Friday, March 25, 2011

Cute kids, failed spy missions and questions for YOU.

Once again, I'm traveling on my posting day. I can't say to where because my destination is a secret to one person only. Although I'm pretty sure that person doesn't read this blog, I best not take any chances. The internet is written in ink! And not the cool disappearing kind! So let's pretend I'm on another secret spy mission and leave it at that.

I often see those "have any questions for me?" posts on other blogs and I've always been afraid to do one of those because 1) what if no one asks questions? That'd be a waste of a post (oh, like the internet's written in EXPENSIVE ink.) And 2) What if someone asks where I'm going on my secret spy mission? My integrity as a open, honest writer and a spy will be compromised. I just can't have that happen, not after my last twitter update fiasco: "Moscow smells funny this time of year...then again, it could just be because I'm hiding in the sewer system below the Kremlin."

Yeah, you just don't bounce back from that sort of security breach.

Anywherewasigoingwiththisways, I'd rather turn the tables on you, awesome reader, and I hope you'll indulge me in some questions of my own. Answer one or all or none...or just link to a really cute picture of a kid. Nathan Bransford got the ball rolling with this, but have you seen Adam Heine's contender? My money's on Adam.

So, without further ado ('cause, really, I could ado all day):

- Where'd you get your idea for your latest WIP?
- Have any FABULOUS books you've read lately?
- If you could have brunch with any living writer, who would it be? Would you be afraid to order onions in your omelet?
- Any particular writing moment as of late that you've been incredibly proud of? (Heightened word count, finished draft, plot breakthrough, etc.) How did you reward yourself?
- How are you handling the approaching beauty of spring and the urge to play outside all day versus sitting inside and writing?
- Once you start playing Angry Birds, how do you stop? No really. HELP ME.

And now, I'll end with a cute kid of my own:

No, baby, NO! We do not EAT the unicorns! We cuddle and love and play with them! Noooooo!!

Om nom nom.

7 comments:

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

*nom, nom, tasty unicorn*

Ok, here goes:
Where'd you get your idea for your latest WIP? During a 5 hour drive to WI. Alone.
Have any FABULOUS books you've read lately? Yes, but it's a writing book: Emotional Structure
If you could have brunch with any living writer, who would it be? HOLLY BLACK! Would you be afraid to order onions in your omelet? I would avoid this by not eating.
Any particular writing moment as of late that you've been incredibly proud of? (Heightened word count, finished draft, plot breakthrough, etc.) How did you reward yourself? Writing is my reward.
How are you handling the approaching beauty of spring and the urge to play outside all day versus sitting inside and writing? Spring? This is Chicago. We're still working on the rain.
Once you start playing Angry Birds, how do you stop? No really. HELP ME. Take your Angry Birds device and put in in the mail addressed to me.

:)

Keriann Greaney Martin said...

Awww!! What a cutie pie.

OK, so I am super intrigued by this secret trip. But I will respect your wishes and just silently wish you would TELL US SOON so we don't die of curiosity :). Sorry, that was loud for being a silent wish.

1) I got my idea by just thinking - hm, if I were to write a book, what would I write about? It was the first idea that popped into my head. I was driving home from work. Not too exciting, lol.

2) I know I already told you about this one, but Terry Pratchet's the WEE FREE MEN is hilarious! Plus, of course, Cindy Pon's SILVER PHOENIX is beautiful.

3) Umm, that's tough. I would love to meet JK Rowling because I'm such a Harry Potter fan, but I'm guessing it wouldn't be as exciting as I hope it would be. She would be just a normal person and probably wouldn't divulge any secrets to me. I SO want to live in Harry Potter world.

4) All of it. Just started the writing process is exciting, and the fact that my lovely critique group likes it *winks at Marie*!! I'm very proud of myself so far. Though I would like to write more often and know how to make my story flow. No big rewards besides my clothes getting tighter because I've spent my nights writing instead of exercising. Whoops.

