The Merry, Merry Month of Mayhem and the Shiny New Idea

“They … set up a May-pole, drinking and dancing about it many days together, inviting the Indian women, for their consorts, dancing and frisking together, (like so many fairies, or furies rather,) and worse practices. As if they had anew revived & celebrated the feasts of ye Roman Goddess Flora, or ye beastly practices of ye mad Bacchanalians.”
– Governor William Bradford, History of Plymouth Plantation

I wish I could say I'm having as much fun this month as those Maypole dancers. In my case it's more like "Mayday! Mayday! We've hit an iceberg!"

Yes, we have had a nice run of lovely May days here in New York City (well, not today or yesterday--which may (may?) be why I'm a little cranky. Or MAYbe I'm cranky because in about an hour I will be heading in to collect the final projects from my Typography class---and have already received a not-so-promising email from a student who is not finished with the work. Oh--sigh--for most college professors, it's all over by mid-May and the past semester a fading memory as they delve into their scholarly pursuits.

My university seems to start later in the Spring and run later---so finals this week, graduation in two weeks. And there are so many other things going on which I won't bore you with.

Am I complaining? Not at all--don't get me wrong---I LOVE my job--and I am so, so lucky to have a job that I love, pays the rent AND (usually inspires me--except for the month of Mayhem). But May--oh--May---it's the time when all good deputy chairs must do their deputy jobs---which means, writing reports, planning ahead, leading cats to a bath (that would be other faculty members) and get chased by hysterical students as they try to best each other with the most believable excuses for not having their work done.

Yes---so I am still in the throes of this--and as a result have not been able to write a single word of fiction (oh, I AM writing--writing and writing and writing---reporting actually--for the College). Hence, I am PENT up with new ideas--splitting, bursting at the seems with the need to create!

I have a shiny new idea just waiting--screaming, having a tantrum, begging me to pay attention to it---but I can't just yet.

But I wanted to share because--well, at least I can get the chance to talk about it.

For now I am calling the new WIP—EXCEPTIONAL---and it is vaguely autobiographical--lifted from the memory of my senior year in high school when I---dated the bad boy, and cut class (with the help of my dearly departed art teacher who believed in me with such fervor, I'm probably still living on the fumes) to hang out in the art room all day--where I reigned supreme. That was me then--exceptionally good at art and my academics, but exceptionally inept in almost everything else.

EXCEPTIONAL features Lydia Wilson, self-avowed art geek and Queen of the Art room, but a nobody once she enters the busy hallway. There is the torrid romance with the smart-alecky bad boy (yep--true--my parents are still scarred from this), the cool art teacher (very fictionalized--I don't want to sully the memory of the real man, Mr. Baldo, the Owl Prince), the nifty art buddy dude (also true--whose semi-famous identity shall remain a secret). But where the (stretched like salt water taffy) "truth" ends, the story begins--- When Lydia discovers a collection of genius-level artwork stashed away the art class storage room, the enigmatic new girl, Rachel has already begun to turn the school's social hierarchy on its ear. As Lydia grows more and more suspicious of Rachel and her motives, everyone assumes she's just jealous. Until people start to die.

Okay---I have not written a word of this. I just wanted to get it out there into the Universe because it's been whispering sweet nothings in my ear, and until the Mayhem subsides, I can't respond.

Do any of you have times of the year when life overrides your creative flow, and you feel as though you may burst at the seams if you can't write soon? I'd love to hear your stories!

So how do you deal with the distraction---I mean multi-tasking?

Lately, I've found myself wishing either for an extra five-ten hours in the day or perhaps a pills that would let me do without sleep. And while we're at it, how about a personal chef and a very intelligent robot that can clean my house and buy my groceries. (and maybe do the laundry as well?). Then I'd also like a personal assistant to keep track of my appointments and someone to do---oh never mind. You get the point right?

Between thinking about marketing myself, doing design work, keeping up with my job, the household stuff (which includes paying attention to what my teenage daughter and college boy are up to) and oh yeah--the three WIPs I have going (did I mention critiquing and beta-reading?) I'm kind of on a creativity overload. I'm not complaining---it's all good. But, I've never been known for my cool methodical temperament. When you think of me, think of a cheerful storm, or as my colleague and I call ourselves once we get going--a detonation.

