Chapter by Chapter.

“Before I write down one word, I have to have the character in my mind through and through. I must penetrate into the last wrinkle of his soul.”
~Henrik Ibsen

I stumbled upon this quote recently and have been thinking about it ever since – in relation to the characters I write about, the characters I read about, and the characters fellow writers have crafted so lovingly. I don’t know about y’all, but one of my absolute favorite parts of the writing process (other than, of course, actually drafting) is the initial getting-to-know-you phase. It’s a honeymoon period of sorts, during which we’re so lucky, as writers, to get a glimpse into our characters’ lives. Their personalities, their motivations, their likes and dislikes, their passions, their triumphs, their weaknesses, their soft spots, their beauty, sometimes even their beautiful disasters … these strokes all combine to paint pictures of people we’re beginning to understand as if we’ve been lifelong friends. I still remember the adrenaline pumping through my veins when I first sat down to brainstorm and outline both WITH A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK and REFLECTIONS OF ME. It was a bit different with DEAR ELLIE and again with the manuscript I’m working on now, because most of the cast is comprised of characters who already feel like family, but still, it’s always an amazing, enlightening, inspiring journey to learn even more about the people who fill the pages of my books and the space in my heart. I think that’s one of the most awesome things about writing: we never truly know everything about our characters. There is always more to uncover. And in much the same way, their stories never unfold quite as we’ve planned. I outline loosely – a general sense of beginning/middle/end and some major turning points along the way, but inevitably, my characters end up taking their own paths. They tell their own stories. They teach me things I never knew. Sometimes I get to channel my thoughts and emotions into them; sometimes they get to channel theirs into me.

I am nine chapters and one epilogue away from finishing the first draft of this manuscript, which also happens to be the final one I’m writing about Sofie’s journey (SO MANY TEARS AND FEELINGS just at the thought of tying this story up for good, but that’s a post for another day). It has been a joy and a privilege to watch her life twist and turn, bend and blossom. Writing these three novels has been, hands down, one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. And when I look back to where Sofie was on the first page of REFLECTIONS OF ME, when I think of how far she’s come, how much she’s endured, how strong she’s become, how hopeful her future is, and how bright a star the whole cast will be reaching for, will be holding in the palms of their hands … it is both crazy and awesome. I am so proud of my book-babies and so indescribably happy for them. They’ve survived a lot. They’ve learned a lot. They’ve accomplished a lot. They’ve taught me a lot, too. Know what? I’ll be forever grateful for that.

I read a blog post once – not sure where, or even which agent, editor, or author penned it – that said something to the effect of this: your main character should finish each chapter in a different place than he or she began. In today’s world of so many blogs, and so much advice, and so overwhelming an amount of information, that idea has stayed with me always. It’s something I actively consider while writing. Has Sofie changed at all over the course of these past ten pages? What has she realized? What has she achieved? Why have her feelings evolved? How have her feelings evolved? When did she go from Point A to Point B, and are the other characters going on the journey alongside her? Or will it take them longer to get there? Obviously that’s the point of every novel as a whole – for the characters to grow, to bloom, to better their lives … and I think it’s so neat to imagine each single chapter as a microcosm for that. Sure, some chapters will see more change than others. We all have ebbs and flows to our lives, and our characters are no different. But still, it is truly an awesome thing to see these people make progress one step at a time. Sometimes it’s a step forward and sometimes backward. Always, it’s an important part of who they are. And, I think, also an important part of who we are as writers, and as people, too.

How about you? Do you plan out every nuance of your characters ahead of time, or do you let them lead the way? Do you believe that each chapter should end in a different place than it started?

Introducing … Goldie Mac!

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
~Apple Inc.

After more than four years and (almost) four novels written, yesterday marked a bittersweet milestone for my beloved HP laptop. Marge dealt with my furiously typing fingers for one last time before rightfully earning herself a long retirement. She’s officially free from my constantly-writing ways and I’m free from her battery that no longer works, her power cord that only stays plugged in when it’s wrapped around the screen, her Internet that only cooperates half the time, and her oh-so-lovely blue and black screens. Now … now I have a brand new MacBook to type away on, a new toy to explore. And boy, let me tell you – it was a J-O-Y to write my entire 2212 word scene this morning without having to worry even once about whether the computer would cooperate. I normally aim for somewhere between 1500 words per day, but this morning? I COULD NOT STOP. Yes, it was largely because of the scene itself, but I must admit, it was also quite fun to write my first scene on this computer. Here’s to you, Goldie Mac, and all the adventures that await us. SO EXCITED for the stories you’ll help me tell, the things you’ll help me learn, and the happiness you’ll help me bring.

