KAREY SHANE

Google Friend Connect

I just added Google Friend Connect to my blog an hour ago. It's easy to do: just go to Google.com/friendconnect . I've been back here at least a dozen times to see if anyone's started to follow me. Somehow I feel like I did back at East Millcreek Elementary when I would wait to get picked for a game of Four Square. I am moving away from my computer right now so I can be productive and just let it flow. (And if you're wondering, almost all of the images I put on this blog were purchased from shutterstock.)

Book Bloggers Dinner

Natasha Maw's Bloggiesta Challenge from last month culminated in a very fun round up with bloggers and local authors at The Golden Corral. It was wonderful to meet Natasha in person, finally. She's adorable! We both recognized each other immediately, which was fun.  She introduced me to her husband, Taylor, and I realized he is not an Olympic athlete, but an Apolo Ohno clone. 

Shannon Hale, James Dashner and his wife, and another author--young enough to be my daughter--all took pity on me and included me at their table. Ha! Emily Wing Smith was one table over with Bree DeSpain, and other wonderful authors and bloggers.

Taylor Maw joined us and we became fast friends with the common language of writing fantasy and illustration. I was in heaven getting to talk with someone who "gets" what's usually just inside my head.

My cyber friend Jenni came over and introduced herself and we started off laughing and said goodbye laughing. Hi Jenni! Here's that picture I promised you:

To end the evening we did a book swap. I'd made a last-minute dive for one of the signed and numbered ARC's of Secret Speakers in my car, and put that in the pile. When they called out my number to give me one of the swaps, it turned out to be my own book, so we all had a good chuckle and someone else got it. She came over, and I feel badly that I didn't get her name, but she came up to me later for a picture. I have no idea why it's upside down!

 

The Secret Speakers Cover

If you know someone who is publishing a book the self publishing route, here's a tip: make sure they know the printers guidelines before they create the files for the book cover and the manuscript. In my case that means knowing in advance what they use for .dpi image size, CMYK vs. RGB color, and text "blackness." I've spent hours and hours ( the key word is trying) to get things right for the Secret Speakers cover in order to meet guidelines for the book printer. Offset printing is definitely a different animal than digital printing. Long, long days working until I can't see straight. Lots of Pepsi. This is the final product.

I've come to the conclusion that independent publishing is like running a marathon with dozens of finish lines. You think you're done, then WOOPS, you realize there's something else. Someplace warm with no computer and no cell phone sound really good right now.

Books of Wonder

I stopped in Books of Wonder to drop by some pre-publication copies of Secret Speakers when I was in New York with my husband last week. In a spirit of 'hope for the best, but prepare for the worst,' I walked in with visions of having a delightful chat with Peter Glassman, whom I had emailed. Of course he would set aside a cozy spot of time to visit, just for me. I was sure of it, at least on the hope for the best end of it.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Bloggiesta!

OK, I'm officially beginning the Bloggiesta challenge Right Now. I just found out about it on Natasha Maw's Book Blog and what better way to spend a few cold winter days when I have a million other things on my list to do. Arghh! But it's calling me, so...out of Natasha's helpful list, this is what I'm going to work on: (I'll highlight each one as I check it off...)

• Write backup posts for a rainy day
• Work on series posts
• Put out invitations for author guest posts
• Clean up your tags, archives, books reviewed list, etc.
• Create a text file (or Google Doc) of cheat sheets (html codes, post url’s, etc)
• Improve your blog template, clean up sidebars, add a favicon, install those plugins that you’ve been meaning to do.
• Add or edit your about me page, review policy, disclosure policy, privacy policy, create landing pages (for example – an about me for Twitter readers page) or any other pages you might have.
• Make sure all of your social network profiles are up to date.  Brand yourself through those profiles with color scheme, images, etc
• Go get a gravatar
• Find a blogging buddy

Secret Speakers A.R.C.'s Are Shipped!

My husband, twin sister Gwennie and I just sent out the first 54 advance reader copies on Thursday, a momentous day. And how did I respond? Was I jumping up and down? Giddy? Whooping and hollering?

