Recently in writing Category

(No, John still hasn't done my page. JOHN! :)

(This is synched from my blog, penbitten.com, for those on Facebook. Facebook users should also note that I'm tagging people ACTUALLY mentioned. I kinda hate it when it says "So-and-so mentioned you in a note," instead of, "so-and-so just wants you to read their note so will pretend they actually mentioned you." Facebook needs a "wants you to read their note" tagging option.)

A brief respite from the q-and-a for booktalk!

The first time I asked, on our PotterCast vlogs, what people were reading, I was rewarded with an unbelievable glut of recommendations. I knew PotterCast listeners were heavy readers but I had no idea how excited they'd be about talking about books. Therefore I try and talk about a book I've just read on each vlog, and this has turned into doing Monday night live chats where we talk about books and what we think they mean. It is literally some of the most fun I can have online, because I work alone at my desk, whether it's Leaky or research or something else, and getting to interact with Leaky fans / Harry, A History readers / PotterCast listeners / book lovers is always exciting and rewarding. Fighting with taxes all day, or spending hours ripping my hair out over what project to settle on next, can really be frustrating, so I find myself really looking forward to the immediate interaction and the thoughtfulness our group of listeners / watchers always brings to intelligent discussions. I've always felt sort of strange / discomfited by the idea that someone would enjoy watching us on the Internet, but bringing our joint enthusiasm about books to it has deflated all the weirdness and made it feel like an awesome, enormous book club that meets on Monday nights.

Anyway, I've been asked frequently by these guys to make a list of what I've read / am reading. Here it is, though I am sure I'm missing things. And I'm going to try and do Amazon links because authors need their stuff bought. (And you should buy that stuff in person, at an independent bookstore, ideally. If you must buy online, then use the links.)

This year's (incomplete) reading list so far (a "*" indicates a re-read):

(There's also, now, a cool MyLeaky group to keep track of all this reading! Awesome!)

The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (you can get the boxed set here; the fifth book comes out in May):
The Lightning Thief
The Sea of Monsters
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
The Great Gatsby*, F. Scott Fitzgerald (needs to be read now and then)
Looking for Alaska, John Green
An Abundance of Katherines, John Green
Let It Snow, John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson
(Note to Nerdfighters, don't shout Paper Towns at me: I read that in 2008, please drop your rocks and let me pass unharmed)
Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell
The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger (I love this author's name)
The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama (which I started in 2008 but didn't quite finish until 2009)

Currently Reading (I am always reading a lot of books. I need to have one open to suit every mood, so that I can dip right in when I need to):

The Season*, William Goldman (I read this once-a-yearish but it's been two now; one of the best writers ever, and I think I even prefer his nonfiction to his fiction)
Movies in 15 Minutes, Cleolinda Jones (this is not yet out in the states but I scored a copy: she is so funny she will make you cry. Google "Twilight in 15 Minutes" to see what I mean.)
Absolutely Maybe, Lisa Yee
Marcelo in the Real World, Francisco Stork
Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin (this is long and takes forever and I'm reading it uber-slowly)
Most of Edna St. Vincent Millay's collected poems* (This is a constant-read; it is always on my currently reading list because it hangs around my apartment for opening at spontaneous intervals; I want more poetry in my life, recommendations please?)
Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert
Such a Pretty Fat, Jennifer Lancaster
Everything and More, A Compact History of Infinity, David Foster Wallace (recommended by Rosianna)
Several nonfictions that are research and therefore I feel protective about the topics and don't want to talk about them just yet.

Other books I want to read in 2009

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, E. Lockhart, recommended to me often by Cheryl.
The Graveyard Book, Newbery-winning Neil Gaiman :)
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, M.T. Anderson (volumes I and II, of course). This is one of those books I feel like I SHOULD read, and despite everyone telling me how amazing it is my wish to read it hasn't reached anything above "but I really ought to" yet.
I'd like to reread the His Dark Materials series because it's that good.
A re-read of The Catcher in the Rye would be nice, as I remember nearly none of it.

And more. I'm forgetting books I've read, books I'm reading, books I want to read. I'd like to read ALL THE BOOKS. Ughh, to stop time and read all the books.

As always, suggestions are always welcome! Because clearly I'm not reading enough things at once! And you should list yours, and treat this as yet another meme.

