squeetus

Squeetus exclusive: Carol Lynch Williams

Today I get to expose Carol Lynch Williams to my blog readers. She's not shy--she'll bare it all! But we'll try to keep this nice for polite society. Carol is a fellow Utah writer (we breed writers out here on ranches). Her latest book completely took my breath away. I couldn't put it down, and I wasn't the only one. Not only is it gripping, it deals with an issue that has been in the news a lot the past couple of years. The Chosen One is about Kyra, a thirteen-year-old girl who was born into a religious community called the Chosen. Her father has three mothers, her family is large and loving. But the community's Prophet has chosen a husband for Kyra--she is to marry her 60-year-old uncle, who already has multiple wives. That's how the story begins.

Carol and I conversed via email.

SH: Hi Carol! You are looking gorgeous as usual. And you smelly so pretty. You must be one of those authors who actually shower. I hope that doesn't make you think you're better than the rest of us. But whether or not you think it, you probably are. I mean, The Chosen One. Wow. Knock my socks off. I could not put it down, and a full half hour after I finished, I suddenly started sobbing again. What was the experience of writing this story like for you?

CLW: I spent a lot of time wanting to cry while writing the book, Shannon. And the story starts out long before I sat down to write. You know how that goes. You get an idea--it's sloshes around in your brain for a number of years. Then one day (when you start your MFA at Vermont College in Writing for Children and Young Adults, you realize that you have to have a creative thesis done) you start writing.
 
Part of the sadness was all the research. That was hard. Lots of sad things happen in our world (well, not in your world, Shannon. Because you got the Newbery Honor. But in plain people's worlds--like mine-- icky things happen.). So I did this research and I just felt sick for a couple of years (much longer than a 9-month puking pregnancy).
 
But here's the serious part, Shannon. As I was writing, I realized abuse happens EVERYWHERE to kids. All over. And it made me sadder than ever.
 
As far as the smell, that's Shalimar--a great 'I-haven't-showered-in-four-days' cover up.

SH: It's weird, how after getting a Newbery Honor, there's this magical force field around you that protects you from anything bad ever again. The magical force field, more than the framed certificate even, is the real bonus.

You mentioned research. What kind did you do? Would you recommend any other books on either abuse or fundamentalism?

CLW: I researched a lot online, read newspaper articles and watching what was on TV, too. Not Big Love. I still haven't seen that. But it seemed every channel had something about polygamy. And I think about this time (or right before) Warren Jeffs became one of the Ten Most Wanted or something, so he was in the news quite a bit. I read accounts of people who had escaped the lifestyle. I talked to practicing polygamists and people who had left families when they decided to not follow their leaders. I spoke to families where a child left the religion taught at home and followed someone into polygamy.
 
One of the misconceptions I encountered (and am still encountering) is that some people think members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are polygamists--or that polygamists are somehow Latter-day Saints--like a branch or something. But what I found is that there are all kinds of people who have broken off from their churches and become polygamists.
 
I didn't read any non-fiction books (like Jessop's Escape or Jeff's Lost Boy, which has been recently released, or Stolen Innocence by Wall). I wanted to get my facts from reports and documentaries. So these may be books I'll read later--and they may be good but haunting books to recommend. Some of these cultures are not for the faint of heart.

SH: I'd say the same of your book--not for the faint of heart. Unflinching, brutal, but beautiful and loving. I've noticed that though the Chosen in your book have nothing to do with the Latter-day Saints (i.e. Mormons), in reviews and articles, people will still mention that you are a Mormon. The New York Times did that. How do you feel about this? Being myself a practicing Latter-day Saint, I'm sure we get a lot of the same questions and confused opinions. The questions are great--but the assumptions can be hard. Not that I'm helping dispel myths very well. I wrote a book with my husband, Dean Hale. The illustrator, Nathan Hale, is not a relative, but at book appearances out of Utah, I've started to claim him as my second husband. 'Cause, you know, I'm a Mormon and all. And apparently I'm that kind of a woman--the kind of a woman with many needs.

CLW: You are a woman with many needs, Shannon. That's part of why you are so hysterically funny.
 
