Lips Touch

Lips Touch. That is the new title for Goblin Fruit -- probably. I really like it. It's a book about kissing, after all, and "lips touch" sounds sexy, but still kind of abstract. And, it's true: in this book, lips do touch. It's also the 2nd line from the story "Spicy Little Curses Such As These," one of the book's three tales. So, that's the new title, unless it gets changed again!

(None of the lips are orangutan lips, by the way, though now I think of it, there is an orangutan reference in one story. Not a kissing orangutan, though. Something much worse!)

I am massively in revision mode now, and on TWO BOOKS.
Though there was oodles of time for these two books --Silksinger and Goblin Fruit Lips Touch -- to get spaced out at decent intervals, I kind of knew I would end up getting my editorial letters for both at the same time (that's Lips Touch on top, Silksinger on the bottom -- word of advice: write short books. They're so neat and tidy!). But it's okay: one is a very light edit, which is wonderful, because the other is a very not-light edit! I fully expected that, though, and fully embrace it, and feel so grateful to have someone (several someones) to read my manuscripts so closely, with so much care to helping me make a book the best it can be. I do not say this to suck up. I'm pretty sure neither of my editors reads this blog, and I think they both know how much I love the revision process -- really, really, and truly.

Right now, with the task of carving 20,000 words off Silksinger (!!!), I am full of excitement about diving back in and making the book much better than it is now. Yippeeeee! Let me at it! Wooo hooooooo! {I'm seriously not joking. Give me revisions over a first draft. First drafts are the terrifying part! I did hear a good quote at the conference, though: "Every first draft is perfect, because all a first draft has to do is exist." -- Jane Smiley} Well, these first drafts exist and will soon become second drafts. All the fun and excitement of travel and conferences are now in the past, and I will be spending much, much time in my writing room for the next several months!

By the way, Iron Man rocks. Here I am with Liesa, James, and Iron Man at dinner before going to see the movie on opening night.
There was a little boy at the next table who was seriously coveting our toy. We play-blasted him with the blasty thingy. Here is Jim pretending Iron Man is a cell phone. Don't even try to tell me you don't do that too.