Do you name your computer, too? Please tell me I’m not the only one! And Mac users – any tips I should know about?

These Girls.

“I think the hardest things to talk about are also the most important things to talk about.”
~Abby Watkins, via Sarah Pekkanen in These Girls

It’s no secret that I adore Sarah Pekkanen’s novels. She has a very real, very relatable, very resonant writing style, and along with it comes a plethora of characters you literally can’t help but love. In her new book, THESE GIRLS, we’re once again treated to a cast who makes us wonder, makes us reflect, makes us feel. It’s been a few days since I finished reading and yet I still find myself thinking about the characters – imagining what their lives will go on to be, considering how their journeys tie in to so many of our own, feeling hopeful and invigorated by the lessons they’ve taught. And – I’ve said this before – isn’t that the mark of an amazing book? When it resounds so far beyond the last page and stays with us awhile? Lingers in our minds and memories?

Because these characters, these girls – Cate, Renee, and Abby – absolutely linger. Their stories, both individual and together, linger. Their friendship lingers. And it inspires, too. It reminds us of the people we’re lucky to have in our own lives, the friends who truly become the family we choose. That’s what Cate, Renee, and Abby are to each other. In a way, they’re thrown together by chance. Cate and Renee both work for Gloss magazine, Cate as the newly-appointed features editor and Renee as an associate editor campaigning for a promotion, and share an apartment on the Upper West Side. When their other roommate moves out, Abby – reeling with pain after she flees her job, her life, her whole world down in Maryland – moves in. Abby’s wounds are open and raw, cutting deep into her soul. It’s obvious to anyone who meets her, and though Renee and Cate are battling some scars of their own, they welcome Abby into the fold with open arms.

It’s a delicate balance at first. Each woman has personal demons she’s trying valiantly to keep buried inside. Cate secretly wonders if she’s good enough for such a prestigious career – and if the dark spots of her past will come to light, ruining her chance at the future. Renee secretly wonders whether appearances are reality – and if changing how she looks on the outside will impact how she feels on the inside. Abby secretly wonders how her life could have taken such a downward spiral – and if she’ll ever be able to climb back up. At first, they’re hesitant to share these struggles. Even as they try to help one another, they build walls around their own hearts and their own insecurities. Both the beautiful thing about friendship is that it grows. It nurtures. It opens us up to possibilities and relationships we never expected. Slowly, but steadily and surely, the women open up. We learn that Cate never graduated college, that Renee has a half-sister she never knew about until nearly three decades after the fact, that Abby fell in love – and fell hard – with her married boss. We learn who each woman was, who each woman is, and, perhaps most importantly, who each woman wants to become. Add to that a flirtatious editor-in-chief, a dangerous diet pill, a charmingly sweet baby, and a man who has ties to all three friends, and you have an equation for intrigue and insatiable reading.

Watching friendship grow for Cate, Renee, and Abby, watching them help each other, watching them forge bonds that will forever be tied tight, is a treat. As each of them blossoms, we can feel ourselves doing the same. One of the things I love most about this book is that it reminds me of all the people I’m so blessed to know, the friends who have come into my life for a reason and changed it for the better. These are the people I can tell anything to – because, as Abby realizes, sometimes the hardest things to talk about are also the most important ones. Sometimes we need an ear to listen and a hand to hold. Like these characters, we all have our struggles. But keeping them buried inside? It only gives them power. When we talk them through, we understand that there’s always hope and always goodness. And, as Sarah so insightfully and eloquently shows, goodness is found in the people we hold most dear. These girls she writes about? They’re you, they’re me, they’re us. And that is why this novel’s a must-read.

Tuesday’s Tunes: Blown Away.

“In a place far away, where the water meets the sky
The thought of it makes me smile
You are my tomorrow…”
~Carrie Underwood, “See You Again”

Okay, so: I’ve been super excited to write about Carrie’s new album for this week’s edition of Tuesday’s Tunes, until I sat down at my desk, opened up a blank page, and realized … well, there’s actually not much I can say. Because for once – probably for the first time ever – I’ve kept my vow and not listened to even a snippet of any song on the CD, other than the lead single. Apparently patience is a virtue, after all. But even without having heard the music, even without having experienced the magic of melodies and meanings swirling together, I can tell you this: it’ll be fantastic. I looked up the lyrics to all fourteen songs so I could find the perfect ones to include with this post, and even now, while they’re only words on a computer screen and not chords humming through the air, they are just … lovely. Poignant. Relatable. Touching.

