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Author Archive

Live Chat with Debut Author
Celeste Ng,

Wednesday, March 26th, 2014

Our Live Chat has concluded. To sign up for the program and join future chats, go to the Penguin Debut Authors Program.

(more information here).

Live Chat with Celeste Ng, EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU

(03/26/2014)

  

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3:08	Nora - EarlyWord:  Getting ready for our live online chat with Celeste Ng, author of EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, coming from The Penguin Press in June. Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:08 Nora - EarlyWord

3:08	Nora - EarlyWord Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:08

3:34	Nora - EarlyWord:  Below is a special video that Celeste recorded to introduce herself to you... Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:34 Nora - EarlyWord

3:42	Nora - EarlyWord:  You are welcome to enter questions at any time. We will try to get to all of them in the hour. Don't worry about typos (and please forgive any on our part!) Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:42 Nora - EarlyWord

3:43	Celeste:  Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be here! Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:43 Celeste

3:44	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hey, Celeste! Glad to know you're in the house. We'll begin chatting in about 15 minutes. Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:44 Nora - EarlyWord

3:45	Celeste:  Looking forward to it! Wednesday March 26, 2014 3:45 Celeste

4:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  HI Everyone -- we're ready to start! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord

4:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  Unfortunately, it seems the comment section is running slow... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord

4:01	Nora - EarlyWord:  If comments are not coming through, I may ask you to email me. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:01 Nora - EarlyWord

4:01	Nora - EarlyWord:  But, let's get started. Welcome, Celeste! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:01 Nora - EarlyWord

4:02	Celeste:  Thanks, Nora! And hi, everyone! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:02 Celeste

4:02	Nora - EarlyWord:  I see some people gathered -- please say hi to Celeste! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:02 Nora - EarlyWord

4:04	Nora - EarlyWord:  OK -- I don't see any comments coming through, so there may be a problem. You can email questions an comments to me -- Nora AT EarlyWord DOT com. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:04 Nora - EarlyWord

4:04

Nora - EarlyWord:  Let's start with an advance question about your intro video. One of our program members wants to know how you created that great painting based on the Annie Dillard quote. She says she wants to do her own version of one of her favorite quotes. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:04 Nora - EarlyWord

4:05	Celeste:  Oh, thank you! I'm happy to tell you how I did the painting. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05 Celeste

4:05	Nora - EarlyWord Celeste's Image of a Quote from Annie Dillard Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05

4:05	Nora - EarlyWord:  Here's what it looks like... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05 Nora - EarlyWord

4:05	Celeste:  The painting was inspired by the work of an artist called Lauren DiCioccio (http://laurendicioccio.com), who lays clear plastic over pages from magazines and covers the letters with tiny dots of paint. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05 Celeste

4:05	Celeste:  I wanted to use a quote that had special meaning to me and make it beautiful. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05 Celeste

4:05	Celeste:  I wrote the quote out on the canvas very lightly, in pencil. Then I got 26 different colors of paint and assigned each letter a color-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:05 Celeste

4:06	Nora - EarlyWord:  oops - a bunch of greetings just came in -- will post them... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Nora - EarlyWord

4:06	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Good afternoon from the Midwest; looking forward to the chat session Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Lucy

Celeste:  Hi Lucy! Nice to meet you!   Celeste

4:06	Celeste:  And then I made a blotch of paint over each letter, using the appropriate color. So if you look REALLY closely, you can see the letters very faintly beneath the paint. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Celeste

4:06	[Comment From Sue DSue D: ]  Hello - I really enjoyed the video Celeste created. My kids horned in and asked me to play it again. They enjoyed it too!!! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Sue D

Celeste:  Ha! Thank you, Sue! So glad you (and your kids) enjoyed it.   Celeste

4:06	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  HI, Celeste Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Lucy

4:06	[Comment From AnneAnne: ]  Hi Celeste - Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Anne

Celeste:  Hi Anne--welcome and thank you for coming!   Celeste

4:06	[Comment From CatherineCatherine: ]  Glad to join you for this author chat! Can't seem to log in to twitter. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:06 Catherine

4:07	Nora - EarlyWord:  Sue -- sounds like you have some very cool kids! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:07 Nora - EarlyWord

4:08	Nora - EarlyWord:  Celeste -- I love the telling details in your book, like the heartbreaking moment when Hannah reaches for her mother’s hand and she doesn’t see it. How did you develop that? Is it natural, or did you consciously work on it? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord

4:08	Celeste:  I've always been drawn to details, and in fact they've always been a big pat of my writing. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:08 Celeste

4:08	Celeste:  My early stories were probably about 98% detail and 2% plot. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:08 Celeste

4:08	Celeste:  I've always felt that details aren't just "details"--in a lot of ways, they *are* the story. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:08 Celeste

4:09	Celeste:  And details help especially with writing about children--those details reveal what they may not be able to verbalize. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:09 Celeste

4:10	Nora - EarlyWord:  I found it especially effective in portraying children -- it's those details that reveal what they may not be able to verbalize. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:10 Nora - EarlyWord

4:10	Celeste:  Yes, *exactly!* Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:10 Celeste

4:10	Celeste:  Those details can put us right into a child's mind. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:10 Celeste

4:11	Nora - EarlyWord:  And then, for adults, sometimes what we articulate is not what we really feel! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord

4:11	Nora - EarlyWord:  Another advance question about the video -- from Boston Librarian: Tell us about the “major structural” changes you mention in the video. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord

4:12	Celeste:  The first draft of the book was in multiple parts-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:12 Celeste

4:12	Celeste:  2 chapters in one time period, then 3 chapters of Marilyn in college, then 3 chapters of James in college, etc. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:12 Celeste

4:12	Celeste:  That didn't work, so I tried braiding the timelines together-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:12 Celeste

4:12	Celeste:  And it took me a long time to figure out how to move back and forth in time, so that past and present made sense together. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:12 Celeste

4:13	Celeste:  Was that not clear from the diagram? :) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:13 Celeste

4:13	Celeste:  (I'm looking at it now, and it kind of bewilders ME...) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:13 Celeste

4:13	Nora - EarlyWord:  I'm afraid that the Legal Seafood Menu was much clearer! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:13 Nora - EarlyWord

4:13	[Comment From CatherineCatherine: ]  As the title suggests, the characters have trouble verbalizing their thoughts and communicating with each other. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:13 Catherine

Celeste:  Catherine, that's a great point--there's so much that these characters leave unsaid, to each other and to themselves.   Celeste

4:14	Celeste:  While writing the novel, I kept asking other writers what they'd done, and got vague answers. Now I understand why--we're all just muddling around until things click into place. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:14 Celeste

4:14	Nora - EarlyWord:  Did you realize you needed to make that change, or did it come from your editor. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:14 Nora - EarlyWord

4:14	Celeste:  I realized it. The parts of the story weren't coming together the way I wanted them to. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:14 Celeste

4:15	Celeste:  Fortunately, when I thought I'd gotten it right, my editor agreed! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:15 Celeste

4:15	Nora - EarlyWord:  I like Catherine's comment about the title. How did you come up with it? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:15 Nora - EarlyWord

4:16	Celeste:  It came to me in the first draft, as I was roughing out the final scene--it's an echo of one of the final lines of the book. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:16 Celeste

4:16	Celeste:  It struck me that it really applied to the whole book, and might work as a title. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:16 Celeste

4:16	Nora - EarlyWord:  I was wondering, as a parent, how are you able to write about something as horrible as a child disappearing. Didn't it scare you? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:16 Nora - EarlyWord

4:17	Celeste:  It terrified me! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:17 Celeste

4:17	Celeste:  But that's usually my approach to writing-- I often find myself writing about the things that scare me most. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:17 Celeste

4:17	Celeste:  It's almost a way of exploring things I hope never to experience in real life. "What would this be like? How would I respond?" Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:17 Celeste

4:17	Celeste:  I think that often, we write (and read) about horrible things, as a way of stretching ourselves emotionally without going through the experience--an empathy exercise. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:17 Celeste

4:18	Nora - EarlyWord:  That may also be why we are willing to read books that scare us in some way. What else have you written? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:18 Nora - EarlyWord

4:18	[Comment From CatherineCatherine: ]  I think you're quite brave, Celeste, to examine the things that many of us would prefer not to think about. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:18 Catherine