No. I blubbered like a baby. My sister hugged me and kept patting me on the back, hushing out the words, There, there now. There, there." While she was hugging me, the most beautiful thing happened right next to this table full of books: I could hear the sound of her lungs breathing in and out as I felt the rise and fall of her chest against mine. At that moment, I felt like I was back in the womb with her.

It sounds strange to say, but my memory of the sounds, the whooshing, the warm was crystal clear. I was just about to say something, then she pulled away and looked me in the eyes, "You know, something happened several months ago that I never told you about. We were hugging like this and I could hear your heartbeat. When I went home I told Stan, "I heard Karey's heartbeat when we were hugging today and I remembered exactly what it was like being in the womb with her."

Back to my blubbering: I was surprised at the flood of feelings that washed over me like a bucket full of memories dumped into me: years worth of fibromyalgia pain, fatigue, realizing the God-given gift to write was my connection to the bigger world, feelings of exhaustion, fear of what my former husband will say or do if I ever become a public name, the constant wearing down of so many unnecessary  and fruitless hearings, and the years of yearning and hoping this book will open the door to spending more--and joyfully healing--time with my family. But mostly I felt grateful relief.

This is Gwennie and Patrick, unloading boxes of packaged copies.

Patrick, Me, and our heroic lady at the post office, MehlRee.

MehlRee wanted to see how high the piles could get before she took them to the back of the Post Office. We had quite a few chuckles! Come to find out, we can print up the mailing labels at home and drop off the books. This way was much more fun the first time around. Thanks MehlRee!

 

Dancing the First Proof Jig

So a proof of Secret Speakers came in the mail a few weeks ago. My sister was just as excited as I was to see the real deal bound and--I was going to say gagged, but that's the wrong word for this scenario. Um, bound and trimmed. Even after the final edit, there are still a few errors that need correcting, ah me. Does it ever end? Anyhoo, thanks to a dear, dear twinnie-poo sister who was just as thrilled about the whole thing as I was, she took a video of me scouring the book for errors. Click play to see what came of the two of us together in a moment of glee.

SCBWI

I attended the SCBWI Conference in Salt Lake City last weekend and met lots of Superheroes. That's the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for those in the KNOW (which I now am as of last week). If you're writing for young adults or children, these conferences are on now on the top of my list for adding to your possibly non-existent social life.

How did I get there and why did it matter? Wellll . . . Let me just tell you that I believe specific prayers get specific answers. Last week I spent a good hour snuffling out my frustration to God between wads of Kleenex. I blubblered all sorts of, But I've been working so hard's, and It's like nothing I've done is ever going to work's. Then I got wise and remembered all the good things that have happened along the way. I started to feel grateful. Grateful. That was a good thing. And then I remembered how the Lord said somewhere, "You gave no thought, save it were to ask me." 

Great job putting on the SCBWI Conference, Sydney!

    Quel joie de rencontrer un jumeau en francophilisme!

I'm so glad we got to meet, Elizabeth. Ring that Cow Bell!

   

I actually met other human being writers. Hey Emily and Sarah.       

    So I decided to ask. I asked for direction. Next thing I knew I found myself jumping from website to website like lily pads, going nowhere in particular--or so I thought. But THEN, I was on Laini Taylor's website reading about all the fun stuff she does besides write, as in her amazingly beautiful ladies that she makes out of paper that you hang up. On one of her pages she talked about SCBWI. I thought to myself, that sounds familiar. I think that has something to do with me.

So I popped over to the SCBWI website which I re-learned is for children's writers and illustrators. That's right, I heard of this once and told myself to "get involved." So I looked for any conferences coming up in my area. Lo and behold, the big conference of the year was in, get this, two days. Yes, I KNOW. Two days. The hand of God was nudging me along.

