KAREY SHANE

Half the Sky

When I got to the airport this morning, I had one thing in mind: buy myself a copy of Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's book, Half the Sky. If you want to make a difference in this world, this is one of those books that will point you in the most important direction you can take. It took me a missed flight, two airports, and several book stores until I held the last copy in stock in my hands. When I picked it up I got chills. I have them again as I'm typing.

If you buy yourself one book this season, or give one as a gift, or check one out from the library, let it be Half the Sky. Let me tell you why I feel this book is so important:

Karey and the Terrible, Horrible . . .

Did you ever read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? Just insert the name Karey for Alexander. Missed flights are no fun. Especially when the rest of the family is at Disneyland without you! I have a picture of me next to a billboard that I took in the Denver airport a few minutes ago. Once I get to where I'm going, I'll find a connecting cord and put it up here. It tells it all.

This has been the worst day ever. I mean, why did I ask my husband where they were, only to be hesitantly told, "Disneyland?" But that still, quiet part of me that is finally resurfacing after crying in the bathroom stall for at least 15 minutes (and crying Outloud whenever someone flushed, then crying with quiet, shoulder shaking sobs in between time) is remembering that life has great meaning that goes far beyond what seem like disasters. Disasters? Well, not really, but it is dag nabbed hard when you, or I . . .

2009 Food Fun

Thanksgiving is gone, and it's got me thinking about all the fun I had with food  and family this year. I REDISCOVERED IT. After having no appetite whatsoever for almost three years, enjoying food again was like--oh, I don't know what--coming up for air after being held underwater for way too long.  I've come up gasping with joy! Here's a peek at what it looks like to breathe food and cooking again:

If you're lactose intolerant do not, I repeat DO NOT look at this picture. This is from our family's homecoming party for Dwight, who was in France for two years.

This is the Ispahan flavored cake I made for him. What is Ispahan, pray tell? Oh my word, you HAVE to taste it. Pierre Hermé, the famous pastry maker (or patissier one might say in a very French accent) made a wonderful discovery for the tongue when he combined rose water, lychee fruit and raspberries together. Those are the flavors I put in this cake. I surrounded it with whipped cream flavored with rose water, and piped on with a ziplock baggie that I cut the corner off of.

Have you ever eaten warm clouds that go poof when you oh-so-gently place your lips around them? Then welcome to the world of Gougères. All they are is cream puffs that you add a cup of Gruyère cheese to, and sprinkle more on top before you bake them for 17 minutes.

This is the recipe I use:

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. water

1 stick unsalted butter (OK, if you only have salted butter that's fine, too)

1 cup white flour

4 eggs

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup grated Gruyère cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top of each little puff

Turn on your oven to 400 degrees. Grease two baking pans.

Bring the milk, water, and butter to a slow simmer on low heat. Add the nutmeg and a pinch of salt to the flour. Take off the heat and plop the flour mixture in one motion into the pan, stirring until it pulls away from the sides and becomes one familial clump. Add the eggs, ONE AT A TIME, stirring each egg into the flour mixture until it's completely blended in. Once all the eggs are added, stir in the grated cheese. It's so glossy and pretty you might find yourself calling the neighbors to come have a look.

Now, pull out a quart sized or gallon size ziploc bag. Spoon the dough into the bag. It's easier if you but the bag in a bowl or really wide cup and fold the edges of the bag down so they're out of the way. When it's full, twist the top closed and make sure all the air is out of the bag. Cut a thumbnail's width slice off one corner so you can pipe the dough onto the pan. Keeping the opening of the baggie close to the pan (about an inch above it) squeeze out a golf-ball size amount of dough. More or less. Keep them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 17 minutes or until golden brown. Devour.

I joined my sister's family for Sunday dinner a few weeks ago when my husband was out of town. I made these and everyone oohed and aahed. And they were a fun change from rolls or biscuits to go with the roast beef. I piped the last little bit of dough into everyone's initials:

Happy Birthday Sadie Girl

My girl Sadie is turning 20. Oh my oh my. How did that happen? That means I'm 47. Wasn't I just in my 20's when she was born? What happened in between then and now? Transforming events, lots of superheroes in our lives, and miracles is what. So here the present I made for her. It's a felted purse in delicious watermelon red, lined with butter yellow satin. My sister, my daughter's cousin and I took her out to The California Pizza Kitchen. That's were I gave her the present, and she ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT.

 

The First Butterfly

I'm here because of a small, simple things. Hope. Gratitude remembered. A smile. Laughter even when life is hard.

I'm here because of what happened the day I took my homemade butterfly to a cute 16 year-old new mother in my neighborhood who had just given birth. It was a day when it would have been easier to stay inside my little cocoon. But I had held her baby a few days earlier, and we started a new friendship.

I accomplished the "great feat" of getting outside myself by telling myself, "Just do it now. It might make her smile. Just get out the door." What happened next was amazing to me.

I'm here because of a small, simple things. Hope. Gratitude remembered. A smile. Laughter even when life is hard.

I'm here because of what happened the day I took my homemade butterfly to a cute 16 year-old new mother in my neighborhood who had just given birth. It was a day when it would have been easier to stay inside my little cocoon. But I had held her baby a few days earlier, and we started a new friendship.

I accomplished the "great feat" of getting outside myself by telling myself, "Just do it now. It might make her smile. Just get out the door." What happened next was amazing to me.

Butterfly Sundays

October 28, 2008:

Sunday seems like a great day to get out and do something kind for someone. One day I hope children everywhere will realize how much good they can do by just sitting down with someone to draw a butterfly for them and talk while they're doing it.

We had our first "Butterfly Sunday" today at church. I just want to give a shout out to my girls. Excuse me a moment folks...Hi girls! Thanks for participating today. You'll have to let me know who you gave your butterfly to, or if you decided to keep it and write your "tombstone promise" on the back.

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.

Advance Reader Copies

I'm counting down the days until December, when I send copies of Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate to Kirkus, VOYA, the School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly and Horn Books to name a few. I just made these stickers to put on the back of each copy. If I'd had my wits about me, I would have had the books printed with the image ON the cover. Oh well. I knew better, but my brain gets so fuddled with all this information. No amount of praying seems to keep me from having to learn lessons the hard way. But when I look back I can see that the hand of God was with me even in my befuddlement: if things had gone more quickly then I would have had the book come out too soon. As it is, now I have time to do a proper book launch and enjoy it.

Building a Book, Building a House

The word is final: Secret Speakers hits bookstores April 06, 2010. How can one sentence--the one I just wrote--represent two months of fingernails bit down to nubbins, drinking two Pepsi's a day for a girl who doesn't drink soda, and wanting to put my head in the sand while the world goes by? I think God was trying to remind me that when I feel like I'm paddling upstream, it usually means I need to let go of the paddle and let the boat float. And now to switch metaphor's with no transition whatsoever:

I watched my parents build a home a few years ago. The one thing I noticed is that deadlines constantly get pushed back. Getting my literary effort into the hands of readers hasn't been much different. The only difference is that you can look at a house and say, "Yup. It's done. Let's move in." But a book? I'm not going to admit how many times I sat back, smiled, and said to myself, "Yup. It's done. Announce it to the world!"

So if you've got a book you want to publish independently--and I'm going to do this next time around--I lovingly recommend while shouting from the rooftops, "Do NOT announce the publication date of your book until you've got your first print run done (if you're publishing independently). Otherwise you run the risk of crying wolf too many times. I've cried wolf. I've cried enough to fill my bathtub. I've done a lot of sweating--or shall we say, perspiring to err on the side of femininity? But I'm happy to announce that once I decided to do the release right the first time (even if it wasn't the real first time) that for the first time in two months, I'm beginning to see a hint of white on the ends of my fingernails. What's even more amazing, is that I don't even have the urge to gnaw them off.

The First Book Came

The first proof of Secret Speakers arrived via UPS just as I was backing out of the driveway on Friday. After two long, long weeks of struggling naively to get it to print, this was one moment worth waiting for. I immediately drove over to my twin sister, Gwennie's to celebrate. She was waiting in her driveway, camera in hand, for the moment. The mailman took this picture of us.

She had me pose with mailman Ted . . .

And on her porch . . .

Stay tuned for video of our little jig, and my arrival. Little did I know she was videotaping my it. When I pulled up and saw her holding the camera, I thought she was getting ready to take a picture. it turns out she was taping the whole thing. But for now, I'm going to bed early. I'm beyond tired. I slept 12 hours last night and could have slept all day. But I went to church, then with my sister's family for a drive up Provo Canyon to see the autumn leaves. Beautiful.

Falling in Love with Food

Peaches and Italian Plums from our trees! Sigh. We ate a whole vegetable bin's worth in less than two weeks.

Fibromyalgia sufferers, take note: I'm falling in love with food again. I attribute it to my miracle day: On August 17 at 1:30 I came out of the first of what has continued to be many physical therapy sessions. I went in with low back pain, but it turns out I had a train-track's length of vertebrae from my neck down to the middle of my back that were some degree of "stuck"--many of them 100%

From the moment I walked out of that bone-crunching visit, I have had NO fibromyalgia pain or fatigue. I'm running errands, hiking, walking with the dog, cooking, doing laundry. Incredible. If I'd known this was all it took, I would have gone a long, long time ago. I did tell my husband how much I'd been wanting to go, but it came down to our budget and paying the bills. Finally, I just went, and you know what? Now he realizes we can't afford not to do it. He hasn't seen me like this in years. And look, here's proof that I'm actually cooking again. Those are swiss chard greens from the garden. I'm even gardening with gusto!

Wyatt and his American Bulldog Smile

After working Wyatt on the flirt pole, this is what he looks like while he's catching his breath: (Where does he put his tongue during the rest of the day when it's inside his mouth? Wow!)

Exercising American Bulldogs

 

Our American Bulldog, Wyatt, has an incredibly strong prey drive, which comes from his ancient breeding. He can sleep all day in the house and keep my feet warm, but give him something to chase, and he'll go after it until he drops. It's that wonderful American Bulldog "on and off switch." Because I was ill for much of the summer, I was delighted to discover a great way to exercise him without having to leave the yard. If you know American Bulldogs, you might be wondering where he gets his looks: He's an Old Southern White. (The American Bulldog has three breeding lines: Scott, Johnson, and Old Southern White).

Here's what you do:

Author Claire Cook and Mid-life Joy

I came across an inspiring interview with Claire Cook on The Today Show about her mid-life success as an author. I wanted to share it here. (Thanks Jody, for posting about it on anovelspot).

Thanks for the Final Push, Kenny

Today is the day. I am doing the final review of the audiobook version of Secret Speakers performed by Simon Vance. My audio post-production friend, Kenny Hodges is a gem. He's been walking me through this process and thanks to his help I will not only have learned a lot about "post" (oh, I'm sorry. That's the lingo we AUDIO people use for post production), but he has saved us a a bucket load of money.

I'll admit there are times that I've been ready to scream, because it is incredibly TEE-DEE-ous, going through the manuscript WITH the audio and listening for errors. This is my third time through and Kenny cheered me on: "Just enjoy it. Sit on the couch with your laptop and pretend you're listening to Secret Speakers for the first time."

So I am. And the surprising thing is, I'm actually enjoying it. I'm getting choked up all over again at the touching parts, and getting chills during unexpected moments. It's amazing what happens when you create something. It takes on a life of it's own and ends up giving back to you much more than you put into it. And you become an objective observer, just like everyone else. Here's to creativity. Here's to friends to cheer you on when the last thing you want to do is DO something. And here's to moments worth cherishing when they come to you out of the blue.

Homecoming Celebration

Our son, Dwight, just got home from two years in France where he did volunteer humanitarian service. He stopped over in Vermont, which is the place he calls home since that's where we lived for so long. I haven't seen him yet, since I live in Utah now. I'm giddy at the thought he'll be here on Monday.

I just got back from a run to the store where I intended to get pine nuts to make pesto with all the basil that's exploding in our garden and came home with arm loads of French cheese, San Pellegrino, and various sparkling drinks to celebrate his homecoming à la française--and I actually remembered to get pine nuts.

A few French movies will be in order next week after playing hard during the day: Les Choristes, La Gloire de Mon Père, Le Château de Ma Mère. We'll have to throw in some Brian Regan, since as we all know he is SO FRENCH, cough, cough. We'll get some camping in, picnics, pot luck dinners with the massive extended family that surrounds us, and I don't know what else. I am verrah, verrah excited, and PROUD of Dwight.

Well, our 15 year-old is downstairs playing Nintendo. I'm about to rescue him from eternal brain fog and take him over to his cousins for the afternoon before he goes bike riding with all the neighbor kids. Life is good.

