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So now Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa ((At least I can spell "Iowa" without having to look it up!)) have legalised same-sex marriage. Hurrah for all three states!
Which state will be next? I hear that Vermont's governor is all set to veto the pro-love bill there. Which is weird, I honestly though Vermont would be one of the first states to give the green light to same sex marriage. Because I live there half the year, I'm hoping New York will be next, but the forces arrayed against love in my US home state are pretty strong.
Any of you got any bets on which state will be next?
I wonder too how long it will take before same-sex marriage is legal throughout ...
Posted by Justine at 9:25, April 4th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 11:00, April 3rd, 2009 under Liar, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia, Titles & names |
Posted by Justine at 0:05, March 30th, 2009 under Bloggery, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Publishing business, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 17:19, March 28th, 2009 under New York City/USA, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 10:41, March 28th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery, New York City/USA, Research |
I am now the proud owner of a 1931 edition of Etiquette: The Blue Book of Social Usage by Emily Post. Up till now I'd been making use of the
Project Gutenberg edition. And while I adore digitised books---they certainly make research much much easier---you still can't go past an actual held-in-your-hands book from the period you're writing about.
I have been flipping through it all day, checking out the illustrations, enjoying the jacket copy and ads for other books. (None of that matter is included in the Project Gutenberg edition). It feels like a direct link back to the people of that era. I can imagine them holding it just the way I'm holding it. And I'm pretty ...
Posted by Justine at 0:41, March 26th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
We've worked our way through the first season of Mad Men and I didn't enjoy it. I can see that it's well written and acted. The costumes and sets are remarkable. It has a very shiny kind of verisimilitude. I can see why it wins awards. But it leaves me cold.
Actually, worse than that---it make me uncomfortable and unhappy. I watch with pursed lips and my arms crossed tight.
I don't feel like they're exploring the sexism and racism of the period I feel that they're skirting a line towards reproducing it. Why are there no black characters? The black cleaner or lift operator could easily have been major characters. Instead they're rarely seen and less often heard. There are many ...
Posted by Justine at 0:50, March 23rd, 2009 under New York City/USA, Ranting, Viewing |
Posted by Justine at 0:26, March 22nd, 2009 under New York City/USA, Writing life, Writing process |
I wonder why it is that women in sports get so little attention. Unless they're tennis or golf players and pretty. Or winning gold medals during the Olympics.
I've been following the
women's world cup online, but apparently I don't have much company online or offline where
very few folks have been going to their games. I don't get it. The NZ v Pakistan game sounds like it was amazing. Wish I'd been home to see it. ((Here's hoping the Kiwis can crush the Poms in the final. Guess, I'll find out when I wake up.)) Games were $5 each or $35 for a pass to see all of them. Standards were high yet attendance was crap.
And then there's ...
Posted by Justine at 0:44, March 21st, 2009 under Basketball, Cricket, New York City/USA, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Our NYC Teen Author Festival event last night at the Mulberry Street Branch of the
NYPL was unbelievable. Over a hundred people showed up. Standing room only. And many of them were actual teenagers---YAY!---who asked incredibly good questions including one we'd none of us ever heard before. But more on that that below.
The event was to celebrate everything that Joe Monti has done for YA literature in the US of A. Joe used to be the YA buyer for Barnes & Noble. In that role he went out of his way to champion a whole host of fabulous books that otherwise might otherwise have disappeared. He was a supporter of Scott and mine and played a huge part in ...
Posted by Justine at 12:08, March 19th, 2009 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Praising, Young Adult literature |
To duck out of work and come see me and Alaya and Cassie and David and Diana and Holly and Scott make total fools of ourselves sharing our earliest attempts at writing, while Libba laughs her head off.
For extra incentive: in Sydney I unearthed a piece I wrote while in the thrall of Raymond Chandler at the age of 13 or 14. It involves a scary Erroll Flynn and has to be heard to be believed.
Details of this extraordinary event:
Juvenilia Smackdown
Monday, 16 March---otherwise known as TODAY---4-6pm, Tompkins Square Park branch of the NYPL, 331 E. 10th Street
Join
Holly Black, Cassandra Clare,
Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justine Larbalestier,
David Levithan,
Diana Peterfreund,
Scott Westerfeld as ...
