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March 24, 2008
Who'd a Thunk?
Okay, I sit here in my study, all by myself, rambling away into the cyberuniverse, thinking it's just like home where I talk to myself and no one listens.
But I've just returned from the Utah Valley University Forum on Children's Literature where I met people who actually read my blog! And they were wondering why I hadn't posted in a good long while.
Here's the scoop: after an insanely crazy year, I ran away from home. All the way to San Miguel de Allende, in central Mexico. I went with my dear friend, Ann Whitford Paul. We rented a house on Callejon de los Muertos (street of the dead; but don't let the name fool you). For two glorious weeks, we went to Spanish class every morning and came home and wrote every afternoon. At sunset, we'd race up to the roof to watch the breathtaking swarms of birds etch dark vees into the midnight blue sky, and then we'd head off to a new place for dinner. (My favorite: Los Milagros: The Miracles).
In San Miguel, I couldn't use my cell phone to call out. I had to wait until my family called me. Checking email was cumbersome. I was untethered.
And it was good. Ann and I cranked out the page count. One day, I was tired and ready to quit. Ann said (and I quote) "It's only 3:30." So on I wrote. It was delicious to (re)discover that I could write. And, fresh off the Whidbey Island Writers Conference, I latched onto Erik Larson's advice: quit when you get to a good spot. So every day, I would quit when I was ready to keep going. And that proved to be the golden ticket.
Other blessings of the Whidbey conference: co-presenting with my darling friend Ann and darling co-author, Mary Nethery, who knows more about plot than I could ever hope to learn. A tete-a-tete with one of my writing heroes, Elizabeth George, who has to be about one of the most honest and kind people you could ever hope to meet.
Pardon my bouncing around but I've been in the air a lot: zipping from Whidbey to Mexico, then back (after an unexpected overnight in LA at Ann's house; that is a long story I might tell you sometime over a glass of wine) and then home one night in my own bed, then off to Orem for the Utah Valley University Forum on Children's Literature. Oh my.
There I was shepherded by Rick Walton (picture book author) and student, Cherilee Howden who took such good care of me she nearly ran out of quarters buying me bottles of water! I also met the rock stars of children's picture books, Sarah Stewart and David Small, who -- of all things!-- had spent 10 winters in San Miguel de Allende. We became instant best friends. Could there be two kinder and more alive people in the entire world? I doubt it. I bought David a latte -- I think it was his first -- and cozied up with Sarah, wishing I could soak up her gardening genius.
I got scolded in Utah by people who said they read my blog and were --ahem-- peeved I hadn't posted lately. So now you know. I've been gone. Attached please find the note from my mother/doctor/agent/best friend. You fill in the blank.
I try to have a writing lesson each time I post. So here is this post's lesson: stop when things are really good. Run away from home every once in awhile. Hang out with kind and interesting people.
And learn how to make a genuine chile relleno.
What else is there?
Posted by kirby at March 24, 2008 09:19 PM