Find out how to enter at the end of the post.
1. I'm Being Interviewed:
F.O.B. Tamara interviewed me for her blog today. If you get a mo, please please leave a comment so she doesn't accuse me of ruining her readership. It may not be up until later today.
*Update: her post is up! Go check it out.
2. What I'm Reading:
Keturah and Lord Death, by Martine Leavitt.
Martine Leavitt critiqued the first 20 pages of Broken at a writing workshop over the summer, and I learned so much from both her and the rest of my class cohorts.
I can sum up her advice to me in two sentences: "Don't make me guess what the Frakkin Concrete Object of Desire is!" and "When it comes to backstory, why can't you be more like Kim?"
I kid. She didn't use the word Frakkin, and she said it much more eloquently than I just did. But the general gist of it is there.
I took her advice. Now, my main character has a goal (sorta important in a book) and I'm trying daily to be more like Kim.
Anyway, she talked about Keturah and Lord Death a lot, so I figured I should give it a looksy.
2. What I'm Revising:
Page 2 of Broken. Only 325 more pages to go. Thanks everyone for your nice comments Wednesday, and thanks to those of you who couldn't think of anything nice to say about the first page, so didn't say anything at all.
As reported by Team Gluten Intolerant in the comments section Wednesday, I turned in my book at 10:02 that night.
3. Apparently you'll have to draw me a picture...
Do you ever have those family members who are all like, "If we weren't related, we probably wouldn't be friends, because we have nothing in common."?
I do. Cousin A. I know this, because the other night when we were at dinner with Cousin K, she said to me, "If we weren't related, we probably wouldn't be friends..."
It all started when she was telling me about how their family likes to go to the sand dunes for vacations. I'm stating here and now, I do not understand this type of vacation, or how one even considers it a "vacation". When I asked where everyone sleeps in the sand desert, she said they stay in trailers.
me: "Like a camper trailer?"
A: "No. More like a Weekend Warrior."
me: "What the Frak is a Weekend Warrior?"
A: "It's boxier than a camper, and it has a back door that drops down so you can drive stuff into it."
me: "So, like a trailer on the back of a semi?"
Totally exasperated, Cousin A gathers five square drink coasters on the table and stands them up, arranging them.
A: "Watch closely. You see, the sides come together at 90 degree angles, like walls... four sides... Hey Cousin K! I need more hands. Can you hold the roof on? Great. There. A Weekend Warrior Trailer looks like this:
me: "A cube? All that work, using coasters and four hands to illustrate to me what a box looks like?"A: "That's not all. Also to show you what the drop down back door does:
Here's an actual Weekend Warrior:
I think her cube of coasters is a pretty good likeness.
After all these years, Cousin A and I are trying to understand each other.
I tried to appreciate the intricacies of a Weekend Warrior trailer, and why in the world someone would make sand dunes a destination.
She reached out to me by telling me she was at a book store the other day, and she thought of me because she saw a picture of a zombie, and didn't I think that was cool. I mean, I like books and zombies, right?
Actually, I always think books and zombies are cool.
To Enter Free Book Friday:
Leave a comment on Tamara's blog when my interview comes up, and then tell me you did in my comments, and you're entered in FBF. But feel free to leave a comment on this post even if the interview doesn't show up until way later. How about if you leave a comment on this post, you're entered once, and if you leave another one on Tamara's interview post, you're entered twice. Good? Good.
What's everyone doing this weekend? Any fun plans? I'm going to the SCBWI Conference. If you're there, find me!
The catch that your interview isn't up yet is a problem, but I'm going to try my hardest to remember to check it out later! I definitely wish I were going to SCBWI with you, but $ is tight and there you have it. So instead I'm going to dedicate my weekend to mad revisions--as in mad-paced, not ridiculous changes. Hopefully I'll be making smart changes, even at a crazy pace. Or something.
ReplyDeleteI can totally sympathize with being on pg2 of 300-something! I'm now at 116, so closer, but I haven't made ACTUAL changes yet--just hundreds of scribbly notes. So really, I'm not even on pg2. :(
For the life of me, I can never remember what a square/cube looks like so a visual like that is essential.
ReplyDeleteMy weekend is hanging out with the wife...oh wait, that aint happening...its going to be going to the Ute hoops game, playing a flag football game in the snow, watching the Utes/TCU game, cleaning leaves, playing with the kids, getting a bit of work done, doing the dishes, cleaning the house, cleaning up some leaves, maybe change the oil on the car, break dancing, read a book, do homework with the kids, clean the rain gutters out of all of the leaves, maybe mow the lawn for the final time of the year, visit a nursing home, go shopping...other than that, it may be a quiet weekend.
Nikki- When it comes to revisions, don't you feel like, "Okay, great, I typed the end! Now, back to page one, to start all over."
ReplyDeleteSam- I'm so sorry your wife won't be around this weekend. She sounds totally cool. And no weekend of yours is complete without visiting a nursing home. That's why I fell in love... oh, wait. Do you even know where the nursing home is?
Oh, you're so going to be dead meat when A reads this!! I can't believe we laughed so hard about a box. And you left out the part where we analyzed last names and their "secret" meanings.
ReplyDeleteCousin A, you'd better comment and defend your honor here! Brodi's twisting your words...don't let her get away with it! :)
My cornbread is in one of the pictures. Man, that was good cornbread. Now I'm hungry...
Cousin K- First off, yes the cornbread looks delicious. Secondly, I so did not twist Cousin A's words! That is exactly how it happened.