Posted by Justine at 11:59, March 16th, 2009 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 15:39, March 14th, 2009 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 3:26, March 3rd, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research |
It's pretty bad, isn't it, that one of my favourite aspects of my 1930s NYC/USA research is the hilarious names I keep coming across.
Exhibit A:
Rexford Tugwell.
Readers, I admit that I laughed for about half an hour. And then I made the mistake of telling Scott about Monsieur Tugwell. More laughter.
For the record, Mr Tugwell was a dead interesting bloke. A member of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Brain Trust and thus a key contributor to the New Deal.
And yet, REXFORD TUGWELL!!!!
Posted by Justine at 8:27, March 2nd, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research, Titles & names |
Posted by Justine at 7:27, February 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Listening, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:05, February 13th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Writing life, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 0:16, February 11th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Reading, Writing life, Writing process |
While I was eating my breakfast of mango, passionfruit, banana, sheep milk's yoghurt and granola and looking out at the view of the city, a flock of rainbow lorikeets went screaming past, their red, green and blue feathers illuminated by the sun and I thought about my dear, dear friends---especially poor Maureen Johnson, little Libba Bray, and wee Robin Wasserman---back in New York City, who, judging by their frequent sad missives to me and Scott, are cold right now. Cold and miserable and they've completely forgotten what the sun looks like.
I decided that it is my duty here in sunny gorgeous Sydney to cheer them up. First, I thought of describing a day in the life of Justine in Sydney ...
Posted by Justine at 0:02, February 4th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
I have an older character, who lives in upstate NY and has pretty much her whole life, who refers to jeans as "dungarees". I had her use that word after consulting with friends from upstate who remembered people of their grandparents' generation and older using that word. I have been challenged on this by someone who thought the word was Australian. Absolutely not. ((I suspect I'm going to cop that a lot with the Liar book---people assuming I've gotten things wrong---like having New Yorkers saying they're waiting "on line"---when, in fact, I've gotten it right, but they just don't happen to know some of the local New Yorker dialect. Many USians assume that all USians talk the same. So not ...
Posted by Justine at 1:16, February 2nd, 2009 under Liar, New York City/USA, Words & Language |
Posted by Justine at 16:19, January 26th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Praising, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 23:12, January 20th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World, Viewing |
I've had a couple of questions that are about publishing, not writing. I have disqualifed such questions from this month's advice though I might run a publishing questions month later in the year. ((Though I am far less qualified to answer publishing questions.)) But since I've already gotten two such questions I'm grandfathering them in.
But I will answer NO OTHER publishing questions! From now on: questions about the process of writing only. Thanks!
beth says:
I’d be interested in looking at the differences in submissions from when you were first starting to now. Could you share your query letters? Could you show us a real-life synopsis that you used when publishing one of your books? As someone with a complete ...
Posted by Justine at 0:05, January 7th, 2009 under Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Publishing business |
Yup, it's my annual what-I-did-this-year skiting post. I write these mostly for myself so I can easily keep track. Hence the
last day of the year category. Thus you are absolutely free to skip it. ((I would if I were you.))
This year was exceptional. I'm still pinching myself. My first Bloomsbury USA book, How To Ditch Your Fairy, was published and seems to be doing well. I was sent on my first book tour, which was fabulous. It's insane how much fun I had and how many fabulous schools, book shops and libraries I visited in California, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Thank you to everyone who came to see me while I was on the ...
Posted by Justine at 0:20, December 31st, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Book tour, First Kiss, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Last Day of the Year, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 0:02, December 24th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Praising, Research |
Posted by Justine at 20:46, December 19th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 14:35, December 6th, 2008 under Admin, Bloggery, Excuses, Food, Frippery, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Well,
yesterday was
crazy. People I know lost their jobs or are now in danger of doing so. Some author friends lost their imprints. It's all scary stuff. But publishing is not the only industry in convulsions. We're in a recession. It's bad all over.
To answer those asking if I still stand by
Tuesday's comments. I do. Things are bad, but they're less bad for children's than for adults'. Publishing is going to change a lot over the next decade.
But here's my main source of comfort: People are always going to want stories.
My sympathies to everyone who had a really bad day yesterday.
Posted by Justine at 11:26, December 4th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Publishing business, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, November 27th, 2008 under Bloggery, Fans & readers, New York City/USA, Praising |
I have decided that I will do all future signings my way and ignore Scott's advice entirely. The only people who can tell me to hurry up when signing is whoever is running it. So there, Scott!