Celeste:  Thank you, Catherine. I'm always happy when readers are willing to read books about things that scare *them*, as well.   Celeste

4:19	Celeste:  I've written a bunch of short stories, and some essays--all of which fall under the same category of "exploring things that scare me." Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:19 Celeste

4:19	Celeste:  And two extremely awful "novels," when I was about 13 and 15, which are consigned to a locked file cabinet. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:19 Celeste

4:20	Nora - EarlyWord:  How did you get this one published? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:20 Nora - EarlyWord

4:20	Celeste:  My route was pretty traditional: I started it in grad school, worked on it for 6 years while holding various strange, ill-paying jobs-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:20 Celeste

4:21	Celeste:  And then, when it was finished, my agent was able to sell it to the Penguin Press. I was very lucky, in short. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:21 Celeste

4:21	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Were those early novels also explorations of things which scared you? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:21 Lucy

Celeste:  Lucy, they weren't--they were more fantasy/wish fulfillment, like "What if I lived in Colonial America?" (which I thought was a cool time period, at 13). That's one of many reasons they didn't work, I think. :)   Celeste

4:23	[Comment From A First Flights MemberA First Flights Member: ]  I found these charachters staying with me and that I was thinking about them long after I had closed the book. Have they stayed with you? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:23 A First Flights Member

Celeste:  Thank you--what a kind thing to say! I'm so glad to hear that. They *have* stayed with me; it's hard to spend 6 years with anyone and not have them work their way into your brain on some level.   Celeste Celeste:  I do miss them, now that the book is done.   Celeste

4:23

[Comment From CatherineCatherine: ]  I experienced a very palpable sense of sadness reading this novel. The lost dreams and potential--and the issues of abandonment, alienation, and otherness--really got to me. There's a lot in this story for readers to relate to. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:23 Catherine

Celeste:  Thank you, Catherine (or perhaps I should say, I'm sorry). One of the things I hope the book will do is get readers thinking about otherness, and alienation, and what it's like to be an outsider in some way.   Celeste

4:24	Nora - EarlyWord:  I agree, Catherine. I was very moved by another telling detail; the quotes Marilyn had marked in her mother's cookbook and what it said about her. Where did THAT come from, Celeste? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:24 Nora - EarlyWord

4:25	Celeste:  The cookbook itself is based on my mother's own Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1960s-- which actually had all of that commentary in its recipes. I didn't make those up. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:25 Celeste

4:25	Nora - EarlyWord:  I wondered if you had made them up, but we have proof that you didn't... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:25 Nora - EarlyWord

4:26	Celeste:  I saw them one day while idly flipping through the cookbook, and they just stuck with me. Eventually they found their way into the novel. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:26 Celeste

4:26	Nora - EarlyWord Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:26

4:26	Nora - EarlyWord:  That word "behooves" just kills me! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:26 Nora - EarlyWord

4:26	Nora - EarlyWord:  Here's the one about preserves... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:26 Nora - EarlyWord

4:26	Nora - EarlyWord Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:26

4:27	Celeste:  Those quotes really startled me. And they were all throughout the cookbook--which came out in 1968, by the way. (I backdated it for the novel, so that Marilyn's mother could have it.) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:27 Celeste

4:27	Nora - EarlyWord:  And here's the cover of the book -- some of you may still have it in your libraries! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:27 Nora - EarlyWord

4:27	Celeste:  We tend to think that the era when women were expected to just cook and sew for their families was long ago--but it wasn't actually that long ago. Just a generation or two ago... It's so easy to forget that. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:27 Celeste

4:27	Nora - EarlyWord Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:27

4:28	Celeste:  It's strange to say, I actually adore that cookbook. It represents a lot of things that bother me deeply, but at the same time, it belongs to my mother's. It's a complicated object with a complicated personal history. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:28 Celeste

4:28	Nora - EarlyWord:  Amazing that it came out in 1968 -- that summer students were getting their heads beat in for protesting the war in Chicago -- such disparate strains in the culture at the time! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:28 Nora - EarlyWord

4:28	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  I have a copy of this edition in my kitchen and still use it :-) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:28 Lucy

Celeste:  My mom still uses hers! In fact she won't let me have it because she still uses it as a reference.   Celeste

4:28	[Comment From CatherineCatherine: ]  I had one of those Betty Crocker cookbooks and thought it was the bible--it was a required textbook for a home economics class I took in high school! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:28 Catherine

4:29	Nora - EarlyWord:  I was wondering about the use of the term "Oriental" in your book. It's a fraught term, but of that time. Did you feel strange using it? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:29 Nora - EarlyWord

4:29	[Comment From AndreaAndrea: ]  I still use my Betty Crocker book. It doesn't have quotes in in , but I did find a four-leaf clover. Perhaps I was hoping it would bring me good luck since my mother really never taught me to cook. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:29 Andrea

Celeste:  Andrea, I love that story.   Celeste

4:29	Celeste:  I did feel strange using the term "Oriental." It's a complicated term, as you point out, and not one I use myself... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:29 Celeste

4:29	Celeste:  But it would have been inaccurate to use the term "Asian," as we might today. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:29 Celeste

4:29	Celeste:  And in many ways I also wanted to startle the reader, to jolt them by using a term we don't see much now, as a way of asking them to think about its usage and its implications. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:29 Celeste

4:30	Nora - EarlyWord:  That also makes me wonder why you chose this particular time period. You're too young to have known it personally. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:30 Nora - EarlyWord

4:31	Celeste:  Yes, I grew up in the 1980s--so I was *just* after this time period. But my family lived through it, and my childhood was really colored by that experience. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:31 Celeste

4:31	Celeste:  It was the right time period to explore some of the issues I saw this family grappling with--race and ethnicity, being in a "mixed" marriage, women's roles and opportunities. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:31 Celeste

4:31	Celeste:  And I was surprised, in writing the novel, how much of the '70s in particular had carried into my childhood: we had rotary phones, record players, all of that. Maybe my family was a throwback? It didn't feel foreign to me. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:31 Celeste

4:33	Nora - EarlyWord:  I wonder if some people identify with their parents' time periods more than with their own? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:33 Nora - EarlyWord

4:34	What time period do you feel shaped you? The one I grew up in  ( 33% ) My parents' time period  ( 0% ) Both  ( 50% ) None; I am my own person  ( 17% ) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:34

4:34	[Comment From AndreaAndrea: ]  First lines are critically important to engage the reader. Did you always have the first line or did it come to you later in the writing process? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:34 Andrea

Celeste:  The first line came in the last draft, actually!   Celeste Celeste:  The original first line was "At first they don't know where Lydia has gone."   Celeste Celeste:  But in the last draft, I wanted it to be more decisive, and to not withhold information from the reader.   Celeste Celeste:  Funnily enough, though, I recently looked back at my very first notes--and I found that when I started writing the proto-draft, I'd started it with "Lydia dies: that's the first thing" and then scrapped it. So the opening kind of came full circle.   Celeste

4:34	Celeste:  There's an interesting theory about immigrant families--that in many ways the children sort of get stuck half in the current time and half in the older generation's time period. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:34 Celeste

4:34	Celeste:  I don't know if that's true, but it's interesting to think about. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:34 Celeste

4:37	Nora - EarlyWord:  "Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet." IS much more effective and let's the reader in on what happened. Were you afraid to show your hand so early? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:37 Nora - EarlyWord

4:37	Celeste:  Yes, I was really afraid of "giving too much away" in the early drafts. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:37 Celeste

4:38	Celeste:  But in the later drafts I realized that the real story is not "Where is Lydia?" but "How did this come to happen?" Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:38 Celeste

4:39	Celeste:  In the new draft, you know several important things by the end of the first chapter-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:39 Celeste

4:39	Celeste:  That Lydia is dead (and where she is), and that Marilyn had also gone missing years before. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:39 Celeste

4:40	Nora - EarlyWord:  Speaking of Marilyn, I wonder what readers think of that event. Here's another poll. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:40 Nora - EarlyWord

4:40	What did you think of Marilyn leaving? Surprised by her ambition  ( 0% ) Understood why  ( 67% ) Revealed her disconnection  ( 33% ) Sorry she had to return  ( 0% ) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:40

4:40	[Comment From AndreaAndrea: ]  I love the first two sentences. It just mde me want to find out the whys, how and whos. It certainly didn't give too much away for me Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:40 Andrea