I don't mind that people know I'm a Latter-day Saint, Shannon. Religion is a part of who we are, don't you think?
 
At one point--when I knew I would write about polygamists but I didn't know it would be this book--I thought that having a middle grade novel where two little girls met (one LDS, one the daughter of a polygamist) would be a good way for people to see that Mormons do not practice polygamy because I would show the difference between the two groups. That turned out to be a book that I could not write. At all.
 
What is interesting is that I still keep getting the reviews for The Chosen One that say things like "This is a book about Mormons." Or " This book takes place in a Mormon-like setting . . ." I had one woman ask me, "What will the Mormons do when they read this book?" And I was like, "Ummm, I'm not so sure. I hope they like it."
 
Being a Latter-day Saint is a huge part of who I am. So is being a mom. And being a good friend. And a woman. And paranoid. And an over-eater. And a Miss Bossy-face. And a would-have-been Country and Western singer. And a reader. And on and on till your sick of my list. It all influences me as a writer.

SH: Well said. Now, you know, you are the hysterically funny one. Not only in person, but you've written some very funny books. A Mother to Embarrass me had me laughing out loud. And yet you can go to some very dark places. There's a scene in The Chosen One that I never could have written. I just couldn't live in that moment (maybe I could've when I was younger, but not since becoming a mother). What's that writing experience like for you?

CLW: If you're mad enough, Shannon, I bet you could write anything, don't you think? The more research I did on some of these communities (remember--many are NOT like this), the more sad and angry I became.
 
So--this leads me to another story. Once upon a time (this is NOT a fairy tale) I wrote a book called The True Colors of Caitlynne Jackson which is about child abuse. This was a long time ago. The whole time I wrote that book, I wore my emotions not just on my sleeve, but all over my body. Some days my girls would come in, "Mommy?" and I'd burst into tears. Other days I would turn to them like Regan from The Exorcist--"Whaaat?"
 
What I'm trying to say is that it is hard to write icky, yucky stuff. Writing is so much who we are that we feel  what we are writing--experience, sometimes, what our characters are feeling. Maybe I'm making too much of it, but that's why, I think, it's hard to put something tough down on paper.
 
Some people want a sequel to The Chosen One. Honestly, at this point in my life, I don't know that I could write one.  [SH note: Spoilers in white follow--highlight to read, but only if you've read the book!] It was hard to see Kyra leave her family--and I'm not so sure she'd ever get back there. As an aside, one of the things people want to see is what happens with Josh and Kyra after they are out of the compound. The fact (or fiction) is Kyra is only 13!

SH: Thanks Carol! Is there anything else you'd want to add?

CLW: Just where they should send the money. 50/50 split, right?

Love that Carol. A fine lady and a fine writer, even if she is a Miss Bossy-face. And check her out putting spoilers for her own book! I just couldn't let it ride. I'm a spoiler freak, had to hide them. Go read the book. And keep some tissues handy

And the Eisner goes to...

...Coraline! Ah, well. We feel very loved that rapunzel's revenge was nominated at all. And it reinforces two very important life rules to live by: 1. Never get involved in a land war in Asia, and 2. Never go up for an Eisner against Neil Gaiman.

Comic-con was huge and loud and crowed and hot and cool and crazy and fun too. I'm sorry I wasn't clear--I see from the comments that people were looking for me there! The truth is, I'm nobody at Comic-con. At bookseller conventions like BEA or librarian conventions like ALA I might be asked to do signings, talk on panels, be represented in a booth. But at Comic-con, I'm tiny potatoes. I was just there as a participant like everyone else, then attending the Eisner Awards Friday night.

At the Eisner gala, some of the tables were labeled "Nominees," but ours said "Eisner Staff." It was also the farthest one from the stage. We took it as an ill omen--we were not going to win. And we didn't, but then others from our table did win, so our paranoia was completely inaccurate. It was such an honor to be there with so many great writers and artists and comics folks. Amazing.

