Kristin Hannah.com Blog

SIX MONTHS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Okay, our Kristin is way too modest and would never post this so I'm making an executive Firefly decision!! (Yes, Kristin, I know, you'll be wondering why you ever gave me access to your blog! LOL But I know all the other Fireflies would want to celebrate this amazing moment with you.)

FIREFLY LANE has officially been on the New York Times best seller list for SIX MONTHS!!!! SIX MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!! This could not have happened to a better book or a more talented writer. Huge congrats, Kristin. I'm so thrilled for you.

xoxo

~Kim

Contest Winner and Book Club Photo

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Fireflies rock! Thank you for the record number of entries in Kristin's contest. And our winner is: Allyson C. from from N.J. Congratulations, Allyson!!!

Also, we have a new book club photo! Wenz and her friends went all out--everything 80s. The hair, the clothes, the food. What a great club!

~Kim

Happy Independence Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:43:00 +0000

Hello friends---

I know, I know, I'm a little early on my holiday greetings, but since so many of us are busy either getting ready to party or looking forward to the weekend, I figure what's a little anticipation among friends? I know I'm trying to put together my plan for the days to come, which I wholeheartedly hope will be sunny. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the Fourth of July is one of those uncertain holidays. It can be hot and gorgeous or gray and wet. It's rarely full on raining, but it doesn't take much precip to put a damper on outdoor festivities. At the moment, I'm looking forward to going to a friend's house for fun, frivolity, and a basket of homemade fried chicken, and then it's off to the local fireworks display with my brother and his family. I'm sure a good time will be had by all. And since I've got party food on my mind, this seems like a good time to ask you all what you take to your favorite bbq on a day like today? Red, white, and blue jello salads?

The other big news this week is books and movies. I was lucky enough to see Harry Potter six this week (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince), which I have to tell you was definitely one of my favorite of the novels. This is where Harry's journey really begins to turn dark and dangerous. My favorite kind of danger, too--not just fear that one might die, but fear that others one loves might die, and indeed that the world as it has been known might change forever, and not in a good way. When I first read this great book, my son and I engaged in lengthy arguments about whether Snape was good or evil or something in between, and the movie certainly highlights that question beautifully. The movie is absolutely gorgeous and moody and atmospheric; it has some of the coolest special effects I've ever seen. I can't wait to hear what you all think of it!

Speaking of opinions. Who among you have seen the New Moon trailer yet? What did you think? Are you looking forward to the movie in November?

And movies aren't the only winner this week. I just got my copy of Angel's Game, the prequel to one of my all time favorite novels, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Admittedly, I've only just begun to read it, but it's already hooking me bigtime. His writing is lush and lyrical and flat out awesome. I'm trying to savor the novel like a big box of Godiva chocolates, although we all know how hard it is to show restraint when what you really want to do is dive in and lose yourself...

I wanted to thank you all for your interesting comments and questions this week about the editing process. It is an arduous task (as my whining complaints no doubt showed), but it's also a great opportunity to get every single word in the right place, with the right meaning, to tell the very best story possible, and so I value the time it takes. I hope when you all finally read Winter Garden in February you'll appreciate all the hard work.

And speaking of Winter Garden, they're beginning to do some preliminary covers, and you all know that I'll post them here first. As soon as I have a final, I'll shoot it out over the blog.

Kim is tallying up all the firefly entries for the gift certificate contest, and we'll announce the winners next week.

Other than that, not much is going on in the Hannah household right now. In fact, I'm sitting on my back porch, watching the horses lean over the fence toward the apples just beginning to show on the apple trees. There are butterflies and dragonflies everywhere, and my white dogwood tree is in bloom. It's a perfect day to drag out the old laptop and say hey to my friends. So I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing, joyous weekend with your families and your friends.

Also, on a more serious note, I'd like to mention two of the big news stories this week. The deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett (she's still Farrah Fawcett Majors to me, that's how I roll, I guess, even though the love story with Ryan O'Neal has brought me to tears several times this week). These two icons have been a part of my life since my earliest memory. Yes, I had the Farrah 'do for many years and loved it. My bro had "the poster" up on his wall. And what to say about Michael? I used to watch the cartoon Michael sing ABC when I was little, and so many memories are tangled up with his music. Their lives were a real addition to our world, and our culture, and my childhood, and they will be missed. My prayers go out to their families.

What else is there to say? Aloha for now---

Kristin

ps: I have a good friend battling breast cancer right now, and I would love it if you all could take a moment or two to say a prayer for her...

In production...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone---

I thought I'd send you all this e-arrangement of flowers. It's a little something I put together for Kim's visit in Hawaii. The flowers are all from my garden. Aren't they beautiful? I have to say, one of the best things about a hot, rainy, sunny climate is the flowers. Anyway, these are for all of you; just my way of saying thanks so much for joining the firefly conversation and making all our lives just a little bit more connected. And you KNOW that uploading pictures is basically the only advanced blogging skill I have, so I like to show it off as much as possible. :) Someday soon I hope to master the possibilities of sending you links to things I find cool on the web, but I don't see it happening in the near future...so we'll just keep kickin' it old school for a while.

So, as Kim mentioned in her recent blog post (and thanks so much for that, Kim), I have been busy with my copyedit for the book for 2010. For those of you who are interested, let me give you a little overview of the production process for a novel. First of all, of course, is the draft after draft of original writing until you come up with a finished manuscript. For me, as many of you know, it's about a year all together---seven months to come up with the first draft, and five to seven more months to turn that first labor of love into something that I'm proud of. Then I send to my editor, the lovely Jen Enderlin at St Martins, and she adds her comments, and I rewrite again for a couple of months. Generally, Jen edits the manuscript twice. sometimes three times, although the third pass is pretty light. I'm profoundly lucky to have an editor who cares that much. When we decide that the book is "done" then the publisher sends it off to a copy editor, who has the unenviable job of finding errors, inconsistencies, timeline problems, historical inaccuracies, poor grammar and spelling; whatever. What you want is a very organized, detail-oriented person who finds EVERYTHING. This rarely happens, however, so you have to read the manuscript with a laser focus. It's hard to do, given that you've already read the book and edited it, literally hundreds of times. Shockingly, I always find mistakes; how can I still have mistakes when I've read it so many times? It honestly makes me feel like an idiot. Anyway, that's where we are right now with the book for 2010. It's an especially time consuming task with this book because some of the narrative takes place in the past, so there are lots of dates to be concerned with. Up next: the page proofs and galleys. These are the manuscript--hopefully largely error-free after the copy-edit--typeset (or however they do it nowadays on the computer) into the form they will have in the final book. This is the first time you see your book where it actually looks like a book. Again, at that point, you have to read very closely for errors that either weren't corrected at copyedit. or are new since copyedit, or worst of all, have been there all along and no one caught before. It's like going through a haystack one piece of hay at a time. I can't wait to hear how Kim is doing with all of it...

In addition to that, of course, I'm plotting the book for 2011. It sounds far away, I know, but believe me, it comes up fast when you have a deadline. The most difficult part of the entire writing process for me is coming up with the right idea. I come up with lots--dozens--of good ideas (my girlfriends will tell you its exhausting just listening to my string of what if ideas), but the right idea is something else. It's as close to magic as the process can be. I can't tell you why one idea is a go and another is a dud, but there you have it. I have to find the right one. And that's what I'm doing now. Last weekend my girlfriend, Megan Chance (a wonderful historical novelist) and I had a spa weekend where we discuss plots, characters, etc. By the end of the weekend, we're both relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to start writing.

