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Nonfiction writer Marianne Dyson did a great job on Great Day Houston this morning! As an added bonus, the anchorwoman started off the segment with a mention of Almost Astronauts and a nice loooooong cover shot. Thank you Great Day Houston! Watch the short video, if you like.
June 10th, 2009
June 7th, 2009
Last week I was in Manhattan for a much-needed city fix (read, editor meetings and hanging out with writer friends) when some vair vair exciting news was announced. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS was named one of 2 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor titles for Nonfiction! I am THRILLED to be in the company of the award winner, Candy Fleming's THE LINCOLNS and the other honor, David Macaulay's THE WAY WE WORK. I adore both of those books and they already had a permanent residence on my bookshelf.
I am told this honor comes with a swanky dinner at the incredible Boston Athenaeum and an engraved silver plate, so I guess it's time to buy a new pair of shoes!
I am told this honor comes with a swanky dinner at the incredible Boston Athenaeum and an engraved silver plate, so I guess it's time to buy a new pair of shoes!
April 2nd, 2009
Throughout the many revisions of Almost Astronauts, there was one constant--poems. Poems that captured the women as girls--girls newly bit by the flying bug. In the end, though, the poems were the one thing that did not mesh with the final version of the book. So Candlewick kindly designed this ancillary booklet so I could pay tribute to the women who have grown to mean so much to me.
So in honor of National Poetry Month, here are Thirteen Little Pilots.
So in honor of National Poetry Month, here are Thirteen Little Pilots.
February 27th, 2009
Can't believe it's been since 2008 that I have jumped on here. I've got to get better at this. I really don't know how people keep up!
Good news stuff:
Sandy's Circus has been chosen as one of 10 Red Clover books for 2009-2010. That means that 20,000 kids next year will read the Red Clover books and pick their favorite!
Elizabeth Leads the Way has been named an Amelia Bloomer book, ALA Notable, Notable Social Studies, and Kansas State Reading Circle.
And Almost Astronauts, which came out on Feb 24 has gotten 3 starred reviews so far. Wowza. As Glinda would say, "I couldn't be happier!"
In honor of Almost Astronauts and Women's History Month, my awesome publisher (Candlewick) is sending me to DC for a mini-tour in which I'll be speaking at the--gulp--National Air & Space Museum. At the nose of a space shuttle, no less! And doing two events at the fantabulous Politics & Prose. I hereby promise to try to blog about this trip. See how noncommittal that was?
January also saw our annual retreat, Kindling Words, which was somehow even better this year. Great fun was had by all, as well as serene writing time with writer pals, and Ashley Bryan in rare form, charming us with his poetry and his personality.
Happy Spring? Well, not yet, but I can hope. It was 50 degrees here today and lovely--until it started raining. But I ain't complaining! Have a great weekend, everyone.
Good news stuff:
Sandy's Circus has been chosen as one of 10 Red Clover books for 2009-2010. That means that 20,000 kids next year will read the Red Clover books and pick their favorite!
Elizabeth Leads the Way has been named an Amelia Bloomer book, ALA Notable, Notable Social Studies, and Kansas State Reading Circle.
And Almost Astronauts, which came out on Feb 24 has gotten 3 starred reviews so far. Wowza. As Glinda would say, "I couldn't be happier!"
In honor of Almost Astronauts and Women's History Month, my awesome publisher (Candlewick) is sending me to DC for a mini-tour in which I'll be speaking at the--gulp--National Air & Space Museum. At the nose of a space shuttle, no less! And doing two events at the fantabulous Politics & Prose. I hereby promise to try to blog about this trip. See how noncommittal that was?
January also saw our annual retreat, Kindling Words, which was somehow even better this year. Great fun was had by all, as well as serene writing time with writer pals, and Ashley Bryan in rare form, charming us with his poetry and his personality.
Happy Spring? Well, not yet, but I can hope. It was 50 degrees here today and lovely--until it started raining. But I ain't complaining! Have a great weekend, everyone.