ReplyDeleteThird, do you know where I can get some good barbecue on the east side? Fourth, you were there when she said, "If we weren't related, we wouldn't be friends!" I never twist words. And if I do, it's only to make it funny.
I LOVE Keturah and Lord Death. You're in for a treat.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't you love Martine? She is one of my favorite people.
I wish I was going to SCWBI. I have meetings instead. Humph. Soak up the learning and enjoy all the fabulous peeps for me.
ReplyDeleteMatt- I love love Martine. Her advice is so good, and it's stuck in my head in that sweet voice of hers. That week went by way too fast.
ReplyDeleteLeisha- I'll tell them all you said Hiya. And good luck with figuring out your Main Character!
I'll have to look into reading that book. I'm going to start reading the first Cirque du Freak book today. I'll let you know how I like it.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand sand dunes as a vacation either. My family did go four wheeling when I was little down in Moab and that was fun, but I just thought of it as a weekend getaway not a vacation. A vacation for me consists of going to a far off destination like Hawaii and relaxing on the beach!
So, I have to share this with you because you're totally into weird body stuff. (Please keep reading, lol.) I had a mole removed from my back today. It was really weird. I didn't even know it was a mole until my OBGYN said something about it at my appointment last week. Unfortunately, I didn't get to watch because I don't have eyes in the back of my head. Oh well....
Ewwww. Thanks for sharing. Did you save it in a little jar?
ReplyDeleteThe doctor did. He's sending it off to pathology just to make sure it's not malignant. My uncle died of melanoma and I have a serious history of cancer in my family, so they want to be safe.
ReplyDeleteOk next time we hang out I'll bring a ball to remind you what a sphere looks like. Thats hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI left a comment. And I want to read Echo even more now.
ReplyDeleteI want to go to SCBWI, but I doubt it'll happen. My husband's got some big deadlines at work coming up and has been working at least part of the last couple Saturdays. I hope you have fun though!
Good luck with page 2, and may the next 325 be kind to you.
Good news! I remembered to check out the interview and comment on it. Nice job with your answers!
ReplyDeleteJenni- here's hoping for negative.
ReplyDeleteDebbie- I know. What does it say about my intellect?
Jenilyn- Thanks for leaving the comment. Hopefully your hubby's schedule allows you to come to the conference!
Nikki- I always worry about how I answer stuff like that. Thanks for reading.
you won't ruin my readership, that's for sure! fun times. good luck with your revisions!
ReplyDeleteI am totally with you on the sand dunes. Those trips can be fun, but can be more work than regular life! That visual she gave you was hilarious. Also, I commented on your friends blog. Great interview by the way!
ReplyDeleteThat Weekend Warrior thing looks so cool! I think we should mention it to mom and dad and go to the sand dunes for our next vacay! I can totally see mom hanging out on the sand dunes, wind blowing through her hair, no make-up....she would last all of 25 seconds before checking into a Marriott Hotel. Oh well, just thinking about it made me smile. Good enough.
ReplyDeleteTamara- thanks again for the interview. Always good to connect with fellow writers!
ReplyDeleteLulabell- All I can think about is all of the little nooks and crannies the sand can get trapped in...
Erin- The sand dunes would be perfect for our family. If we could find one that had no sand. Or dirt. And with a swimming pool.
Left a comment on Tamara's blog. Great interview. How come your so dang witty? When most of us are like... ummm.. boring!! (Okay. I speak only for myself!)
ReplyDeleteAnd...Thanks for cluing me into the world of weekend warriors. Never heard of it before! Sounds like a glorified trailer. But I do love the sand dunes.
Oh, Brodi, do you have any idea how much I love you! And you understand, of course, that the main reason why I love you is that we have absolutely completely totally nothing in common--that's whole foundation of our rock-solid bond! I seriously laughed harder reading your blog about my coaster-crisis than I did on Wednesday when I was experiencing the whole thing live. And no, Karin, there is no way I'm going to demand any retractions or revisions from Brodi--whether she's twisted my words or not, she's made them much funnier than I ever could, so I'm just going to enjoy them. Although I think I'd rather be enjoying more cornbread and BBQ right now--how soon can we do that again?
ReplyDeleteLoved Keturah and Lord Death.
ReplyDeleteDon't get along with the only people I know who own a toy box trailer/camper thing, and am not related to them, except maybe through Adam.
Cath- thanks for leaving the comment. I had no idea either that there is an entire civilization who adhere to the tenets of the Weekend Warrior.
ReplyDeleteAmy- After Cousin K's comment, I was worried that it would be "on like teflon", so thanks for not decapitating me! I love you too. BBQ soon, right?
Cherie- What did you like about Keturah and Lord Death? I can't wait to finish it. I tried to read during the writing conference today, but people were looking...
Crap! I was totally kidding with my other comment, sorry if it made you feel all nervous and teflon-y. :) I'm glad we can all laugh about our silliness! Loves all around...
ReplyDeleteMe too. Hugs all around. Karin- your comment made me laugh, not shake in my boots. Promise!
ReplyDeleteif there is one thing martine has ever been wrong about, it's that you should be more like kim. pretty sure. for example---you have a first page of a new novel. and more.
ReplyDeleteFun interview! Very cool. I commented, btw. It was nice to hear where you are in your writing. You don't mention that much on your own blog.
ReplyDeleteI’d love this book for myself because I haven’t had the chance to travel solo since 1996. After marriage, 1 daughter and another on the way, I find it hard to have time out on my own. I would love to travel solo once again. That would give me time to reflect and immerse myself on a place, without the hurry-ups involved when travelling with young kids!
ReplyDeleter4i karte