Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

On Avon Romance Blog Today

Hey everyone, I’m on the Avon Romance blog today!

Since I’ve been on “vacation” the last week, I’ve fallen back into my addiction to historical romances. Those crack dealers at Smart Bitches Love Trashy Books introduced me to Loretta Chase and today a 30% Borders Rewards coupon arrived in my email. (Sigh) Last night, I finished Lisa Kleypas’ Mine Till Midnight. Thank God the next book in her new Hathaway series won’t be out till 2008 or 2009, or else I’d never get anything accomplished.

Now I’m reading Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. It’s very literary so that means I’ll get bored while reading and my subconscious will start working on my new book. (I always did my best thinking while half-listening to some of my college professors or my bosses at meetings.) Some may call it disassociation; I call it my creative process.

And now I’m going off-line to dip biscotti in chocolate and pack up my holiday goodies!

Love,
Mary

Posted on

Blockbuster with a Heart


Last night, Ryan and I went out to see I Am Legend. I expected to be bored out of my gourd as movies, lately, just haven’t been doing it for me. But this movie took me by surprise and I wonder if it was because Oscar-winning screenwriter, Akiva Goldsman was one of the producers as well as one of the writers.

Anyway, there is a scene that really struck home for me as to what we writers do. Robert Neville, played by Will Smith, routinely goes into a video store to pick movies that keep him company during the long nights he’s barricaded in his home. Inside the store, he has arranged mannequins to talk to because his only companion is Sam, the German Shepherd. Later in the story – and I’m trying really hard not to give anything away! – Robert returns and begs one of the mannequins to say hello to him.

By the way, if you don’t think much of Will Smith’s acting, you might change your mind after this scene.

I Am Legend is about our need to connect with each other. As the last guy alive in Manhattan, movies give Robert that necessary connection to other human beings. Have you ever thought it odd that when we’re among each other in the mall, or in our cars driving through the streets, that we humans get so impatient with each other? We flip off the dude who cuts us off, or quicken our pace so we get to the check-out line before the other lady does. (And don’t get me started on what we do to our family and friends!)

But when we watch movies or read books, we connect to the make-believe people who inhabit those stories. We cry when they’re hurt, or laugh at their follies. We cheer when they deliver justice, and sigh when they find The One they’re meant to be with. Sometimes I wonder if it is story that keep us civilized. Without us writers, what would this world be like? Thoughts?

Posted on

Top Latino Books of 2007

On Friday, the Top Latino Books of 2007 appeared in the New York Daily News. Chica power!

In other news, I’ve not written one word since La Familia Orihuela. I should just accept that the holidays are here and there are gifts to wrap, cookies to be baked and people to see. However, it’s the perfect time to do very important research. I get the best stuff for dialogue, conflict and characters at holiday parties. If I were you, keep your meshugas at home because there might be a writer lurking in the corner!

Posted on

Between the Pages With Frederick Smith

I remember the first time I saw Frederick Smith. We were in Miami for the Chica Lit Fiesta sponsored by Alisa Valdes Rodriguez and Fred walked into the room with Patrick Sanchez and Erasmo Guerra. In a conference of women, they were the three lone rangers but having read their books, they are some of the most talented writers I’ve ever met.

Two weeks ago, when Fred sent me a copy of his book, The Right Side of the Wrong Bed, I made a terrible mistake. It was the last stretch of NaNoMo and I cracked open the first page and in that moment, I was hooked by the story of Kenny Kane, a successful thirty-something who has been betrayed by the love of his life and has to start all over again. He meets Jeremy, a gorgeous, charismatic twenty-one year old who attracts him like a bee to honey. And that honey traps Kenny into a relationship that threatens his professional life as well as his heart.

By the way, it wasn’t a terrible mistake (it just sounded more dramatic) and I finished NaNoMo at 30,000 words!

Anyway, Fred took the time to talk with me about his new book.

Chica Lit: What inspired the story of Kenny and Jeremy?

Fred: I started writing this novel on the day I got dumped by someone I was dating. He said he was no longer interested in me and had started dating someone I thought was a friend of his, but was actually more than just a friend. My intuition had told me one thing about their “friendship” while we were dating, I’d chosen to not to follow it, and I wondered how I’d been so stupid. Instead of continuing to put myself down, I decided to channel that energy into writing. And while this story isn’t a play-by-play of our relationship, the real life breakup inspired the creation of Kenny, Jeremy, and all the fun and not-so-fun situations the characters face in the novel.

Chica Lit: The thing I took away from The Right Side of the Wrong Bed was the issue of integrity. Kenny has been a victim of a dishonest partner and he has so many reasons not to trust Jeremy.