December 21st, 2008
Picture a young person asking for a cell phone. Then picture an apparently old, cranky person delivering a ranting monologue on how the current generation is in danger of producing a severe lack of thinkers, scientists, inventors--people who may be poised to solve many of the world's problems simply because they are all so plugged in that there is no quiet time in which to just think.
Ok, so I'm cranky. But I'm right.
;-)
Ok, so I'm cranky. But I'm right.
;-)
December 12th, 2008
And so it goes. Another day. Another censored book. Sigh. It's a never-ending battle but one we must continue to fight nonetheless. One day, perhaps, sanity will prevail over fear. For now, the news story du jour:
It seems a high school in New Rochelle assigned Girl, Interrupted to an English class until--Gasp--one person decided there was a scene that was inappropriate for teenagers to read. (Full story here.) Was the decision to stop teaching the book? Nay, it was not. It was instead decided to defile; I'm sorry, "bowdlerize" the book in question and make it sanitary for young ears and eyes to partake.
Let's examine said term "bowdlerize," shall we? Bowdlerize is a term that means to expurgate by omitting or modifying parts (generally in a book) considered vulgar. The word was coined to immortalize Thomas Bowdler, an 18th century doctor (who never actually practiced medicine) whose father used to read Shakespeare to the family and leave out the scandalous bits unsuitable for women and children. You won't get any argument from me that a parent has the right to make these choices for their own children. But when young Thomas was grown and had the means to take it upon himself to better the world, he decided that it would be a tragedy if only his clan could benefit from his father's genteel ways and that lesser readers without the intelligence to edit on the spot for themselves should really be given the chance to be bettered by his father's expurgated Shakespeare. So Thomas assembled a collection of Shakespearean works, edited them similarly so as not to offend the ladies and littles, and published a volume entitled Family Shakespeare. Well done, lad, well done. Instead of bastardizing--sorry, bowdlerizing--Shakespeare, he could have just written his own clean little stories, but I suppose that would not have been as noble an undertaking. Or as easy.
So that is how censorship came to have a synonym in "bowdlerizing." Sounds much better, doesn't it? Methinks I'd like to delve a bit deeper into the life history of Thomas Bowdler and see if I can't find an un-expurgated version of his days on god's green earth. There may be some really juicy parts to leave in so those of us who detest censorship can live Happily Ever After.
It seems a high school in New Rochelle assigned Girl, Interrupted to an English class until--Gasp--one person decided there was a scene that was inappropriate for teenagers to read. (Full story here.) Was the decision to stop teaching the book? Nay, it was not. It was instead decided to defile; I'm sorry, "bowdlerize" the book in question and make it sanitary for young ears and eyes to partake.
Let's examine said term "bowdlerize," shall we? Bowdlerize is a term that means to expurgate by omitting or modifying parts (generally in a book) considered vulgar. The word was coined to immortalize Thomas Bowdler, an 18th century doctor (who never actually practiced medicine) whose father used to read Shakespeare to the family and leave out the scandalous bits unsuitable for women and children. You won't get any argument from me that a parent has the right to make these choices for their own children. But when young Thomas was grown and had the means to take it upon himself to better the world, he decided that it would be a tragedy if only his clan could benefit from his father's genteel ways and that lesser readers without the intelligence to edit on the spot for themselves should really be given the chance to be bettered by his father's expurgated Shakespeare. So Thomas assembled a collection of Shakespearean works, edited them similarly so as not to offend the ladies and littles, and published a volume entitled Family Shakespeare. Well done, lad, well done. Instead of bastardizing--sorry, bowdlerizing--Shakespeare, he could have just written his own clean little stories, but I suppose that would not have been as noble an undertaking. Or as easy.
So that is how censorship came to have a synonym in "bowdlerizing." Sounds much better, doesn't it? Methinks I'd like to delve a bit deeper into the life history of Thomas Bowdler and see if I can't find an un-expurgated version of his days on god's green earth. There may be some really juicy parts to leave in so those of us who detest censorship can live Happily Ever After.
