martinimade

more me

After drive, during which I wondered if my GPS was luring me into some secluded woodland to have its way with me, and an couple of trains, I have made it to the big city, the one named after the apple. Or something like that. 

From here, I can see the World Trade Center site, which is full of construction vehicles, which makes me both profoundly sad and still hopeful. 

Tomorrow will be filled with a meeting or two, then general farting around until 6ish. So, my question - should I go to Century 21? Why?

Two other things - 

Apparently I'm being taken to task by a knitter for bringing up old business that Alice wouldn't want out there. Ah, well.

Also - an interview of me by the Stitch Bitch herself.

I had entertained plans of getting here then going out to do something. But, as I seem to be having a problem with verticality, I think I'll just call it a night.

ETA: Crazy Aunt Purl did a giveaway of Sweater Quest and I missed it! Drat! I love the comments.

many things make a post

I have once again overestimated how much time I have today. You'd think I'd learn and yet - nope.

So, quickly, I'll be at Om Yoga Tomorrow (Thursday) evening at 6:30 p.m. to do a knitting/yoga reading/stretch. It's free. More info is here. I'd love to see you, if you can come. 

Another post tonight, with any luck, from the apple of much bigness.

Many things before I drive to the train:

* I, too, live with a Tiny Art Director.

* Birth, Death and Yarn.

* Microwaveable sushi.

* If I bought this yarn, I'm not sure I could resist the temptation to eat it. 

* Speaking of edible things: Customize your own Chocolate.

* This is the sort of marked-up manuscript that makes a writer want to soil herself.

* John Caspian's How to Write Like People Better than Me gets it all right. 

* This will be the plot of M. Night Shymalan's next movie.

* Mo Rocca learns to knit.

* It's too bad that news outlets can't afford more photojournalism like this.

* More great WPA-style art.

over hill and, in fact, dale

Before the details leave my head, a few thoughts about my trip to New Hampshire.

First, the knitters were out in force, which was awesome. Look at all of those handknits! 

 

Gibson's Bookstore events co-ordinator Deb Baker is more on the ball than I am. This is the picture she took.

Thanks so much for coming out on a blustery Saturday. Your support of my book means more to me than I can express.

I scrawled my name on quite a few books, then had to buy a bunch of other titles from Gibson's to take home with me. Like this one:

 

I am an unrepentant Joe Hill fan. When I learned he'd be signing Horns at Gibson's a few weeks before I got there, I asked to have a copy signed for me. *sigh*

I also might have had a bit of a falling down at the Elegant Ewe, the yarn shop just up the street from the book shop. They just happened to be having a big sale.

 

The colors look much better together in person than they do in the picture. I'm thinking some kind of two color mittens. Any suggestions?

Speaking of neat things in Concord - I got to meet Kythryne Aisling, who makes beautiful wirework jewelry. I just happen to own one of her pendants, which I had in my bag the entire trip but failed to put on at any point because I have no brain.

 Two more thoughts - 

If you should ever find yourself driving RTs 7 and 9 through lower Vermont and New Hampshire, stop at the Chelsea Royal Diner in Brattleboro.  Thank me later. 

Also, at this time of year, you will see all of the Moose Crossing signs but no actual moose. You will see a lot of deer, which is nice. But spotting a moose or two would be even nicer. 

One more bit of self pimping -

Tonight I'll be showing off the sweater and reading from the book at the Green Toad in lovely Oneonta at 7pm. Please come, if you can. 

And if you do make it, please remind me to take my camera out of my bag and take a dang picture already.

how to knit a blog post

Soon I'll post a wrap-up of the fabulous Sweater Quest event in Concord, NH. Since I suffer from camnesia, it will be mostly image free. I swear that I need someone to shout at me me that I should be taking pictures. My brain. I worry about it. 

Anyhoo.

But first, a moment to celebrate another knitting writer...

I am not a big reader of romance. My genre drug of choice involves rocket ships and aliens rather than kisses and cowboys. And yet I couldn't put Rachael Herron's How to Knit a Love Song down. 

