The Cover is Here!

I’ve known about the book for a while now, but when I received the cover it it really sunk in that I’m going to be published–in a book!

I may be biased, but this is the most beautiful book cover I have ever seen. I can’t wait to hold a copy in my hand, hope there are many more that feels the same way and that it will make a ton of money for the kids in India. It’s an honor to be part of this project with Rita and to be published among such fantastic writers.

Posted in Essays, Inspiration, Non Fiction Writing, Tales of Breaking Free... | Comments »

Marketing, marketing, marketing!

As if it’s not enough stress to carve out enough time in the day for writing, aspiring authors also have to research marketing opportunities and start to establish themselves in the webby-facebooky-myspacey-bloggosphere.

I know what you’re thinking; shouldn’t you have a book published before you start working on your marketing plan? And yes, I should, but it isn’t just the books you’re marketing, it’s also yourself, your image, your presence, etc. Look at how many authors are on Facebook and/or have webpages and/or blogs. Why does Malcolm Gladwell publish a bunch of essay in the New Yorker right before one of his books hit the shelves? Because he knows marketing, baby!

In nonfiction marketing discussions I forever hear the word “platform,” as in “what’s your platform?” I don’t know what my platform is, I just write, but sometimes I worry if maybe I should have a platform and then write from that. Am I waisting my time writing without a platform? Does that mean my book will never be published?

It’s enough stress to merit a visit to the doctor for a request of increased dosage in your anti-anxiety prescription. And then you come across something like today’s “Shouts & Murmurs” section in the New Yorker and realize that laughter is after all, the best medicine. I giggled for a long time after reading Ellis Weiner’s ”Subject: Our Marketing Plan.”

Enjoy!

Posted in Humor, Inspiration, Marketing | Comments »

Back to the Fiction!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my genre. Nonfiction moves me, thrills me, and inspires me. In short, it completes me. Okay, so maybe that was a little over the top, but you get the picture. I’m a big fan of nonfiction.

But, this quarter I’m hanging out in another fiction class and loving it. This form and theory class is looking at point of view and time. The reading list is awesome: To the Lighthouse, Cloud Atlas, A Mercy, As I Lay Dying, The Known World, Pedro Paramo, Runaway, and The Zero. Homegrown author and local hero Jess Walter will be in our last class to discuss his book. I can’t wait. (I just saw him at Auntie’s tonight, reading from his new book The Financial Lives of the Poets, which I bought but am not allowed to devour until all my course work is done.)

Meanwhile, I’m learning so much stuff. I mean, I’ve been reading fiction since I learned my letters, but this class is opening up my eyes to fiction elements I had no idea about. My fellow classmates are super smart and the discussion is enlightening, entertaining, and educational. I’m even looking forward to my struggle through Faulkner (who I’m not a big fan of) just to hear what their insight is.

This is going to be one fun, fun quarter!

Oh, and I’m also working with my thesis advisor on essay, after essay, after essay. I’m a little nervous about this, but more about that later.

-Åsa

Posted in Fiction vs. Non Fiction, MFA | Comments »

Yay! I made the final cut for a collection!

When I read Rita Golden Gelman’s Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World in 2005, I immediately wanted to know more about the fascinating author. Actually, what I really wanted to do right after reading the book was to sell all my stuff, pack a backpack and start living a nomadic life like hers. I had travelled around in South East Asia and Europe for most of 2002 and was very keen on adapting that lifestyle full time. After I calmed down a bit, I logged on to Rita’s website instead of listing all my possessions on Craigslist. What I found is that she’s a fantastic inspiration as well as a fabulous writer. I sent her a note through email and to my surprise she emailed me back with gracious advice about traveling and writing. On the website, I also saw a note about a collaborative travel essay/cookbook project and after some encouragement from my critique group, I sent in a submission. I wrote about my first American Thanksgiving and included the recipe for the chocolate cake I baked for the dinner.

Since then, Rita and Maria Altobelli (who writes about living in Mexico and maintains http://www.mexicoinsmallbytes.com/) selected which essays they liked best, tested all the recipes, found an agent for the project, who then found a publishing house. Today I found out that our editor for Random House’s Crown division picked my essay to be included in the book. The working title of the book is Break Free, Break Bread, Break Rules: Stories and Recipes from the World at Large and should be out next year. All the proceeds, including the advance, will be used for scholarships for vocational education for high school graduates living in the slums of New Delhi.

Today is a very, very happy day.

Posted in Agents & Editors, Authors I Admire, Essays, Firsts, Inspiration, Non Fiction Writing, Submissions & Queries | Comments »

Another Article Sold to Inland Northwest Homes and Living

Back in March, I queried the editor at INWH&L for a profile of a local writer. I just got an email from her saying she wants the article but didn’t have space until now. It will be in the August/September issue of the magazine.

The profile is of Jamie Leigh Hansen, an amazing writer and friend who writes paranormal romances that takes place in Spokane. I wrote a nine page profile of Jamie for a class last fall quarter. For this article, I had to decide what I really wanted to say about Jamie and then use only 800 words to do it. It was a very interesting exercise. (My writing teachers would tell you that it’s one I really need to learn.) The original essay touched on many aspects of the author. Her background, her family, her writing, etc. For the article I chose to focus mainly on Jamie as an author and incorporate a little bit about her background since it’s a local magazine and she lives in Spokane. It was super hard to be so concise and still paint a clear picture of my friend. I learned a lot about saying much with fewer words. (My husband would tell you he wishes I could learn how to do that verbally too.)

So, look for the magazine around the end of July. If you are a Journal of Business subscriber, then you’ll automatically get a copy. Otherwise, pick one up at any AAA office or other tourist information places around Spokane. Also, pick up copies of Betrayed and Cursed, the first two books of Jamie’s fabulous trilogy.

Posted in Article Writing, Authors I Admire, Non Fiction Writing, Profiles | Comments »