December 5th, 2008
And I absolutely, positively cannot claim the simple brilliance behind this post. No, I was directed to it by Betsy Partridge and thought there was little more to say and that I should just redirect anyone else who hasn't found Editorial Ass right to the source. So if you love books, work in the field, hope to be published one day, or are simply a reader, BUY A BOOK THIS WEEKEND!
November 15th, 2008
Yes, it's raining. And yes, it's foggy. And yes, my arm is sore from the flu shot. BUT...
Sandy's Circus made the Kirkus 2008 Best Books for Children list. Bam! And the NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. Ya! Go Mr. Boris Kulikov. Your art is Spectacular!!
And...Marjorie Priceman is going to illustrate my next picture book! Hip-Hip Hooray!
Sandy's Circus made the Kirkus 2008 Best Books for Children list. Bam! And the NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing. Ya! Go Mr. Boris Kulikov. Your art is Spectacular!!
And...Marjorie Priceman is going to illustrate my next picture book! Hip-Hip Hooray!
November 2nd, 2008
Despite a bad cold/flu bug that put me on a plane home 12 hours earlier than anticipated (after fulfilling my commitments, of course!), the Texas Book Festival was incredible. I've done it once before, when Bad Boy came out. This time I went for my new picture books and the Ella bio.
First stop: Pillow Elementary School. And it was Halloween! Even though I couldn't breathe, all those dragons and princesses and spider-men fired me up! They were a great audience and asked fantastic questions. And I can't describe what it feels like to hand out 600 books, one by one, as all these costumed cuties filed past and thanked me for coming. I even got hugs! Yes, the Texas Book Festival bought a book for EVERY SINGLE KID IN THE SCHOOL! Then it was off to a lovely luncheon for all the Reading Rock Stars (I think there were 10 of us) and the incredible volunteers who did many things to pull off such a well-coordinated day. The highlight of lunch for me was getting to know the twinkly and wise Ben Saenz.
That night there was a party at Clay Smith's house, the literary director of the festival, who is about as smart and savvy as they come. I can't say enough about how well-designed this festival is, and we have Clay to thank for that. It was great catching up with old friends like Lauren Myracle and Varian Johnson, and meeting new ones--Jenny Ziegler, Paula Yoo, Margo Rabb, Heather Vogel Frederick (we knew each other online only), Don Tate, Melissa De La Cruz, and more!
Okay, must get tissues now. Can't breathe. Links not working! Will post about Saturday later.
Did everyone remember to turn back their clocks?
First stop: Pillow Elementary School. And it was Halloween! Even though I couldn't breathe, all those dragons and princesses and spider-men fired me up! They were a great audience and asked fantastic questions. And I can't describe what it feels like to hand out 600 books, one by one, as all these costumed cuties filed past and thanked me for coming. I even got hugs! Yes, the Texas Book Festival bought a book for EVERY SINGLE KID IN THE SCHOOL! Then it was off to a lovely luncheon for all the Reading Rock Stars (I think there were 10 of us) and the incredible volunteers who did many things to pull off such a well-coordinated day. The highlight of lunch for me was getting to know the twinkly and wise Ben Saenz.
That night there was a party at Clay Smith's house, the literary director of the festival, who is about as smart and savvy as they come. I can't say enough about how well-designed this festival is, and we have Clay to thank for that. It was great catching up with old friends like Lauren Myracle and Varian Johnson, and meeting new ones--Jenny Ziegler, Paula Yoo, Margo Rabb, Heather Vogel Frederick (we knew each other online only), Don Tate, Melissa De La Cruz, and more!
Okay, must get tissues now. Can't breathe. Links not working! Will post about Saturday later.
Did everyone remember to turn back their clocks?
October 17th, 2008
In the past few days, there have been two major articles on Alexander Calder and his Cirque de Calder in the New York Times. Huzzah! What perfect timing for my brand new picture book on this VERY topic! Sandy's Circus: A Story about Alexander Calder explores how Alexander (a.k.a. Sandy) became an artist and brought movement and play to the art world. The illustrations by Boris Kulikov are nothing less than spectacular.