Dog Yoga

My husband and I just adopted an American Bulldog a few weeks ago. And let me tell you, that breed can teach us humans a LOT about relaxation. Check out Wyatt's well executed yoga poses. (Oh wait, is he napping?)

I've taken over a month off from tidying up the audiobook version of Secret Speakers because me wee 'ole body hasn't been co-operating--my white blood cells, to be more precise. It's actually been wonderful to totter feebly outside to plant a garden, weed it every day, and do all sorts of itty bitty things that very old normal people do. Seriously, I've done nothing but eat, drink and sleep Secret Speakers for the last four years, so smelling dirt, swatting flies, and spooning soft mushy cereal into my mouth is a real treat.

But my point in posting this journal entry is to talk about Sir Wyatt Snuffles, our big, white baby cow that barks and eats dog food. Alright, he IS a dog, but he looks like those black and white cows you see in Vermont. And he eats grass while I weed in the garden. I take very serious naps during the day, and who slumbers loyally by my side? Why Wyatt of course. Since Patrick travels so much (as in he just got back from Serbia two days ago . . .) I am love, love, loving having Wyatt for a pal. Stay tuned for pictures of my life with Wyatt over the last few weeks.

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.

Q & A with Neil Gaiman in a few minutes

I'm leading a Q & A with Neil Gaiman in a few minutes. We'll be talking with him about his book, "The Graveyard Book" which won the 2009 Newbury Award. The minutes are ticking by slowly and Wyatt (the dog) is whimpering that he wants to go play--so I'm blogging to distract my mind. Two minutes to go, then we'll be chatting on Wild Things: YA Grown Up at Goodreads. It's time! Ta ta.

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.

A Sneak Peak at Secret Speakers Illustrations

Here are a few sneak peaks of the chapter heading illustrations I'm doing for Secret Speakers. I've used the Jugendstil font designed by Heinrich Vogeler around 1905, based on the German blackletter tradition. Instead of using his illustrations, I've replaced, and am still working on replacing them with my own. I'd love to know what you think.

Each chapter page will be laid out using the Fibonacci scale and resemble, somewhat, pages from illuminated manuscripts. Hopefully it won't interfere with the reader's experience, but will just be part of the background.

Simon Vance wins AudioFile Golden Voice!

I just finished doing cartwheels and a few jigs. Why ever for? Why, the Audio Publisher's Association just named Simon Vance, who narrated Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate, to AudioFile Magazine Golden Voice status. Did you notice how I put it in bold? That's because Simon is one of my superheroes.

For those in the know, as I'm sure you are, that's basically the Hall of Fame for narrators. Last month he lost out to the worthy and also very superheroish Neil Gaiman in the Tournament of Audiobooks on Audible. But then, perhaps that leaves Simon wide open to win next year's tournament with Secret Speakers! Start strengthening that finger to push "vote" next year. Standing upside down balanced on one finger should do it.

Way to go superhero Simon! Oh, and he won another Audie (June 2009) in the Classics division for his narration of Great Expectations.

Simon Vance is recording right NOW

Simon Vance is recording Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate this week, May 4, 2009. I'm really looking forward to hearing the way the story sounds with someone else reading it besides me! I'm meeting with the folks at Audible.com this week to talk about possibilities. Yay!

If you haven't heard Simon yet, go to audible.com and choose from 23 pages worth of audiobooks done by him.

Thank you, Simon! It's been fun this week going over the pronunciation for character names. I've saved all your messages on my cell phone so I can imagine what Secret Speakers will sound like when I get the file from you next week. Then it's on to post-audio production and mastering with Kenny Hodges.

TweetSnap

How cool is this Twitter thing to put under your signature? It's a great way to let people know what you're doing!

Make one for yourself at Tweetsnap.com

Secret Speakers Book Trailer Video

After months and months of work in between resting--and sometimes going against doctors orders to do nothing but rest--the video book trailer for Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate is done! You can also see it at SecretSpeakers.com

See what the buzz is about . . . Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate!

Shannon Hale and I are BEST friends

Here are Shannon Hale and I after solving the problems of the universe. We came up with the answer as superheroes do, naturally, but it will be a long time before we reveal the information. It's difficult keeping it from the bad guys. By the way, our private, super important superhero conference took place during UVU's Children's Writing Conference, but that's beside the point.