As is this video of Carrie performing her current single, “Good Girl,” with an elementary school chorus. It is SO CUTE. Truly, if you’re looking for something to make you smile, this is it.

Now … I’m off to go bug the employees at Target until they open the stock boxes and give me a copy to buy.

Are you a Carrie Underwood fan? Will you be buying her album BLOWN AWAY today? (Hint: the answers to those questions should be ‘yes’ and ‘yes’) Do you wait until a CD comes out to listen to its songs or do you ever cave in ahead of time?

In a New York Minute.

“One belongs to New York instantly, one belongs to it as much in five minutes as in five years.”
~Thomas Wolfe

It’s been a picture perfect spring so far when it comes to the weather – mild temperatures, sunny skies the color of robin’s eggs, trees and flowers blossoming with a rainbow of pinks, reds, yellows, and purples. So naturally (because this is the way it always works, yes?), the one weekend we had tickets to a Broadway show in New York, there was a Nor’easter. I know, I know – Nor’easters are for the winter. They involve swirling snowflakes and frigid digits. Except when they storm up the coast in April, and then they involve sheets of rain and gusty winds that make using an umbrella a Herculean task (or maybe just a useless one).

So what do you do in NYC when Mother Nature refuses to cooperate?

-Take goofy pictures in your hotel room.

-Adopt a cuddly friend (because everyone has to love stuffed polar bears, even those of us who are twenty-eight).

-Watch the sky’s leaky faucet drop over three inches of rain on a deserted, waterlogged Times Square (SO STRANGE to see it that desolate!).

-Snap photos of the surrounding skyscrapers disappearing into a blanket of fog.

-Fly out of your hotel the next morning when you see that Kate Walsh is on Good Morning America, because really, how awesome would it be to catch a glimpse of an actress you love? When she’s jetted off for her next appearance on Live with Kelly, hang around outside the studio and watch the fabulous Robin Roberts celebrate her tenth anniversary with GMA.

-Walk for miles, despite the cold weather, because WHOOHOO IT’S NOT RAINING ANYMORE!

-Pose with Times Square in the background.

-Go back to the theater the day after seeing the show so you can actually get a picture without rain splatters dotting the camera lens.

We may have been rained upon, but we definitely didn’t allow ourselves to get rained out. Because NYC is always magical, always electrifying, always alive with energy. It is the kind of place you can belong to instantly. It’s the kind of place you can immerse yourself in, the kind of place you can travel to again and again (and again), the kind of place that makes you feel big and small at the same time. Have you ever been somewhere that evokes the same inspiration in you? Where was it?

The Song Remains the Same.

“Maybe this is my chance, my rewind button, my fast-forward button. Both. Whichever. Either way, this is my chance to do things differently.”
~Nell Slattery, via Allison Winn Scotch in The Song Remains the Same

What defines us? Who defines us? How can the past blend with the present to create the canvas of our future? And what role do our memories play? Do they simply add brushstrokes, simply provide background music, or are they more? Are they the notes which – in more ways than one – compose our identities?

These are the questions Allison raises in her new novel THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, the questions that main character Nell asks of herself as her story unfolds. After surviving a devastatingly tragic plane crash, Nell’s memories are obliterated and she’s left to navigate a world that’s completely foreign. It’s a clean slate, a fresh canvas, a blank songbook. And in some ways, that can be perceived as a positive – because it’s the rewind button, the fast-forward button, the second chance at living life and living it out loud. That’s what the new Nell – the fabulous Nell! – wants. She wants to make this count.

Except that’s easier said than done when her mind cannot, will not, connect to the past, when the entire basis for her identity is irretrievable. With a complete lack of remembrance, Nell is forced to rely on those around her for help – her mother Indira, her sister Rory, her best friend Samantha, her husband Peter, and, perhaps, the person who can save her from all the confusion: Anderson, the man she saved from the plane as it buckled in the air and their flight turned terribly, terribly wrong. But the one person Nell can’t rely on? Her father, the reclusive artist who seemingly once brought so much color to her palette. Two decades after he left, two decades after his demons became too fearsome and he fled from his wife and two daughters, Francis Slattery still has a profound effect on Nell. When she can remember nothing else, she instinctively understands this: that unlocking the key to her father’s past may be the key to unlocking her own.