So, the writer asks her community--how can a writer benefit from this very timely media attention of Calder and his circus and help her book be noticed by the masses? If anyone has suggestions to share, shout 'em out! Not just for the sake of this picture book, but to perhaps help each other with similar situations. It takes a village, right?
So, the writer asks her community--how can a writer benefit from this very timely media attention of Calder and his circus and help her book be noticed by the masses? If anyone has suggestions to share, shout 'em out! Not just for the sake of this picture book, but to perhaps help each other with similar situations. It takes a village, right?
August 6th, 2008
My new picture book, Sandy's Circus, comes out in a few short weeks and the reviews are starting to come in. As Glinda would say, "I couldn't be happier"...except...I mean it! I just updated my website (which I'm having trouble with...ugh...for some reason the home page just lost all it's formatting, even though if you click on book covers it takes you to normal pages...go figure!) But here's the news on Sandy. I'm doing my official first reading this Thursday night because the amazing Shelburne Museum (the largest museum of Americana in the country--if you've never been, put it on your summer list of places to go!) is having a grand re-opening of their circus exhibit building--which was pretty incredible before, so I don't know what to expect on Thursday). And oh--all my LJ formatting isn't working either---Technical Difficulties!! No linking available, apparently.
Sandy's Circus
Meet Alexander Calder, the man who invented the mobile and set the art world on fire with his magical, moveable Cirque de Calder. With incredible illustrations by Boris Kulikov.
Starred Review, Kirkus: "The lively text shines with apt details....spritely, noteworthy"
Horn Book: "Stone's narrative is as animated as Calder's figures...Kulikov's [art] vibrant with energy and color...would pair interestingly with Selznick's Hugo Cabret."
Booklist: "beautifully illustrated...spare, direct...Kulikov's elegant, fanciful multimedia collages extend the story...will ignite curiosity in Calder."
A Junior Library Guild Selection.
Sandy's Circus
Meet Alexander Calder, the man who invented the mobile and set the art world on fire with his magical, moveable Cirque de Calder. With incredible illustrations by Boris Kulikov.
Starred Review, Kirkus: "The lively text shines with apt details....spritely, noteworthy"
Horn Book: "Stone's narrative is as animated as Calder's figures...Kulikov's [art] vibrant with energy and color...would pair interestingly with Selznick's Hugo Cabret."
Booklist: "beautifully illustrated...spare, direct...Kulikov's elegant, fanciful multimedia collages extend the story...will ignite curiosity in Calder."
A Junior Library Guild Selection.
July 22nd, 2008
That NYT review of Mamma Mia was dead-on. Lighten up, people! Who cares if it's hokey, over-the-top, or Pierce Brosnan can't sing? Not me. I LOVED IT. Sat there with a big old grin on my face for two whole hours. Life is too short, too dark, too fraught with potential disaster to not just adore a production that is so life-affirming. I loved watching Meryl Streep let loose and just have fun. And the credits at the end were a riot! The only question I had was why not switch Colin Firth (who actually can sing) and Pierce Brosnan--it didn't really matter which one played which, did it?
If you need a smile, go park your fanny in some theater seats and sing along.
If you need a smile, go park your fanny in some theater seats and sing along.
July 15th, 2008
Am I repeating myself? Or have I just been complaining about lawnmowers in my head for so long that I think I must have blogged about this before.
I. Hate. Lawnmowers. Or more precisely, I hate the constant, obsessive, non-stop drone of lawnmowers that seem to be all around me. In the winter, it's snowblowers. In the summer, you guessed it. Can't it ever be QUIET! Doesn't anyone else want to hear the chipmunks and the barking dogs and the twittering birds. Even a distant phone ringing would be better than first one person mowing their lawn, then someone else, then someone else, then someone else. Couldn't they all just have a meeting and decide that on Monday at 1 pm everyone will mow the lawn at the SAME TIME?
Is this really too much to ask?
Okay, I will try to concentrate on my manuscript now. Nope, there goes another one!
