Writer Friends

Today I'm inspired by Barbara O'Connor's blog about Writer Friends.
And specifically her friend Kirby Larson.

Although I've never written a fan letter to Barbara (or to Kirby either, come to think about it), I count them both as friends. And let me tell you, as a writer you can't do much better than to have a friend who gets it. 

Because I'm still in Florida for a little while and because the Florida writing tribe is about to host their 

great big fabulous SCBWI conference in Orlando,
this is a shout-out to my Florida writing friends. 
 
(You may still have time to sign up. New writers, this is a great way to dip your toes into the water. Not to mention find a writer friend.)

When you move to a place and know no one, what's a writer to do? Of course, join SCBWI and get yourself into a critique group. I have Sue Laneve to thank for that. Way back when I was new in town, she invited me into a new group. Then into her own group.


 

 Here we are last summer at Books of Wonder where we met (for tea and crumpets and book talk and obviously decided to coordinate our outfits).

The writing buddy I've known the longest here in Florida, Janet McLaughlin, and I met in an online critique group. Although that didn't last long, our friendship did. 
Seven years later and we're still writing buddies. 

(Check out Janet's reviews on this new site. Raves from her kid reviewers.)

Here we are, a few Tampa Bay writers!

And our fearless leader, Rob Sanders, serving his lemon cookies when I visited his school.

 

 Are you new to Florida, have you lived here forever but just thinking of writing, or perhaps considering relocating, whatever. Find your tribe. 

Maybe at a regional conference. Perhaps at a different event.

 

 I met Donna Gephart at my first Miami SCBWI conference. Just walked into Books and Books and she came right up and said hello. And that she liked my book. The feeling was mutual.

Ditto with Danette.
She and I finally met this April, though we've been Facebook best friends a long time.
And I totally love Danette Haworth's books. So much.

I don't even know what to say about this picture. See, we're a wild and crazy bunch.
Well, Ed Masessa is anyhow...

 

Florida writers are pretty much fun people.

Some of us even wear yellow socks, in public...

Hanging with a bunch of famous people.

I love hanging out with kids' books authors.
Seriously. They are the best.
Today I got to meet some of my Facebook, email, Twitter friends IN PERSON!

Danette Haworth, for example. We meet on Facebook at all hours.
Little did she know, I'm a big fan of her books. I can prove it! Way back when, I followed her blog:
http://www.summerfriend.blogspot.com

I read her first book in 2008. I've read others. I love them.
See?
http://ascattergood.blogspot.com/2008/12/what-im-reading-now.html

Lisa Graff and I crossed actual paths in 2008 at the fabulous SCBWI Maryland event.  And I was delighted to actually meet Lynda Mulally Hunt today. The list goes on and on. I am honored to be hanging out with these fun, creative, smart folks.

If you happen to be hanging out near PALM BEACH FLORIDA tomorrow, please check out the APRIL IS FOR AUTHORS schedule and pop in to say hello to all of us.
http://www.aprilisforauthors.org

Here we are!

Quote for the Day

"This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon I put it back in again." --Oscar Wilde
(I seem to do a lot of this.)

If you want to read a few more writing quotes, and some fun things about books, click on over to Danette Haworth's blog. She's compiled a list of quotes that just might cheer you up if you're putting in commas and taking them out today.

What I'm Reading Now

1. Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning. Nice to read a first novel by a fellow Floridian, Danette Haworth. Violet's got a voice that's appealing and true. Great cover on this book, strong characters, and set in a sleepy little town in Florida.

2. What I Saw and How I Lied. I'm reviewing this one for the Christian Science Monitor, and my first reading didn't impress me that much. But, hey, the book won the National Book Award. I gave it a second read. And now a third as I write the review. I think this book grew on me and even the peachy-keen slang became an inseparable part of the appeal. Plus, I don't know a teen reader who will resist the cover.

3. Truth and Beauty. When I got the exciting news that I will be a part of Ann Hood's nonfiction workshop next month at Eckert College, I immediately went to the library and looked for the "suggested" reading list books. But I found Truth and Beauty on my own bookshelf. Ann Patchett is a favorite writer of mine. I think Bel Canto might be my top recent fiction book. The writing here is topnotch, but the subject matter is tough. I'll never be able to write like Patchett, but I'm hoping I'll learn a few tricks at the Writers in Paradise conference in January.

4. The Blues Route by Hugh Merrill. My so-far-pretty-vague-but-will-be-better-by-Wednesday (when it's due) topic for Writers in Paradise is The Blues and The Delta. I have a whole stack of books, and this is just one of the more helpful ones.

Now, back to work.