Or so she thinks. But as the playlist of her life begins to slowly hum on – set to the tunes of “The Best of Nell Slattery,” a catalog of Nell’s formerly defining songs, loaded onto an iPod for her courtesy of Rory – she begins to realize that nothing is what it seems. Nothing is what she imagines. Nothing is what she hopes. Lyric by lyric, piece by piece, she begins to make sense of the puzzle, to learn about who she was, and, in the process, who she is. The music is her memory, her connection to times gone by. It guides her, it teaches her, it reminds her. And so does her family, but as Nell comes to understand, memories can be – and are – shaped by the people who live them. We are defined not only by our self-perceptions, but by the perceptions of others. Sometimes we need to lean on them and need to accept their help. But when it comes to matters of the heart and soul, when it comes to the relationships which weigh us down and lift us up, it’s most important to look inside. Only when we do that can we achieve our own kind of strength.

For Nell, betrayal runs deep. Her strength is tested by the reality of secrets kept, experiences buried, and worlds spinning in concentric circles. As she faces who she was, as she learns why there are parts of her past not meant to make it to her future, she comes to learn that while some leopards never change their spots, others do. Others can. Others will. The song of Nell’s life remains the same until she takes matters into her own hands, truly embraces her second chance, and changes its tune. And as she does, readers are left to wonder – what would we do in a similar circumstance? How would we rebuild if that foundation was seemingly gone? Who would we trust, how would we perceive ourselves, what would be revealed if we held a mirror up to years gone by and years still to come? As always, Allison’s words make us think, make us wonder, make us contemplate, make us relate – and that makes Nell’s journey as resonant as the songs which fill the book’s pages.

Wordless(ish) Wednesday: from my desk to yours.

“In a mood of faith and hope my work goes on. A ream of fresh paper lies on my desk waiting for the next book. I am a writer and I take up my pen to write.”
~Pearl S. Buck

I’ve always thought you can tell a lot about people just by looking at their desks and/or other work spaces. This is where I write, write, write and query, query, query. Plaques with motivational quotes, a starfish-shaped decorative plate, a seahorse-splashed lamp from the shore, a collage mug from the road trip Sara and I took three years ago … they all make me smile. And, of course, there are pictures, lots of pictures: with family and friends, with two of my favorite authors, with Kelly Clarkson – these are memories that last a lifetime. This is what inspires me. What inspires you? How do you decorate your work space?

Ode to Bread.

“Passover affirms the great truth that liberty is the inalienable right of every human being.”
~Morris Joseph

Sometimes you’re fluffy, fresh from the oven and steaming hot.

Sometimes you’re chilled from the refrigerator, and that still hits the spot.

Sometimes you’re golden brown, shaped into baguettes and rolls.

Sometimes you’re a side dish, meant to complement whatever’s in our bowls.

And let’s not forget all your other cohorts:

Pizza, pasta, cereal, and bagels – without them we’d clearly be out of sorts.

But beginning tonight and lasting for eight days, anything with wheat, flour, or grain must be tucked away.

Instead we’ll eat matzah, matzah, matzah, the unleavened bread of yesterday.

We’ll give thanks for our freedom, and of course our ancestors’ liberty, as well.

We’ll recite the Four Questions and declare that matzah ball soup is swell.

Moses told the Pharoah to “let my people go” and then he parted the Red Sea.

Tonight we honor that by sharing a seder with friends and family.

So even though I live on pasta and bread, even though I eat them every day,

I’ll say ‘adios’ to the delicious confections and embrace the matzah on its stay.

But until sundown, pizza it will be.

And maybe some ice cream, and cookies, and pretzels – so yummy!

So do me a favor, dear friends, if you will:

Enjoy some leavened foods for me next week. It’ll give you a thrill!

Happy Passover to everyone celebrating tonight, Happy Easter to everyone celebrating Sunday, and remember … when you eat matzah for two meals per day, a goofy ode to bread is totally, completely, and absolutely necessary :)

Three Things.

“Some colors exist in dreams that are not present in the waking spectrum.”
~Terri Guillemets

Cool: I have always been one to have crazy dreams – elevators that drop a hundred stories, career changes that involve a foray into producing reality television, airplane flights that go cross-country in a half hour – but last week, my subconscious journeyed to a place I’d give anything to experience. Even though the specifics are fuzzy, as is often the case when night turns to day and dreams fade into reality, the main gist remains clear. I was in Georgia instead of Pennsylvania, going about everyday life as normal, but there was one major, exciting, OMG-I-love-it! difference. That everyday life? It included Sofie, Brandon, Ellie, Aubrey, and all the other characters from my book(s). It was as though their story had literally sprung alive, as though I was living in their world and weaving myself into the tapestry of their tale. And it was AWESOME. It was like seeing with my eyes everything my imagination has envisioned, and it may sound strange, but that made me feel even more connected to these characters who have truly become like friends over the past year and a half.