That's pretty much all that's going on in my neck of the woods. Not much on tv these days, so nothing to report there. I'm still looking for book and movie suggestions, though, so keep those coming in...

Aloha for now---

Kristin

ps: I forgot to tell you that Random House is reprinting trade paperback editions of On Mystic Lake and Between Sisters. OML is coming out next week. Let me know if you see it in your local stores!

Aloha Hawaii...hello Pacific Northwest...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:37:00 +0000

Aloha Fireflies and friends---

It's that time again. I'm packing up the Hawaii vacation, folding and washing clothes, rinsing off snorkel gear, and...you guessed it, trying to figure out which of the pile of books I sent over to read, and didn't get to, should be put in my suitcase to come home. One of the best things about living in Hawaii for part of the year is the TBR pile. At home, I have trouble getting to everything I want to read. The books just pile up and pile up and pile up. But here, it seems that every few days I'm reaching for something new. What's better than sitting on the beach, reading? Unfortunately, just like at a great restaurant, my eyes are bigger than my stomach. I literally send over dozens and dozens of books, and even with my best intentions, I only get to a portion of them. Now I have to decide: which ones are calling to me so loudly that I'll carry them back over the Pacific, and which will I leave here for the next trip? It is a tough call, especially because once I go home, I have to work. That's right...work. And reading for pleasure will be just that much more difficult. I'll be researching the new novel (assuming I come up with an idea for the next novel), and copyediting the novel for 2010, and writing reading guide questions for the trade backlist publications of older novels that will be happening this summer.

Sounds like writing is a real job, doesn't it? Don't let all that fool you. It's still the best time a girl can have, and any complaints are not only a waste of time, they're flat out wrong. Obviously, writing is the perfect career for a gal who might forget toothpaste when she travels, but never has less than a full size suitcase full of novels.

Honestly, on this trip, I have had a great time reading, as most of you already know. I have really really loved As It Was Written, a debut novel, Skylight Confessions by Alice Hoffman, as well as the Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly. I also adored Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman, but there will be more about that later. I've loved a YA book called Graceling, and read Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart, which I really couldn't put down. I also love Jill Landis's new book, The Accidental lawman, which is out any day. I know she's one of my best friends, but she has such a lovely, lovely voice. Several books, of course, didn't live up to expectations, and I won't mention those. I will say that I've got a copy of Jacquelyn Mitchard's newest, and I can't WAIT to dig in. Maybe on the plane...

Kim tells me that we've gotten several entries on the super top secret blog-reading firefly only gift card contest and that I need to define it a little more so everyone understands what i'm thinking. I'll definitely do that on Wednesday or Thursday when i'm home, but until then, keep entering. I can't wait to give some lucky winner a gift card to use at a spa...at a bookstore...at a movie theater. (PS: Saw Terminator: Salvation. Am I the only geek girl to go on opening weekend?) Any opinions?

I don't have time with all this packing to go over all the shows I watch. American Idol...shocking! Prison Break finale...wonderful! Dancing with the Stars...cool! Lost...mind blowing! But I'll open that discussion when I get home, too. until then, does anyone else have anything that they want to share about all of our show finales?

Okay, friends. Picture me closing my suitcase and turning off my computer. Soon I'll be heading to the airport and beginning the long process of going home. I'll let you all know when I land safely and we can start talking again. Until then, my thoughts are with you all...

Aloha,

Kristin

Warm days, hot books, cool shows...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Aloha everyone--

Well, here it is: the much anticipated photographic proof that Kim actually came to my house in Hawaii and drank at least one mai tai. You can tell by her smiling face that we were having a great time. This particular shot was taken at the Tahiti Nui, an old fashioned bar where Hawaiian music rules, the decor is 1950's south pacific, and women are liable to break into hula at the first notes of "Tiny Bubbles." Okay, they don't really play Tiny Bubbles, but you get the idea. It's a wonderful, fabulous slice of Hawaiiana, and they make the best mai tais in the world. In the past year, I think I've shown you all pictures of more than a few of my writer friends at "the Nui," having the time of their lives. And no, I do not hula. Do. Not. Hula. I know this because I have tried to hula and heard the snickers. Rhythm is not one of my strong suits. In fact, if any of you are Seinfeld fans and you remember how Elaine dances...that's me. But I'm a hula fan and I adore watching other people dance. :)

We'll have to encourage Kim to offer a post or two about her trip. Like the professional woman she is, she was closeted in her room for the first few days, finishing the revisions on her SOON TO BE PUBLISHED FIRST NOVEL, and that's a tough road to walk. Everything about a first book is scary, exhilirating, wonderful, and panic-attack-inducing. But she finished on time and I know it's going to be fabulous. When she finally stumbled out of the room, bleary eyed and confused about who was real and who was fictional, I handed her her new favorite drink--a Malibu rum and pineapple juice--and she sat on the beach for hours, just relaxing. Heaven. She even dared to go in the water. Next trip, Kim, I have one word for you: snorkelling. That's right...you're learning how next time. And for those of you who like to picture where we were sitting, this is the beach. And for those of you who actually came to Hawaii and forgot a camera, you can show your kids where you were. (That's right; Kim forgot her camera). :)

But now all our guests are gone, and Ben and I are back to our lazy, lonely ways. We're re-doing our kitchen over here, and nightmare stories notwithstanding, it has been a really easy experience. We decided to do it one Monday and within a few weeks, the work had begun, and now the new cabinets are in. The only chink in the armor was drawer pulls--who knew there was a whole industry devoted to HOW you open a drawer? For a girl like me, who doesn't like to shop and has a limited amount of patience for detail, it was a horror. An aside: how can a woman who obsesses over every word in a two hundred thousand word novel not have the patience to look through a single catalog of drawer pulls? I don't know. It's a mystery; all I know is that the process would have rendered me insane if I let it. So I closed my eyes and picked.

Everyone disagreed with me. Everyone. Friends. Husband. Even the cabinet maker. :) So the cabinet guy (a real artist, btw), chose them himself and they were GREAT. Bullet dodged.

Instead of pouring through catalogs, I have been doing something much more fun. Reading books!!! What a treat. What a vacation. I have been sitting on the beach, reading, and having a blast. I can recommend, without reservation, Alice Hoffman's Skylight Confessions. I really, really loved this book. It's a fabulous mix of dark and light, good and bad, love and hate, myth and reality. It's really Alice at her very best. She has a powerful, lyrical voice that is simply unlike anyone else. I also loved a new debut novel called As it was written. I'll tell you more about that one as its publication date approaches.