I. Hate. Lawnmowers. Or more precisely, I hate the constant, obsessive, non-stop drone of lawnmowers that seem to be all around me. In the winter, it's snowblowers. In the summer, you guessed it. Can't it ever be QUIET! Doesn't anyone else want to hear the chipmunks and the barking dogs and the twittering birds. Even a distant phone ringing would be better than first one person mowing their lawn, then someone else, then someone else, then someone else. Couldn't they all just have a meeting and decide that on Monday at 1 pm everyone will mow the lawn at the SAME TIME?
Is this really too much to ask?
Okay, I will try to concentrate on my manuscript now. Nope, there goes another one!
June 24th, 2008
We being Laurie Halse Anderson and me, Tanya Lee Stone, at ALA this coming Saturday.
So here's the scoop.
On Saturday, June 28th at 5:30 pm, Laurie and I will be hanging out in the lobby of the Grand Californian hotel together, ready to chat about our new picture books about some truly spectacular women in American history--INDEPENDENT DAMES and ELIZABETH LEADS THE WAY. Please feel free to stop by and talk about these books, and any other writing-related topics you care to spark. We've got all kinds of behind-the-scenes juicy details to divulge (yeah, those early American women were a crazy crew!). And if we run out of things to say we can always channel Coffee Talk and discuss my hometown--New Haven. It's neither new, nor a haven. Discuss!
And now, the full schedule (so Mom and hubby can find me)
Sunday, June 29th, Newbery/Caldecott Banquet
(I guess I'd better put on a dress!)
Monday, June 30th, 8:00-10:00 am
Research Fuels the Author's Fire
Tanya Lee Stone, Jacqueline Briggs Martin, and Carol Gorman; Sharron McElmeel moderating
Anaheim Convention Center 304 A/B
Monday, June 30th, 11:00 am-Noon, Penguin Young Readers Booth 2617
Signing Up Close: Ella Fitzgerald and Sandy's Circus (f&gs)
Monday, June 30th, 2-3 pm, DK Booth 2625
Signing Amelia Earhart & Abraham Lincoln
Monday night Printz reception
(another night to dress up!)
Thank You to the wonderful folks at Penguin Young Readers!
So here's the scoop.
On Saturday, June 28th at 5:30 pm, Laurie and I will be hanging out in the lobby of the Grand Californian hotel together, ready to chat about our new picture books about some truly spectacular women in American history--INDEPENDENT DAMES and ELIZABETH LEADS THE WAY. Please feel free to stop by and talk about these books, and any other writing-related topics you care to spark. We've got all kinds of behind-the-scenes juicy details to divulge (yeah, those early American women were a crazy crew!). And if we run out of things to say we can always channel Coffee Talk and discuss my hometown--New Haven. It's neither new, nor a haven. Discuss!
And now, the full schedule (so Mom and hubby can find me)
Sunday, June 29th, Newbery/Caldecott Banquet
(I guess I'd better put on a dress!)
Monday, June 30th, 8:00-10:00 am
Research Fuels the Author's Fire
Tanya Lee Stone, Jacqueline Briggs Martin, and Carol Gorman; Sharron McElmeel moderating
Anaheim Convention Center 304 A/B
Monday, June 30th, 11:00 am-Noon, Penguin Young Readers Booth 2617
Signing Up Close: Ella Fitzgerald and Sandy's Circus (f&gs)
Monday, June 30th, 2-3 pm, DK Booth 2625
Signing Amelia Earhart & Abraham Lincoln
Monday night Printz reception
(another night to dress up!)
Thank You to the wonderful folks at Penguin Young Readers!
June 19th, 2008
Please head on over to I.N.K. this morning and read/comment on this morning's post (my monthly contribution) about what happened during my book launch for Elizabeth Leads the Way.