Very Cool: I went to a concert with Sara and Latia two Fridays ago, and though the singer wasn’t anyone I was familiar with, one song he performed instantly stood out. Why? Because its title is the same as the one I decided on for my current work-in-progress! It’s been a couple months now since the name popped into my head – one of those “aha!” moments where you just know something feels right for your characters and their story – and so it was a really, really awesome coincidence. What are the chances, right? It immediately gave me a zap of happiness and I’m choosing to take it as a sign that good things are hopefully ahead.

Not As Cool: Question for y’all – have you ever stopped reading a book in the middle? Been tempted, for one reason or another, to set it aside before finding out how the storyline resolves? It is very rare for me to feel that way – I think, as a writer, I’m always inclined to want to see how things tie together and how the author helps their characters grow – but every now and then, it happens. Even when it does, though, I keep reading. Something makes me see it through. In twenty-eight years, there’s only one novel I can remember not finishing. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I persevere, because I know that sometimes the conclusion of a story can be its most special, inspiring moment.

Do you always read every book until the last word? Have you had any interesting dreams lately? Found yourself pondering any cool coincidences?

May the odds be ever in your favor.

“Hope – it is the only thing stronger than fear.”
~President Snow, via Suzanne Collins in The Hunger Games

HOLY HUNGER GAMES. That movie is SO GOOD.

Like everyone else, I have been counting down the days until The Girl on Fire made her big-screen debut. This weekend couldn’t come quickly enough. After flying through the trilogy of books because I could NOT put them down for anything, I was more than a bit excited to see how the compelling story would translate to a movie version – and, I admit, a bit concerned, too, because if reading about the violence was that disturbing, wouldn’t it be even more difficult to actually watch it unfold?

Thanks to some very clever cinematography and slight changes from the often graphically-descriptive novel, the answer to that is (at least in my opinion): no. The movie didn’t glorify violence. Instead, it used the sensitive subject to show exactly why and how violence is saturating society. It made the same point Suzanne does in her intricate novels, that it has become too much, and instead of the horror, we must fight for heart, for integrity, for all that is good and hopeful. Although there were many points in the trilogy of books that were unspeakably, emotionally difficult and draining to read, that’s the message I took away: as President Snow states in the movie adaptation, hope is the only thing stronger than fear. Light can outshine darkness. Even after the worst of times, the sun can come out again. Even if we’re forever changed, we can still find faith. Still find good.

I thought the movie did an excellent job of showing that – from Prim’s unconditional belief in Katniss, to Cinna’s faith in his Girl on Fire, to the heart-swelling welcome Katniss and Peeta received upon returning to District Twelve, we saw the delicate strands of inspiration woven among all the pain and challenges. That was just one of many high points. Others included the beautifully poignant scene between Katniss and Rue (made me cry in the book and again in the movie!), the chillingly emotional salute all of District Twelve gave to Katniss, the addition of Haymitch going to Seneca to fight on behalf of Katniss, the behind-the-scenes look at the Gamemakers perspective, which we didn’t see in the book, and the simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming conclusion of the Games. The embrace between Katniss and Peeta, between these two people connected forever more in the way they saved one another, was enough to make many eyes well with tears. I also loved the addition of the scene between President Snow and Seneca. Snow’s line about hope being stronger than fear is my favorite from the whole movie.

There were a few things left out that I really had been included – especially District 11′s gift of the bread to Katniss as thanks for her compassion toward Rue – but overall, it did an amazing job of staying true to the heart of the book. It had the action and suspense, the sadness and shock, the dignity and heart. We very much saw Katniss’ strength and determination. We saw straight into the characters’ souls. I thought all the actors shone like absolute stars and did an exquisite job – such amazing casting – and the sets/special effects brought the story to life in captivating ways. It was like literally seeing the pictures Suzanne painted with her words.

And, above all else, it left an impact. Just like the novels, this is a movie that affects you and won’t leave your thoughts. It makes you feel, it makes you ponder, it makes you wonder. Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Haymitch, Rue, this whole cast of complex characters, they made their way into our heads and hearts when we read about their journey. Now they’re leaving another handprint. This is a movie that will stay with me for a long time, one I think will stay with many people. And yes, we’ll remember the struggles, the atrocities, the sheer shock and horror of something as awful as the Hunger Games. But we’ll also remember the hope that’s stronger than fear and the spark lit by the Mockingjay. We’ll remember that compassion is key.

And with that knowledge, the odds are ever in our favor.