And our television shows! Wow. Let's see, in no particular order: I have a new, wild theory about Lost that has me on the edge of my seat, I can't wait to see what happens with Prison Break, I will be devastated in Adam doesn't win American Idol, even though I think Danny and Kris are incredibly talented, I can't believe Helen beat Tara in The Biggest Loser (that is SUCH an inspirational show), I wonder how in the world Coach is still on Survivor, and I'm actually kind of glad that a lot of these shows are ending soon so that I can get back to reading and writing. :)

Onto something that actually matters: I was really impressed by our last blog conversation about dealing with stress and handling the pressures of everyday womanhood. So many of you had wonderful ideas, and it struck me that this would be a great time to have a little secret Firefly drawing. So, let's do a drawing for one of those fifty dollar VISA gift cards. What do you think? Send in your emails with a caption: Firefly secret drawing. We'll collect the entries from now until June 1 and then we'll give away the gift. The lucky winner can use it--hopefully--in a way that makes her smile. A pedicure, a book, a movie with girlfriends, a round of mai tais...Good luck~

Well, that's about all the news that's fit to print right now. I think I'll head on down to the beach, set up my chair in the sand and read my new book. what's on the top of my tbr pile, you ask? I'm trying to decide. Any suggestions?

And thanks again to all of you---Firefly is beginning its fifth MONTH on the ny times bestseller list. So keep spreading the word!

Book club discussion question for the week: How realistic do you think the mother-daughter relationships in the book were?

Aloha and happy summer days---

Kristin

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Mon, 11 May 2009 02:35:00 +0000

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY one and all-

I'm sending you some e-flowers from my garden here in Hawaii. A beautiful purple/pink orchid and a Bird of Paradise that is absolutely gorgeous. I would write a new blog entry, but it's Mother's day, so I'm busy forcing my husband to do my bidding. And what am I doing, you ask? Watching ALL my missed programs--Fringe, Prison Break, Grey's, etc. By tomorrow I will be totally caught up on everything. Ah, delicious. I'm also reading and looking forward to a massage on the lanai. Woo hoo. What a day. :)

But I have lots of news and will write more tomorrow--including posting a picture of Kim. I promise!

For now, I wish all of you the very best of mother's days---whether you are a mother or are just thinking of your mother or wishing to be a mother. I wish you all peace and joy and control of the remote on this most feminine of holidays.

Aloha,

Kristin

The girlfriend Hour in Hawaii begins...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:09:00 +0000

Hello again!

Well, there's all kinds of big news coming to you from the Hawaiian Islands. First, and most important to the fireflies who make this blog work is this: Kim is here!! That's right, my friend and assistant, Kim Fisk, is here in sunny Hawaii for her first vacation in years. She hasn't let me take her picture yet (keeps shoving her laptop in front of her face when I lift a camera), but I'm committed. Believe me, we will post a picture of Kim on the beach, drinking a mai tai. As it is, she's working hard on the last pages of her book, which as you all know, will be published in early 2010. Any minute I expect her to come stumbling out of her room with a dazed look on her face, mumbling, "I'm done. I'm done. I'm done." That's when I'll hand her the mai tai and snap my photo. :)

And then there's the news about Firefly Lane. I haven't really been keeping you all up on the book's success, mostly because it's almost embarrassing. An embarrassment of riches. But this week, the book marked it's FOURTH MONTH on the New York Times list. Is that absolutely freakish and unbelievable? It isn't even dropping much. It's number six. I'm going to start calling this book the little novel that could. I'm still not quite sure how it's happening, but I guess every woman who reads the book tells her friend about it. It's like that old commercial, "I told two friends, who told two friends, and so on and so on." All I know for sure is that it's magic, and it all started here, with the first readers who came onto the blog and started the word of mouth. I really am so, so grateful.

On last week's blog, Lisa from Texas mentioned that she was stressed out, and I wanted us to divert out book club for a moment to talk about the pressures we women live under. We all have a special opportunity on this blog to help each other and offer suggestions that have worked for us. Obviously we are all readers, but what else do you do to relieve the stress that wife and motherhood, employment, the economy, etc. place on you?

Me, I read, I run, I watch television, I take baths, I cook, and I sit on the beach. And perhaps most importantly, I call my girlfriends. We kvetch about our kids, our husbands, our jobs, our responsibilities, and somehow all that complaining makes us start laughing, and then I can handle it all again. As I get older, I definitely understand how much my friends have enriched my life and help me manage it.

And speaking of television (which, of course, I wasn't, but it's always on my mind), I am LOVING the new Prison Break and can't wait for Fridays, I HATE what's happening on Brothers and Sisters, I am confused by what's happening on Lost, and I can't fathom that Adam was on the bottom three in Idol this week. How on earth did THAT happen? And I'm glad that Tyson is gone from Survivor. now all we need is to say hasta la vista to Coach...

Books to recommend this week: I read and loved Long Lost by Harlan Coben, The Brass Verdict by Michael Connelly. I also finally read The Eight by katherine Neville and would love to hear from others who have read it. Next on my pile is a debut novel that hasn't yet been published. I'm also looking for a great gothic. Anyone have any ideas?

I guess that's it for now. Aloha to all---

Kristin

Hello from sunny Hawaii...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:42:00 +0000

Aloha friends and fireflies--

I'm back in my favorite place in all the world...Hawaii...and more specifically, as the picture at the side shows, I'm back at my favorite tiki-themed restaurant/bar with good friends Jill Marie Landis and Stella Cameron. It was particularly special this time because we also brought my sister in law to see the wild and crazy floor show. Hawaiian music, impromptu hula, people popping up from their seats and running for the microphone. Really. You can't make up this kind of stuff. Even cooler is the fact that my husband's parents visited this exact same place in the sixties. I don't think a single thing has changed...not even the tablecloths. :) Every time I'm here, I can't help thinking how much my own mom would have loved this place...

Why am I running around to tiki bars, you ask? Well, I'll tell you: Because I am DONE with the book for 2010. Done, done, done. I am positively giddy with happiness. After at least twelve drafts (just ask Kim, who started complaining at about number six and grumbled that I needed to sleep more and quit writing so much), I have finally written the end. And I'm pretty sure I mean it. :) I have to tell you all, just because you're such great friends and readers, that I really, really love this book. I don't care what the reviewers say about it, or really what anyone says about it. I believe this is the first time that my own work has ever made me almost cry. It's different for me--two parallel stories, one in the present time and one in the past--and even though that structure made me tear my hair out for a long time, I ended up loving it.

And since I'm done, I've been reading a ton of books and watching even more television. Now that I'm in Hawaii, I have my beloved abc back, so I'm caught up on Lost and Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. And I see that Prison Break has five more episodes this month. YIPEEE!!!! Is this my lucky month or what?

So, in no particular order: Was Adam TOTALLY amazing this week on Idol, or what??? I think they should have had him sing it again for all those people who watch on tivo and lost his performance. Also, I am amazingly captivated by Lost, although I admit that I no longer have any idea what's going on unless the Others turn out to be pod people from another planet. I can't turn away from Biggest Loser and hope Tara wins.

Books. Read Harlan's newest, LONG LOST and loved it, like all of his stuff. I just love Win and Myron. Also read a new author (for me) John Connelly. The book of Lost Things. I really enjoyed it. It's a recommendation for people who like kid fantasy books, although the themes are very adult. I also enjoyed Lynne Griffin's debut novel,

LIFE WITHOUT SUMMER. Check out the cover. It's really pretty, don't you think? Anyway, it was a lovely story about a really difficult subject--every mother's worst fear. Honestly, I had difficulty starting the novel. I was worried about the topic, but the author handled it with grace and restraint. I'd love to hear what other people think. If you belong to a book club, it's a good choice to spark discussion.

And finally, I want to thank Lisa for pointing out that Firefly Lane is indeed number 2 on the New York Times list for the second week in a row. I am constantly amazed by this book's success. All across the country, I guess, women are picking it up and loving it and recommending it to their friends. But it all started with you guys, here on the website. You were the early readers and I can't tell you what that means to me.