Celeste:  Thank you, Andrea! That's great to hear.   Celeste

4:41	Nora - EarlyWord:  I agree with Andrea; the mystery was how it happened and not so much what happened. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:41 Nora - EarlyWord

4:41	Nora - EarlyWord:  According to our poll, more people feel their lives were shaped by both their own time period and their parents'. I feel this is true for me, too. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:41 Nora - EarlyWord

4:41	Nora - EarlyWord:  It seems like James’s wish for his children to have friends is a good counter to their mother’s demand for popularity. Yet, interestingly, you show how heavily each can weigh. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:41 Nora - EarlyWord

4:42	Celeste:  Yes, I think the real burden is not the particular expectation, but the pressure such a loaded expectation carries with it. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:42 Celeste

4:42	Celeste:  It's so hard to disappoint your parents. I wonder how many things people do to try and avoid that. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:42 Celeste

4:43	Nora - EarlyWord:  Why did you choose the daughter, rather than the son, to bear the burden of the mother’s career expectations? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:43 Nora - EarlyWord

4:43	Celeste:  Marilyn’s expectations are so closely tied up with gender--it made more sense to me that she’d look to Lydia to fulfill those dreams. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:43 Celeste

4:43	[Comment From AndreaAndrea: ]  I think we all try to please, esppecially our parents. Who wants the burden of that disappointment? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:43 Andrea

4:43	Celeste:  It wouldn’t have been as revolutionary, or as difficult, for Nath to become a doctor, nor would it have meant as much to Marilyn, I think. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:43 Celeste

4:44	[Comment From Sue DSue D: ]  Are you planning on touring with your book? If so, where? and are you coming to the Midwest? Say St. Louis?? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:44 Sue D

Celeste:  Sue, I am! I'm working out the tour with my publisher now.   Celeste

4:45	Nora - EarlyWord:  Do I get the feeling you're in St. Louis, Sue? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:45 Nora - EarlyWord

4:45	Nora - EarlyWord:  Are there other ways for librarians to reach you? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:45 Nora - EarlyWord

4:45	[Comment From Sue DSue D: ]  Yup Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:45 Sue D

4:45	Celeste:  Currently I have events planned in Boston, NYC, Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, and Ann Arbor-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:45 Celeste

4:46	Celeste:  but I'll be working to arrange more. St. Louis would be lovely! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:46 Celeste

4:46	Celeste:  Right now, you can contact me (or my publicist) directly through my website: celesteng.com. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:46 Celeste

4:46	[Comment From AndreaAndrea: ]  Where in Houston? I'm there. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:46 Andrea

Celeste:  Andrea, I'll be at Brazos Bookstore!   Celeste Celeste:  It would be lovely to meet you--if you come to the reading, be sure to say hi!   Celeste Celeste:  Oh, the date would probably help. It's tentatively scheduled for July 17, time TBA.   Celeste

4:46	Celeste:  There will be a page for book clubs up there soon, with a book club kit that Penguin is designing (we're actually putting it together right now!). Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:46 Celeste

4:46	Celeste:  And I'll be available to visit book clubs as well, in person locally or via Skype. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:46 Celeste

4:47	Celeste:  Oh, and all of my events are also listed on my website. (Or will be when I get the details!) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:47 Celeste

4:47	Nora - EarlyWord:  We're nearing the end of our chat -- just a few more minutes to get your questions in. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:47 Nora - EarlyWord

4:49	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Oh, will let our book discussion leaders know about the forthcoming book club kit! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:49 Lucy

Celeste:  Lucy, thank you! Please do! It'll have some goodies in there--a playlist, some articles, likely a vintage recipe, and more.   Celeste

4:49	Nora - EarlyWord:  Right; I feel this book has rich discussion material for book clubs. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:49 Nora - EarlyWord

4:50	Nora - EarlyWord:  Speaking of the characters living with you -- I keep wondering how Hannah and Nath grow up. What about you, Celeste? Do you see them as being able to escape the weight of their parents expectations? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:50 Nora - EarlyWord

4:50	Celeste:  I hope so! I hope that this experience will make their parents more aware of the demands they make on their children... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:50 Celeste

4:51	Celeste:  ..and make Nath and Hannah more understanding and tolerant of their parents, as well. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:51 Celeste

4:51	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Plenty of 'issues' to talk about along with the cookbook tie in - book club heaven! :) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:51 Lucy

Nora - EarlyWord:  What a thought! Everyone could learn to cook eggs "husband style"!   Nora - EarlyWord

4:51	Celeste:  I tend to think the only way to survive a family tragedy is to grow closer together. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:51 Celeste

4:52	Celeste:  And I love all of these characters--so that's what I hope will happen for them. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:52 Celeste

4:53	Nora - EarlyWord:  I am very curious about the character of Jack. I saw the surprise about him coming in a way, but was still surprised. How did you come up with him? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:53 Nora - EarlyWord

4:53	Celeste:  He was there from the beginning. In the early draft, this neighbor kid kept showing up-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:53 Celeste

4:54	Celeste:  --and at a certain point I realized how he fit into their story. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:54 Celeste

4:54	Celeste:  Jack is actually one of my favorite characters in the book. Am I allowed to say that? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:54 Celeste

4:55	Celeste:  I feel like I just picked a favorite child. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:55 Celeste

4:55	Nora - EarlyWord:  Ha! I don't think it's like kids -- I think you CAN have a favorite! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:55 Nora - EarlyWord

4:56	Nora - EarlyWord:  I hear that so often from writers -- that characters "show up" and demand to be in the book. Is it supernatural? Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:56 Nora - EarlyWord

4:56	Celeste:  For me, it's probably more "subconscious" than "supernatural"-- Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:56 Celeste

4:57	Celeste:  In a lot of ways, writing is kind of an act of faith. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:57 Celeste

4:57	Celeste:  Your brain puts all these things together and you have to trust that they do, in fact, all fit together somehow. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:57 Celeste

4:57	Nora - EarlyWord:  We are ending in a just a few minutes. Had to get in this comment from Lucy, envisioning the book club... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:57 Nora - EarlyWord

4:57	Celeste:  Or that the character who just keeps showing up and insisting he belongs actually has a role to play. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:57 Celeste

4:57	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  I can hear the members discussing which style of eggs their husbands prefer ... :-) Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:57 Lucy

Celeste:  Ha! I love it.   Celeste

4:58	Nora - EarlyWord:  We do have to end now. Thanks so much Celeste, for your thoughtful answers. Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:58 Nora - EarlyWord

4:58	Celeste:  Thank you so much, Nora! And thank you to all for chatting! Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:58 Celeste

4:59	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  "... an act of faith." Your own 'commitment' to the story ... Wednesday March 26, 2014 4:59 Lucy

Celeste:  Lucy, exactly.   Celeste

5:00

Nora - EarlyWord:  And thanks to all of you out there for joining us and for your great questions. This Chat will be archived here on the site. If you enjoy this program, be sure to tell your friends and colleagues that they can sign up here. And, watch for the ARC of the next title in the program, Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Thomas Sweterlitsch. Wednesday March 26, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord

5:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  Bye everyone! Wednesday March 26, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord

 

 

Watch Celeste’s video message for Librarians.

Posted in Events | Comments Off on Live Chat with Debut Author
Celeste Ng,

Live Chat with Debut Author Samuel Gailey

Wednesday, February 12th, 2014

Wednesday’s Live Chat is with the author of Deep Winter (more information here).

Below, listen to Nora’s audio interview with Samuel.