Fred: Integrity and intuition are two areas I think are important to relationships. Sometimes, though, we’re blind to or choose to ignore signs that tell us that the person we’re with may not be the right one for us. We do it for a number of reasons. For the character Kenny, he doesn’t want to appear to have failed at yet another relationship. He also fears to some extent that at age 33 he might not have another shot at meeting someone as young, exciting and attractive as Jeremy, even though in his heart he knows they shouldn’t be together… and even though deep inside he knows he can find someone else who’s more compatible. Those same factors might influence us in real life to ignore issues of integrity because we’re acting out of fear rather than out of genuine love of self.

Chica Lit: Looking back on your two books, what is a common theme and why?

Fred: I tend to write characters who are culturally-empowered, meaning they’re not ashamed of their ethnic or class backgrounds, and aren’t looking for validation from majority culture per se. This is important to me, because sometimes young people of color who decide to come out but don’t get affirmed immediately by their families/communities, may search for acceptance from people and communities that don’t necessarily have their interests at heart. They feel they have to choose sexual orientation over ethnicity. But these characters navigate all their labels and communities well and have a strong sense of identity.

Chica Lit: What was your process in writing this book? How long did it take to complete?

Fred: This book came so quickly to me. Partly because I had so much energy from the break up, and also because I absolutely loved all the characters created in the book. They were fun to write, so full of life, and really leaped off the page for me in the creative process. I generally get up around 4:30 or 5 in the morning and write for a couple hours before going to my day job. I finished the first draft of RIGHT SIDE in about three and a half months, and my agent and editor thought it was in pretty good shape, though I did do some extensive revision work. I wish I could go through a break up every year and maybe it would help my writing productivity, lol.

Chica Lit: Which authors and books have inspired you?

Fred: I was inspired when Terry McMillan and E. Lynn Harris came along on the fiction scene. When I discovered their work, while in my late high school and early college years, in the early 1990s, I knew that one day I could write a novel that might one day be published. They opened so many doors in publishing, and I always have credited them for giving me hope that I could realize my dreams in fiction writing. Other authors I admire for their works or their career paths are J. California Cooper, Eric Jerome Dickey, Alisa Valdes Rodriguez, Lorrie Moore, and Tayari Jones.

Chica Lit: What are you reading now? What was the best book you read in 2007?

Fred: Right now I’m reading two books: Them by Nathan McCall and Boston Boys Club by Johnny Diaz. The best books I read in 2007 weren’t written in 2007: Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller and Chasing Destiny by Eric Jerome Dickey.

Get to know Fred or order your copy of Frederick Smith’s The Right Side of the Wrong Bed at:

Posted on

Tu Ciudad’s Book Blog & Why I’m a Big Idiot

Check out how Tu Ciudad’s new book blog treated my girl, Margo Candela and her new book, Life Over Easy.

To read the blog click here.

And in other news, I am officially a big idiot. Yesterday at the Gypsy Den, I wrote 15 pages on my AlphaSmart. But when I went to transfer the file onto my PC, I deleted the file. Fifteen pages, people. FIFTEEN! Gone. Forever.

So I had to rewrite them. I have to say, they’re better. But I’m still pissed.

Okay, not really. I have no hope of meeting the NaNoMo goal of 50K words unless I write 150 pages by midnight on Friday. Not gonna happen because I’m reading The Right Side of the Wrong Bed by Frederick Smith and nothing is tearing me away from that book! (Darn you Fred for writing such a juicy story!)

You’ll meet Fred on the blog soon.

The Little Dude calls!

Night night,

Mary

Posted on

Mary’s Favorite Things

If you have a writer in the family or among friends, I’ve got some great ideas! Pens are great but more than likely a writer has her favorites in bulk. Journals are cool, too, but a writer has very strong preferences as to the size, paper type, etc. Yes, we’re a picky lot, which is why I started this list that ranges from $12 to $40. Stay tuned for more ideas because if you’re like me, you’ll be shopping at the last minute!

Whether you write by hand or keyboard, a writer’s most precious tools are her hands. Ulta’s Rescue Hand Cream smells like lemons (you know, to invigorate the senses) and it melts into your skin so you don’t get that sticky, icky feeling. A little goes a long way! The Warming Hand Mask is great if you have achy fingers and wrists. Slather it on and you’re treated to a gentle warming sensation (ahh!). Rinse off and you’ll swear that Madge herself worked on your hands! And if you buy it now, Ulta is having a 20% off sale!