Well, that's all the news that's fit to print for right now. I think I'll head out to the beach for an hour or two. But what shall I read? Any suggestions? I'm thinking about finally diving into Katherine Neville's The Eight. I mailed over about one hundred books for this vacation, though, so I have a few choices. :)

For our book club discussion on Firefly, I want to thank you all for the talk about Tully. From my perspective, she was always likeable. I guess that's because I saw her as so damaged. And I know people like her, who really are broken enough that they have trouble seeing the world through dispassionate eyes. I honestly hope someday to write Tully's book. Several of you have noticed the bits I put in about Cloud's "secret" past, and I want to explore that. I just don't quite have the idea for it yet. Here's this weeks question: Did Johnny ever really love Tully? And why did Kate have so much jealousy about that relationship?

So, Kristin Hannah, signing off from sunny Hawaii, saying mahalo (thanks) to all of you again for always being there. I can't tell you how often your blog posts make me smile or laugh or think about something important. And here's the view from my bedroom window, so you can picture me on my lanai, reading something you all have recommended and looking---somewhat desperately--for a new idea...

Aloha for now,

Of beaches and book clubs and too much quiet...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:41:00 +0000

Hello again my friends---

It looks like you all missed me as much as I missed you. I'm glad to be back! As you can see by the photo at the left, I'm settled in Hawaii again, trying to regain my breath and slow down a bit. If you can't slow down in paradise something is wrong, right? So I'm practicing my deep breathing...

A LOT has been going on in my life lately. But instead of excuses, let me fill you in on all of it. First, the fun part. Last week, my beloved husband and I went down to sunny Southern California to see our son at college. As you know, he is a junior now, and we haven't been to visit him since he moved into his own apartment. It was sheer heaven just to hang with him again. Since there's just the three of us, we've always been really close, and we enjoy traveling together. And he's so grown up. Honestly, I'm amazed and humbled by him. He is a really wonderful young man. But even so, I still lsometimes hear echoes of the kid who used to say "you're not the boss of me..."

After a too brief stint in So Cal, we came home (this is the time period when I SWORE to myself I would update my blog) for two days. What was I thinking? Two days between returning from one state and going to another? I know, I know, you don't feel sorry for me because I was heading to Hawaii. All I can plead is lunacy. I was an idiot to think I could get it all done. Oh, and I planned to repaint two rooms and recarpet one on those two days.

Dumb...dumb...dumb...

This is about the time Kim started bugging me to update my post. I like to think I answered her very politely and said I would do it instantly. :)

Then my editor called with only a few changes that needed to be made to the book for 2010.

And then my agent called with the good news that Random House is going to republish On Mystic Lake and Between Sisters in trade paperback. (which I think is totally great, btw). Everyone is very excited by the prospect. All they need from me is new reader letters, new discussion questions for the book clubs, and a couple of new interviews...in three days.

So there. That's what I've been doing for the past two weeks. I know it's a long time for radio silence and I'm sorry to jump ship, but I literally haven't had ten minutes alone with a computer until now.

But now that I'm back, let's get to the book club thing we began last month. As promised, I'm going to start by addressing some of Lisa's great questions. April also posed a few good ideas, and I'll save them for later in the week.

So, Lisa wanted to know how I work exactly. The easy answer, of course, is that I write all of my novels longhand--on narrow ruled yellow legal pads with a fine tip gel pen (black, unless I want to get a rise out of Kim). I number the pads so that Kim can always follow where I am. I write my books from beginning to end; I do not purposely skip around or write ahead. Every one hundred pages I give the work to my friend, Megan Chance, who never fails to puncture the balloon of my hope and tell me where I've gone wrong. Kim is also very good at pointing out mistakes. So, at that point, I begin again. I keep what was working and throw out everything that wasn't. From this point on, it becomes a quest not only to tell the story I've imagined in the best words possible, but to make sure that I've told the story in the best way possible. In firefly, for example, I threw out literally hundreds of pages until I found the "right" way for me. In one draft, Kate and Tully were both actresses in Los Angeles, in another draft, Tully found true love, in yet another, Cloud was central to the end of the story.

I hand these pages to Kim, who amazingly, reads my handwriting (and my mind), and she inputs them in the computer and gives me back a hard copy of the material. Serious edits are a compilation of new material written on yellow pads, woven through the hard copy and identified by asterisks. I know a manuscript is beginning to coalesce when most of my edits are sentence/paragraph changes that can be contained on the page.

As to the logistics of it all. Kim has an office that is connected to my house. She is quite the Queen Bee over there and I'm afraid to touch anything. Especially the computer. She can always tell when I've snuck over and made a few secret changes...

I write whereever I feel like. Often I'm in bed, or on the beach, or sitting on my deck, or in my living room. That's why I started writing longhand. I need to be able to write in lots of places. Also, to be honest, I often work twelve hours days and the computer was tough on my back.

So there you have it, ladies. The first book club discussion! Now let me ask one: Did you like Tully? Did you think she was a genuine friend to Kate? Do you wonder what happened to her after the novel's end?

Now that I'm back on the beach, I'll be around a lot more. I look forward to continuing this discussion.

Thanks for sticking around...

Aloha for now,

Kristin

Book clubs rock and I want to belong to one...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Hello fireflies and friends---

Okay, ladies, check this out and get out your pens and paper. This is the Firefly cocktail, brought to us by a book club that really knows how to have fun. The glow stick as an especially cool touch, don't you think? I should have written down the recipe---it could be the website's official drink. Unfortunately, as you know, I have limited organizational skills.

I have been talking to a large number of book groups lately, and I have to say, like blogging, it turns out to be surprisingly fun. I belonged to a book club once, for a few months, and no one really read the book. We got together for lots of great appetizers and we had fun gossiping, but there wasn't much book discussion. I wish I'd belonged to one of the groups that call me. These ladies are Smart, and Fun, and Opinionated. Some of them even dare to tell me what they didn't like about my work, and I think that kind of honesty rocks. I mean, really, very few books are perfect. Even when we love something, we wonder about something or are bothered by something. I love it when people feel confident enough to say which books of mine they liked, and which ones they didn't. And if I'm lucky, they loved one or two.

Here are a couple of the book groups I've spoken to lately.

Can't you tell how much fun we had? I've encouraged both groups to enter the Hallmark.com sweepstakes so that maybe I'll have chance to visit one of these groups in person. Honestly, women who gather to talk about books rock. One of these groups even matches cocktails and appetizers to the book. How cool is that?

Hence the firefly cocktail, of course. I recommend they read Shadow of the Wind and drink Sangria and eat tapas.

Is Sangria Spanish or Mexican? Does anyone know? And while I'm asking, does anyone have any other great book/drink/food recommendations? Maybe I'll start a book club of my own... We'll start with the book, Molokai, drink pina coladas, and eat pu pus. Anything but poi...

Check out those firefly cocktails below...

And these are the LitWits. One of my favorite book clubs of all time. They were a real hoot. TOTALLY fun to chat with...

Wait a sec. All of this makes me think. I don't have to join a book club that actually meets every month. WE can be a book club, those of us who follow this blog.

So go ahead. The obvious starting point is Firefly Lane. Ask me questions and I'll answer, or make any comments that come to mind. I'll answer any questions about the book or my process or why I made certain choices...