So I contacted Sydney Salter, got on the list, and in two days I was in great company: Elizabeth Law from Egmont USA, Laurent Linn, the art director of Simon & Schuster, and a literary agent, who sadly focuses on picture books. And I was around other writers and illustrators! I met lots of wonderful people, and I have to say my absolute favorite time was chatting about nothing in particular with Laurent Linn, who happens to like speaking French as I do.

With my French-speaking and literary needs met (yes, in that order. I think I was supposed to be born in France but the earth turned a bit fast the day my sister and I arrived in our mother's arms because we landed in the good old USA) I left that afternoon full of hope that all is well, God is in his heaven and at the helm of my life, and that this Jesus-loving girl just might be OK. I've written the best story I could write. I gave it my all. Not one page was written without a prayer first. Not that it means everything will be peachy keen in the end, but I know and have peace in my heart that I did what I felt called to do, and that I'm fine with God. That's just fine with me.

I am NOT a stalker Sara Zarr. I promise.

Hungry to leave my life as a solitary writer behind, I drove up to The King's English in Salt Lake on June 6th to meet some local Utah author's who were doing a signing, including Sara Zarr. Also, it was the perfect place to buy my own copy of Neil Gaiman's, The Graveyard Book. I could hardly drag myself out of the house, thanks to Wilbur, my parasitic friend. (Do NOT garden in freshly turned manure with a cut on your finger.)

I got there just as everyone was wrapping up their book signings. I feebly muttered, "Oh hi, I just wanted to come meet you all." I got blank, very worn stares--almost as blank and won as mine--and I wondered why in the world I'd driven 45 minutes only to turn right back around.

But then I met Jen, the marketing person for The King's English. Fabulous Jen with whom I'd spoken a few weeks earlier. When she saw my business card she said, "Karey Shane! We talked not too long ago!" I was amazed she remembered. We talked about BEA and other sundry things.

She let me know they're already looking forward to getting a review copy. She was fantastic to talk with, and I left TKE ready to go devour some lamb kebab next door at Mazza's for old times sake. It turns out Sara Zarr was at a table with two other authors. I'm sure they must have thought I was stalking them. If I'd been thinking I would have secretly taken their picture and put it up here to prove that I WASN'T.

What are Your Favorite Places?

This is your place to write about favorite places of yours. What sorts of places feed your soul? What places are filled with your best memories?

My best memories are backyard memories with my family, children, nieces and nephews, Mom and Pops--swimming, making homemade rootbeer and sitting on the lid while dry ice smoke puffs out, playing "Chicken" on the diving board, watching my sister try to do a swan dive and halfway through realizing she wasn't sure how to do it so it turned into a cat-claw clamber complete with a yowl.

And singing around the piano memories. Those are some of my favorites, too. By myself memories? The places I walk. Singing at the kitchen sink. My bathtub, who has seen me through many a sore ache many times a day. it's amazing the jacuzzi pump still works. And children memories? Bedtime stories. Smelling like lavender after their baths. The small moments: "Sadie, we don't put pennies in cakes. Let's take them out." Being with my son in D.C. over spring break and watching him convulse after eating way too much Wasabi. On purpose. And maybe this sounds corny, but I like wherever Patrick and I kneel and hold hands while we pray morning and night. It's like being wrapped in a blanket that's soft, fluffy and deliciously thick. And I just like being at home when he's there, too. Two souls living parallel, loving lives without being needy.

Simple Joys.

   

These last few weeks I haven't felt like writing or doing anything remotely associated with Secret Speakers. If I lived by "shoulds" it should already be in the hands of reviewers at Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Review, Booklist. Sigh. What were those names I just said? I forgot. I should be finishing up the audio post production and getting it ready to go to press. This is your place to write about what you've been enjoying lately--the simple things. 

I haven't felt this at peace in a long time. Instead, I've been enjoying watching our chickens feather out into some shape of what they'll look like as laying hens. In three weeks they've gone from balls of downy fluff to darting demons with four-inch wings. (Cupcake and Shella actually fly up onto my knees while I sit and watch them. They let me stroke and pet them. I love it.) I've been wandering outside to watch my nasturtiums grow in the front yard. I could have a whole hillside of nasturtiums--if we had a hillside. Here is a picture of our California Poppies next to the mailbox. What a wonderful flower; it blooms over and over.