During the writer's conference, I met so many amazing people, including Shannon. (Oh wait, did I say we just met? We've known each other forever.) Carol Lynch Williams, whose novel, The Chosen One, comes out soon, was the most peaceful, kind woman I have met in a long time. Hearing her read outloud makes me wish

Secret Speakers Ratings

So far, Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate has an overall rating of 4.87 out of 5 with 31 early reader votes on Goodreads. I'm really pleased readers are liking the story so much. It's a great feeling after working on it for so many years. The book will be available September 9, 2009. (That's 09.09.09. How cool is that?) You can get a sneak peak of the audio book read by Booklist's 2008 "Voice of Choice", Simon Vance! Here's the screen shot:

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.)

Fibromyalia Has its Benefits

12 hour days, lately: sitting in front of the computer until I can't see straight let alone form a complete thought. The good news is, I've got all the graphic design done for the soon-to-be released all new website. One of the things that really stinks with fibromyalgia is that every once in awhile you get lost in pretty hilarious brain fog, which sometimes isn't so hilarious. (As in, I sent the manuscript to my editor's old address in late February because I was too out of it to realize that email with the address was from last August.)

Hello dolly! I just found out today that she hadn't received it, so I had to reschedule the recording dates with the narrator for Secret Speakers, and I'll very likely have to push back the release date to June. Ah well, letting things lie fallow is always a good thing. Better things grow that way.

But I still want to say Stinky Bananies, as my kids and I used to say when life throws you trouble. I think I'm going to go turn on some music and dance, even if it hurts! Then, I'll go to bed laughing, reminding myself to be grateful that the reason I've done so much writing, graphic design of the book and website is because I've been in too much pain and fatigue to move beyond my desk . . . or bed . . . or couch. Its amazing how your view of reality changes with a little gratitude.

A Goodreads No-No

If you're a novelist, and more importantly an entrepreneurial author, you want to go where your readers are. (Assuming that you want to develop side by side rapport with them and know what they're interested in as a reader as well as a person.) But there are a few no-no's. If you want to just do shameless self-promotion, people on Goodreads will likely shut you out and delete your messages right away. We're a tight bunch of loyal readers who have relationships with each other, even if it's just our love of the written word. Want a tip?

If you're a novelist, and more importantly an entrepreneurial author, you want to go where your readers are. (Assuming that you want to develop side by side rapport with them and know what they're interested in as a reader as well as a person.) But there are a few no-no's. If you want to just do shameless self-promotion, people on Goodreads will likely shut you out and delete your messages right away. We're a tight bunch of loyal readers who have relationships with each other, even if it's just our love of the written word. Want a tip?

Secret Speakers Wins Textnovel's Cell Phone Novel Award

Thanks to all my reading heroes out there who waded their way through the online version of Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate at Textnovel. Thanks to you, it won the 2008 Reader's Choice Award! You are all my best friends now, and I think we should have a party somewhere with lots of music, dancing and food. What's funny, is I didn't think it would be well-accepted since it is a long-form (not short-form) cell phone novel. Lonnnng. Boring.

I'm glad you all didn't think so. It shows how smart and amazing you are.  Truly. And I hope some of you start writing the next great novel on your cell phone. I mean seriously, would you rather be texting your best friend or the guy you have a crush on . . .

I'm glad you all didn't think so. It shows how smart and amazing you are.  Truly. And I hope some of you start writing the next great novel on your cell phone. I mean seriously, would you rather be texting your best friend or the guy you have a crush on . . .

Are You Twittering Yet? Tips on Twittering.

Are you twittering yet? If you're not, you should be if you want to be an entrepreneur author who makes really scary roaring sounds to get peoples attention. Well, Twitter is more like meowing. The thing with Twitter is you answer--on the website in 140 letters or less--"What are you doing?" Here are a few super-easy tips that you can remember:

After you've signed up which takes about three seconds, you can click on "follow" and select the twitter tab if you want to look people up who are already on the site.

You do NOT want to keep twittering so that it's simply a conversation with yourself floating around in the universe. (But then, I talk to myself all the time, so I personally don't have a problem with that!) When you look at your updates, it's nice to see a smattering of other updates and direct messages (shown by the @ symbol) to remind yourself that you have friends.