Ran into Jennifer Holm and Brandon Mull, and got to hang with Nathan and Mindy Hale. We didn't plan very well, so I didn't get to any writer panels. Got to see Holly Black and Tony DiTerrlizzi, but missed their talks. But got to a few others:

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - our favorite cartoon on TV now. Awesome! And they showed an episode that'll be on next season. It was so funny, so great. Imagine watching it in a room with thousands of fervent fans who laughed and cheered and at the end gave a spontaneous standing ovation. Awesome. The director, producer, and some of the voice talent were there.

Dollhouse - Joss Whedon is one of my favorite living writers, and he's so funny and witty live. Eliza Dushku joined him, and they showed an amazing and totally different unaired episode of Dollhouse.

Cartoon Voice Talent - This was so fun. Six professional voice actors told anecdotes and did voices for us. Gave me an appreciation of that industry. I was laughing so hard at some of the stories. I wish I could retell them all. Chuck McCann is my new hero. Their stories reminded me that what it takes to succeed in any creative profession is a lot of perseverance, constantly working to improve your talent, willingness to make a fool of yourself and just go for it, and basic kindness and civility to others. Do what you love, people! Follow your passion! And be nice about it.

Quick draw - Several professional artists drew for us, their papers showing on big video screens. The host asked them questions like, "Draw what would be torture for you" or "Draw what you would be doing instead of hiking the Appalachian trail." They were so fast, clever, and talented. Loved this. Sergio Aragones is another new hero.

One-liners overheard at Comic-con:

"So, if anyone asks, I'm dressed as Rainbow Bright."

"What if you gave Darth Vader a basket of kittens and a basket of puppies? He wouldn't know what to do!"

"Star Trek fans and Star Wars fans can get along."

At the Batman panel, they introduced some of the voice talent. They said, "And now, Batman himself!" A regular guy came out on stage and everyone cheered, but a six-year-old girl behind us began to shout, "That's not Batman! That's not Batman!" She was so the girl that would have declared that the Emperor had no clothes.

Making a scene

I'm off to Comic-con in San Diego tomorrow. I've read all the Eisner nominees in our category, and they're fantastic and completely different from each other. If I had to vote, you know, I'd vote for rapunzel's revenge, but only if I absolutely had to. I hope to get some good photos for the pleasure of ya'll. I'm really wishing I had an Orion slave girl costume, but don't think I could stand all that green body makeup.

I was asked in a Q&A recently if I'd learned any short cuts over the years in my writing process. Only one came to mind.

I tend to write pretty linearly when doing a first draft, starting at the beginning and going forward. I have pages of notes before I start a first draft, but the actual telling of the story always changes what I thought I would do. What I assume will be the midpoint ends up 90% through the story, or in the first third. Big events I think will happen don't make sense anymore. And so on.

But as I'm writing, I do get ideas both for later events in the book or for other books. I used to just write a quick note. That's changed. Now I write it out in scene, with dialog, narration, whatever it requires. This saves time later. Often when I get the idea, it's so clear in my head I think a note will do. But a month later when I read it, it's flat and uninteresting and I don't have the essence of it anymore. Writing in scene helps me capture that moment more fully, preserve it so I can consider it later. Also, it's more fun.

My short cut: always write in scenes

Presenting...Dashti

Okay, intrepid readers, I know many of you will have opinions about this. Here's the paperback cover for book of a thousand days, to be released in September. The hardcover will keep the original.

This book has received more award and list loving than any book of mine besides princess academy. It's a very precious book to me and my husband's favorite. I'm thrilled to have it coming out in paperback. I don't announce on my blog everything, but I keep a list of honors my books receive on my website. Here's the one for book of a thousand days. I love those state awards. A committee chooses the nominees in each state, then for the year the children are encouraged to read the books from the nominee list and vote on their favorite. Truly children's choice. The lists are always full of wonderful books.

I don't post all my reviews, etc., for this book either. I keep an up-to-date list on my site. But I just got a happy-dance national review for the actor and the housewife, from New York Daily News that I want to share. It's short and magically spoiler-free, so I'm going to post it all here.