I've loved having the little neighbor girls stop by to help with the chickens, along with my niece and nephew. I've enjoyed our California Poppies by the mailbox. Sigh. It's all feeding my soul. What simple things have you been enjoying lately? I'd love to hear about it. Tonight I think I'm going to see if my husband will sleep in the back yard under the stars with me.

Do You Have Funny Eavesdropping Stories?

I accidentally eavesdropped on my husband. I've finally caught my breath after laughing so hard. First, you should know that My twin sister would be so proud of me. I've been doing absolutely nothing that has to do with Secret Speakers. I've been VEDGING.

So, today while in the middle of doing absolutely nothing that has to do with writing and INSTEAD getting my hands dirty in the garden, and eating lunch on the front porch followed with some good Amano chocolate (which I bought from the place where they make it, three minutes from my house), I called my husband to see if he's up for watching my sister's dog Piper (alias Pooper, Peeper, Hyper: names given by my sister, NOT me) for a few days since she and her family are in Mexico--a trip I decided NOT to take so I could stay home and take a vacation. (Whew. I'm out of breath. That was a long sentence.)

Well, he (Patrick, not Piper, who is a girl) tends to get distracted, and he hit the answer button and forgot he'd answered, so I listened to him hammer, chat and work away while building some sort of Hacking Tower for his falcon with his buddy Ricardo Velarde (master knife maker as in worth hundreds of dollars a piece) up in Park City. I haven't had such a good time eavesdropping in a long time. I've had all sorts of peeks into his world when he gets distracted like that. But I won't tell. By the way, that's my guy after he spent a couple of days building raised garden beds.

I Got That New Mac!

So I finally replaced my ten year-old laptop Spunkie with a new Macbook Pro thanks to everyone who are helping me live this part of my Story Quest. Yesterday! And I'm writing on it this very minute. A big thanks to everyone who helped Secret Speakers win the Reader's Choice award as a cell phone novel at Textnovel. I used the prize money to buy Spunkie II.



Thanks to Tyler Osmond who sold it to me. Writing to you all from my very own computer sure beats having to laptop hop. (Thanks to very generous family members for your patience.)

Ode to Chilies and Cherries

Ho hum. My derriere is sore from so much sitting, and I need something else to think about: My favorite things!

And so I must--of course--start with dark chocolate. Chocolove's 'Chilies and Cherries' is by far my favorite.

Oh my. I just killed a bug that was flying in front of the computer screen. Little baby flying bug, I'm sorry. I had Chilies and Cherries on my mind. I hope you're in a better place now.

Here's what I have to say about Chocolove's Chilies and Cherries (and any high quality dark chocolate that melts in your mouth): Ahem, just a little poem I wrote:

Ode to Chilies and Cherries

Dark chocolate makes it much easier to love, on the days when loving is hard to bear.

Dark chocolate brightens the gloomiest of days and makes the sun come out, I swear.

Dark chocolate gives me energy, and makes my mouth turn up in curls.

It's  worth it's weight in--not just gold--but in diamond and gems, rubies and pearls.

When given a choice between jewels and chocolate, I'll take chocolate any time. The joy lasts longer.

Please Introduce Yourself

 Hello and welcome! 

Have a seat... if you dare. I'm Karey Shane, otherwise known as K.S.R. Kingworth.

One of the chairs has gently exploding firecrackers inside the seat cushion, with a really long fuse attached to it, but the darn thing is I can't remember which one it's under.

So, make yourself comfortable. As comfortable as you can, that is. And remember, no matter what happens in life (firecrackers or not), there is always forgiveness. There is always hope. There is always laughter, and there is always, always love. God listens. Always.

It's time for stories. Have a chocolate. 

P.S. Please tell me who you are and what you had for breakfast today.  Thank you, dear. And please: Don't tell me it was a donut.