Live Chat with Samuel Gailey DEEP WINTER

(02/12/2014)

  

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3:46	Nora - EarlyWord:  We will begin our live online chat with Samuel Gailey, author of Deep Winter in about 15 minutes. Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:46 Nora - EarlyWord

3:47	Nora - EarlyWord:  Meanwhile, here’s the cover of the book… Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:47 Nora - EarlyWord

3:47	Nora - EarlyWord Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:47

3:47	Nora - EarlyWord:  I just received the hardcover of the book and those letters just glow against the black and white background! Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:47 Nora - EarlyWord

3:48	Nora - EarlyWordNora - EarlyWord Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:48

3:50

Nora - EarlyWord:  A summary of Deep Winter -- "In the small town of Wyalusing in eastern Pennsylvania, a woman is found brutally murdered one winter night. Next to the body is Danny Bedford, a misunderstood man who suffered a tragic brain injury that left him with limited mental capabilities. Despite his simple life, his intimidating size has caused his neighbors to ostracize him out of fear. So when the local bully-turned-deputy discovers Danny with the body it’s obvious that Danny’s physical strength has finally turned deadly. But in the long, freezing night that follows, the murder is only the first in a series of crimes that viciously upset the town order—an unstoppable chain of violence that appears to make Danny’s guilt increasingly undeniable. With the threat of an approaching blizzard, the local sheriff and a state trooper work through the pre-dawn hours to establish some semblance of peace. As they investigate one incident after another, they discover an intricate web of lies that reveals that not everything in Wyalusing is quite what it seems." Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:50 Nora - EarlyWord

3:52

Nora - EarlyWord:  Some quotes from the pre pub reviews -- Booklist -- "...so brilliantly done, so artfully underwritten with not a word wasted, that readers may hate themselves for letting this grim narrative trap them in its coils." Kirkus -- "Gailey writes visually, rendering the characters and action both vivid and alive. Publishers Weekly -- "a moving picture of a man, often referred to as 'retard,' who becomes a moral compass. " Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:52 Nora - EarlyWord

3:53

Nora - EarlyWord:  I’m happy to see several chat participants gathering already. You can send your questions through at any time. They'll go into a queue, and we'll submit as many of them as we can to Samuel before the end of the chat. Don’t worry about typos – and please forgive any that we commit! Wednesday February 12, 2014 3:53 Nora - EarlyWord

4:03	Samuel W. Gailey:  Hello everyone. Looking forward to your questions and discussing DEEP WINTER. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:03 Samuel W. Gailey

4:03	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hey, Samuel. Thanks for joining us. Participants -- say hi to Samuel. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:03 Nora - EarlyWord

4:03	[Comment From LilyLily: ]  Hello! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:03 Lily

4:04	Catherine - Penguin:  Hi Samuel, thanks for joining! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:04 Catherine - Penguin

4:04	Samuel W. Gailey:  Hello, Lily and Catherine. Thanks for being the first to reply. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:04 Samuel W. Gailey

4:05	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Still Deep Winter here first day in a long time above freezing and only for about a hour how about you guys Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:05 trishap00

4:05

Nora - EarlyWord:  Definitelt! We’re facing yet another snow storm here in the East – feels like the atmosphere of Samuel's book. Bet he's glad he is now living in L.A. We received some questions in advance. This one is a good place to begin: I loved the immediacy and intensity the narrative had, with the action occurring over a twelve or eighteen hour period, with various people hunting down Danny. Was that always the plan or did the shortening of the manhunt evolve over time? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:05 Nora - EarlyWord

4:05	Samuel W. Gailey:  Sorry to share, but its 80 degrees out here. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:05 Samuel W. Gailey

4:06	Samuel W. Gailey:  I always envisioned keeping the manhunt contained over a short period of time. I felt that it raised the stakes, created more tension and built better momentum, not giving Danny much time to think – just react. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:06 Samuel W. Gailey

4:08

Nora - EarlyWord:  Another advance question is about Taggart, the state trooper who comes in to try to help with the case. The question: The character of Taggart didn't seem to fit well into the narrative for me. What was your goal in creating that character? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord

4:08	[Comment From Kimberly BowerKimberly Bower: ]  Hi Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:08 Kimberly Bower

4:08	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hi Kimberly -- thanks for joining! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord

4:08

Samuel W. Gailey:  Great question. Taggart represents an outsider to the story setting. He is not part of this extremely isolated community, and I hoped his perspective into this rural world would be intriguing. I also wanted his struggle with addiction, his doubts and guilt, to contrast those of Sokowski's alcoholism. Whereas Sokowski’s addiction goes unchecked, Taggart wrestles with right and wrong. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:08 Samuel W. Gailey

4:10	Nora - EarlyWord:  There's a lot of addictions in this story -- adds to the sense of isolation. You grew up in a small town. Did you have that sense of isolation? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:10 Nora - EarlyWord

4:11	[Comment From Palm DesertPalm Desert: ]  Does Taggart represent a midpoint between the extremes of Sokowski and Lester? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:11 Palm Desert

4:11	[Comment From StephanieStephanie: ]  Hi Samuel, just wondering if you still live in a small town? Do you think this is small town mentality to stereotype large people as menacing or is it more widespread? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:11 Stephanie

4:11	Samuel W. Gailey:  Let me speak to the isolation question first... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:11 Samuel W. Gailey

4:12

Samuel W. Gailey:  In a community like the one I grew up in (Wyalusing, PA), it’s so far detached from other urban centers that you really have the sense of isolation—being removed from everyone else. I wanted to carry that over to my story, to have my characters trapped in a place in which their only rescue would come from within. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:12 Samuel W. Gailey

4:13	Nora - EarlyWord:  This photo of Wyalusing really shows that... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:13 Nora - EarlyWord

4:13	Nora - EarlyWord "This is the road that Danny Bedford walks to reach the ice pond and in other key scenes of Deep Winter.":. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:13

4:14	Samuel W. Gailey:  Good observation, Palm Desert. Yes, Taggart is somewhere in between Sokowski and Lester, in terms of his addiction and as a law officer. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:14 Samuel W. Gailey

4:15	Samuel W. Gailey:  I no longer live in a small town. Far from that...I'm in Los Angeles... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:15 Samuel W. Gailey

4:16	Samuel W. Gailey:  I think Danny would be on the fringe anywhere, but he certainly stands out more in a small town. It's easier to be invisible in a big city. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:16 Samuel W. Gailey

4:17	Nora - EarlyWord:  What was your inspiration for Danny? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:17 Nora - EarlyWord

4:18

Samuel W. Gailey:  Growing up, I knew a kid who was much bigger than the rest of us—taller, heavier, stronger—with an unchecked volatile side about him. He was quiet and kept to himself—he walked the hallways alone, ate by himself, always sat in the back of the classroom... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:18 Samuel W. Gailey

4:18

Samuel W. Gailey:  Later in life I discovered he took his own life, and that always stuck with me. As an adult, I look back and realize nobody understood him. I'm not sure anyone even tried to. This real-life character, along with wanting to explore the concept of a child trapped in a man's body, inspired Danny. I wondered what would happen to someone like that if they were accused of a violent murder. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:18 Samuel W. Gailey

4:19	Nora - EarlyWord:  I feel like we've all known characters like that, trapped for whatever reason by the perceptions of others. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:19 Nora - EarlyWord

4:20	Nora - EarlyWord:  Danny is rescued by a magical deer. It was a touching image, but the deer struck me as a surprisingly supernatural element in an otherwise grittily realistic story. What made you put her in the story? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:20 Nora - EarlyWord

4:20	Samuel W. Gailey:  Yes, absolutely. These are the kind of characters that I've always been drawn to in literature. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:20 Samuel W. Gailey

4:21	Samuel W. Gailey:  Hunting is a part of everyday life in the area that I grew up in. And almost every hunter that I knew growing up, had a huge respect for the land and wildlife, especially deer.... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:21 Samuel W. Gailey

4:22

Samuel W. Gailey:  After I wrote the book, I learned that in some cultures a deer symbolizes the combination of gentleness with strength and determination; being in touch with innocence and one’s inner child; as well as moving through obstacles with grace... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:22 Samuel W. Gailey

4:22

Samuel W. Gailey:  That could not describe my main character, Danny Bedford, more closely. He’s a child-like man in large body being hunted by a town full of people for a gruesome crime he may or may not have committed. Strange and magical how the subconscious mind works. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:22 Samuel W. Gailey

4:23	Nora - EarlyWord:  You have this photo of a deer on your site; it embodies that sense of grace and strength... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:23 Nora - EarlyWord

4:23	Nora - EarlyWord Photo by Sam Gailey Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:23

4:25	Nora - EarlyWord:  How were you able to write the gruesome scene of Mindy's murder? I have to say it was tough to readl Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:25 Nora - EarlyWord

4:26	Samuel W. Gailey:  I believe that violence should make people uncomfortable... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:26 Samuel W. Gailey