Well, now I'm off to the television. It's Tuesday night, which means American Idol. If a man doesn't win this year, I'll be amazed. Adam, Scott, and Danny are amazing.

Keep in touch--

aloha,

Kristin

back in the usa...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:03:00 +0000

Hola friends!!

Here's the first photo of la familia on the beach in front of the fabulous Holbox Fly Fishing Lodge, where we had one of the best reunions so far. How could we go wrong, really---white sand beaches, blue water, friends and family, homemade ceviche, glorious sunsets...and did I mention the margaritas?

As I mentioned in my post from down there, we were on a quiet, very remote island not far from Cancun. I had never really been to Mexico before, and i quite fell in love with the laid back atmosphere. It is not my beloved Hawaii, but it was wonderful in a totally different way. Goodbye hula and hello mariachi. Did I spell that right? Best part of the getaway was spending quality time with my family; worst part was being totally cut off from my cell phone and my laptop. It's been a long time since I was that unplugged. :) And for Sharon, if you're reading this, you had a couple of great photos in the family slide show.

Now I'm back into ordinary life for the foreseeable future. Ben and I are headed to Hawaii in late March, but as you all know, I have wireless there. No problems blogging from the beach. Also, I'll be looking for good books to read. Any suggestions?

I know you can't see that I just took a break, but I did. I just got a call from my agent, who told me that Firefly Lane has held it's number FOUR spot on the New York Times again this week. How flippin' amazing is that? And True Colors is at number ten. Too bad there's no one here to drink champagne with me. Or maybe we could all toast our drink of choice this evening as if we're together...

Other than book signings and touring and family reunions and finishing the book for 2010, I haven't been doing a whole lot. I guess all that has pretty much taken up all of my time. Oh, and the fact that my satellite company is fighting with the local ABC affiliate is my biggest headache. In case you don't know, what that means is that I don't have ABC, which means I don't have LOST!!! AAAAAAgggggghhhhh.... Picture me angry. I also don't have Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, Grey's Anatomy...you get the drift. So I'm trying to keep up with my shows on my computer and I'm way way behind. So please, friends, no big spoilers without an alert. I'd hate to stumble across something I hadn't seen yet. Anyone have recommendations for what shows on ABC I should watch first. Literally, I'm weeks and weeks behind...

Thoughts on the Oscars: LOVED the new way they presented the acting awards--I actually cried a couple of times. Shirley Maclaine was especially great, as was Goldie. Loved Hugh Jackman, LOVED the fabulous and amazing set, loved the Seth Rogen/James Franco bit, loved seeing Kate Winslet win. I would have liked more presenters, though. I am a dress watcher, at heart.

Let's see...is there any other news? Honestly, with my tv down and my book at the final editing stage, my brain is reduced to baby food. Thanks to all of you who came to the various signings. I sure appreciated seeing you all. I'll be in Redmond, Washington tomorrow night and Village Books in Bellingham on Saturday night for anyone in the area.

Aloha and adios---

Kristin

5 down...2 to go

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Five signings down...Two to Go

Here are a few pictures from Kristin's signing at Liberty Bay Books. My less-than-stellar skills with a camera has kept most of the photos from being uploaded. :( Apologizes to everyone who I made stand and pose and the pictures still turned out too fuzzy to use! If any Fireflies happen to make either of Kristin's last two signings (Redmond on the 26th or Bellingham on the 28th), please snap some pics and I'll post them on the blog.

Also, Kristin will be guest blogging on the 27th at ttp://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com

I know she'd love it if you came over and said hi if you have time.

~Kim

Kristin with the lovely and talented
Jill Barnett

Kristin and two wonderful readers.

Kristin with one of our newest Fireflies!!!

Kristin with her charming father and his lovely wife

Mr. Hannah and Firefly Rachael

Hola from sunny Mexico!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:15:00 +0000

Hola firefly friends---

I know I usually post from the beaches of sunny Hawaii, but just this once I've gone south instead of west. (I am hopelessly directionally challenged, so if that's wrong, please don't tell me). Except for Leen, who is always funny in her observations. :)

Anyway, I'm down on a GORGEOUS island off the coast of Mexico. Not surprisingly, I don't know the precise location, but we're about a two hour drive from Cancun. My entire family (at least almost entire, a few people are sadly unable to attend) is gathering for a reunion. The last time we all got together was a few years ago, in Hawaii. And here we are again. We'll be trading in pina coladas and reaching for margaritas instead... The only thing missing, really, is Jill Marie Landis, who makes every beach party more fun.

So far, we've been kayaking and running and listening to local music and swimming on our fashion fun floats. There are three of us that do this---Debbie is the fun; Mackenzie is the fashion (her suit matches the float), and me. The float. I don't think this is a crack about my weight. :)

As crazy as the last few weeks has been, it's GREAT to be down here. My husband and I were on tour for True Colors (it was great to meet a bunch of you all, by the way--and welcome to anyone new I met!). We came home from the tour and turned right around and left again. I know, I know, we were leaving for sunny Mexico, so it wasn't such a hardship, but still...don't you feel a little sorry for me. All that travel and packing and repacking? Just a little? Okay, okay, I know you don't. You're still thinking about the beach and the margarita...and you're right. It's cool.

The other thing going on, of course, is the books. While I'm down here lazing around, Firefly Lane continues to blaze up the book charts. Last I heard it was number 5 on the New York Times list. As if that isn't amazing enough, True Colors debuted at number 5!!! Needless to say, number 5 is my new favorite number. :) And best of all, if they start to fall, I'm too far away to hear. There's no cell service down here, no real internet (just cafes where you have to sit and type while the beach is calling), so whatever happens, I won't know about it until after the fact. Margarita on!

I'll be home in five days and show you all some great photos. My niece is a great photographer, so maybe she'll loan me a few. I can't post my own here because this is a public computer.

So, hola and adios to all!!

Talk to you again soon,

Kristin

ps: And yes....I am missing LOST!!!!!!!! The price of paradise....

Come see Kristin!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:54:00 +0000

Hello Fireflies!! I interrupt Kristin's regularly scheduled blogging for the following:

Tour Dates

Tuesday, February 3, 2009 6:30pm
Liberty Bay Books
Poulsbo, WA

Thursday, February 5, 2009 7:30pm
Eagle Harbor Books
157 Winslow WayBainbridge, WA

Friday, February 6, 2009 6:30pm
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA

Monday, February 9, 2009 7:00pm
Borders687 NW 12th St.
Gresham, OR
503.674.3917

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 7:00pm
Powells Books
3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd.
Beaverton, OR

Thursday, February 26, 2009 7:00pm
Borders16549 NE 74th Street
Redmond, WA

Saturday, February 28, 2009 7:00pm
Village Books
1200 11th Street
Bellingham, WA

~Kim

# 7 on the New York Times!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:47:00 +0000

Hello friends---

Okay, so really, I hate to be the kind of person who goes around touting her own success, and I'm vaguely uncomfortable doing it now (most of my friends and family don't even know that Firefly is on its third week on the Times list), but I really feel as if you all are such an integral part of it. Honestly, I couldn't have done it without you. You guys have been such an important, vital part of spreading the word on Firefly Lane and I think your enthusiasm has been contagious. Women all around the country are choosing it for their book clubs, and I suspect more than a few have talked to one of my online friends in the past year.