Maybe it was because of the knitting. Maybe I found it so gripping because Rachael has a knack for drawing believable characters that she then places in harms' way. Maybe it is because her prose is vivid and concise. Hard to say, really.

Rachael and I swapped books for this stop on the blog tour. I got to ask her some questions and vice versa. It's always fun trying to figure out how another writer's mind works...

It's pretty clear who Eliza is modeled on. How tricky was it to come up with the chapter headings without accidentally stealing from EZ? You did a great job with that, by the way. Did you try these out on knitters beforehand?

RH: Hee. Yep, Eliza started out as her own person , just a knitting sheep rancher, and Elizabeth Zimmerman wasn't even in my head at first, but as I grew to love Eliza, I wanted to everyone to love her like I did -- I wanted all the knitters in my fictional, parallel universe to revere her, as we do EZ in our own real world. I didn't try the quotes out on anyone beforehand, but I almost broke my hand googling myself several times, making sure there was no accidental overlap. As knitters, EZ's voice is internalized in us to such an extent that I didn't want to accidentally say something she had actually said. Thanks for recognizing that!

How helpful was your day job in terms of writing some of the scenes in the book (especially toward the end)? Were there particular incidents that inspired you? Or did it just kind of work out that way?

RH: I do like to give 911 dispatchers a little nod when I write, even though Cade hangs up on one in a scene (I think I mentioned that she's being pushy with the questions -- we DO tend to be that way sometimes). It's funny that in many books emergency assistance is required and requested, but it's never mentioned exactly HOW that assistance is gained. And I think my day job makes emergencies more common in my mind, which is a trait I have to fight against in my writing, actually. I'm always ready to throw in a medical emergency or a fire for drama, since they feel common to me, whereas in real life, the drama often exists without red lights and sirens.

What has surprised you the most about being a published writer? And what will the next book hold, since Cade and Abigail seem fairly well wrapped up?

RH: I've been surprised by how nice people are. I shouldn't have been -- I have the nicest, most wonderful readers on my blog (yarnagogo.com) ever. But I got my first kind reviews by 5am the morning my book came out, and I keep hearing from readers who love the book, and every single time I hear from someone, I get chills down my spine. To be able to cheer someone, to please someone, to give someone pleasure, has been one of the biggest thrills of my life, and I didn't foresee how great this would feel.

RH: And we'll see Cade and Abigail again in the next book -- we'll actually see Abigail in the very first scene -- although the main love interests are two new people, a bookseller and a cop. There are two more books in the series, both set in the same small coastal town of Cypress Hollow, with Eliza Carpenter watching over all of them.

Rachael Herron received her MFA in writing from Mills College, and has been knitting since she was five years old. It's more than a hobby; it's a way of life. Rachael lives with her better half in Oakland, California, where they have four cats, three dogs, three spinning wheels, and more instruments than they can count. She is a proud member of the San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America and she is struggling to learn the ukulele.

ETA: Rachael's interview with me is now live -- and there appears to be a buttonhole controversy brewing.

qotd, words to live by (2)

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."

-- Arthur Ashe, tennis legend.

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Couple of other things:

- The Feral Knitter let me hijack her blog today. She also now has me thinking about designing my own Fair Isle sweater, which is a sign of madness. Madness, I tell you.

- I don't often actually laugh out loud at something on the internet but Hrothghar, the Chihuahua of Destiny made me laugh loudly enough to startle the cat.

- If you are in Concord, NH, I'll be at Gibson's bookstore tomorrow at 1 p.m. Which reminds me that I should pack, otherwise this will be one of my special pantsless readings.  No one wants this.

more on the new book

Later on this morning I'll be doing a radio interview that will broadcast next week. More on how to listen later - but now I need to remember that swearing is a Bad Idea. I'm going to get it out of my system now by cursing at one of the cats. 