4:27

Samuel W. Gailey:  I am a big fan of suspense thrillers and mysteries. Some of my favorite books have dark content and violence, and part of me tapped into that psyche. I have never been a firsthand witness to this kind of violence, but I have been around some domestic violence that perhaps I drew from and expanded upon when it came to writing the scene. Also, as part of the creative process, I let the characters take over and allow them to guide the writing to a certain extent... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:27 Samuel W. Gailey

4:27

Samuel W. Gailey:  I wanted the scene itself to play out slowly. Create a build of bad things to come. Sokowski didn't arrive at Mindy's trailer planning to kill or even hurt her. It was an escalation of events. He felt provoked and in his condition of inebriation, he spiraled out of control. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:27 Samuel W. Gailey

4:28	Nora - EarlyWord:  I straight-out hated Sokowski, but this sounds like you had some sympathy for him. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:28 Nora - EarlyWord

4:28	[Comment From JenniferJennifer: ]  Hi! Sorry to be late Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:28 Jennifer

4:29	Nora - EarlyWord:  No worries; always room for more, Jennifer! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:29 Nora - EarlyWord

4:29	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Wow you could be living here in rural KY Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:29 trishap00

4:30

Samuel W. Gailey:  In regards to Sokowski, I believe most of us are born into innocence, but then it’s our environment that ultimately shapes and defines us. When creating Deputy Sokowski, I didn’t want to merely have a character that was born corrupt. I think like all people that veer off the path of morality, there is a reason for it... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:30 Samuel W. Gailey

4:30	[Comment From JenniferJennifer: ]  I liked the pacing and thought having the narrative cover one day was very effective. Was this the original plan or did the shortened timeline develop as the book went along? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:30 Jennifer

4:30

Samuel W. Gailey:  Sokowski’s mother abandoned his family when he was a kid. His father took his own life. Sokowski has a physical deformity. All these things manifest and fester, shaping someone like Sokowski, who never had the moral compass to get him back onto a path of righteousness. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:30 Samuel W. Gailey

4:31	[Comment From AnneAnne: ]  I agree with Nora - did not like Sokowski and really did not like that he used his position to be an even bigger jerk - but loved the storyline Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:31 Anne

4:31	Samuel W. Gailey:  Hello to Jennifer and Trisha. Thanks for joining. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:31 Samuel W. Gailey

4:31	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  And yes that is usually how a lot of domestic violence is. At least the ones I had to respond too. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:31 trishap00

4:31	Nora - EarlyWord:  I love that Palm Desert makes the following comment -- I thought this, too! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:31 Nora - EarlyWord

4:32	[Comment From Palm DesertPalm Desert: ]  Found it odd that Lester the State Trooper reads Charles Bukowski. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:32 Palm Desert

4:32	Samuel W. Gailey:  Thanks, Anne. He definitely abused his position and power. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:32 Samuel W. Gailey

4:32	[Comment From Palm DesertPalm Desert: ]  Was Sokowski a pot grower as another sign of his corruption? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:32 Palm Desert

4:33	Samuel W. Gailey:  Well, Bukowski was a drunk...a very brilliant drunk...but they did have that addiction in common. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:33 Samuel W. Gailey

4:34	Nora - EarlyWord:  The dislike of Sokowski is growing ... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:34 Nora - EarlyWord

4:34

[Comment From @bookclubreader@bookclubreader: ]  Sorry to be joining so late. The book was quite a read. I was struck by the loneliness and desperation of so many of the characters. How they had been rejected. And Sokowski was the most depraved character I've come across in a long time. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:34 @bookclubreader

4:35	Samuel W. Gailey:  Thanks Palm Desert. Sokowski saw the potential to make money off of pot, but he does craves power and respect as well. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:35 Samuel W. Gailey

4:35	[Comment From JenniferJennifer: ]  Danny will forgive the town and its people, but can Wyalusing be redeemed? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:35 Jennifer

4:36	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Most jerk cops demand respect and use their power over people to get it. Give the good ones a bad name Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:36 trishap00

4:37	Samuel W. Gailey:  Jennifer, in my heart, I felt Wyalusing was redeemed by the good characters that reside there. Danny is someone who is emotionally and intellectually stunted, yet somehow unintentionally transforms the lives of those around him. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:37 Samuel W. Gailey

4:38	Nora - EarlyWord:  Back to my obsession with the deer -- is this going too far? I had the sense that Mindy had returned as the deer to help Danny. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:38 Nora - EarlyWord

4:38	Samuel W. Gailey:  In regards to Bookclubreader's comment, I revisit the themes of loneliness and desperation in all my writing. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:38 Samuel W. Gailey

4:39	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Aww me too Nora Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:39 trishap00

4:39	Nora - EarlyWord:  Guess we're just two softies, Trish! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:39 Nora - EarlyWord

4:39	[Comment From bookclubreaderbookclubreader: ]  I agree about the redemption, Samuel. The townfolk needed to see Danny through another lens, which they eventually did. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:39 bookclubreader

4:39	[Comment From LibraryLessLibraryLess: ]  RE Response to Jennifer--Yes the ending scene in the diner makes it clear the town was changed. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:39 LibraryLess

4:39	Samuel W. Gailey:  Wow. Never thought of it in that way. But I love when readers interpret stories in their own way. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:39 Samuel W. Gailey

4:40	Samuel W. Gailey:  Libraryless, glad you walked away from the story knowing that. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:40 Samuel W. Gailey

4:41	Nora - EarlyWord:  Deep Winter is coming out next week. Now that you are so close to publication date, has anything surprised you about the process? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:41 Nora - EarlyWord

4:41

Samuel W. Gailey:  Absolutely. I am spending more and more time promoting my book via social media...all new to me. I am more old-school, but have embraced fb, twitter, and youtube. However, with bookstores, libraries, and book clubs I’m trying to keep it personal and I visit them on foot or email to introduce myself. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:41 Samuel W. Gailey

4:42	How did you feel about Sokowski? An unredeemed sadist  ( 78% ) Victim of circumstance  ( 22% ) Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:42

4:42	[Comment From bookclubreaderbookclubreader: ]  Samuel, knowing you use loneliness & desperation as recurring themes, I will be looking into your other works. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:42 bookclubreader

4:42	[Comment From LibraryLessLibraryLess: ]  Any significance to the name of the diner---which loosely translates to little house of peace? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:42 LibraryLess

4:43	Nora - EarlyWord:  Wow! LibraryLess -- good observation. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:43 Nora - EarlyWord

4:44	Samuel W. Gailey:  That was the name of the actual restaurant I worked at as a kid...I scooped ice-cream, believe it or not. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:44 Samuel W. Gailey

4:44	Nora - EarlyWord:  You've received your first reviews, with some great comments, particularly on your writing. How does that feel? Or, do you read them? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:44 Nora - EarlyWord

4:45	Samuel W. Gailey:  I do read them, and I have really been taken back by all the positive reviews (Kirkus, Booklist, Pub. Weekly, Esquire Magazine, NY Times) and some really wonderful blurbs from authors Urban Waite and Joe R. Lansdale.... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:45 Samuel W. Gailey

4:45	Samuel W. Gailey:  Validation is important. To know that something you spend years working on, has had an impact, and that folks seem to respond to my story. It moves me. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:45 Samuel W. Gailey

4:46	Nora - EarlyWord:  Wow, on our poll, about 30% of our participants felt some sympathy for Sokowski! Makes me feel pretty judgmental! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:46 Nora - EarlyWord

4:47	Nora - EarlyWord:  What are you working on now? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:47 Nora - EarlyWord

4:47	Nora - EarlyWord:  Oops, the percentage of those sympathetic to Sokowski just went down! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:47 Nora - EarlyWord

4:48

Samuel W. Gailey:  My follow-up effort is called 'The Deep End of Shallow', a suspense thriller with a supernatural twist that takes place in the same area of Pennsylvania as Deep Winter. There are drugs, bloodshed, false hope, and betrayal...and of course, loneliness! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:48 Samuel W. Gailey

4:48	Nora - EarlyWord:  How do you approach writing? Do you outline? Do you know the end when you begin? Do the characters come first, or the plot? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:48 Nora - EarlyWord

4:48	Nora - EarlyWord Samuel at his favorite writing spot in L.A. Note paper and pen Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:48