I hasten to add that crazy long signings are not a regular occurrence for me. They pretty much only happen at places like
NCTE or
TLA or on school visits. If I had lines like Scott gets routinely I would probably study how he gets through a line speedily while also managing to chat to those he's signing for. He is a master. He does in fifteen seconds what takes me a minute. ((This could be because he's a USian and I'm ...
Posted by Justine at 17:28, November 26th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 13:20, November 21st, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, New York City/USA, Scott's books, Writing process, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 16:05, November 20th, 2008 under Book tour, Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Publishing business, Scott's books |
So we made it in one piece to sunny, warm Texas. Wow. The weather is so much better here than it was in NYC. Yay that we're here and not there.
You can catch me and Scott at BookPeople tonight and then you can see me do my thing in San Antonio tomorrow night:
Wednesday, 19 November 2008, 7:30PM
With Scott Westerfeld
BookPeople
603 N. Lamar
Austin, Texas
Thursday, 20 November 2008, 7:00PM
Barnes & Noble
Northwoods Shopping Center
18030 Highway 281 North
San Antonio, Texas
Hope to see some of you there!
Posted by Justine at 12:42, November 19th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 16:33, November 15th, 2008 under Frippery, New York City/USA, Praising |
Posted by Justine at 9:40, November 14th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Reading, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, What's your fairy? |
Does it really need to come on at 4AM and not let up until 9AM?
Why does it have to sound like banshees being tortured by trolls? What's with the even LOUDER clanging? That's almost, but not quite, like the bell that tolls for thee? Or me in this case.
Am I ever going to get a good night's sleep again?
Stupid NYC with it's stupid steam heating. I don't ever remember it being this loud before. Is it because I have a book due on Friday?!
I'm so TIRED! Waaaaaahhhhh!!
I wish I had a horrible-noise dampening fairy.
/whinge
Yes, I am aware that steam heating is super energy efficient and good for the planet. So, no, I don't really hate it. But if ...
Posted by Justine at 8:21, November 12th, 2008 under New York City/USA, What's your fairy?, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, November 11th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Unicorns, Young Adult literature, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 14:53, November 8th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, November 7th, 2008 under New York City/USA, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 2:29, November 5th, 2008 under New York City/USA, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 1:00, November 4th, 2008 under Excuses, Liar, New York City/USA, State of the World, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 1:00, November 3rd, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World |
Over at Daily Kos, Meteor Blades (via Scott) has an
article on accents in which he points out that, yes, everyone has one and quotes Geoffrey Nunberg
being smart on the same topic:
If authenticity is a matter of heeding your true inner voice, then it probably isn't surprising that people listen for signs of it in the way you speak. And our idea of an authentic accent reflects our idea of the authentic self. It's the natural speech you sucked up from the surroundings you grew up in, unfiltered and uncorrected. It's how you're supposed to sound when you're talking to yourself.
It's also a delusion. Or at least if your speech is like yourself, it's because both are ...
Posted by Justine at 11:46, November 1st, 2008 under Bloggery, Listening, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
This made my day:
Get it? E. Kristin Anderson, who works at the fabulous
Book People in Austin, is a
parking fairy. Just like the one Charlie has in How To Ditch Your Fairy. Only, you know, not invisible. Isn't that superb?
Coincidently, me and Scott will be hanging out at
Book People on
19 November at 7:30PM. Can't wait!
Happy Halloween!
Posted by Justine at 20:41, October 31st, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 7:50, October 31st, 2008 under Liar, New York City/USA, State of the World, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 25th, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Research, Science, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 24th, 2008 under Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling, Vainglory, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 6:07, October 23rd, 2008 under Fashion, New York City/USA, State of the World |
One of the biggest culture shocks for me as an Australian living (some of the time) in the USA is
voting. Every election year I've been here there have been
voter intimidation and
fraud scandals. Maybe I missed it, but that does not happen at home. Not every single election.
Seems to me that the aim in the US is to make voting as difficult as possible. Why? I don't get it. I've had friends disallowed to vote because the official said they had the wrong ID. It didn't exactly match the name on the voter rolls. As in, their driver's license had their middle name spelled out in full, "Rachel", but the voter roll had just ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 22nd, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, Ranting, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 1:00, October 19th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 16th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Publishing business, Ranting, Reading, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
