The most fun I’ve since The Call has been sharing the news with the many people who have helped me along the way.  One person that I looked most forward to telling was my excellent writing teacher, Ken Smith, a creative writing professor at UT Chattanooga.  Ken helped me get published in literary magazines in the early ’90’s, always stressing “aboutness” in my stories.  He taught me how to write critiques and how to survive the hot seat in a writing workshop. His was a terrific advocate for my work and a champion of what is my best short story, “Peoples’ Song.”  He was the author of the story collections Decoys and Other Stories and Angels and Others. His work appeared in magazines such as The Atlantic, Crazyhorse, Sonora Review, and Tri-Quarterly, and has been featured in the collections Best American Short Stories and Best of the West.

When the announcement of my deal was published in PW, I Googled his email address, intending to let him know that I’d finally reached the goal I’d set more than ten years earlier. What I found wasn’t his email address, but news that Ken had passed away a little more than two months ago at the age of 63.  He’d take early retirement due to declining health, but his death was unexpected to most. To me, it was a shock.  We hadn’t spoken in a couple of years. Time flies, even for college folks who live their lives in a slow-moving fishbowl, and I had no idea that his health was failing. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to tell him the news because I wanted him to know how much his teaching had helped me. I can’t do that personally any more, so I’ll do it now.

If you’re reading this, Ken, wherever you are, thanks. I’m proud to have known you.

Under the right column “Rights Report”
http://tinyurl.com/2ne7vx

The response to the Ketchingup post was overwhelming. Thanks to everyone who posted and to all the folks who friended me.  The publishing industry is on holiday, so I don’t expect any news until after New Years.  After a week of constantly checking email and voicemail, I find myself at loose ends.  I guess I could go shopping for that last gift or work on the draft of the next novel.

Nah.

I’m going to the beach. To do research. Seriously.

Y’know those stories writers tell about how the title got changed a couple of months into editing?  Not me, boy. Mine got changed before editing even started.  As a couple of male editors at HarperCollins pointed out, it seems that  ’soul taco’ is slang for well, you can look up all the different prejorative references to soul taco and taco on the Urban Dictionary. Who knew? It’s even more proof that I’m very not hip.

So, a change is in order.  The novel will now be titled SOUL ENCHILADA, pun very much intended. 

Stay tuned.

Had enough of the Anticipation theme?  Me, too. No condiments this time, just real news.

This has been in the works for a week, and I’ve been about to pop the whole time. Monday, my wonderful agent sold SOUL TACO ENCHILADA to Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow/HarperCollins, as part of a two-book deal.  Publication is set for Winter ‘09, with ARCs available sooner.   

To say that I’m delighted is like saying that cheesecake is, oh, pretty good.

 The deal will be announced in PW and PMP later. This is all new to me, so I’m taking advice on how to handle this whole “I’m a soon-to-be published YA author” thing.

The ketchup’s finally out of the bottle.

This video about the Constitution gang is da bomb.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q_TXJRZ4CFc

Thanks to everyone who commented or emailed about my last post on page-turners.  The suggestions have helped, and I’m working my way through the text, throwing out chapters and rearranging others.  It’s a slog, as most of you know, being master sloggers yourselves.

I do have one request, and I admit that I make it hesitantly.  My readers have seen several drafts of Taco. I would feel guilty asking them to have another go at it. Plus, I’d really like to have fresh eyes tell me what is on the pages instead of I *think* is in the pages. I’m hesitant to ask because I hate to impose.  With a blog though, at least I’m not putting a person on the spot (btw, I accept critiques easily, almost greedily).

So, if you would be interested in reading a 60k upper YA novel, please let me know.

Desperately Seeking A Page-Turner Primer.  If you are one or know of one, please comment below.

Edited after reading the comments:
Submissions on SOUL TACO are going as well as they could go without a sale.  Editorial comment has been very positive and complimentary, with one editor requesting a rewrite, while three others have said that they were on the cusp. The only thing holding them back is that the plot is not a “page-turner.”  So, I’m trying to learn how to write a page-turner.  David Lubar has been kind enough to help me do rejectomancy on the editors’ letters so that I have some specific things to work on. My agent remains positive, which is a good sign, I think.