Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tell the Truth Tuesday...


Tell the Truth Tuesday (TTT) is brought to you courtesy of the Southern belles over at Plot This. Quick warning, reading their post could lead to a bizarre craving for artichokes. Just an FYI.

So it's Tuesday and here are five of our deepest, darkest truths (Upon review they're not really that deep or dark, but they are true):

1.  We sent Major Agent a bangin' (yes, I've been watching too much Rachel Zoe) revision of The Haunting of Pemberly Brown and now it's been sent off to editors and we feel like we might throw up. It's not that we're worried it's good. We know it's good (our complete and utter lack of modesty should be another confession...), but it's still a little terrifying.

2. We suck at beta reading. Just not our forte. We've heard that it's a skill you have to develop and we're definitely still learning. Feel free to leave tips for us in the comments.

3. We still haven't edited the first 50 pages of Unclaimed Baggage. I know, it's been on my to-do list for weeks. I will do it tonight. Please hold me to it. I'm so easily distracted and Flipping Out is on tonight and you all know how I feel about Flipping Out.

4. Laura doesn't know how to use Twitter (it scares her), and I've got a wine date with a friend, so I think we're going to miss #kidlitchat this week. So bummed. If you guys are on Twitter and write YA, MG or picture books you have to participate. Every Tuesday night at 9 EST a bunch of editors, agents and writers talking children's literature and publishing. Fascinating. You can follow the conversation using TweetChat.

5. We're still obsessing over the picture of Kate that Realm created for us. What does it say about me as a mother that I replaced the picture of my kids on my computer background with Kate? Wait, don't answer that.

OK, now it's your turn. Spill. We want to hear your truth this Tuesday.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

The truth is...

WOW. I spent my whole sickly beach vacation pondering walking into the sea.

I need to find another job. QUICK.

My husband tells me I have no time for this "Hobby" of mine... and I don't even get mad... I just sigh.

I am a much better side dish to my children than a full meal.

I prefer being left alone. Except in cyberspace where I seem to thrive. In person people sometimes exhaust me. BUT when I am onstage (teaching) I am very social.

enough?
enough.

JennyMac said...

Hmmm...truth time? How about I am taking a very longgggggg lunch break to catch up on blogs I love.

Danyelle L. said...

You two are so awesome! Yay for the revision! I wish the publishing business moved faster than frozen molasses. I want to read the story. Now. >:)

I'm not so hot at beta reading either. >.< I admire people that are.

I have a barrel of half-rabid wombats that says you'll have those pages revised tonight. If that's not scary enough, I can dig up some pretty unicorn stickers and glitter. >:)

The picture is lovely!

My dark confession is that I've quit writing. Again. Even as I work on entering revisions. >.< Except I'm not always good at following through on things I decide, and my Beloved Spouse Creature is awesome!

Corey Schwartz said...

The truth... I didn't really like The Graveyard Book. I am not saying that Meil Gaiman is not super-talented! He is! But that book just didn't do it for me. I felt like the set up in the first chapter was incredible. And then it didn't deliver.

Will I be black-listed forever?

Tana said...

Truth? I just bought nothing but junk food at the grocery store because the real food was too expen$ive. Now I must go to costco....*sigh*

Sarah Wylie said...

The truth is...

My dad still thinks I'm going to dental school.

I am secretly a slob, I just hide it well.

Sometimes reading wears me out. (Blasphemy, I know!)

Rebecca Knight said...

Deep, dark truth?

I own two pairs of crocs and wear them all the time. But they are purple and silver, and mary janes!

I know, I know. But I can't help loving them ;).

Love tell the truth Tuesday! :P

Katie Anderson said...

Oh man, I LOVE your truth Tuesday! And I'm so glad you mentioned Flipping Out. Is that the show about the cute guy that buys and sells houses? With a dog or something? I've heard it's "bangin!"

I love your lack of modesty. It's catching. I'm over at Plot This bragging that my "wicked cool" novel is now "awesomely epic." LOL

It can't hurt to be so proud of it, can it?

I would love to do the kidlitchat thing, but I still can't figure Twitter out. What's the # for at the beginning of some words? And why when people link to their blog does the address look funny in the tweet?

Ahhh so much to learn...

confused homemaker said...

Woo Hoo on sending that off!! And I don't know how to use twitter either but I'm going to take the leap.

Now to actually finish my writing so it's to the point I've told my Husband it is.

lisa and laura said...

Suzanne - No walking into the sea! You're simply not allowed. We miss your blog too much. And just wait until you land a six-figure book deal and then we'll talk about who has time for this "hobby."

Jenny - Sometimes I feel like my whole day is a lunch break. Only with kids. So really not a whole lot of breaking involved.

Danyelle - I love your threats! Unicorn stickers and glitter sound terrifying.

Corey - Good one! We haven't read it yet, but have heard mixed reviews. I need to get my butt in gear and check it out.

T. Anne - I spent more money at the grocery store than I'll ever admit. Ever. It was awful.

Sarah - Does being a secret slob involve stuffing random crap in closets? If so, count me in.

