Gone Flying, Must Bring Books

As I pack my family for another trip across the country, I can't help but think of the road trips I took each summer growing up. We'd head either out West to see our extended family or up the East Coast on camping adventures. And along the way Mom or one of my older siblings would read to us. Lots of Roald Dahl (isn't he wonderful?). I distinctly remember my mom reading Danny the Champion of the World and being so engrossed in the story that the car trip flew by as I was busy poaching pheasants and out smarting the town's nasty rich guy, what was his name? What a dream to live in a caravan with a father whose eyes smiled.


Tomorrow we'll be traveling by plane, 3 of them, in fact, and although I'm making sure we have enough underwear and matching shoes, I'm also packing my suitcase full of books (in addition to my Kindle). Big Nate and Pendragon for my 8-year-old, Fancy Nancy and Little Bear for my 6-year-old, the Berenstain Bears and Dora for my 4-year-old, and the Mercy Thompson Series for myself.  (Yes, I'm a little concerned about how the in-laws are going to feel about those darn covers.)

In some ways I wish my children could have the experience I did travelling together in a full-size van, laying across the seats or hanging out in a nest of pillows created on the bed in the back listening as I read like my older sister did, with accents and saying "chap--i-ter." . . .

But then I'd have to spend 6 days confined in a minivan. (Yikes!)

If you look up tomorrow and see a plane flying east, give it a wave. It might be me.

 I'll be loading up my Kindle for the trip home and I could always use a recommendation. What books do you take when you travel?

Book Giveaways

Liesl is one of my writing friends I met this summer because of WIFYR. And, we're related-my sister married her uncle, so we're practically family. She's a lovely in person and fun to read on her blog. Plus, even more exciting, when I met Liesl her agent was submitting her middle grade novel Rump to editers AND now she has a publishing house-Knopf/Random House. Yeah Liesl! Yeah Rump! I'm so excited for her and glad that I got to read her book over the summer. It was just sitting there, innocently, on my sister's end table. I couldn't help myself, I gobbled it up and then belatedly apologized for not asking her first. Liesl was very sweet about the whole thing, but I do have to wonder if she asked her uncle to move her manuscript to an undisclosed location:)

Here we are together. I know, I don't look the best, but it's the only shot I took. Plus more proof she's amazing. She gave away her 5 page editor critique to my best writer buddy. I'm excited for her book-we need more funny, middle grade boy books. By the time Rump is published my son will be ready for it.

Over on Writer Ropes Liesl Shirtliff is giving away a book for every day this week. I know it's already Friday, but you still have until midnight tonight to enter all four giveaways. They are books from her publisher Knopf. Plus, if you read today's giveaway entries for Flipped, you might just learn about my first crush the summer before 7th grade.

Books she's giving away-

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

The Book Their by Markus Zusak

The Emerald Atlas by John Stevens
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

Also in Book Giveaways is my critique partner Taryn Albright. She's giving away an audio book of The Fox Inheritance over on her site A Fool's Golden Paradise. This website is fun and quirky-lots of writer thoughts, book reviews, and illustrative pictures. Taryn makes me smile each time I read her site. For example, I've recently feasted on hot swimmer guys as she compares writing genres, seen the "plotting room" and her latest entry is entitled "On Making Out with a Pool Deck." You can't beat that.

Because of Taryn's posts I'm currently reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox and I'm so glad I am. I can't get enough of her grandmother Lily and of course the mental workings and struggles of Jenna herself.

Goodreads summary:
Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.

Read book. Read book now.

Bad, Robin, Bad

This morning I did the unthinkable and slept in. Yes, my body didn't wake me up like it's supposed to and I awoke when my husband's alarm went off. Oh no, I thought, I should be writing. And then I listened to my house. Caramel, our wiener dog, outside excited that Stan was up, jumping on the sliding glass door to our bedroom, and from the girls room-chattering already. How come I needed extra sleep and they needed less? Okay, maybe it had to do with the seven errands I ran with my three children here and in the town 30 minutes away yesterday and the stress of forcing my five-year-old to have her blood drawn so that she could go to school. Feeling the dislike of the technician, "We don't force children here." and my unacceptable response, "but she can't go to school without this". I was lowered to those awful moms that bribe their kids and then when that still doesn't work help hold them in place. Trust me, I hated myself too, but that phlebotomist, her disgust in me ran deeper. Let's just hope she's not the one when I go in for my glucose test.

Also. Why is the tooth fairy so fickle? Last night she forgot to come to sweet Eliza's room and Eliza was in tears this morning. "How could she forget me? She never forgets Israel (her older brother)." What could I say to this tear stained face? Well what I did say was that she must have been a novice and I'd have a talk with her. I also traded the tooth for 4 quarters and told her I'd put her tooth under my pillow tonight. Stan explained that the tooth fairy is a lot like Tinkerbell being naughty and not doing what Peter asks of her. Eliza, a Peter Pan lover, totally related to this explanation. I asked Stan later which one of us was Tinkerbell. He laughed and refused to say, meaning of course ME. 

So, not only did I not wake up early and fail to perform my tooth fairy duties. Instead, I lay in bed, finishing Sarah Dessen's Along for the Ride and waiting for my girls to make their way to my bed for snuggles. And after that, I stayed in bed, coming out only to pour milk, and go pee of course, I am 6 mo pg after all. I read page after page, tearing up as I neared the finish. Loving the vibrancy of Dessen's characters, her ability to write full-circle, and just feeling so many of the emotions of Audin, her MC. These feelings I have reading Dessen, I want to have with my own book, with my MC. I chose reading over writing, compelled to finish Audin's tale instead of finish mine. What does this tell me about my own writing? The depth that I've taken my MC? How much further I need to go? I want my readers to feel this same longing, and understanding of Mara's life (my MC) as I did with Audin. I want their hearts to respond as mine did this morning. Here's to hoping that I can get there.

And thank you Dessen for the wonderful example of getting it done right.

This is my fifth Dessen read in two months and my favorite. This North Carolina author, professor, and mom blows me away. If you haven't read Dessen yet, add her to your list.

Now to figure out where in my day I'll be able to fit in my 1000 words . . .as one of my critique partners would say of my morning, "BAD ROBIN, BAD." Capitals included.