Thanks also to Lisa for posting the People magazine review of True Colors. What a lucky break that was, wasn't it?? As an avid People magazine reader myself, it's always fun to turn a page and see a review of my own book. Even if it's not good, but when it's great??? Well that's a call up the girls and order a pitcher of margarits night. :) Now, if only my local Safeway would put out the new magazines, I could actually SEE it!!

Okay, so that's what's happening with the books. But you know what's even more front burner these days...that's right...LOST is back on. I watched the season opener and I thought my head was going to explode as I tried to figure out all of it. When are they? Where are they? What in the heck is happening??? I love it, love it, love it. All I ask is that Kate/Jack/Sawyer get back together on screen soon...

And then there are the movies. What a month for good things to watch. I'm slowly working my way through the Oscar noms so that I can win the Oscar pool I have with my friends. To that end, I've seen Benjamin Button (loved it--thought Brad and Cate were remarkable, as was the make up), saw Slumdog Millionaire (LOVED it--favorite movie this year so far, but a very tough, difficult, gritty movie to watch--with a KILLER ending), Frost/Nixon (really good). On the list to see: Milk, Rachel Getting Married, The Reader, Revolutionary Road. Anyone got any reviews???

On tv--Private Practice, Fringe, American Idol, and Biggest Loser all have my undivided attention. I am liking Grey's Anatomy, but they better pull something big out of the hat with the Izzy/Denny story line. Haven't liked that much, but I like Sandra Oh and Kevin McKidd...

What are all of your favorite movies and tv shows this season?

Thanks again for being such loyal fireflies and for spreading the word about the books. You guys rock!!!

aloha,

Kristin

Firefly Lane hits the New York Times bestseller list!

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:26:00 +0000

Hello everyone--

Before I tell you where I've been for the last few weeks, let me thank you so, so much for all of your support and enthusiasm for Firefly Lane. Last week, as you know, the book came out in trade paperback, and it rocketed right onto the bestseller lists. I am honestly humbled and grateful. It takes a lot of behind the scenes work to put a novel on The List and my publisher has worked tirelessly to make the book succeed, but I'm well aware of how much YOU make a difference. The readers. Whenever you tell someone about the book or pass it along to a friend, you are a part of the publishing process. So thank you very much for your continued support.

And now, on to what else has been happening. As most of you know, the Pacific Northwest got hit with a big time storm this December. My family and I had been planning a short ski vacation, which turned into a long vacation due to road closures and falling snow and threatened avalanches. It doesn't sound like a bad thing--a longer vacation--but when you're apart from your beloved computer and apart from friends and family, it can get a little hectic. I missed my fireflies and talking to you all about everyday life. It was a great treat to come home and find your posts.

When we got home, we had to run around a make up for lost time and have all the family holiday get togethers that we'd missed when the snow hit in December. It was like the holidays always is--fun, crazy, busy, stressful, and flat out wonderful. You'll all be glad to know that I even managed to put together an Africa scrapbook for the gang. I used a fabulous online resource--Shutterfly.com--and honestly I can't recommend this site highly enough. As we know, I'm not great in cyberspace, and this site made it amazingly easy, and the scrapbook was a hit! I wish I could send it out to all of you. Although, you have seen some of the photos, I'll make sure you see more in the coming weeks.

When I got home, it was time to hit the ground running. I know it's hard to believe, but we writers work well in advance, and I've been kicking my own butt to finish the first draft of the book slated for 2010. (Kicking Kim's butt too--just ask her. I know she'll love to complain about how hard she had to work in January). There's still a lot of work ahead of me, but I can finally see the end. It's crazy to realize that right now I have a book out in paperback, a book coming out in hardcover in three weeks, and am finishing the novel for next year. It makes me feel like Nora Roberts. :) Woo hoo.

Now I'm finally slowing down enough to look around and see what's around me. It's a new year, with a new President, and a new hope. You all know the resolutions I've made (and yes, I'm still reaching for the same things--how about you?), but I'm thinking about the bigger picture. So here, in no particular order are some of my hopes for 2009, big and small.

First and foremost, I hope we all take President Obama's call to service seriously. We each are stronger when we band together. I hope our generation rises to become another greatest generation by showing our faith, our strength, and our commitment to the ideals upon which this country was founded. I know I'm sounding political--but how could anyone watch today's inauguration and not feel the power of this moment in history?

I hope Harlan Coben's new book is as good as his last one and keeps me up late into the night.

I hope they keep that cute kid who played Jacob in the next Twilight movie. I think his name is Taylor Lautner. I hate the idea that they'll he'll lose the chance to grow into the role. While I on Twilight, I'm bummed that Catherine Hardwicke isn't directing the sequel, but I'm staying hopeful that it will be okay.

I hope the new Harry Potter movie rocks the house.

I hope Fox TV keeps Prison Break around for a long time. What can I say, I still love that show! And as long as I'm talking tv, I hope Lost keeps me on the edge of my seat and answers my questions and blows my mind. I hope Kate ends up with Jack. Yes, yes, I'm on THAT side of that fence. I'm sure I'll hear from those of you who love bad boy Sawyer.

I hope the movie version of The Road has all the power and beauty and sadness of the novel.

And yes, I hope most of you love True Colors and tell your friends. I'd be lying if I didn't say I hope that, and I'd never lie to you. :)

I hope my son loves the rest of his junior year of college and begins to see the future that is waiting for him.

There's the start of a list. I hope you'll add to it and let me know what you're all hoping for this year.

Thanks again for staying in touch while I was incommunicado. But I'm baaaaackkk now and here for the duration.

aloha and firefly out--

Kristin

And the winners are

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:16:00 +0000

Sheila from Idaho
Cynthia from Connecticut
Shirley from Georgia
Helen from Washington
Doreen from Indiana
Judy from California
Michelle from New Jersey
Patricia from South Carolina
Anita from Wisconsin

A huge thank you to everyone who entered the contest and congratulations to our winners.

contest reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Hey all you fireflies---

Just want to remind you that the contest for an advance copy of True Colors ends soon! So send your entry in today and don't forget to let me know you're a firefly...

Also, Firefly Lane comes out in trade paperback tomorrow, so tell your friends!

Aloha,

Kristin

Skiing into 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:31:00 +0000

Happy day after Christmas to all my friends online!

On my last post, I sent you all some lovely pictures of a thin layer of snow in my backyard. I obviously wasn't listening to the news and didn't know that the mother of all storms was blowing our way. And boy, did the Pacific Northwest get hit. You know it's unusual when little ole Seattle makes the national weather news. We haven't been hit this hard since I was in grade school. It was exactly what every kid dreams of--school closures, sledding hills, and snow angels. I'm sure there was more than one mom in town tearing her hair out, trying to figure out how to finish her holiday shopping/cooking/cleaning with the kids home. :) Worse yet, the mail was totally lost. UPS, Fed ex, and good old Uncle Sam were as shut down by the snow as everyone else. I don't know about my neighbors, but I can tell you that after feeling awfully superior that I'd finished my shopping online, I was totally bummed to discover that several of my packages were stuck only a few miles away and wouldn't be delivered in time.

The good news was that my son's flight was unaffected and he made it home on time, as did my brother and his family, who had taken a week in Hawaii. It seems impossible to believe that only two months ago I was sitting on a beautiful white sand beach.. Here's the beach, in fact. It's on a small island called Mnemba.

