote such charming, witty, entertaining books. If you’re on Facebook, please come along and join the fun. And thank-you again, Joyce D. and all the other awesome people who’ve joined the fanclub!
Cover from Dear Dragon… and Other Useful Letter Forms for Young Ladies and Gentlemen Engaged in Everyday Correspondence by Sesyle Joslin Hine.
Oh, I said Camille instead of Joyce D. on my post the other day. Must correct.
Sorry to hear about the ongoing boiler problem. Isn't it amazing how long it can take to fix something that really shouldn't take that long?
Exciting news about the new MG novel!! You're hot, my friend!!
Oooh, first paragraph=exciting!
And a lovely fan page it is, too!
I must know more about this YA-to-MG and new possible editor thing. Pretty please? And I'm sorry to hear that the boiler's not fixed yet. That is a HUGE bummer. Beyond bummer.
Oh, middle grade–cool! We have your books in our library of course, but they're WAY over in the teen section. I'd like one (or a stack!) to keep over here in the Children's Room, too.
Charlotte: I only threaten family members with that…
I think this should be a fairly painless adjustment for the character. Who will really mind, though, is her little brother, who is getting kicked back to elementary school, poor child.
That's the breaks, though. MG fiction is a tough little world.
Viz your first paragraph: that sounds a bit like a threat you might use on your child–"If you don't behave, I am going to WRITE YOU DOWN!"
I hope it goes well, and that the character in question doesn't mind too much the loss of YA status…
I hope you have a new boiler soon!