June 5th, 2008
Full disclosure: The book I am about to tell you of is the same book causing me to suffer from extremus flatterus. I mean, in my YA, I refer to an author by name (Ms. Judy Blume), as well as one of said novelist's novels that hit home with me. Now, in living color (well actually, in black and white) there is a new novel, SPLIT BY A KISS by Luisa Plaja, that in its pages refers to ME by name, as well as an aspect of A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl that apparently hit home with this author. Full circle. I am honored. Truly. Seriously, I haven't been this verklempt since I heard from the teenager who wrote her heart out in the back pages of her Bad Boy copy, ala my Josie, put it in the library stacks at her school, and revisited it to find lots of scrawled messages from other wronged girls. This is that feeling you get when you realize: I have been heard. I wrote something and they get it. It's why we express ourselves. To be understood. To make a connection. To communicate with others and make the world a closer place instead of a more distant one.
I digress. The real reason for this post is to tell you about SPLIT BY A KISS, a great romp that mixes romantic comedy with split personalities with across the pond humor. This is a vair, vair cute book. And it has its heavier, more profound moments, to boot. In all the best ways, it reminded me of one of my favorite movies--Sliding Doors. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm proud of that main character. Go Jo, Go! Or should I say Josie? Well, I'll never post a spoiler here, so go check it out and find out what all the snogging is about!
And to Luisa Plaja, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
May 21st, 2008
Not once, but twice! They have featured both Elizabeth Leads the Way AND Sandy's Circus.
Now, back to work...I'm trying to finish a new biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder by...big gulp...June 16th. Ok, now I want a Big Gulp. Root beer, please.
Now, back to work...I'm trying to finish a new biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder by...big gulp...June 16th. Ok, now I want a Big Gulp. Root beer, please.
I will soon post a pic, but I am proud to announce the newest member of our family is a beautiful blonde with big brown eyes. Lucy is a golden doodle that for some reason I cannot begin to fathom, some family gave her up to the humane society. Their loss--our WIN, WIN, WIN! I am biased, it's true, but this is the world's most perfect dog. She doesn't even smell doggy. Even after the rain! How is this possible?? She doesn't shed, either. I'm not foolin.
More importantly, she is the sweetest, smartest pup I've ever had. She won my hubby's heart when she adapted her playing style for the youngest--dropping a sock as gently as could be on her tummy, for a calm game of fetch, if you can call it that.
And to top it all off, I can no longer get away with sitting on my butt and writing for hours on end. This girl gets me up and OUT.
Yes, I'm vair, vair happy.
More importantly, she is the sweetest, smartest pup I've ever had. She won my hubby's heart when she adapted her playing style for the youngest--dropping a sock as gently as could be on her tummy, for a calm game of fetch, if you can call it that.
And to top it all off, I can no longer get away with sitting on my butt and writing for hours on end. This girl gets me up and OUT.
Yes, I'm vair, vair happy.
April 26th, 2008
I first met Carrie Jones when she was a student at the Vermont College MFA Writing for Children program. Since then, she has burst on to the YA stage with not one, but two, stellar novels for young adults. And…she has a third one coming out this summer. Full disclosure: I suspect Carrie doesn’t need as much sleep as the rest of us!
Her debut novel, TIPS ON HAVING A GAY (EX) BOYFRIEND won the Maine Literary Award and was a finalist for the Cybils Award. Publisher’s Weekly called it “Provocative…The author’s poetic prose ably captures her heroine’s emotional upheavals.” And School Library Journal said, “Jones offers an atypical perspective of the coming-out story by legitimizing the love that is not lost, but changed, when young people grow up and apart.” It is currently a finalist for the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, while Carrie herself is the recipient of Maine’s Martin Dibner Fellowship.
Her new book, LOVE (AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE), navigates the complex minefield associated with first times and the emotional consequences of teen sex through the eyes and experiences of a thoughtful high school senior. For those of you who read my blog, you know this is my kind of book. Kudos to Carrie for tackling this topic with heart and soul.
LOVE is already poised to do well. Kliatt said, “The story is honest, earthy and appealing. Jones knows about Maine, being a native, and she knows about writing.”
So, What’s It About?
Well, I’ll tell you. LOVE (AND OTHER USES FOR DUCT TAPE) tells the story of 18-year-old Belle Philbrick, who watches love blossom in the lives of all around her while she and her boyfriend seem to be treading water. As she barrels toward the end of her senior year, Belle watches as everything around her changes…and not all for the best. And in the midst of dealing with the changes comes the revelation that her best friend might be pregnant. Through Belle, Jones examines issues of labeling, making choices, and the anxiety of “what next?” as Belle looks ahead to life beyond high school.