"The Actor and the Housewife" is completely unbelievable and totally credible. Where did Shannon Hale come up with this story? Becky Jack is a devoted wife and a Mormon who, against all odds, sold a screenplay. She is in her agents’ office when British screen star Felix Callahan walks in. They begin a sparring conversation, and things go from there.

But not to bed. Becky is devoted to her husband, Mike, and their four children. Her way of life, as well. Felix can’t quit her, though. She adores him, but not in that way. The dialogue is witty, the romantic suspense genuine, and the finale? It ends the way it should.

Ah! Makes me happy. It was featured in Parents magazine, will be featured in the August Family Circle magazine, and is an Indie Next Great Read this month. Hooray! Thanks to Michelle, a publicist at Bloomsbury, who has been working hard to help get it attention.

Reviewed to death

Ya'll are so sweet. I feel like I have a coven of best gal friends, who are always here to say, "They were mean to you? Then they're crazy! Here, have some ice cream." (and Marcus Aurelius too, who rocks via witty ironic statements) The last post wasn't about any particular review for any one book. On this blog, I try to be honest about the life of a professional writer, good and bad. When I was young and unpublished, I would've thought negative reviews wouldn't hurt me 9 books later. But they do. They always do. They always will.

As Laura ZM pointed out, how many professions require the worker to be publicly mocked for their work? For every detail of what they've done to be analyzed and criticized? There are some. Athletes. Coaches. Actors. I understand scientists are pretty hard on each other. American Idol contestants. Anyone who posts on youtube. But it's rare generally, I think. I don't like it. But I know it's part of the profession. If I want the privilege of writing books and sharing them with people, I have to take the lambasting. (I don't have to like it! But I do have to take it.)

I don't want to sound complainy here. I have no right to. I have had 8 books worth of really gorgeous reviews. (my ninth book, forest born, just got its first national review from Kirkus--and it was lovely! YAY!) There are always the lukewarm reviews to irritate and depress. And then there are the reviews that feel less like a critical response and more like two slaps and a gut punch. But here's the truth about reviews--they're all good. And I have to be grateful for them all.

I wince when I write that, because I don't want to accept the bad ones as good. And I certainly don't want to be grateful for them. Not for that one, at least, and not that other one. Do I really have to be grateful? Do I? Yes, I do. Say it, Shannon. Say it and mean it.

"Thank you, reviewers, who hated my book and wrote out your words so that all would know that this book, in your opinion, was less appetizing than a pile of fresh hippo poo. Thank you for taking the trouble to express that sentiment in 500 words or less. Thank you."

I kinda did mean that. Of course I'd rather have glowing, loving reviews! But someone told me early in my career, all reviews are good. Just as there's no such thing as bad publicity, there's always good that comes from any review. With shrinking review space and growing numbers of books published, any attention a book gets at all is good. For example, this happens: woman reads a negative review of book; woman goes to bookstore and sees that book; woman can't remember what review said, only that it mentioned said book; woman buys book. So, thank you. Thank you, angry readers who type.

Okay, that's easier said than felt. It is SO hard to read, often physically painful. So how do I handle the two-slap-gut-punch reviews? Sometimes I just feel down and dumpy all day. Sometimes I bury it, then it sneaks up on me and I think, "Why do I feel like crap?" until I remember. Just like with anything else bad that happens. My most effective method is NOT eating chocolate till I'm sick (though I try it...often), but to put it in perspective. "Waah, waah," I say to myself in a high, whiny voice. "I have my dream job and write books for a living that thousands of people love, but some people don't like them. Poor me, waah, waah, waah." Ironic that I use self-mockery to counter public-mockery, but hey, sometimes it works.

And of course, there are the good reviews too, that I cling to during the tougher times. the actor and the housewife has gotten at least two national double-slap-triple-gut-punch reviews. But then that's balanced by some outright shiny national reviews, and some simply gorgeous heartfelt emails from readers, and ultimately, the most beautiful response to a book I've ever had. A review that made me cry--stunned, overwhelmed, relieved, so grateful. This reader happened to be in a position to judge very harshly what I wrote--she is a Mormon mother of four living in Layton, Utah who is happily married and has had a male best friend. Just like my main character, Becky Jack. Wow. And on top of that, she is a writer too. That she so publicly offered her praise completely took my breath. Her name is Mette Ivie Harrison, and if you don't know her books The Princess and the Hound and The Princess and the Bear, she is a young adult writer of no mean talent, and I am so grateful for her thoughtful reading and voiced thoughts. Thanks, Mette.