5) I work at the beach, so I can look out the window and see the beauty. On weekends the family and I go jogging so there's that.

6) I haven't started playing it because I'm afraid! Very, very afraid. Words with Friends was a time suck for a while, and now all the blogs. I can't afford to be distracted even more!

That was fun. And you're AWESOME as always!

Court Ellyn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Court Ellyn said...

Hehe, that is one doomed unicorn.

- Where'd you get your idea for your latest WIP?

A nightmare and a set of twins in a Melanie Rawn novel.

- Have any FABULOUS books you've read lately?

Reading The Black Company chronicles right now, by Glen Cook. Fabulous? Well, gritty for sure.

- If you could have brunch with any living writer, who would it be? Would you be afraid to order onions in your omelet?

George RR Martin, I think. And he looks like a man who likes his onions, so I'd order them. Now, if I dined with Margaret Atwood, I'd probably order tofu or rice. She looks like a health nut.

- Any particular writing moment as of late that you've been incredibly proud of? (Heightened word count, finished draft, plot breakthrough, etc.) How did you reward yourself?

Finished revising a novelette and mailed it off this week. Reward myself? I get to do that?

- How are you handling the approaching beauty of spring and the urge to play outside all day versus sitting inside and writing?

LOL, spring is HERE! Where I live anyway. Been taking the writing outside to the patio, so I'm getting the best of both worlds.

- Once you start playing Angry Birds, how do you stop? No really. HELP ME.

You don't. It's an addiction that has no treatment. Sad, isn't it. ;)

Peggy said...

Where'd you get your idea for your latest WIP?

On an airplane, looking at the clouds from the wrong direction.

Have any FABULOUS books you've read lately?

The Name of the Wind. I've decided that if you mix Shannon Hale with Brandon Sanderson, you get Patrick Rothfuss.

If you could have brunch with any living writer, who would it be?

Since it's fresh on my mind, I'm going to go with Patrick Rothfuss. I recently checked out his blog for the first time, and holy funniness! Plus, he seems like a genuinely nice person.

Would you be afraid to order onions in your omelet?

Heck no! An omelet just isn't an omelet without onions.

Any particular writing moment as of late that you've been incredibly proud of?

I just finished round nine of revisions-- the round where critique group suggestions have been implemented, beta readers' suggestions have been implemented, and I'm totally ready to hear target audience reactions. I write middle grade... I aide for a 4th grade teacher... She started reading my book as the read aloud today.

How did you reward yourself?

By telling my own kids, "Miss Wood's class is reading my book!" about 50 million times. And acting like it was the first time I told them each time.

Once you start playing Angry Birds, how do you stop? No really. HELP ME.

Play Zuma on Facebook. Seriously. It's the only game that matters. You'll forget about--- what was that other game?--- before you even know it.

BTW: I'd totally ask questions if you did a question post. Just sayin'.

Adam Heine said...

I'm glad nobody challenged the baby picture. I was afraid I was going to have to counter with this, this, or this. Good thing I didn't have to do that to anybody.

WIP Idea: They're amalgamations of everything. Firefly, Cowboy Bebop, every Miyazaki film, Evangelion, Pirates of the Caribbean, all of Japan...
Fabulous books: Last one to achieve fab status was LEVIATHAN.
Brunch with living writer: Same note: Scott Westerfeld, because I'm pretty sure we're sharing the same brain. (Onions? Heck, yes, I'd order them.)
Proud writing moment: Converting Air Pirates to YA and finding a beta reader (and her daughter) who loved it :-D (Reward? Played Agricola).
Spring: What's that? The heat keeps me inside.
Angry Birds: Last time I played, I stopped by NOT stealing my niece's iPod. It was really hard.

Free Ice Cream said...

So I do read the blog and I did read the blog post Friday morning and I had no idea you were serious about keeping a secret from one person. I feel honored that it was me. I can't say that I can answer any of those questions cause .... I am not a writer. I love your post though :)