The Bad Boy Quiz
I asked Carrie to take my little quiz and here are her brill answers. And, a special bonus—she answered some of them in prose—with dialogue! Nice job, Carrie!
Q: Have you ever learned something good from a bad boy? What was it?
A: I learned that when you see someone throw-up tomato soup all over the living room floor because they are incredibly drunk it is best to just go into the other room and close the door, especially if that same vomiting person starts laughing hysterically and tries to make the dog clean it up. Oh. I also learned that it's best to take the dog with you when you go in the other room. Oh! And lock the door. ALWAYS lock the door.
Q: What was the worst date you ever went on?
A: Well, there's that one mentioned in #1.
A local town has this big, huge parade/event for the Fourth of July and I had to go cover it for the newspaper. My editor kept asking if he could come too, saying that he didn't have anyone to celebrate the Fourth with and he didn't want to watch the parade alone.
So, I said I'd hang out with him.
Then he showed up in this Hawaiian t-shirt (nobody wears Hawaiian t-shirts in Maine) that was ALL THE WAY unbuttoned revealing his rotund and hairy belly. There was a wind. The shirt flapped in the breeze. It was horrible HORRIBLE. Plus, he kept following me everywhere and people stared at us. Honestly, they stared. Children on floats shielded their eyes. And, honestly, it wasn't hot enough out to warrant a flapping open Hawaiian t-shirt.
On Monday at work he sang, "All around the Carrie bush the monkey chases the weasel" and sort of skipped around my chair.
That has to be right up there. Seriously. Oh, hold on. I have to try to stop shuddering.
Q: What would make your ideal “good” boy?
A: He must be as cuddly as Grover from Sesame Street (Um, Carrie, I think you have a little thing for Grover, just sayin’) but still have a strong Cary Grant style jaw. He has to laugh at Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, but mostly, I guess, he has to care... care about people and things, issues and stories. I think a good boy is caring boy.
Q: Recommend your favorite “relationship” movie.
A: I think the Transformers movie has to be my favorite relationship movie either that or Rambo. Oh, wait, you mean relationships between people... relationships that don't involve guns or mutants or zombies.... Um. I think E.T. I know it's not about romantic relationships but it's such a sweet old-school sappy movie about how much you can love your friends, and friends are relationships.
Q: What’s the best thing you do for yourself?
A: Sleep.
Q: What’s your favorite memory that speaks to sisterhood?
A: This is weird, but it's about sisterhood that's beyond girls. It includes guys too. And involves getting married.
It didn’t hit me that he was serious until he gave me the Mickey Mouse pin.
“I know it’s cheesy,” he said. “I don’t mean to make it seem not serious or degrade it, but I found this and it just seemed destined.”
The pin, a Walt Disney collectible, had a picture of Mickey in black tie. Minnie sprawled across his arms and she wore – gasp! — wedding gown. The mice engaged in heavy lip locking, eternal collectible lip locking.
I stared.
I stared some more.
That was it. I was engaged.
Doug, my favorite cowboy proposed on the veranda of a stateroom on a Disney Cruise, which makes my life like an episode of the “Love Boat” somehow, I guess. The “Love Boat” was one of those hour-long 1980s TV shows where mini soap opera plot lines are all resolved in 45 minutes or less. It starred Gavin McLeod. One of the Gabor sisters – maybe Zsa Zsa – and Charo were regular guest stars. That’s the kind of show it was. It had happing endings, lots of tan people and lots of kissing. Somehow, somehow my life had turned into that. Hopefully, I am more like Charo with her castanets than Zsa Zsa with her diamonds, but I wasn’t sure.
“How did this happen?” I ask everyone as soon as I get back to Maine.
They ignore the question. My male friends can’t believe I’m getting married. Again.
“Did you not learn anything?” they say.
“But it was a Mickey Mouse pin,” I explain. They don’t get it.