Rebecca - Adult crocs are quite a confession. I can definitely see the allure...they are REALLY comfortable. I always swore I'd never buy a pair, and yet my kids wear them every single day. They're just too easy.

Katie - Get on the Bravo bandwagon girly! Flipping Out is on tonight. I heart Jeff Lewis.

CH - What do you write? I keep meaning to ask you.

Loretta Nyhan said...

Confession: I sat in front of the computer today with a tub full of artichoke and jalapeno dip and a box of crackers. I also ditched out on a PTO meeting after mumbling some excuse so I could go take a walk and listen to my ipod.

Comment: You guys are both great beta readers. Seriously. And, I really don't know how to use Twitter yet either. I just keep putting messages up without doing much of anything else. Everyone's always having these conversations--I'm a total wallflower.

Realm's work is just astonishing. I keep revisiting her site just to look.

Tere Kirkland said...

Don't fret about the submission. I'm sure everything is perfect. We all lose confidence in our work once that "writer's high" is gone. I'm sure y'all have nothing to worry about.

I must confess that I've been sitting in front of the computer looking for a new rental apartment today instead of working (in my defense, I am ahead of the game and we have a lull in orders right now).

Keep your fingers crossed for me, and I'll return the favor!

Christina Lee said...

OMg thanks for that Twitter info!!
Truth: just turned on a "show" for little man to watch, so I can get some dang work done b/f daddy gets home!!

storyqueen said...

Truth=I kind of think I will never Twitter. I know, everybody does it....but, really, just exactly where am I going to fit it in? My posts would be:

"Should be doing laundry."
"Should be making dinner."
"Should be working (hehehe)"
"Should be writing."
"Should be sleeping."

Twitter of my life = boring.

So there.

Shelley

P.S. Hey Corey.....it doesn't make you black-listed that you didn't like The Graveyard Book....just CRAZY!!!

XiXi said...

I like your cover. It looks all old-school and mystery-ish. Like Encyclopedia Brown, back when I read Encyclopedia Brown.

I never, in fact, read Nancy Drew.

Kate looks badass.

Meg said...

Ugh, I have no confessions. What a bore I've become. I'm due for some boring after last week (being outted on my blog by the hot cowboy) so I guess I'll sit back and enjoy your exciting news! Congrats on everything.

Little Ms J said...

Who says you are not good Betas? I happen to know differently. So there.

Apparently I was picking up what you ladies were putting down because I had a Tell the Truth Tuesday of sorts over on my blog.

Oh, and the editor is going to love your revisions. I am starting to become jealous of your little arrangement. You will be what Jenny Bent refers to as prolific, her favorite kind of author. Bah!

Frankie Diane Mallis said...

1)I love your posts!

2)I did not know how to tweetchat until now, so maybe I can start participating in the kidlit convo

3)You go with having your ms sent to editors!

4)I can't wait to read your book

5)I still don't know what Rachel Zoe is...

Kelly H-Y said...

Thanks for the heads-up about the kidlitchat!

Elana Johnson said...

Very cool cover! I'm so jealous! And you're going to do fine with the editors. Fine. And your beta reading isn't that bad. Or maybe my novel just sucks. One of the two. :)

Twitter scares me too. I try to stay off that thing.

Hardygirl said...

I can't figure out Twitter, either. And this whole Tuesday night thing sounds really great. Plus, hubby's out of town . . . I'm going to figure it out.

Katie Anderson said...

Man, y'alls honest comments are the best! So raw and honest. I agree with tons of them.

I didn't like the Graveyard book either.

I hated reading until I was like 30. And I still have trouble finishing a book.

I hate querying.

I love chocolate.

I need to get offline. I spend tooo much time on it.

I love Kate and your blog and want Realm to do me one - and lend me her bitchin' name. how cool is the name Realm??? And she even got a cool last name too. I don't think Realm Anderson is quite as cool.

Becca Fitzpatrick said...

Good luck with the editors! You guys will rock it!

The truth is...

I don't want to start rewrites on Crescendo. I have zero energy for it.

and

I still haven't showered today. Nice.

Realm Lovejoy said...

Congrats on your revision! I'm wishing you the best! My manuscript is going to be sent off to more editors soon too.

I'm so happy you have the Kate picture on your background!! Yay!

sunna said...

The truth is...

I ate five Pirouline chocolate-hazelnut cookies after dinner last night, and I am not sorry. Not very, anyway.

I didn't make my bed this morning.

I really, really want to call in sick and spend my day writing.

I have this weird relationship with dangling modifiers.

Jeannie Lin said...

The dirty truth - I will watch reality show re-runs no matter how many times I've seen them. I watched the first season of Rachel Zoe (which I swear only had 3 episodes) a gazillion times.

Congrats on getting the revisions to your super agent. Fingers crossed that it hits it big with the powers that be!

Sherrie Petersen said...

I LOVE that artwork. And kidlitchat was great this week. I love that I can be on my computer in Solvang having a conversation with Elizabeth Law in New York and Mitali Perkins in Boston. It's just so cool!

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