Yeah. It's an exciting time for me. But I am wanting to do everything at once. And I am finding it a little difficult to focus on writing with so many other cool projects begging for my attention (blog design, designing my website, book cover design, illustration---shall I continue?). Plus, my amazing publisher Spencer Hill Press and the incredible Kate Kaynak seems to be just like me--full of ideas and energy (but much more organized about it.) She's got me so excited, I'm about to bust (but I'm not breathing a word of what she's got me excited about--CIA swear as one of my students says.)

So, I want to know--how do you all handle it? I do drag myself to the gym and that helps. But seriously--maybe most of you aren't as kooky as me? If you are, I want to know (not you, Michelle!--I already know all about it, lol). This morning I'm really proud of myself--I ate breakfast before noon, showered and even painted my toenails..but it was a struggle.

How do you spell multi-tasking? D-I-S-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N?

Book Deal for Breaking Glass

I've had it all over on Twitter and Facebook, but I guess it's time I put the news on my blog.

My book, BREAKING GLASS, is due out in June 2013 from Spencer Hill Press. Thank you to my agent Victoria Marini for her support and unflagging belief in my writing.

Here is a snippet:

Now (November 17th)

Outside the dinner theater lobby, the glow of street lamps barely penetrates the thick mist that shrouds the parking lot. It’s the kind of night that Jack the Ripper might have prowled the cobblestoned streets of London searching for victims.

In the lobby, fresh from the standing ovation he’s received as Tony in our production of Westside Story, my best friend Ryan Morgan is surrounded by a crush of people. For two weeks running his performance has been drawing crowds from all over Westchester County, his surprising star turn unprecedented for a high school junior.

I glance around furtively, but no one notices the lighting guy. Truth is, my hearts not in theater. I’m only working weekends to pad my college applications and my wallet. So, I take a minute to study the latest text from Susannah Durban, Ryan’s girlfriend of three years. Heat creeps to my cheeks.

For the past year Susannah’s been inexplicably texting me with Youtube links to her haunting stop-action animations. I watch her half-clothed body drift across the screen draped with filmy gauze, her dark bronze hair and golden skin amid floating leaves, graveyards, ballet dancers, Indian goddesses and scattered words in Hebrew and English, most of which make no sense.

But other than telling me the link is private and to keep it our little secret, Susannah never mentions them when I see her. Neither do I.

Yet if I could dive into my iPhone and swim beside her, an exotic fish in her private world, I would do it and never look back.

And Ryan would kill me. Best friends don’t want to do their best friend’s girlfriend. I think that’s written somewhere.

I glance behind me. Ryan is intertwined with Claudia Herman, the community college girl who plays Maria. Claudia’s hot. And she’s slept with the whole track team. I think of Susannah, mercifully out of town on a college visit.

My phone vibrates. Susannah again. This time it’s an actual text.

I clench my jaw and look away from Ryan and his latest fling, sworn to silence by the Guy Code of Honor.

Jeremy! guess what. i’m here! got n earlier flight

I peer out into night then glance at Ryan again.

Shit.

Claudia has one toned leg coiled around Ryan’s tall frame like a boa constrictor. I fumble with my phone. Texting under pressure has never been my strong suit. 

And please enter my contest! (see below)

Exciting News!

I've just signed with agent Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider for my young adult paranormal LIFE AND BETH, and I am OVER THE MOON. Victoria is smart, enthusiastic and seems to do her homework big time. I think after all this time, I HAVE THE RIGHT AGENT FOR ME.

Gosh.

It's been a long strange trip, and of course, it's far from over, but this is an important milestone. I can safely say that past experience has enabled me to recognize someone who is professional, proactive and dedicated.

So--YAY! and thanks to my hardworking, patient critique-mates and beta readers who put up with me, my endless drafts, my doubting, my anxiousness and my goofball sense of humor. (oh--and my own skin-stripping crits) Seriously. None of this could be happening without all of you--and you ALL know who you are.