“I can’t believe you fell for that. A freaking’ Mickey Mouse pin.”
All my women friends totally believe it, but they want to know one thing.
“Did he go down on his knee?” they demand. “Did he do that?”
I nod. “Twice.”
Then they shriek. They know I’ve got me a good man. I guess everyone knows. In town it was the early morning talk at Curves. I have no idea why, so I go and ask our newspaper’s feature editor, Don Radovich.
“He’s Ellsworth’s most eligible bachelor,” Don tells me in his office when I ask him why my love life was the talk of the workout set.
“He is?”
“Uh-huh,” says Keri, the ad rep for our newspaper. “At least top five.”
“He’s the hospital CEO,” Don says.
Keri nods. “And he’s cute. Easily Ellsworth’s most Eligible.”
And so begins the freak out.
All my life I wanted a man who was kind and good and actually loved me, even though when I get stressed my upper lip gets all dry. All my life I wanted a guy who didn’t mind that I, um, actually like to sing show tunes sometimes, particularly when vacuuming. Now, I had one, and it turned out that he was one of Ellsworth’s most eligible bachelors.
I slump in the chair in Don’s office, right under his poster of Nightmare on Elm Street. Don is big into horror movies. “People are going to hate me.”
“People get jealous,” says Grady, copy editor and best friend. He hangs out at the threshold of the door, resting his weight on the frame. There are cookie crumbs in his white beard. “Ignore them.”
Ignore them.
Ignore them.
"How?" I ask.
Keri, Don, and Grady gather around. They are all quiet.
"We'll help you," Keri says finally.
"We'll murder anyone who is mean," says Grady.
"Yeah, we'll sic Jennifer on them," says Don, "and we'll help you with your hair."
And, I guess that's why this is my favorite sisterhood memory even though there are guys involved. There was no jealousy. There was only support. That's the best part of the sisterhood, I think. Plus, nobody made fun of me because my socks didn't match. Bonus!
Well, I think that says it all. Congrats Carrie—go forth and prosper!
THE GIST
Suzy Green used to be one of the coolest nonconformist “almost-Goth” party girls in Australia. That was before her older sister Rosie died and her family moved to a new town. Not even her best friend would recognize her now. Gone are the Doc Martens and the attitude. All she wants is to be like Rosie—perfect. The new Suzy Green makes straight As, hangs with the in-crowd at her new school, and dates the hottest guy around. And since all her new friends belong to a virginity club, she joins, too. So what if she’s not technically qualified? Nobody in town knows . . . until Ryan, Suzy’s ex, turns up.
As the past and present collide, Suzy struggles to find her own place in a world without her sister.
The book has already been named a NYPL Books for the Teen Age!
You can read an excerpt of it here.
And check out her lively blog!
ABOUT SARA
Sara Hantz started writing when she ran out of degrees to study and decided it was much more fun to make things up than to comment on dry academics. Born in England, she moved to New Zealand a few years ago.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Reviewed by Luisa Plaja
The Second Virginity of Suzy Green has everything - laugh-out-loud humour, exciting cliffhangers, cringey embarrassing incidents, and also some total lump-in-your-throat moments.
“a fabulous feel-good book, full of humour and engrossing twists. The characters are brilliant…loads of page-turning intrigue and some sad moments, too.”
I asked Sara to take the Bad Boy Quiz. Here’s what she said:
Q: Have you ever learned something good from a bad boy? What was it?
A: How to have fun
Q: What was the worst date you ever went on?
A: With a new boyfriend, to a soccer match and he bought his family along!
Q: What would make your ideal “good” boy?
A: Fun, sensitive, makes me laugh, caring
Q: Recommend your favorite “relationship” movie.
A: Love Actually – has lots of interconnecting relationships
Q: What’s the best thing you do for yourself?
A: Going to the movies on my own
Q: What’s your favorite memory that speaks to sisterhood?
A: Going out with the girls on a Friday night.
Thanks for touring Sara, and congratulations on your debut!
Thanks for touring Sara, and congratulations on your debut!