The Sweater Quest blog book tour continues. Today I'm at the lovely Juno's blog, where we talk about the intersection of art and craft and I insult one of her previous passions. 

Also, my last Powell's post is live. Yes, you totally can knit your own.

The cat -- McGregor, this time -- seems unimpressed. 

 

My foul mouth is no match for a sunbeam.
 

many things make a post

A day late, I know. Yesterday was kinda full, what with launching a book and all....

Thanks for all of your support!

Now, the things:

* I can't stop reading Fed Up With Lunch. I don't even know how to start talking about all of the issues this teacher brings up. I just kind of sit here and flap my hands at the screen.

* Knit your own flagellate organism.

* Dear craft gods: Please keep the beads away from me, because I don't need to be sucked down that particular rabbit hole. Thanks.

* The environmental impact of feminine hygiene products.

* If you're ever wondered what to do with your old phone book, wonder no longer.

* This just blew my mind.

* How much do I love Tina Fey? 

* An open letter to conservatives. 

* I like the idea of the Fontifier but would like to use someone else's handwriting.

* The visions of steady hand that these cake balls must have required leave me in awe.

* These WPA posters speak to me.

* Tony Bourdain's current trip to (and future show about, I assume) Liberia is both horrific and fascinating. Let's all hope he gets out alive.

* Benjamin Svetky taps into the existential drama of Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie books. BTW: E & P are my favorite kids books ever. I have been known to give them as gifts to both small people and adults.

and now the pictures can be shown

There has been much rejoicing around the house for the day has arrived! Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously is officially on the shelves! Hooray!

In case you wondered what the finished sweater looks like, here it is:

 

And of me in said sweater:

 

You will note that you don't see the ends of my arms in this picture. And those who've read the book know why.

In celebration of my book's natal day, I've kicked off a mini-blog tour. First stop is Norma's, where Mr Jefferies put me to the questions.

 

Also today, I stopped by the Powell's Bookstore blog to talk about why knitters knit.

More TK.*

So any sightings in the wild yet?

W00T!

------------------------------------------------

* Newspaper jargon for "to come." Newspaper people can't spell.

there's no time. I'll sum up.

Having one of those running-very-quickly-just-to-remain-in-one-place sorts of Mondays.  Bear with me.

 

Knitters of Troy, NY, I raise my needles to you!

The Knit-in was a great way to spend an afternoon. While I am happy to have signed so many books, I'm doubly happy that so many knitters/crocheters/hookers/spinners were in one room. A fabulous time, frankly, and I think I'll have to drive up next year, just for fun.

 

It was great fun to walk around and see what other folks were working on, like this rug, which my picture doesn't fully capture.

 

Barbara from Beauknits is on the left. Her nametag was a ball of yarn and was made of awesome.
 

I spent most of the afternoon letting people know that they could touch my Grail sweater, that it really was a wearable and sturdy object and that they could make one, too. Really. Said sweater will be my traveling companion for the next little bit - so if you're able, please come touch it.

Um...that sounds weird.

Next Saturday I'll be at Gibson's Books in Concord, NH. The only part of NH I've been to is Portsmouth, which hardly counts. I can't wait. If you're in or near Concord, I'd love to let you pet my sweater.

Weird, right?

Also - this just in - Stitch Bitch Anna will be holding a Sweater Quest salon at her house on April 8. Please contact her through the link for the details on this event. I offer this as proof that I will visit almost anyone who has 20 folding chairs and a dream. To quote St. Arlo:  I'm not proud. Or tired.

Maybe not tired, but I am giddy. I can't believe that the official release date is tomorrow! I'm both thrilled and terrified. Thrilified? Terrilled? Regardless, giddy.

Right. Must go schelp kids to swimming lessons because the life of a writer is filled with glamour.

qotd, insects are not pets

"I like cats better than dogs. I don’t understand why people have spiders or snakes as pets. I think it might be like living with an alien, which could be interesting but is probably tedious."

-- Richard Kadrey (Sandman Slim) in his new blog.