It's Who I Am

Whether as an author/illustrator at the age of five writing about a dashingly heroic cat and his cat damsel in distress or a good-natured, young raconteur describing the adventurous lives of unsuspecting patrons seated near me in restaurants, I've always made up stories. It only took me forty years to realize it is what I do best. So, welcome to Andoree, the country and creation of my imagination. Sit down and I'll spin you a tale or two.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

My Moment With Marty

While I'm waiting for another load from my mountainous pile of laundry to dry (seriously...will it ever end?), I thought I'd share with my loyal readership the dream I had last night.

I was in a therapy session (not something I attend normally, but obviously sorely needed in my dream). My kind and very attentive session leader was none other than Martin Scorsese. I hear you thinking, "Why Martin Scorsese?" and the only thing I can tell you is I have no idea.

I'm not sure exactly what we were all visiting about and it wasn't my turn to share, but I did anyway. Well, actually what I did was burst into a sobbing mess of tears who desperately needed a tissue. Gratefully, Marty (that's what I call him because we're close and he's my therapy leader) was a very empathetic fellow. He stopped the poor individual I had interrupted with my outburst and asked me in his well-recognized, Italian, slightly high-pitched voice, "Oh, Laura, dear. Now what's the matter?"

Through my blubbering I could make out myself saying, "I just want to be a writer! I just want to be published!" (My subconscious is really, really revealing.)

Marty reached over, patted me kindly and said, "You will be a writer. Do you have a manuscript?"

"Yes," I said sniveling. "It's already typed in proper manuscript form: double-spaced, 12 font Times New Roman because agents hate Comic Sans. I have the word count and all!"

And then, something amazing happened. Martin Scorsese asked to see my manuscript...

And my alarm went off.

Darn.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

I Like A Strong Heroine

I'm really excited about my main character. Her name is Brigid, but I call her Bree for short. I don't want to tell you too much about her because I'd really like you to get a chance to discover her in my book. What I will tell you is she is the kind of girl I wish I could have been at fifteen. She's the kind of girl I hope my daughter will be someday.

I think girls have come a long way since I was a teen. They are prouder, stronger and far more sure of themselves. Okay, so maybe they have many of the same insecurities I had, but it seems there are more and more people out there who encourage them by saying, "It's okay to be you."

And, way more girls today play electric guitar than when I was a kid. One of my young friends even plays the bass! How sweet is that?

I was totally born in the wrong generation.

Bummer.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

My Platform

As I understand it a "Platform" is the number of readers who would buy your books. I am a newbie, so I may be wrong about that, but I'm trying to learn. I know there are writers' conferences out there that I should attend to teach me more. I just need to convince my sweet hubs to let me pay the money to go. He's a real ROI kind of guy, and I don't blame him. Trying to become a published writer seems like trying to be drafted into the NFL. It's a one in a million chance.

Don't get me wrong. I'm serious about what I've written. I love and care about my novel and I believe in my characters. I really would like to catch the eye of an agent and be published one day.

For now my platform is three sweet people who share this life with me (and one day I'll have a fourth -- when she can read). I care most what they think. If they love it, I'll press on into less certain waters.

Friday, March 23, 2012

I've Written a Novel

Last July, I sat in the quiet cabin our family rented for a week in the Colorado Rockies, and I had a vision. Wait. That's not exactly true. The vision actually occurred the month prior while watching X Men First Class (I have a fondness for mutant heroes...Wolverine, in particular. But I digress.). I saw a young, teenaged girl with a mysterious identity. I thought about her frequently, wondering about who she was and why we had serendipitously met.

Fast forward back to July. Those quiet moments in the cabin (and the absence of technology other than Microsoft Word) brought clarity to our meeting. I was meant to tell her story, and quite a story it is. I sat there in the evenings, my children playing cards, my husband reading, and I began to write. It poured out of me as though a dam had broken. It was thrilling.

I just wrote my last chapter a few days ago and gave it to my oldest to read. He is an avid reader and pretty honest. He liked it. I still have editing to do because it isn't yet to my liking, but after eighteen chapters I feel pretty darn proud.

Thank you for sharing your world with me, Brigid, I'm excited about our next adventure.