4:49

Samuel W. Gailey:  I start with the basic story. The basic concept behind the main character. With DEEP WINTER, Danny’s character is obviously pivotal to the plot, but Danny’s past and his tragic accident (the backstory) were so important to develop before I knew where I could take him. Once I have the basic story in my head, and I start to piece together all the other characters, then I move on to a very detailed outline. I don’t always know what the ending of my story might be exactly, but I generally have an idea of how I want the book to end. ... Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:49 Samuel W. Gailey

4:50

Samuel W. Gailey:  After completing the outline, I begin to write the first draft of the book by hand. I love paper and ink. It feels less constrained and I like the freedom of getting away from the computer... Feedback is also an important step in the process. The first person that reads my manuscripts is my wife Ayn – my first editor. I also get notes from writer friends, as well as my lit. agent, Natasha Alexis at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:50 Samuel W. Gailey

4:50	[Comment From bookclubreaderbookclubreader: ]  Love the title of your latest project! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:50 bookclubreader

4:51	Samuel W. Gailey:  Thanks, Bookclubreader...trying to put 'Deep' in all my titles...joking. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:51 Samuel W. Gailey

4:52

Nora - EarlyWord:  Your background is as a screen writer. It seems that more and more books are being made into movies (we cover this on EarlyWord) and more authors flow back and forth between books and movies (e.g., Cormac McCarthy wrote The Counselor as a spec script). Is there any inherent conflict between the two? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:52 Nora - EarlyWord

4:52

Samuel W. Gailey:  It really depends on the writer. I have a background in writing for film and television and find that it has injected helpful elements into my novel writing. If given a choice, I think it will lead to richer material if a story is fleshed out as a book first. Unless, one is merely using a script or treatment as an outline. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:52 Samuel W. Gailey

4:54	Nora - EarlyWord:  What will you be doing on publication day? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:54 Nora - EarlyWord

4:55	Samuel W. Gailey:  Pacing. And also signing and discussing my novel at the Barnes and Noble The Grove in Los Angeles. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:55 Samuel W. Gailey

4:55	[Comment From LibraryLessLibraryLess: ]  Who would play Mindy in the movie? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:55 LibraryLess

4:56	Samuel W. Gailey:  Some one like Amy Adams, but a little grittier. Any thoughts? The book is in filmmaker hands right now. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:56 Samuel W. Gailey

4:56	[Comment From bookclubreaderbookclubreader: ]  I love The Grove! Always stop by there when I'm in the LA/West Hollywood area visiting friends. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:56 bookclubreader

4:56	Nora - EarlyWord:  Kristen Stewart! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:56 Nora - EarlyWord

4:57	Samuel W. Gailey:  One of the last bookstores in Los Angeles. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:57 Samuel W. Gailey

4:57	Samuel W. Gailey:  Nora, I love your Kristin Stewart thought. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:57 Samuel W. Gailey

4:58	Nora - EarlyWord:  Sad comment about bookstores, but there's still libraries in L.A. Do you have a local favorite? Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:58 Nora - EarlyWord

4:58

Samuel W. Gailey:  Yes, I do...Libraries hold a special place in my heart. I frequent my local library in West Hollywood 3-4 times a week with my daughter and wrote some of Deep Winter there. Books are a huge part of our daily lives, and we discover so many great new authors/voices in the library. Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:58 Samuel W. Gailey

4:59	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Yayyyy Children librarians Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:59 trishap00

4:59	Nora - EarlyWord:  A great note to end on, Samuel. Thanks for joining us! Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:59 Nora - EarlyWord

4:59	[Comment From trishap00trishap00: ]  Thank you so much Wednesday February 12, 2014 4:59 trishap00

5:00

Samuel W. Gailey:  That was fun. Thanks for being a great host, Nora. And, thank you to everyone else for taking part. I’d love it if libraries could share the Reader’s Guide I created. Here’s the link: http://bit.ly/1kCstb1 And, of course, I’d love it if you follow me on facebook to keep up to date. Link: http://on.fb.me/1dIErY0 And, please email if I can help with your library blogs or programs. www.SamuelWGailey.com Wednesday February 12, 2014 5:00 Samuel W. Gailey

5:00

Nora - EarlyWord:  The book is coming out in just a few days, on FEBRUARY 20TH in bookstores everywhere and online. It will be available as advance digital readers copy until publication day on Edelweiss and NetGalley. You can find more digital content created by the author at www.SamueluelWGailey.com THANKS! Wednesday February 12, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord

5:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  This chat will be archived on the Penguin First Flights page on EarlyWord -- http://penguindebutauthors.earlyword.com/ Wednesday February 12, 2014 5:00 Nora - EarlyWord

5:01	[Comment From GuestGuest: ]  Thank you! Wednesday February 12, 2014 5:01 Guest

 

 

Posted in Events | Comments Off on Live Chat with Debut Author Samuel Gailey

Live Chat with Debut Author M. D. Waters

Wednesday, November 13th, 2013

Also available,  Nora’s podcast interview with M.D. Waters, author of Archetype.

Click here to find out more about the book and to sign up for the program.

Live Chat with M.D. Waters, ARCHETYPE

(11/13/2013)

  

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3:43	Nora - EarlyWord:  We will begin our live online chat with Misty Waters, author of Archetype in about 15 minutes. Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:43 Nora - EarlyWord

3:44	Nora - EarlyWord:  Meanwhile, here’s the cover of the book and a link to my recent podcast interview with Misty. Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:44 Nora - EarlyWord

3:44	Nora - EarlyWord ARCHETYPE U.S. Cover Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:44

3:53

Nora - EarlyWord:  I'm appy to see chat participants beginning to gather. You can send your questions through at any time. They'll go into a queue, and we'll submit as many of them as we can to Misty before the end of the chat. Don’t worry about typos – and please forgive any that we commit. Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:53 Nora - EarlyWord

3:54	Nora - EarlyWord:  Ooops -- first person to catch my typo wins a prize! Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:54 Nora - EarlyWord

3:55	[Comment From MelMel: ]  Missing the H in happy. ;) Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:55 Mel

3:56	Nora - EarlyWord:  You got it Mel -- give that person a ti-shirt! Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:56 Nora - EarlyWord

3:56	Nora - EarlyWord Read the book, wear the Tee Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:56

3:56	[Comment From CharissaCharissa: ]  MELINDA. I am so jealous. Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:56 Charissa

3:57	Nora - EarlyWord:  Well, don't be -- YOU get a tattoo... Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:57 Nora - EarlyWord

3:57	Nora - EarlyWord Get the Tatt... Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:57

3:57	[Comment From MelMel: ]  LOL, Charissa. YAY!!!! Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:57 Mel

3:59	M.D. Waters:  Hi everyone! Wednesday November 13, 2013 3:59 M.D. Waters

4:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hi Misty, thanks for joining us. We have an eager group gathering. I’ll let them say hi. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord

4:00	Nora - EarlyWord:  I see you out there -- say hi to Misty. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:00 Nora - EarlyWord

4:01	[Comment From Susan J.%20BickfordSusan J.%20Bickford: ]  Hey there, Misty! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:01 Susan J.%20Bickford

4:01	[Comment From charissaweakscharissaweaks: ]  Hi, honey :) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:01 charissaweaks

4:01	Catherine - Penguin:  Hi Misty! thanks so much for joining us! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:01 Catherine - Penguin

4:01	[Comment From MelMel: ]  Hi Misty! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:01 Mel

4:01	Nora - EarlyWord:  We received some questions in advance. This one is a good place to begin: Q: I see you went to Comic Con. But your book isn’t a comic! Why did you go? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:01 Nora - EarlyWord

4:02	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hi Misty, thanks for joining us. We have an eager group gathering. I’ll let them say hi. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:02 Nora - EarlyWord

4:02	Nora - EarlyWord:  Hi Misty, thanks for joining us. We have an eager group gathering. I’ll let them say hi. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:02 Nora - EarlyWord

4:02

M.D. Waters:  From what I gather, Penguin is very excited about Archetype, and decided to highlight the novel at their booth for an hour. Beyond that, I really have no idea. All I know is that I was excited to see everyone there supporting this little book I wrote. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:02 M.D. Waters

4:02	Nora - EarlyWord:  What was it like? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:02 Nora - EarlyWord

4:03	M.D. Waters:  Unfortunately, I didn't get to go. Just enjoyed all the great pictures after. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:03 M.D. Waters

4:03	M.D. Waters:  I hear the turnout was great. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:03 M.D. Waters