When I need some inspiration or words of wisdom, I crack open my trusty copy of Pen On Fire. Each essay is maybe two or three pages, tops, but the content will illuminate the mind and refresh the heart.


I’ve had The Observation Deck for almost 8 years and it always helps me out of a jam. Basically you grab the deck, shuffle the cards and pull one at random (kind of like tarot cards for writers). A handy guide contains writing exercises and stories about legendary writers.


Stick this warming scarf from Bed Bath and Beyond into the microwave and viola, the chills are gone! I have a neck warmer that I would take to work when I was a reporter. We worked in a building from the 1920’s and when a brisk wind swept off the ocean, it funneled through the swiss cheese walls, turning my desk area into a mini-fridge. Even if your friend doesn’t work in such primitive conditions, this is a great treat because it also helps alleviate neck and shoulder aches, the malaise of all desk-dwellers.

When I’m in deep writing mode, I have a tough time leaving my book at my desk. But a girl (or guy) needs to relax every now and then. The Umbra Aquala Tub Caddy allows you to read through your manuscript or a book without wetting the pages. There’s a handy slot for your wine glass and a place for your tea or coffee cup. What more could you want?

Posted on

Bethany Hiitola Guest Blogs

A frequent reader and fellow blogger at Mommy Writer, Bethany Hiitola has guest blogged at my other blog, My Best Friend’s Baby. She tells it like it is in her essay, Motherhood is a Bitch. But it’s not all bad; she shares how her friends were her lifelines during and after her first pregnancy.

More than likely this will be my last post for the week. I’m hosting Thanksgiving so there are floors to clean, china to wash, pies to bake and much eating to take place. I hope that all of you are surrounded by the ones you love, even if they’re with you in spirit.

Much love and thank you for all your support!

Besitos,
Mary

Posted on

Friday Night at Cantera

Alas, I have no photos to share. I thought the camera was in my bag but it was on my desk!

We raised a lot of money for YWCA’s Wise Place and I think there are plans to do it again so I’ll keep you posted.

One of the coolest things happened to me. A woman came upstairs where I was hanging out and I noticed her look at my table and then walk away to talk to her friends. She did this a couple of times and even though I smiled, she kept wandering away. So finally, she walks up to me with her friends on either side and says with her voice shaking, “I have all your books. I’m a big fan.”

Dude, I almost cried. (But I didn’t!) I just stood up, shook her hand and said thank you because honestly, I had no idea what to say. (By the way, what should one say in this situation? I always imagine it should be something elegant and inspiring but I was floored.) Many moons ago, I did the same thing to James Elroy. I wanted to go up to him and yet, I was so intimidated that I couldn’t. Finally he picked up a book, signed it and handed it to a guy to give to me.

So it was very cool to meet a fan of my own! (Fan? I have fans?!?! I still can’t get over it.)

Anyway, I’ve been up since 3 a.m. today because someone who shall not be named decided he wanted milk and chips. One day when he’s seventeen and sleeping in till 1 p.m., I will be merciless in my vengeance!

But I’m still in NaNoMo mode so I have pages to write. I think I cracked the first 100 pages of the new book. This weekend I stopped keeping track because it was driving me nuts, so I’ll update my stats tonight.

I wasn’t going to do this but I can’t stop myself…

This is the house that is inspiring my new book! I grew up not far from this street and I always asked my parents to drive me by the Victorians (there’s a huge mansion across the street from this one) because there was something about them that got to me.

Finally, after twenty odd years, I’m writing a story set in this house. I’m so giddy that I’m annoying myself! So I’ll go now.

Posted on

The Woman Who Became Jane Austen

A few months ago, I read a book that made me cry. In public. While I enjoy many of the books I read, many are passing fancies. As a I writer I’ve learned a trick or two and I can see plot twists and character revelations a mile away. But The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James swept me up and made me forget all about writing. After crying on a flight to Phoenix while reading the book, I emailed Syrie with the hope that she’d agree to a Q&A for the blog. She did and I hope after reading this interview that you’ll enter to win a copy of this amazing book!

Chica Lit: When did you come up with the idea for The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen? Has this story been an idea in your head for a long time?

Syrie: The germ of the idea first occurred to me seven years ago, right after watching (for the umpteenth time) the Emma Thompson/Ang Lee movie, Sense and Sensibility and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth—followed by Shakespeare in Love. I’d read and loved all of Jane Austen’s novels, some many times over, and I remember thinking: what about a love story for Jane Austen? Why hasn’t anyone done that? The idea evolved from there. I started reading every Jane Austen biography I could find. I poured over all of her existing letters. I was disappointed to discover that—according to historians—this brilliant woman, who gave the world such wonderful and romantic stories, never fell in love herself. I simply couldn’t accept that. Wasn’t it possible, I thought, that Jane Austen had a love affair that no one ever knew about?

