Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Dessert with LK Madigan; Powells attacks me with beautiful books, and a new journal cover is collaged

Yesterday afternoon I had the treat of meeting a local YA writer who I first met over the blogs: LK Madigan (cool name for an author, noh?), whose first novel, Flash Burnout, is coming out next fall. I love meeting bloggers in person, and I love talking to other writers, and best of all, I love meeting writer-bloggers in dessert restaurants for chai latte and plum tart! {In defense of my diet, I had a small bowl of '0 point vegetable soup' for dinner, and did a very sweaty hour of cardio late last night!} It was really fun talking to Lisa about our respective writing journeys, where we're at with our current books, and stuff like that. And when I got there, one of the first things I noticed was an ARC of this book, which I just preordered the other day, sitting on the table. I guess Lisa and Sarah are in a group of Debut 2009 authors together, and read each other's ARCs and write notes to each other in them. How fun!

[Reminder: Kidlit Blogger's Conference: Sept 27, just around the corner. If you haven't signed up yet, do now. Come, come. Jone and I worked out the schedule the other day and I think it's going to be awesome. Debates are in progress where next year's will be. Definitely East Coast, possibly D.C.]

On the way to our meeting at Sweet Masterpiece**, I had to walk by Powell's, and a powerful whirlwind (it may have been a djinn, come to think of it) swept me into the store where I found myself, to my utter bewilderment, buying a travel guidebook to Morocco, and a lovely and expensive bestiary called Fabulous Beasts and Demons. (I am a sucker for books about beasts and demons, especially fabulous ones. No, really. You should see my bookshelf.) Both these books are research for the new, weird thing, which shall henceforth be called NWT, or ooh, how about "Newt." It has nothing to do with newts (yet, anyway; you never know), but this will be our secret codeword.

So, the other night, I didn't feel like writing anymore, so I ambled upstairs to my sadly underused art space in the studio Jim and I share (and in which he is mostly alone these days, as I mutter in my writing room, downstairs), and I occupied myself with collaging the cover of my "Newt" notebook. You know about me and my Clairfontaine journals? Well, I'd been writing in this one for a whole week with its plain boring cover, and I was just about fed up with all the plainness and boringness. So, propped up by my most recent Powell's purchases:
(There was a title on it too, which is not Newt, but I sneakily obscured it, so nobody who is a faster writer than me can steal it.) Oh, and this collage came semi-pre-collaged. I cut out the lady face and body from an old collage zine called "Play," and I painted on her a little and put a butterfly on her head. I think she's real purdy.

**looking up the link to Sweet Masterpiece, I see one of the reviewers tried a dessert there that was a hazelnut dark chocolate fondue with a side of bacon that was so good it made them want to cry. It does sound good, too, doesn't it? In a super decadent way?

15 comments:

Carrie Harris said...

How gorgeous! And why are there no Laini's Ladies journals? Because I went to buy one for my lovely critique partner and was left wailing and beating my chest in overblown dismay. :)

Lisa Schroeder said...

Isn't Lisa wonderful? Sounds like you had a fabulous time!

I'm sending my registration in today for the conference, so I'll see you there. :)

S R Wood said...

I swear, one of the best things about starting a new story is all the research and book-buying that you get to justify! Also, I know I'm not the only one getting greedy to learn more about the NWT. It must be liberating and not a little unsettling to strike out in a new direction.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like so much fun! When I was wee-er than I am now (I am still wee-ish), I used to think I was a gnome, and had many books that documented how gnomes should act, and suchlike matters. Then I realised, I am not a gnome, I am an alien. Which would explain the lazer-beam eyes.

Laini, the entity that controls me says that you MUST GO TO PHILADELPHIA...... PHILADELPHIA......PHILADELPHIA.
you have no choice, or else the entity will explode the world in a mighty display of righteous wrath.

tone almhjell said...

I'm a little scared of Leximel :) I can't afford to go to Philadelphia, so I hope the magic is only directed at you, Lainilo (little Laini in shortsisterspeak).

But I would so love to hang out with you guys, since I don't really have any colleagues here that I know of. I feel a little marooned. How about Norway for the next conference? We have good coffee. And rain, so we can stay inside quite comfortably. What? It sounds like Seattle? Darn.

Q said...

Do keep writing. I'm having a hard enough time waiting to read Silksinger; I don't know how long I can wait for Newt. :)

Amber Lough said...

I met the D.C. Kidliterati on Sunday and we actually spoke about having the next conference in D.C., possibly. It would be so cool! (Of course, I'll probably live somewhere like Arizona at that time....grrr)

Those desserts are killing me. I am going to have to swing by the French pastry shop that magically flourishes in this disconnected town and get myself something. I've never gone beyond the cookies, and their cakes are the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Sarah MacLean said...

am so jealous of you getting to have plum tart with KMad! She's so great! And I'm super flattered that she was carrying my ARC around with her! That's le awesome!

xoxo

Shari Green said...

Hi there. Came via LK Madigan's blog, and I've enjoyed reading your posts. Just thought I'd say hello! :D

lkmadigan said...

That's what was missing! BACON!

Thanks for the fun date and the great presents. I am drifting in a cloud of your candle's delicate perfume.

Lisa

Anonymous said...

Wow, there's actually a beautiful Laini behind the beautiful Laini's Ladies! And we're neighbors! Thanks to LK Madigan for bringing you to my attention! I'll be peeking in on your blog from time to time, now. :)

Stephanie Perkins said...

The new journal is lovely! Cute butterfly head :)

And I LOVE DK's travel books. There's one -- bet you can guess which one -- sitting on my writing desk right now, with dozens and dozens of sticky notes inside!

(A collage zine?? Does it still exist?)

Janet Lee Carey said...

Hey, Laini

I have some of The same weird titles on my shelves! AND I just ordered, The Anatomy of Swearing by Ashley Montagu -- to spiff up on proper medieval cussing.
Wish I could go to the blogger conf. But I'll be in CA then -- maybe next year?
Last, I'm jealous of your journal covers. All mine are shamefully dull.

Janet

Enna Isilee said...

Ooh, butterflies! I love butterflies!

Amber said...

It is always fun to see your face.

:)