4:04	Nora - EarlyWord:  Got it. I understand the t-shirts and tarts were for Comic Con. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:04 Nora - EarlyWord

4:04	M.D. Waters:  Yes Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:04 M.D. Waters

4:04	Nora - EarlyWord:  They have the symbol of the luckenbooth -- let see if the readers recognize what it's for... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:04 Nora - EarlyWord

4:05	How is the luckenbooth symbol used in ARCHETYPE? (1 PTS) Symbol of high status To identify forbidden books To "mark" married women Symbol of a secret society Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:05

4:05	Nora - EarlyWord:  The sequel, PROTOTYPE, will be published in July, just five months after the first title. How did you write it so quickly? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:05 Nora - EarlyWord

4:06

M.D. Waters:  I have a very supportive family of non-readers who put up with me. If I see an opportunity to zone out for hours at a time, I steal and hoard it. But really, writing is like a second job for me. I work my normal 6-8 hours for the day job, then switch computers/rooms and write until my brain shuts down. Some nights and weekends are easier than others, and obviously I have to work around dinner and diapers and the occasional drive-by wink at my husband. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:06 M.D. Waters

4:07	Nora - EarlyWord PROTOTYPE, Sequel to Archetype, 7/24/14 Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:07

4:08	Nora - EarlyWord:  Where do the cover images come from? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:08 Nora - EarlyWord

4:08	M.D. Waters:  I think the designer, Monica Benalcazar, pulled every single detail of the Archetype cover from the book. From the glass to the indigo lilies to the bubbles in water... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:08 M.D. Waters

4:08

M.D. Waters:  When asked for my thoughts on the Prototype cover, I really wanted to see Emma breaking through the glass, because she breaks through everything standing her way to take back her life. Monica outdid herself with both covers. I think they’re absolutely stunning. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:08 M.D. Waters

4:09	Nora - EarlyWord:  One of your characters is named Declan -- that is unusual – your other characters are more common – Emma, Noah, Sonya, Charles – it made me suspicious of him from the beginning. Was that your intent? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:09 Nora - EarlyWord

4:09

M.D. Waters:  LOL, not at all. Actually, I read the name in another series, then heard it again on the show Revenge. So the name went on this list I keep on my phone for future character names. I always saw the name connected to a strong character, and Declan (for me, at least) is that in spades. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:09 M.D. Waters

4:10	Nora - EarlyWord:  The book’s themes revolve around how we discover truth. What draws you to that idea? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:10 Nora - EarlyWord

4:10

M.D. Waters:  I only write what I know and/or love, and I absolutely love stories involving some sort of quest for the truth and has me guessing until the end. The best laid stories have me guessing totally wrong and make me literally gasp in surprise. I just hope I’ve managed to do this in Archetype. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:10 M.D. Waters

4:11	Nora - EarlyWord:  The title ARCHETYPE sounds Jungian – any relationship? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:11 Nora - EarlyWord

4:11	M.D. Waters:  Other than my using archetypes to develop secondary characters (and a few main), none. This title option came up while looking for synonyms to the original title, which was too leading and gave away the big reveal. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:11 M.D. Waters

4:12

Nora - EarlyWord:  Congrats on the great review from Publishers Weekly -- “absorbing gothic thriller in science fiction trappings.” You are also racking up great reviews on GoodReads (love this quote, “Dystopian science fiction meets BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP”). Which are more meaningful to you? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:12 Nora - EarlyWord

4:12	M.D. Waters:  Every single word said about Archetype, good and bad, means a lot to me. I may stalk Goodreads like it’s my job, though… I’m incredibly humbled by how many amazing reviews are shared on an almost weekly basis. I do a lot of chair dancing. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:12 M.D. Waters

4:13	Nora - EarlyWord:  I see some more participants have joined us -- feel free to ask a question at any time. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:13 Nora - EarlyWord

4:13	Nora - EarlyWord:  Who is your favorite character in the book (other than Emma)? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:13 Nora - EarlyWord

4:14

M.D. Waters:  Oh, that’s easy. Arthur Travista. Definitely. I’m always partial to the bad guy—in books, television, or movies. I want to know what makes them tick, because behind those motives we consider evil are a truckload of good intensions. He’s a man with a very mysterious and sad past, who really does believe he’s doing the world a favor. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:14 M.D. Waters

4:15	[Comment From AnneAnne: ]  I really had my thinking cap on while reading as I too wanted the truth - very good tone and keeping the tension/suspense high. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:15 Anne

4:16	M.D. Waters:  @Anne thanks! It was a struggle, so I'm glad it worked out the way it did. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:16 M.D. Waters

4:16	Nora - EarlyWord:  You got some great blurbs (including one from Richelle Mead) – what’s the process for getting blurbs? Does the publisher do it all? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:16 Nora - EarlyWord

4:17	M.D. Waters:  The awesome team at Dutton gets them for me, and I can almost feel the 30-second dance parties they must have every time a new one comes in. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:17 M.D. Waters

4:17

Nora - EarlyWord:  Any hints about what to look forward to in PROTOTYPE? (you say on your blog, “Emma wrote ARCHETYPE, and I wrote PROTOTYPE. She had a real-life story to tell, and I just made some stuff up that could have happened after.” What does that mean?) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:17 Nora - EarlyWord

4:18

M.D. Waters:  I found Prototype insanely difficult to write in comparison to Archetype. We writers have voices in our heads, and yes, I know how crazy that sounds. And I say Emma wrote Archetype because I didn’t have to think about a single word of it. The story flew out of me in five weeks and barely changed after seeing my agent and editor. For five solid weeks, Emma was a real person in my head who had a story to tell and used me as a conduit... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:18 M.D. Waters

4:18

M.D. Waters:  By the time I sat down to write Prototype (almost a year later), it was like Emma stood against a wall, crossed her ankles and folded her arms…then shrugged at me. It was a scary moment because I knew the basic story points, but didn’t quite feel it the same way. So, for me, it was MY story to tell instead of hers. I had three months full of false starts and character issues and must have deleted roughly 50K words before turning over the final draft to my editor. And I was scared, because what I had in Prototype was The Terminator versus A Beautiful Mind in Archetype. Probably just my perception, but that’s how it felt to me... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:18 M.D. Waters

4:19

M.D. Waters:  Prototype begins a year and a half after Archetype ends, and starts with a fast, intense pace that doesn’t end until…The End. The action in Archetype was a lazy ride in the Mad Hatter Tea Cups compared to the battle Emma faces throughout. I also introduce a whole new cast of characters on top of the old ones, and boy do they have some personality. I have so many favorite characters in Prototype that I can’t possibly choose just one. Two of them make me literally laugh out loud, and I can’t wait to see reader reaction to these guys. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:19 M.D. Waters

4:20	Nora - EarlyWord:  It's hard to imagine that the pace is even faster in PROTOTYPE! It seems to race along in ARCHETYPE! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:20 Nora - EarlyWord

4:21	M.D. Waters:  I never thought Archetype was fast paced, so it's interesting to me to see everyone say that. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:21 M.D. Waters

4:22	Nora - EarlyWord:  Was PROTOTYPE already in your head when you wrote ARCHETYPE, or did you decide to do a sequel later? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:22 Nora - EarlyWord

4:23	M.D. Waters:  I had a particular version I considered starting before Archetype was picked up, but the epilogue changed, which completely changed the plans I had. So my agent, Jennifer, suggested one thing and I went with it. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:23 M.D. Waters

4:24	[Comment From AnneAnne: ]  I also saw this as a story about how precious memory is and how we do not necessarily "appreciate" it until we need it. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:24 Anne

4:25	M.D. Waters:  @Anne I never thought of that, but you're absolutely right. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:25 M.D. Waters

4:26	[Comment From SarahSarah: ]  I really loved this book. One of my favs of the year. What made you pursue the fertility or infertility theme? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:26 Sarah

4:27	M.D. Waters:  @Sarah Actually, it came from a topic my dad brought up while I was still in high school. He talked about China limiting the # of children. I put that together with other possible situations that could arise and that was that. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:27 M.D. Waters

4:28	M.D. Waters:  @Sarah And thanks:) Glad you liked it. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:28 M.D. Waters

4:29	[Comment From Sue D.Sue D.: ]  This may be a naïve question but did you know you always had a novel inside of your head? Did you always know you wanted to write? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:29 Sue D.