I was also intrigued by the idea of Jane Austen’s genesis as a writer. According to her sister Cassandra, Austen wrote early drafts of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice in her twenties; how much, I wondered, did those manuscripts change when she revised them years later for publication? What part did real life events play in the development of her stories? When I decided to write this as a novel, I knew the story (since it was a secret romance) had to be told from Jane’s point of view—in her own words—so it became Jane’s journal, recently discovered—The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. I spent an enormous amount of time researching and developing my story before I felt ready to write it.

Chica Lit: Were you intimidated to become the voice of Jane Austen? What did you do – using an actor’s term – to get into character?

Syrie: I was definitely intimidated at first! I knew that, in order for this novel to be perceived as Jane Austen’s memoirs, I had to not only sound like her, but to create a story that was Jane Austen through and through, peopled with her unique roster of characters, and filled with her wit and sense of irony. To “get into character,” I read dozens of Jane Austen biographies, so that I’d know her life story inside out. I researched her era extensively. I watched all her movies. I even took English Regency Country Dance lessons! To “become her voice” (and the voices of her characters), I studied her letters in minute detail, reread her novels, all her juvenilia, and all her unfinished works, over and over and over again. When I finally started writing, her voice seemed to come naturally to me.

Chica Lit: I cried when Jane sees her dream of becoming a writer come true. Were you moved to tears and laughter as you wrote the story?

Syrie: Having suffered myself through all the usual rejections that come with the writing profession, it wasn’t such a huge leap to get inside Jane Austen’s head, and to imagine how she must have felt when her lifelong dream at last came true. I often find myself speaking my characters’ dialog aloud as I write; there were many times when I couldn’t help laughing or crying. Even now, every time I reread the book, my eyes well up with tears when I get to the end.

Chica Lit: Tell me about your career as a writer. You’re a working screenwriter. Has your work been produced?

Syrie: My very first screenplay was quickly optioned, and I was hired to write several episodes for a lovely, heart-warming TV series called “Starman.” After that, my screenwriting career took off; I sold nineteen scripts (movies and one-hour dramas) in a variety of genres to Tri-Star Pictures, Fox Family Films, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX TV. Hollywood typically develops a huge number of scripts that are shelved or put into turnaround. My experience was no exception, but I had a great time writing them, worked with some fascinating people, and five of mine actually got produced; my favorite (in addition to the “Starman” episodes, which have developed a cult following) is the movie “Once in a Lifetime” starring Lindsay Wagner and Barry Bostwick, which first ran on NBC, and now airs annually on the Lifetime Network. (My husband and I even have a cameo in the film.) My favorite script that didn’t get made was a Dolly Parton movie musical entitled “Heavens to Betsy.” I had such a fantastic time working with Dolly on that project!

Chica Lit: How did you select the supporting cast for The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen? Jane Austen-philes will recognize shades of her most famous/infamous characters in your story.

Syrie: Since most writers tend to write about what they know, I looked for ways to project traits and characteristics from the “infamous” characters in Austen’s fiction, onto the people in her real life, as well as the characters I created. For example: based on repeated references in Jane Austen’s letters, her mother was a hypochondriac; Jane created several whiney hypochondriacs in her novels, which gave me a great model to follow. I knew I had to have an odious clergyman, a well-meaning but interfering matron, and a flighty, insipid, self-involved young woman; the fun was deciding when and how to use them.

Chica Lit: What’s next?

Syrie: I’m busy maintaining my website at http://www.syriejames.com/ … and I’m researching and writing my next book for Avon: a love story for Charlotte Brontë (another one of my favorite writers.) As you can imagine, I’m having a fantastic time “being” Charlotte!

ATTENTION BLOGGERS: If you would like to review The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen on your blog, email Syrie, mention the name of your blog, and she’ll draw the name of the winner! ***Mary goofed and should’ve told you that the deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007!

Posted on

“Just when I thought that I was out …

…they pull me back in.”

Which Godfather movie did that line come from? I don’t have a prize. You’ll just look really smart in the comments section.

But the spirit of its sentiment applies to me now as I’ve put the NaNoMo book aside to polish up the mariachi story. My agent read it, loved it, had a few comment here and there and you think that would be good enough for me. But oh no. As a neurotic writer, I had to go back and make sure that its perfect or as close to perfect as it can get.

So if I’m a good girl and quickly wrap up this post, I’ll be back to the NaNoMo book on Thursday.

Cheers,
Mary