Noticing the smell of sea spray.
Noticing the sunbeams streaming through the eucalyptus trees.
Noticing all the cat hair on my jacket.
Why am I noticing things all of a sudden? Because I’m done with my YA novel! It’s printed and paper clipped and pushed off on my critique group so they can work their magic.
It’s been ten months and I’ve finally lifted my head from the eerie glow of my computer screen to see what the world has to offer! And it’s…slow.
More like SLO. We live in the small, quaint town of San Luis Obispo and all the locals like to refer to themselves as folks “living the SLO life.” Yes, we’re even quaint with our sayings.
In SLO, we don’t honk horns unless we’re waving to our neighbor. We chit-chat with the cashier person in the grocery store. We write letters to the editor. We do everything…SLOwly.
Our livestock takes it slow…
Our melting ice cream is slow…
Even our Mardi Gras celebrations are...well…lame.
(Photos by The Tribune/Jayson Mellom) So while I take it slow for the next couple of weeks waiting for my critique group to finish, I’m going to take up a new hobby to fill my spare time. But it has to end in two weeks when the critiques are in and I’m back to staring at my computer screen. Here are some of my ideas so far…• Drinking green St. Patrick’s Day beer for 14 nights straight.
I was going to stop there because that one sounds brilliant to me, but Jay and Eve are always reminding me not to stick with my very first idea, cuz the first idea is usually cliché, so here’s one more.
• Drinking regular beer for 14 nights straight.
- Robin
(Thanks, hubby, for the pics!)
7 comments:
Enjoy the break Robin......they do not last long ;)
I cannot wait to go SLOOOOOOOOOOOOW after my deadline which is almost done. I've had no life for the last couple of weeks. Try painting a complex 32 page book in 3 months!!!!!!!
Hi Greg K !!!!!
I sold my book MERMAID PARADE and you were there for the omens at the LA Beach Bash.
Hi Lainie,
the night I left you guys in NYC and went to a party..... I got asked out!
Sorry to hijack your thread but...
What is a good blog for picture book discussion?
That's what I am looking for... hints anyone????
Mermaids Are Forever
Melanie Hope Greenberg
Congratulations! Such a wonderful feeling, finishing a BOOK! And then there's trying to be patient while your first readers read it! I know I always hope they'll call the next day and say, "I stayed up all night! I couldn't put it down!!!" but that doesn't always happen. Ha ha! As for SLO, my sister is a prof at Cal Poly, and we've visited a couple of times. It's such a cute city!
Hey, Melanie! No worries about hijacking me. I think a blog about just picture books would be great!
And Laini, please come see us in SLO some time!
:-) Robin
Congrats! It's a great feeling--although for me there was that nervousness of what surprises were waiting for me when the critique group got DONE with it!
Hey, that's a Burnardoz Ice Cream shop, isn't it? Best ice cream in California! When they first opened in A.G., the scoops were IMMENSE! Too big for the cones. All these little kids coming out onto the sidewalk, taking their first bite, and then bawling as the scoop hit the sidewalk! Ah...memories.
Hey Ro-Mo!
I'm always the last to know these things, as I've had my head up my...something lately trying to get my revisions done by, um, tomorrow!
So, CONGRATS! Damn you write fast, girl. Last time I talked to you (yesterday) you were on pg 38. Oops! No, that was ME not you.
After tomorrow, I'm up for drinking any color beer you want for as many days as you want! You deserve it, huh!
xoxo
Evie
Yes, Becky--that's Burnardoz! So good!
And, Evie, all I can say is, if you ever get done with all your hard work and if you ever need a friend to talk to and if you just want a shoulder to cry on...call Jay.
But if ya want to throw down some brew, come on over!!
Robin
Robin, you slay me! Why on Earth woul Eve and Jay encourage you to move on past your first idea?
This one was brilliant and I intend to raise a glass of green beer or a green mojito or a green margarita or all three to y'all tonight. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Lamy
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