First, my Bahamas pictures are online. Here are some of my favorites:

The view of the parachute as I parasailed:

And the view downwards, plus a foot and a dress (both mine):

The view from my room at night:

Seahorses, hanging onto each other:

Now, the chartreuse problem:

Since I was seven, when I came into ownership of a 124-color Crayola set, I have thought that chartreuse was accurately represented there: that it was a bright, nearly fluorescent yellow (it is apparently the 'electric lime' on this page). I have just learned (in the course of copy-editing) that it's actually a yellowish-green. This demonstration of editing tedium (sorry Cheryl) aside, I wondered how many other people were under delusions about chartreuse. Last night, after my friend Matt's show at the Sidewalk Cafe in NY, I asked him, Brian and Bradley (ie the Whomping Willows and Draco and the Malfoys) what they thought of when they heard 'chartreuse.'

Matt: Reddish purple?
Brad: Yellow? Green? Oh! I know, it's a really deep green.
Brian: I think...whatever you think I'm thinking right now.

It's a big Crayola confusion conspiracy. Any other confused colorers out there?

Hello peoples!

Sorry it's been awhile, but there's a lot going on: in a little while I'll be going on my first non-Harry-related trip in oh, five years. Just me and some dolphins and unfinished books and fresh notebooks, four days of bliss. NO COMPUTER. I completely refuse to take it. I'll have my phone, of course. I haven't gone insane in the interim.

Things are starting to happen book-wise, as we're very close to a finished cover and that excites me more than I can say. Actually the cover is for all intents and purposes finished, but little things have to be rearranged and clarified, I believe, before it can be posted on Amazon or the like. My chest did that wonderful lift when I saw it: It's elegant, and striking, and respectful, and true to the spirit and feel of the book, and all the wonderful things. My mother has had a full-on attack about it. I told her I didn't want the unfinished proof spread around in e-mail, so she printed it out and has been driving it around to people's houses to show them. Seriously, I walked into a funeral home two weeks ago and the funeral director walked up and congratulated me on my book. Our dry cleaners have offered congratulations. The little printout she carries around is so beaten and torn that I've promised to make her a shiny new one. I don't think there's a person she has ever met, yet, that she has not shown this cover to. It's the cutest, most wonderful thing, and for all we tease her about it, all authors should be this lucky to have such support. All of them.

Anyway, I can't wait to share it. Other things are moving along too: Frak is going to help me design a Web site for it, and it will be a frequently updated blog with extra materials (the name for the section of which comes via my brilliant Sue), pictures, news updates, and more. I can't wait to get that going. We'll link to it from Leaky (and obviously here). There's going to be a lot of fun extra bits.

I feel like for all I've said about this book, I've said very little. I have a few announcements, which will probably be coming simultaneously. I haven't even ever formally announced this book on Leaky, only ever talked about it on PotterCast; I want to wait to do that so that there's not a multitude of postings where one will suffice. Lord knows I'll make enough noise when there's news. :) My staff have been so incredibly supportive of it. I'm very fortunate.

Other than that, there's not much more to tell: I'm in this strange put-my-life-together-again pattern. I really look forward to, one day, achieving the work-life balance. I can't let things get this topsy turvy every time I finish a work. It's just not productive when this is to be my life from now on. I guess it's what everyone looks for: The ability to live the separate parts of your life fully, with health and balance. Working on it!

Quick random story: Yesterday my sister got stopped on the street in NJ by John Travolta, who wanted to know if there was a car wash nearby. She has been hilariously gushy since. I would be, too; I'm a big fan. I think her version of the story should include him whistling at her, but hey, what do I know. ;)

LOST finale tonight, SATC with my sister after. Is there ANYTHING better?

As I edit, and look back on the time leading up to the seventh book, and the time right after, I find myself really nostalgic for Prophecy. That was the conference that happened right after the book, and the magic of it happened outside any panel or event - it was in the Leaky staff room at night or the totally insane Room of Requirement 514 party (I am still ASTOUNDED we did not get kicked out of the hotel. Astounded). And then I happened upon Andy's photo vid of the week and it just reminded me why I'm so blessed with the people who work on Leaky, whom I don't get to see often enough, but are collectively fabulous and individually awe-inspiring. Check them out:

And also watch Alex and Sam's re-enactment of Prophecy, because I laughed all the way through it.

ps: Alex, Sam, best dance party ever EXCEPT for the one in January thanks. :)