If you like someone's comment, let your mouse hover over their update on the right. You'll see an arrow. Click on it to reply and do an "@" thingy.

Are you twittering yet? If you're not, you should be if you want to be an entrepreneur author who makes really scary roaring sounds to get peoples attention. Well, Twitter is more like meowing. The thing with Twitter is you answer--on the website in 140 letters or less--"What are you doing?" Here are a few super-easy tips that you can remember:

After you've signed up which takes about three seconds, you can click on "follow" and select the twitter tab if you want to look people up who are already on the site.

You do NOT want to keep twittering so that it's simply a conversation with yourself floating around in the universe. (But then, I talk to myself all the time, so I personally don't have a problem with that!) When you look at your updates, it's nice to see a smattering of other updates and direct messages (shown by the @ symbol) to remind yourself that you have friends.

If you like someone's comment, let your mouse hover over their update on the right. You'll see an arrow. Click on it to reply and do an "@" thingy.

Tips on How to Prepare for Book Expo America

If you're reading this article, then you're probably writing a book, have written a book, or sell books. In other words: you have words that you want to mean something others and you. Here are some practical tips on how to prepare for Book Expo America, in checklist form, organized by category. It's being held in New York this year, May 28 - 31, 2009.

WHAT IS BOOK EXPO AMERICA? (Otherwise known as BEA)

BEA is the largest book sellers trade show in America. If you have a book you want to promote, or even if you're in the process of writing one, BEA is a must-see. It's a fantastic way to meet people in the industry. Here are some helpful tips to consider:

Entrepreneur First. Author Second.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I met Mark Victor Hansen, Robert Allen, Richard Paul Evans, Ben Mack, Tad Lignell, Orson Scott Card and Cindy Cashman during the Fall of 2007. (You can tell by the helmet-head hair do.) Why did I go out of my way to do that when I was at the early stages of writing Secret Speakers? Sure, writing is a craft. I write because I can't NOT write. It's part of who I am. It's part of what I have to give. But it is also a business. Promoting yourself is performance. When you think about it, everyone Oprah interviews is performing at that moment in time, regardless of what occupation they pursue. It's not much different for you, if you are promoting your book. Once again, it's business.

Questions I hope to answer

I read an interesting blog article this morning from Kassia Croszer's, "BookSquare." The following response to her post really got me wondering:

Sean Cranbury // Jan 5, 2009 at 8:43 am

Why does the book publishing world believe that they need specific technology for their readers?

Why do we need the Sony Reader or the Kindle?

Why are ebooks not created for mass technology that already exists in the hands of common people.

Why not generate files or books that can be easily downloaded and viewed on blackberry, iPhone, Samsung, Motorola, whatever?

Are we not at the intersection of technology and life?

TextNovel contest is just two days away. Oh, the suspense!

The suspense is mounting! I entered Secret Speakers and the Search for Selador's Gate as a cell phone novel in the TextNovel contest last week. (I think it was last week. It' all been a blur), and within a few days Secret Speakers jumped to the number one spot. I was shocked. The  contest at TextNovel for the $1000 prize is midnight, January 31, 2008. That's just two days away! It's been an amazing ride, as I've struggled, learned, and delighted in discovering how fun the cell phone novel world is.

Thanks to all those who are reading what for me, was a long, long (but very exciting) journey to dictate the life of Fair O'Nelli and her dog in the world of Cloven Grave.

Goodreads.com

 

You've got to check out my all-time favorite social portal. It's like facebook, but for people who like to read.

The Monkster

Monk is is on a quest. He lives his story so, well, perfectly. I wrote a poem in his honor.

Ode to Monk

Smudges on noses, and wipes used for mittens.

White shirts that all match and paychecks unwritten.

Crimes to be solved by the Monk on the wing.

These are a few of my favorite things.

When my fears bite, when my doubts sting, when I'm feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite show, and then I don't feel so bad.

Thanks Tony Shalhoub. I bet you grew up eating huge frisbees of Lebanese bread.

P.S. Monk is one of my superheroes and he's not even real. How silly is that! But the thing is, he helps me get through the bad days when all I can do is lie on the couch in pain. Besides, it's all about the story. The quest. The spin. The bean. The Monkster faces his fears. We all need to face our own fears every day. If he can survive, then we can, too. Even if we feel like a worm that just got stepped on and no one noticed.

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.