Now here I am, bundled up in layers and layers of clothing, watching my own breath. And skiing...

Here's what I have to say about skiing. From a distance, it looks like a fairly low impact sport. I mean, you're riding up to the top of the mountain in a chair, and then you're sailing down in the deep snow, letting gravity do it's thing...and then you try to do it when you're out of shape. And that's me right now. Totally out of shape. I went to Africa for a month and my only exercise came when I lifted my fork, and then I came home and I was behind on the book for 2010, so I sat down and started writing. I told myself I had no choice--it was raining in Seattle, so how could I run? Every day, I thought I'd run the next day, or I'd go to the gym. But then I'd stay and write another page, or shop for christmas presents online or go see a movie (I had to see Twilight, didn't I???). Anyway, the point is that for two months, I didn't work out much, and man am I paying for it now. I'm trying to keep up on the slopes with my twenty year old son, and it's killing me. Killing me. Today, I had to literally drag myself off the slopes and onto the sofa, where I collapsed, gasping.

So, New Year's resolution #1: January 1st I start running again. This goes along with resolution #2, which is that I quit eating everything in sight and saying, "it's Christmas," to myself and others. :)

Resolution #3: I read more books by authors I've never heard of. This year I discovered Michelle Richmond and Chelsea Cain. Who knows who'll I'll discover next year?

Resolution #4: Spend less time doing nothing and more time doing something. Volunteering my time and efforts to my favorite causes--breast cancer research, books to Africa, local families in need.

That's the list for now. I still have a few days to compile the rest of it. How about you? What resolutions are you all making this year?

Well, as out of shape as I am, the snow is calling to me again, and I must answer. What can I say? Skiing has been in my blood for most of my life. There's nothing I like better than riding the chair with my son and watching him fly down the slopes, hearing his laughter whoop out over the snow. So, here I go again, teeth gritted, determined to fight my own body for supremacy. Wish me luck...just as I wish you all luck, good fortune, good friends, and time with your family in this lull week between the end of one year and the coming of the next.

And don't forget the True Colors contest. The entries are literally pouring in. I hope all you fireflies have earmarked your entries...

Aloha for now...

Kristin

peace, love, joy, and everything good---

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 02:51:00 +0000

Happy holidays!

Winter has come to western Washington in a big way. The weather forecasters were right on it, promising us snow for days; it's finally here, and it's absolutely beautiful. Nothing says the holidays quite like snow, does it? I thought I'd pass along a picture of my back yard--including the horses in the field. When I look up from all the cooking, wrapping, online shopping, and writing, this is the view I see.

My son is finally coming home from college tomorrow--amazingly, he is finishing up the first semester of his junior year. I can't wait to pick him up from the airport (yes, I still do that--I can't help it. I love seeing him that first time), and have the first family movie night in a long time. I just hope I get to pick the movie. Anyone have any recommendations?

I love the idea of coming up with a firefly recommends list, btw. I already love the posts that are the start of it. This is definitely something to work on in the new year.

To all fireflies, I wish you all the very best luck with the True Colors advance reading copy contest. Enter away!

I'd love to hear about your family holiday traditions, too. What is the most important "thing" you do every year, the most important food you eat? For me, it's our Christmas Eve book exchange, Christmas morning eggs benedict and homemade cinnamon rolls, skiing on Christmas day, and sneaking around after everyone else has gone to bed. All of that is in addition to family gatherings, of course. There's nothing I love more than sitting around with family (okay, often we're drinking wine or champagne), with lights and decorations all around, catching up on all the news we've missed as our lives go in different directions. This is the one time of year where we all come together. There's nothing better than that.

And as for being grateful in this holiday season, let me say how truly grateful I am for all of you who have chosen to join me on my fiction writing journey, and for all of you who dare to weigh in on the blog. It takes guts to step forward and hit "post," and I love it. For the first time in twenty years of writing, I really feel as if I know the women for whom I'm writing, and it's turned out to be so much fun. Thanks fireflies!

Happy holidays to all,

Kristin

You heard it here first...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Happy holidays!!

Well, it's bearing down on us, ladies, isn't it? Thanksgiving is over and the holidays are headed this way. While I sit here in my living room, with my laptop open and my Christmas spice tea at my side, I can actually see the weather turning cold outside. The first snowfall of the year is minutes away--or so the newscasters keep telling us. We here in Western Washington don't get a lot of snow, so it's a big deal, and nothing puts me in the holiday mood like seeing my horses standing at the fence in a white field. It reminds me instantly of those days, long ago now, when my son prayed for snow (and school closures). It always seemed to come when I had a book due, but none of those real world concerns mattered around the Hannah household. When the snow fell, it was a play day. I kind of miss that...

But you don't want to hear about how much I love the snow. You're waiting for the early scoop on the contest, so here it is. I'm telling you guys first. :) As I told you before, Hallmark magazine is doing a big promotion in February, and they have chosen sisterhood essays as their theme. Great minds think alike, I guess. Anyway, so I've had to change my own contest, but actually, I think it's a good thing. Let's face it, these are crazy busy days and taking the time to write a contest entry is just one more thing to do. So the contest starting tomorrow is easy, easy, easy. All you have to do is read a short excerpt of TC and answer a question. Then you'll be entered in the contest, and the prize is an advance copy of the book. As I promised, a couple of the arcs will be earmarked for firefly entrants only, so be sure and identify yourself in the entry. The details will be on the website today or tomorrow. We'll be gathering entries until Jan 4, I think, and choosing the winners by the 8th. So if you enter, TC might be in your house when the holidays are over. And here's something else cool--we're going to have an "early readers" forum link on the site, so if you win and read it, you can post your thoughts on the book for everyone else.

We'll still be doing an essay contest, don't worry. I just don't know what the prize will be. All I really know is that I LOVE reading your essays and I can't give that up. So, what do you all think? those of you who have already written your essays can enter in Hallmark, but what should we do with the essays on this site? I know there's a great idea out there...

I had another idea just a few minutes ago, when I was answering the blog. I think we need a "firefly recommends" list that encompasses tv shows, movies, books, cds, even recipes. What do you think?

Now, I have to run into the city to get my hair done. Yep, it's that time of year... :)

Happy holidays everyone--

Kristin

News for the new year...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:23:00 +0000

Aloha friends--

I'm going to have to put the whole Africa storyline on the back burner for a few moments because now we're in the month of December (how did that happen so quickly?), and that means I have lots of book news to share. Where to begin???

Well, first and foremost, I'm thrilled to announce that Firefly Lane is finally coming out in trade paperback. I'm really excited about this. I hope that the lower price point will get a lot of new readers to take a chance on the book. I know I can count on my fireflies to spread the word on the web and let book club members know that this is a story they can sink their teeth into. And thanks so, so much for that. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of you who read my books and stay in touch online.

The dates to keep in mind are January 5th for Firefly Lane in trade paperback and February 3rd for True Colors in hardcover. Wow. It's amazing that it's finally happening, that True Colors is actually getting close to release. It's up on Amazon and BN.com and everything! I really can't wait to hear what you all think of it, and to that end...

Here's the biggest news of all. I know that a lot of you are waiting patiently for the sisterhood essay contest. Well, the bad news is that you're all going to have to wait just a little big longer, but the good news--the GREAT news--is that Hallmark magazine has just jumped on board and they've decided to host a big national contest and they're giving away a top secret prize. I can't spill all the beans yet, but believe me, you all will be the first to know.