An ambiguous, rant-ish post

Sometimes when reading critical reviews of my work, I can nod and think, "That's valid," or, "I disagree, but I can see how someone could read it that way." And other times...

"What? Did you read the same book? Did you skip chapters? Did you rewrite those scenes in your head? Are you certifiable? How on earth did you get THAT out of it? Did you have your eyes shut the whole time? Shouldn't it be illegal to write reviews if you're insane?"

Like that.

As a writer you can't talk back to reviews. You just have to button your lips and take it. You don't want to be ungracious, snotty, egotistical, arrogant, nasty...even if you really want to be. It never does any good anyway. But you scream a lot in your head. "WHAT?" It sort of helps.

It can be trying. I spend so much time on a book, I rewrite to death, I'm so careful with each word, and then to have it misread...well, yuck. People can not like my books, they can be turned off by my style or story or whatever. Everyone's reading experience is personal. But when they read through highly subjective lenses and think they're being objective, I want to tear my hair out. I want to sob. I want to talk back. I want to explain. I want to sit down with that reviewer and discuss the review point-by-point, detailing where they are mistaken.

But I can't. In review vs. author, review always wins. Review gets the last word. Except for a brief shimmering moment, in ambiguous, rant-ish blog posts.

A chicken nugget post

This Thursday, I'll be at the Jordan Landing Barnes & Noble in West Jordan, Utah at 7 pm to talk about actor & the housewife and sign books.

Just a quick note. A small one, chicken-nugget sized. I had three hours to write today, and with only ten minutes left I'm so sad to leave this story, these words. I'm working on Daisy Danger Brown, and I'm drenched in this book. There are always the hard parts, the sticky, thorny, muddy parts. But there's so much meadow-running too. Being a writer is a good, good thing.

Our little drummer girl

Happy Independence Day to all (since Bill Pullman declared in that movie that it's no longer just a US holiday). Hats off to Nathan Hale for this divine drawing! And if you haven't been following his blog lately, it's worth a looksee. The recent Bird-Face Face Off alone is pretty awesome.

In which there is pie, aprons, karaoke, and chops

Photos from the actor and the housewife release party at The King's English! My brother-in-law kindly took a bunch. Here's a random handful.

Three sexy ladies pose in their aprons next to Colin Firth, duly outfitted. Sexy lady on left gave me one of the aprons she made. It reads "Cullenary Expert" and has a black apple.

My cute mom and cute sister #3 (6-months prego). During the Q&A when someone asked me if I ever considered a second career as a stand-up comic, sister #3 shouted out, "Don't give her a big head." I assure you, my family will prevent that. Isn't that what families are for?

The illustrious Anne Holman from The King's English made me teary-eyed with her kind introduction. Love her. Love that store.

Look at the little cuties in their aprons! LOVE it.

Look how rapt and entertained they all look! I must be a fantastic speaker!

There's my cute hubbie. I'm glad we got a photo of his dalliance with chops. His razor broke when he was shaving, and we said, "Why not?" A couple weeks with chops can only improve the world.

Blah, blah, blah.

Some more apron-wearers in the back. I'm sad we didn't get a photo of all the apron contest winners. Some stayed up all night making an apron especially for the event, and they were darling.

Yay, karaoke ladies!

At the signing, with a cutie Rapunzel fan. Look at that smile. (hers, not mine)

These ladies are feeling the music. You go, girls. The sisters on the right drove up from Arizona. They were also volunteers at the Book Babe event. Awesome aprons.

The audience bears witness to the soulful karaoke performance.

These girls sport stylish aprons all their own.

Thanks to the King's English and everyone who made the event so fun. I had a blast and am so honored to have such kind, loving, intelligent, sporting fans. You guys rock!