Day 7 - Week One is Done!

I can't believe that the first week is already over.  Three more weeks to go!  Today I spent a lot of time at the library and on revisions & research for another story.  I did still manage to get a rough draft written for a new idea tonight.  I really like the idea, but the first draft has a long way to go.  At least I got it down on paper.  Day 7 - check!

Days 5 & 6 Marathon

Today I'm a little sleep deprived but the fuzziness must be working for me. I started writing about one idea and ended up with three new ones that I really like.  I love the concept behind one of them and am very happy with the rough first draft.  I'm thinking that tomorrow's a library day for revisions and a new draft for day 7.  The PB Marathon team sent out the first survey/tally sheet for number of manuscripts produced.  Although I'm a little nervous about not being able to keep up, I'm happy that so far I'm 6 for 6. 

Day 4 - Marathon

Everyone got back to school, but after two days of all of us being home, there was so much to catch up on today.  This could have been one of those days where it was easy to justify not writing.  But thanks to the PBM I was not going to let that happen.  New story, down on paper, and I actually really like it.  Even if it is super rough.  Day four - check.  I'm definitely ready for bed now.  I'm also really glad to be participating in this month-long event.  It's so easy for writers to put off writing when the rest of your life gets too busy - for a day, or week, or month.  This challenge proves to me that no matter how crazy your day is, you can always make time to write.  And will feel better for doing it.  Sweet dreams. 

Day 3 - Picture Book Marathon

Even though the kids were home for their second snow day, I still managed to get a new story down.  Very rough draft but I'm really excited about this idea.  Everyone goes back to school today.  Let's hear it for the next new story and lots of revisions.

Day 2 and it's a snow day...

Despite the fact that day 2 turned out to be the biggest snow storm the chicago area has seen in forever - AND school was cancelled - I am very proud that I still got a new manuscript down on paper.  Hooray!
We received a call this afternoon that tomorrow will be a "snow day" too.  But that shouldn't be a problem.  Bring it on!

The Picture Book Marathon begins!

Well day 1 of the Picture Book marathon is finally here, and I have spent the entire day on writing.  I was so excited that I woke up at 5:00 am - yes, I did get out of bed.  An hour or so later my teenage daughter walked by me and mumbled "You're crazy."  Maybe I am.  I worked on two new stories today.  One was an old idea from my files and one was more recent.  I have to admit to being an "over thinker" today.  I'll try harder tomorrow to just run with it.   

Jean & Lora left this on the PBM blog today, "Remember, it's not about perfection.  The point of the marathon is to run fast enough and far enough that your inner critic will be left gasping for air many miles behind you!"  See ya inner critic.  Don't think you'll be joining me tomorrow.  I'm ready for my chocolate now. 

Interview with Jay Asher!

I recently had the opportunity to interview Jay Asher, author of Thirteen Reasons Why (Razorbill/Penguin, Fall 2007).  If you haven't read this book yet, you should definitely check it out.
Thirteen Reasons Why is a suspenseful, thought-provoking novel that tackles the tough subject of teen suicide and the idea that you never really know what’s going on in anyone’s life but your own. In this book, a teenager decides to take her own life. Instead of leaving a suicide note, she records thirteen stories about thirteen people who pushed her toward that decision. She then mails the tapes to the first person on her list, and the story unfolds. Thirteen Reasons Why has won numerous awards and was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 65 weeks!

Jay, thank you so much for this interview. Many of your fans have shared that after reading your book, they thought a lot more about always treating people with respect because you never know what others are dealing with. I love the quote from one of your fans that said your book made her want to be “wonderful to everyone.”

When you set out to write this story, did you plan to have such a strong message from the start? Or did the story line come first?

The story came first, and if a decision ever had to be made regarding story versus message, story always won out. The entire time I was writing this book, I had the fear that if the message ever dominated, a good chunk of readers would close the book because it would sound too preachy. People don't read novels to be preached at, they want to be told an entertaining story. I was also afraid the story would become too sad for anyone to want to finish, so I focused heavily on creating suspense. Story and suspense, that's what I focused on. Because of the premise of my book, I knew the message would be fairly obvious, so my job was simply to keep the readers flipping those pages faster and faster.

Did you ever imagine that your book would be embraced the way that it has? What were your hopes for this book, and have your expectations been met?

I thought the book would sell fairly well if teens were made aware it, because I thought it would be something they'd go and tell their friends about. But there's always the fear that bookstores and libraries, for whatever reason, won't stock your book and teens won't even know it's out there. Thankfully, we always had such amazing support from booksellers and librarians. But no, I never imagined it would take off the way it has. I thought it could be an underground word-of mouth hit, but I never imagined it would get onto the NY Times list for even one week (it stayed on for 65). I never imagined that counselors and psychiatrists would use the book in their professions, or that teens would claim it saved their lives. Because of all of that, this book went way beyond anything I could've expected.

How do you stay so in tune with what teens are going through – especially teen girls? Any research techniques that helped you with that?

Basically, I have the philosophy that adults and teens aren't very different at all. Adults have learned more ways to handle situations, but our initial gut reactions are extremely similar. The same thing goes for males and females. Society gives us different roles for how to act in situations, but I think our emotions are fairly similar. So I never said "If I were still a teen..." or "If I were female...", but instead "If I were in this person's shoes today..."

You invested 12 years of writing and submitting your work before this first book was sold – with a few close calls in between. When you finally received “the call” from your agent offering representation, and then “the call” about the book being sold, what was that like? What did you do first?

I'd had three previous agents over those twelve years, so getting the call that my agent wanted to represent me wasn't as "big moment" as the call from my first agent, but that's because I knew that having an agent doesn't necessarily mean I was going to sell anything. The fact that it was Laura Rennert made me feel like I'd stepped into the big leagues, though. I mean, she represents Ellen Hopkins! My phone was turned off when she called to say a publisher was interested, and that actually added an interesting twist because when I finally turned on my phone, my agent had then left two messages. Soon after her first message, she called back to say another publisher was interested. Two publishers? Awesome! After work that day, I took my wife to the same spot where we got married to let her know that I sold my first book, and we both streamed joyous tears for a very long time.

You’ve mentioned that the manuscript was rejected at several houses prior to being sold; did you ever worry that it wouldn’t sell? How long did it take to find the right house?

After twelve years, I was numb to rejections. Whenever another house rejected me, my feeling was, "Of course they did." Oddly enough, earlier that year, I told my wife that if this book didn't sell, I was going to stop writing. Twelve years was my limit. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't reach my limit at eleven years! We ended up having three publishers bidding on my book, so I spoke with all three editors on the phone (not at the same time), and that's what made me know that Razorbill was the perfect house for Thirteen Reasons Why. And I was right!

At one time you wanted to be a screenwriter, how do you think your book would translate into a movie?

Whenever I write, I think in cinematic terms. I picture each scene as if it's playing on a movie screen, visualizing what it looks like when the scene begins and ends, and what details the camera focuses on. A couple of the first big reviews I got even used the word "cinematic", which made me smile. I think it would translate very well to the screen as long as they get the tone right.

In your lifetime, what would you like to accomplish with your writing? What would you personally define “success” as a writer?

I've always wanted write a book that a lot of people really enjoy, and this book accomplished that. But to know that I've written something that personally touched and inspired so many people, that's the kind of success I never expected. And I feel comfortable saying that it's the very best kind.

Jay, thank you so much for your time and for your fabulous novel. Congratulations on all of your success so far - and big congrats to you and your wife on the arrival of your beautiful son this past month. You will make a wonderful father. I wish you all the best!

You can visit Jay at http://www.jayasher.blogspot.com/
Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville is featuring Thirteen Reasons Why this March in their “Not for Kids Only” Book Group. You won’t want to miss it! http://www.andersonsbookshop.com/