And about the advance reading copies of True Colors--which I know you all are waiting for--I have talked to my webmaster and my publisher and we're going to give away a lot more than five copies. I don't know the exact number, but it certainly gives you all a much better chance at winning. The final contest rules and information will be posted on the main page of the website no later that Wednesday. Keep checking! (I think you might be reading an early excerpt of True Colors and answering an easy question--but don't tell anyone I told you). And don't worry--there are still several earmarked just for fireflies. So remember to identify yourselves in your online entry. We're going to give the winners a chance to post their "early reviews" of True Colors. I look forward to discovering what you all think!

I guess that's the big news for now, but it's really starting to pop, so if I hear anything else, I'll jump right onto the blog to let you all know.

Thanks again so much for all of your fun conversation on this blog. You all make it so fun and easy to keep in touch.

My movie recommendation for the month is: Twilight (of course), which I ended up really liking. I had problems with "Edward" at first, but Robert Pattison won me over in the end; and Australia, which I wanted to LOVE but didn't quite, but I did really really like it. I cried a few times and loved the love story and the story of the little boy. And the cinematography was wonderful. It's a great, old fashioned, sweeping love story with a happy ending. Who doesn't love that?

I am in between books at the moment, so I don't have a recommendation. What about you? Can someone recommend something for me?

And I am still MAD for Prison Break, which is going to be over any moment...

Happy Holidays---

Kristin

thanksgiving day

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:59:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving to all my firefly and online friends...

Like most of you, I have been busy cooking for the last few days, and haven't gotten a whole lot else done. But today is the payoff. My hubby and son and I are off to my brother's house, where most of the family will be gathering for fun, laughter, and good times. We haven't all been together for Thanksgiving in years. Sadly, my sister and her family aren't here, but we're seeing them in February at the big family reunion. So it's all good.

No Africa pics, sad to say; I didn't get it done in time. You guys have seen more of my trip than my family! Anyway, I'll be back online tomorrow with a new blog with lots to report. Maybe I'll even wrangle a family photo today. I'd love to see yours, too!

Leen is right that I forgot to nail down the details on the contest. (Do you still doubt that I got lucky with my photos??? I'm an organizational nightmare).

Anyway, can't wait to talk to all again, but until then, may you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I'm grateful for my family, my friends, and the joy I can find in everyday life. I'm grateful for all of my readers...you really enrich my life. And one of the things that Africa reminded me of--I'm grateful to live in this great country of ours, even in difficult times. We are so, so lucky, and I don't ever want to take that for granted. How about you? I'd love to hear what you're all thankful for this year...

Aloha,

Kristin

ps: for those of you who were wondering--the photo was taken from the balcony of our room in Zanzibar...

pss: I was fortunate enough to read Susan Elizabeth Phillips' new book, "What I did for Love," and it was an absolute joy. A fun, sexy romance with great characters and a cool hollywood setting. Honestly, I had to force myself to put it down so that I could get a little work done. SEP fans can start the countdown...

The Delta...

noreply@blogger.com (Kristin) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 02:20:00 +0000

Hello everyone--

I'm back to the blog, and ready to go forward on the stories of my African adventures. You'll probably laugh, but I actually members of my family are suddenly checking the blog. They say I tell all of you more than I share with them. :)

Before I go on with the stories, however, I want to make a quick comment on the camera I chose for the trip. Many, many of you have remarked upon the great quality of my photos, like the one to the left. (Botswana, the savannah, at sunset--remarkable, huh?) As most of you know, I was no photographer before this trip. In fact, for most of the last ten years, I took what few photos I wanted to take with a disposable camera. That's right; a disposable camera. That was really the full extent of my experience. This is perhaps why its taking me so long to organize my new digital shots. I really don't understand the whole process. But I was going to Africa, right, land of stunning sunsets and magnificent animals. Even I knew I needed a camera. So I did what I always do: I began researching. I spent literally months psyching myself up to buy one of those tricky digital SLR cameras with some mondo lens. Then a friend turned me on to an article about the "rise of the megazooms." No, it's not about dinosaurs. These are digital cameras, with an attached lens, that zooms out to pretty darn remarkable distances. After MUCH research I chose the Olympus sp-570uz. You can check it out at Olympusamerica.com. With this little baby, I went from a lazy, who-cares kind of photographer to someone who took more than 1300 pictures in a month. And you know what, almost all of them were at least in focus and a lot were flat out great. I'm not one for product placement in this blog, but I can't recommend this puppy highly enough. Really, I should be their spokesperson; if I can figure the camera out anyone can. :)

So now, on with the show. We arrived in our first "bush camp," deep in the savannah surrounding the delta in the mid afternoon. The time of day is relevant because of the temperatures. Believe me, mid afternoon is when you do not want to be traveling. I thought Debbie and I were going to pass out in the small plane that flew us from Chobe to the camp. I was fanning myself like crazy, and staring down at a landscape that was like nothing I had ever seen before. Africa from the air is just mesmerizing; round mud and thatch houses, round cattle corrals, dry riverbeds, and elephants walking through burn zones where every single tree is black as ash. Our camp, called Lagoon Camp, turned out to be a collection of elegant tents (not an oxymoron, surprisingly) and a main eating hall/library/bar/game room area. We drove up in our open air safari vehicle and were greeted by a nice young man who had a tray of cool drinks and a basket full of cool, wet towels. Heaven!

That evening was our first real game drive. The four of us loaded into the truck (I brought everything short of a defibrillator) and off we went. The roads were terrible--not even roads, really, just rivers of sand--but from the get go, it was magical. We saw jackals and zebras and lots of water buffalo. In fact, here's one of my favorite shots from that first game drive. We came around a corner and there was a small pride of lions, rolling around in the tall grass. As I said earlier, cats are cats are cats. I love this picture because he seems to be looking right at me.

We sat in the truck for a long time, just watching the lions--lions!--hang out and play and finally fall asleep. So about seventy two photos later, we headed back out, and by now the sun was beginning to set and I was about to experience my first African sunset on the savannah. See photo above. Magnificent experience. Then the driver and the tracker (he's the guy who follows the animals' tracks in the dirt and finds them), pulled over beneath a gorgeous old baobob tree and we had wine and appetizers out in the open. If I had known then that my camera had a flash, I would have photos of this for you, but oh no, that would have required reading the booklet, which I was too busy to do. So I lived in the moment but didn't capture it for you. I'm sure you can imagine it, though... and it will probably appear in a book someday.

To the right (yes, I learned how to move the photos in the blog--thanks, Kim!) is my last photo of that first day. It is sunset obviously. I found sunrise and sunset particularly shot worthy. I don't know if it was because focusing could be optional or because I loved the colors. Either way, this is a water buffalo in the tall grass.

And that's enough Africa for the day. So here's the news so many of you have been waiting for: the Sisters essay contest starts on Monday. We'll be collecting your essays--no more than 250 words, please--about your sister, or someone who is like a sister to you. The winning essays will be posted on the website for everyone to enjoy; and the best of the best will receive advance readers' copies of True Colors. As promised, two of these will be earmarked for fireflies, so be sure and identify yourselves. :)

Can't wait to read them!

Aloha for now,

Kristin