4:30	M.D. Waters:  @Sue Heck no. I loved reading, but I always listened to my dad who said how hard it was to succeed doing something like writing or being an artist. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:30 M.D. Waters

4:30	M.D. Waters:  @Sue I had stories I wanted to tell, but no guts to tell them Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:30 M.D. Waters

4:30	Nora - EarlyWord:  When did you decide to stop listening to his advice? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:30 Nora - EarlyWord

4:31	M.D. Waters:  @Nora When Twilight came out along with hundreds, if not millions, of others. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:31 M.D. Waters

4:31	M.D. Waters:  Meyer's story to publication was inspiring to me. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:31 M.D. Waters

4:32	Nora - EarlyWord:  Ha! Good answer! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:32 Nora - EarlyWord

4:32	[Comment From SarahSarah: ]  Is there anything planned after Prototype? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:32 Sarah

4:33	M.D. Waters:  @Sarah LOADS OF THINGS! :) I'm playing with a spinoff and have tossed around other possible character stories to tell. The world is so interesting, and I can't imagine letting it go just yet. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:33 M.D. Waters

4:33	M.D. Waters:  No more Emma, though. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:33 M.D. Waters

4:33	[Comment From KellyKelly: ]  It sounds like your dad was a big influence on you. How did he like the book? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:33 Kelly

4:34	M.D. Waters:  @Kelly My dad is so so so so proud. He carries a copy around everywhere to show me off. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:34 M.D. Waters

4:34	Nora - EarlyWord:  This question comes from Kelly -- not sure that it came through before: It sounds like your dad was a big influence on you. How did he like the book? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:34 Nora - EarlyWord

4:34	Nora - EarlyWord:  Scratch that -- looks like some things overlapped! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:34 Nora - EarlyWord

4:35	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Just curious, you mentioned that Archetype is Emma's story. Is that why you wrote from her POV, inside her head? Did it start out that way or change over time? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:35 Lucy

4:36	M.D. Waters:  @Lucy I've always written in first person. I dabbled in several stories prior to this one. Emma's voice was by far the most different. The most alive. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:36 M.D. Waters

4:38	Nora - EarlyWord:  Is PROTOTYPE also in the first person? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:38 Nora - EarlyWord

4:38	M.D. Waters:  @Nora Yes! Emma all the way:) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:38 M.D. Waters

4:39	Nora - EarlyWord:  We ran this poll earlier -- want to tell the folks the correct answer? How is the luckenbooth symbol used in ARCHETYPE? Symbol of high status To identify forbidden books To "mark" married women Symbol of a secret society Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:39 Nora - EarlyWord

4:40	M.D. Waters:  The "mark" of a married woman:) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:40 M.D. Waters

4:40	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Oh, Yes, Emma is very much ALIVE from the very beginning, which is why I really liked her and how she gradually figured things out. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:40 Lucy

4:41	M.D. Waters:  @Lucy LOL, it was both a good and bad thing for me being so deep in her head... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:41 M.D. Waters

4:41	M.D. Waters:  @Lucy When things got emotional and hard towards the end, I actually went into a funk for a good day or so. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:41 M.D. Waters

4:41	M.D. Waters:  Hard to bounce back from those sad scenes. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:41 M.D. Waters

4:42	Nora - EarlyWord:  "Marking" a married woman is an interesting idea -- we also "mark" married people, but with rings. Why did you want to come up with something different? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:42 Nora - EarlyWord

4:43	M.D. Waters:  @Nora I wanted a way for these men to CLAIM their wives w/out fear of losing them to other men. With the shortage, I can only imagine the lengths some men will go to. Rings come off. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:43 M.D. Waters

4:44	Nora - EarlyWord:  How did you come up with the symbol of the luckenbooth? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:44 Nora - EarlyWord

4:45	M.D. Waters:  @Nora I was writing the scene with Emma painting her first picture and needed a symbol that represented marriage. A quick google search later... Luckenbooth. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:45 M.D. Waters

4:45	M.D. Waters:  Totally spur of the moment. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:45 M.D. Waters

4:46	Nora - EarlyWord:  Did you do any other research for the book? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:46 Nora - EarlyWord

4:46	M.D. Waters:  @Nora Hmmm.... Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:46 M.D. Waters

4:47	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  I've heard other authors mention that with a second (or later) book their main character wouldn't cooperate ("Emma stood against a wall with crossed legs and folder arms."). Has that happened with other characters? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:47 Lucy

4:47	M.D. Waters:  @Nora Oh, right... SEAGULLS. I now hate seagulls. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:47 M.D. Waters

4:48	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Sorry, should have been 'folded arms" Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:48 Lucy

4:48

M.D. Waters:  @Lucy Sonya and I are no longer friends. LOL. She's the only one I had issues with. Her role in Prototype is pretty huge and I was constantly emailing/calling my agent, Jennifer, for help. For some reason, Jennifer GETS Sonya better than me. It's crazy. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:48 M.D. Waters

4:49	Nora - EarlyWord:  You mentioned that Stephenie Meyer’s publication story inspired you. Any advice for first-time writers? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:49 Nora - EarlyWord

4:49

M.D. Waters:  Learn and have patience. I spent an entire year taking five workshops a month to learn what it takes to write a novel—not that I follow all these rules off a bridge. I take liberties when the style calls for it. And once “THE” novel is written, breathe through the process and let the universe take it from there. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:49 M.D. Waters

4:50	Nora - EarlyWord:  I promised Melinda and Charissa in the beginning that we would give them t-shirts and tattoos. Can we make good on that? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:50 Nora - EarlyWord

4:50	M.D. Waters:  Absolutely! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:50 M.D. Waters

4:51	M.D. Waters:  Mailing addresses to mistydawnwaters@gmail.com Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:51 M.D. Waters

4:51	Nora - EarlyWord:  Thanks for making me look good! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:51 Nora - EarlyWord

4:51	M.D. Waters:  LOL Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:51 M.D. Waters

4:52	Nora - EarlyWord:  We are getting close to the end of this chat, so time to send in your last questions! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:52 Nora - EarlyWord

4:53	Nora - EarlyWord:  Misty; Are you open to library appearances or Skyping with reading groups? How libraries contact you? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:53 Nora - EarlyWord

4:53	M.D. Waters:  Absolutely. Just contact my publicist and she’ll handle it from there. Liza Cassity: liza.cassity@us.penguingroup.com Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:53 M.D. Waters

4:54	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Haven't read Prototype of course, but you mentioned the possibility of a spinoff to continue in this world. Can you tell us which character you might spin off or will that give too much away from Prototype? Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:54 Lucy

4:55	M.D. Waters:  @Lucy Sure! Not that you'll know her. I introduce Leigh in Prototype. She was a character I hadn't planned on, who showed me some interesting battle scars. She's a great character and fun to work with. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:55 M.D. Waters

4:56	[Comment From KellyKelly: ]  Thank you for sharing with us! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:56 Kelly

4:56	M.D. Waters:  @Kelly My pleasure! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:56 M.D. Waters

4:57

Nora - EarlyWord:  Yes; thanks so much, Misty. We're about to end this chat, it's been fun. This chat will be archived on the Penguin First Flights page on EarlyWord -- tell your friends: http://penguindebutauthors.earlyword.com/ ARCHETYPE is coming out on Feb. 6 Digital readers copies are currently available on Edelweiss and NetGalley Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:57 Nora - EarlyWord

4:57	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Ohhhh, Thanks. Something to speculate about when I get to read Prototype! :-) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:57 Lucy

4:57	[Comment From LucyLucy: ]  Thank You for chatting with us! Thanks to Nora for hosting and to Penguin for First Flights!! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:57 Lucy

4:58	M.D. Waters:  @Lucy Thanks for the great questions! Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:58 M.D. Waters

4:58	Nora - EarlyWord:  We look forward to toasting ARCHETYPE and Emma when the book arrives in February. Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:58 Nora - EarlyWord

4:59	M.D. Waters:  :) Wednesday November 13, 2013 4:59 M.D. Waters

5:00	Leaderboard (Top 20 Players) LurchzPrincess 1 Melinda S. Collins 1 charissaweaks 1 CatHayden88 1 Beverly Jackson 0 LibraryNew 0 Susan J. Bickford 0 bajackson 0 Early Word -1 Wednesday November 13, 2013 5:00

 

 

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