FREEFALL excerpt - Babel fished.

My friend Stephanie Perkins, author of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS did a very fun exercise at her blog today where she had an excerpt from her book translated from English to Japanese and back to English again using Babel Fish.

I thought it was too much fun, so I did the same for an excerpt of FREEFALL using the same method for good nonsensical fun.  (Mine is English-->Chinese-->English.)

Here's Seth getting mad at one of his friends and storming out!

“It has died, you saw. I had died”.

He who thought of thing rubbed that shoulder, scrutinized confusion around that of the floor. As for me directly as for me as what he of those where I thought of that you saw exactly I why fell to panic, says is found, it can say. Those which I do not know were when he worried.

I stood. It attracted my attention and tore, he in the cat became aware in that nickname because of me, before changing, I the empty must be present there. “As for me when approximately it is, the I meant that you go away for the school. Is the fact that it is present there which is done?”.

He yawned. “Perhaps. If good fortune”.

“All favors, it does me and” I say, the door walk.

 

Friday 5 - Television Edition.

1.  The last ever LOST is coming up this Sunday.  I'm glad!  I've been watching since season 2 (and rented season 1 on DVD to catch up).  I like the show, but it gives me a headache.  I'm looking forward to no more headaches!

2.  The last ever 24 is coming up in a couple of weeks.  I'm glad!  I've been watching since season 4 and I think it ran its course probably before then even.  I do hope Jack Bauer gets a suitably dark ending.  I don't see how it could be otherwise with the events of the last few episodes.

3.  (Can you tell that I watch LOST  and 24 because my husband likes them?)

4.  This second part of this season of GLEE has been improving for the last couple of episodes.  I'm shocked that the season finale is almost here already!  I hope, hope, hope the goodness continues!  My 3-year-old niece watched transfixed during Neil Patrick Harris and Matthew Morrison's duet and said afterward, "I want them to come to my house!"  Who doesn't, right?

5.  FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS started up on NBC a few weeks ago and I am loving it!  I was skeptical about what would happen after most of the characters graduated, but I think they're doing a really good job with this.  And I'm interested to see what it's going to be like to watch "the guy who used to be Tim Riggins" live his life after being a high school  football god.

AUTHOR EVENTS: Phobe Kitanidis's book launch.

Today I went to downtown Seattle for the launch of Phoebe Kitanidis's debut novel, WHISPER!  There were cookies and a contest, and Phoebe did a reading and fun Q&A afterward. 

Here's a picture of Phoebe looking COMPLETELY FRICKEN ADORABLE:

Here's me looking crazy next to Phoebe:

And . . . I'm not sure what's going on here.  This appears to have been taken after she signed my copy of WHISPER.  Or else right after she signed the copy for the person who was in line in front of me:

Congratulations, Phoebe!  I can't wait to read the book!

Ideas and what other people think.

Yesterday, I had a late lunch/early dinner with Denise Jaden, author of the forthcoming YA novel LOSING FAITH.  It was very fun!  Denise and I talked for two hours straight.  I don't know about her, but I probably could have done another two hours easily!

One of the topics that came up is something to which I think most writers can relate on some level:  the experience of learning that another book out there has major similarities to yours.  I'm not talking about plagiarism or people stealing ideas.  I just mean those times when, by sheer coincidence, you write something with that turns out to have elements similar to something someone else is also writing/has already written.

It used to happen to me all the time when I first started writing novels.  I was pretty out of control about it.  Like, "Laurie Halse Anderson has an art class figured prominently in SPEAK?  My book has an art class, too!  I'm doooooomed!"  And " Carolyn Mackler mentioned the song 'Me and Bobby McGee' in LOVE AND OTHER FOUR-LETTER WORDS??? My book mentions 'Me and Bobby McGee,' too!  Nooooooo!  Everyone is going to think I copied her!"  Or, "How could Deb Caletti mention Snoqualmie River?  I was going to mention Snoqualmie River!"

I've calmed down a lot over the years.  I do understand that there are only so many things in the world that people can write about, and that everyone puts their own spin on an old thing -- even when they don't yet realize the old thing exists.  That's the way it is.  And just because someone's book contains some particular thing, it doesn't mean that no one else's can or should.

Still, I will admit that there are times when my sensible and logical side are mowed right over by my paranoia.  Since my book sold, I've learned of three characters in existence (one from a television show and two from other novels) whose backstories are uncomfortably similar to some of my characters.  I try not to think about them too often, because when I do, my stomach gets all fluttery in a bad way and I have difficulty breathing.

But why do I feel like this?  Really, honestly, why do I care?  I love my characters the way they are.  Even though the other books came out before mine, I was already writing my characters before those were published.  And even if that weren't the case, I know that I created everything in my book independently of those writers creating theirs.  THE SIMILARITIES ARE JUST A COINCIDENCE.

The anxiety I'm having isn't about myself because I already know all of the above to be true.  No, the part that causes these physical reactions when I think about the other stories/characters, is worrying what other people are going to think.  As a writer who agonizes over everything single thing that goes into my books, I can think of fewer things more insulting than having my integrity challenged and being accused of ripping off someone else's work.

For my sanity, I really need to get over this Fear of What Other People Will Think and have complete confidence in what I know to be true:  I (and every author I know is the same) do this writing thing in order to tell my unique stories, to see my own imaginings come to life.  I need to learn to let go and accept that the conclusions that others draw might be wrong, and are completely out of my control.

MEMORY LANE: My teenage love notes #1

At my (private) high school, we had "Chapel" whenever the schedule dictated (once a month?  Once a week?  I don't remember right now).  In Chapel, there were lots of announcements and a prayer or two, I'm sure.  But twice a year, chapel was replaced with Week of Prayer during which, we had to be in the church for, like two hours every day for the whole week, during which guest speakers would give sermons and prayers and such. 

Below are notes my friend Matt and I wrote to each other during one of those sermons when we were 17. 

For context, if I'm remembering this correctly, I was like, "Oh, this is so boring! I'm dying!" and Matt gave me paper and a pen and said, "Here.  You should write me a love note."

So I did.  Sort of:

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Matthew -- Oh, Matt.  I really don't have anything of intelligence to say.  Hope you don't mind.  This has just been a dandy day.  Actually, I'm a little bored.  Please don't kill me.  I just couldn't think!  Please Matt!

Dear Mindi,

What kind of love note is this?!  I'm gonna kill you for this.

Matthew

No!  Matt!  Please!

There is no getting out of it this time!  I will destroy you!

You are so cruel.  I thought you loved me!  What about all those special times we've shared?  How can you forget?

Oh, Mindi.  I'm so sorry.  My mind must have run away from me.  Please, will you ever forgive me?

Oh yes!  Yes, Matt.  I am so happy!  Ecstatic!

Thank-you!  I'm so glad we got this settled.  Now, will you write me a real love note?

Matt, my love --

You alone are the object of my lustful desires.  Let's run away together and show our true feelings.  Embed yourself in my heart, for this is what fate holds for us.

Deepest love and affection,

Mindi Rochelle

Dearest Mindi,

I am glad that we can finally express our true emotions for each other freely.  The love that is between us is like slime clinging to our bodies, holding us together.

Love, Matt

You are so romantic.  My pulse beats like that of a young doe in heat when my eyes gaze upon those words.  I'm jealous of your pen because it is in your hands and I am not.

Love, Min

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Probably the part that is most amusing to me (other than the fact that I totally ripped off Brian Krakow/Jordan Catalano's love letter to Angela Chase with that last line) is that the notes were written on the fronts and back of these special strips of paper: