Becca Fitzpatrick

Hi, guys

Since I'm revising Crescendo, and have revisions on the mind, I had to share the Six Stages of Revision Hell with you, compliments of Kimberly Derting.  I laughed, then cried...then felt a crack of hope.  This, too, shall pass!  Go check Kim's Six Stages out HERE.

Speaking of revisions, this is what my kitchen table is going to look like for the unforeseeable future:  Hershey's Kisses wrappers, a cup of yogurt, Crescendo picked apart on little index cards...



-Becca

Euphoria!  My revisions are in!  Yes, it has been a Very Exciting Week.  I had a minor freak out session when I clicked SEND, worrying that maybe my editor would think I'd made the story grievously worse, but I'm breathing deep and hoping for the best.  I mean, nobody's revisions actually make the story worse . . . right?  

Let's see, what else?  Ah, yes, more exciting news.  HUSH HUSH sold in another foreign country!  I'm not sure I have the go-ahead to announce names yet, but I think I'm allowed to drop a clue.  I've mentioned this country before on my blog, paying homage to their involvement in the creation of what is known today as HOT CHOCOLATE.  (I have learned by experience that it is not possible to survive a Colorado winter without hot chocolate, and therefore would die for it.)    

Also, I'm preparing a special blog for January 18th, because one year ago on that date, I almost quit writing.  Forever.  Although, to be fair, I probably would have kept writing.  It was the querying/submitting part that was on the brink of going the way of the earth.  Also, one year ago on that day, I queried my agent.  It was a last ditch effort that pulled through for me . . . big time.  It seems all's well that ends well!

In the meantime, I'm hard at work on the sequel to HUSH HUSH.  Of course, hard at work can mean many a different thing.  For example, browsing jcrew.com to find the perfect pair of shoes for my heroine to wear in a particular scene . . . then scrolling down a little ways and purchasing myself a pair of deeply discounted ballet flats . . .

Happy Tuesday, all.  Anybody watching Law & Order SVU tonight? 

*Please keep in mind this video is a metaphor. I am not the fisherman, nor are my revisions the bear*



Man Attacks Bear - These bloopers are hilarious

First, an apology.  I've been a bit slack about reading and replying on lj - I've been a bit slack on the internet front as a whole!  The last two weeks have seriously been the most work-intensive of my life.  That's what a revision letter does, apparently!  I haven't quite tied the knot on revisions - I'll take the next week or so to carefully comb through the manuscript one last time, polishing and hopefully catching any new mistakes I've made.  But after that?  Off to my editor!   

While I'm on the topic of my editor, I'm definitely sending her a thank-you note.  She gave fantastic suggestions that have taken the book to a whole new level.  Back in September, when my agent subbed the manuscript, there were a few parts I honestly knew were terrible, but I didn't know how to fix them.  So, yanno, I shut my eyes and pretended they weren't there.  (I can't seeeee you!)  

Those parts are (happily!) gone, thanks to my editor's keen suggestions.  How did she get so smart?  How did she get so awesome?  Something to ask, next time we chat.  

So, yeah.  It's official.  I survived my first round of revisions! 

Up next?  Get my author website up and running.  Oh, and start training for two sprint triathlons.  Yup, I'm doing two this summer . . .

Not quite sure why I have The Beatles stuck in my head.  Maybe because I'm deeply entrenched in revisions.  

And I've been working like a dog.
It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log.
But when I get home to you, I find the things that you do
Will make me feel alright. 

To spare you a detailed rehash of today's revisions, I'll keep it short and sweet . . . with a photo.  They say a picture's worth a thousand words.  Basically, this is how I feel about my story right now:


This is a good thing, yes?  I can't fix it until I tear it apart.  Today I had lots of fun tearing things apart.  We'll see how I feel tomorrow when I try putting things back together.  


Moving on . . . I have some GREAT news!  Media Factory in Japan bought HUSH, HUSH!!!  I seriously can't wait to see the Japanese cover.  I have a feeling it's going to be awesome. 



Finally, lest you think all I do is write, I have physical proof that I did NOT work last night.  The girls and I had a little Christmas party and a gift exchange.  I stayed three hours and only thought about my story once.  See?  I'm human after all.  

Let's talk revisions.  My editorial letter arrived yesterday.  For those unfamiliar with the term, the editorial letter is a detailed description of all changes your editor wants your story to undergo prior to publication.  Basically, it's a road map for a better story.  Most authors are very excited to get their editorial letter because it's one of the big steps that must be taken before the book is ready for publication. 

So here I am, proud owner of my first editorial letter.  I've read it over, and I'll be honest, I'm not quite sure what I want to do with it.  It's a long letter.  In my mind's eye, I see an endless stretch of work ahead.  I'm feeling the first pricks of panic.  I'm telling myself it will be okay, but I don't believe it.  Not really.  I'm tempted to do bad things with my letter. 

Too keep myself calm and rational, I ask myself: What would Sydney Bristow do?   

   

This is my first Thankful Thursday.  I've been thankful on Thursday before, but this is the first time I've publicly acknowledged it on my blog. 

6.  I'm thankful for my archenemy.  I had an encounter with her last night.  If it weren't for her, my blood pressure would never get a workout.

5.  I'm thankful I have feet.  I'm thankful I can decorate my feet with shoes.

4.  I'm thankful for Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  Otherwise I would have my two-year-old's crayon mural on the living room wall.

3.  I'm thankful for books.  Books rock my world and give me something to live for.

2.  I'm thankful for cooler weather.  My oven is once again functional beyond storing a birthday cake from May that I haven't yet decided how to get rid of.  (Do I soak it in water to loosen the cake?  Do I throw the cake--and glass pan--out?)

1.  I'm thankful for my agent.  She finished reading my revisions.  Guess what?  She loves them.  SHE LOVES THEM!

You know that feeling of pure, unadulterated euphoria?  Yeah.  I'm feeling it.  Right now. 

My revisiosn are done!

Okay, seriously, please stop the thunderous applause.  You're making me blush :)

This is what my will-do list looks like right now. 

1.  Finish revisions on HH
2.  Send revisions to agent
3.  Dream about connecting with brilliant, visionary editor
4.  Start new project
5.  Buy lots of shoes in the interim 

Okay, so here's the thing.  I wasn't going to wear these shoes until after I'd finished revisions.  I promised myself I wouldn't.  But then a little voice in my head started whispering, By the time you finish revisions, summer will be long gone.  It will be September.  You won't want to wear hot pink patent-leather Mary Janes.  You'll want to wear boots. 

So I cheated.  I wore the shoes. 

Actually, that's a lie.  I didn't even get to wear the shoes.  While I was putting them on, a buckle broke.  I had a brief heart attack and knew I was being cursed for wearing the shoes early.  And then I got it into my head that my story was going to be cursed for shoe-cheating.

But all is well.  My hard drive didn't devour my story.  The curse stopped with the shoes. 

I solemnly swear to never shoe-cheat again.  Never, ever.  My shoe-cheating days are so oooover. 

  

I have the zit from Jupiter on my chin.  It's not the zit from hell, because hell is hot and this zit on my chin is . . . not. 

It keeps getting bigger every day. 

I swear it is the world's largest zit.  It's so big, I'm tempted to measure it. 

I'm pretty sure I got it stressing over rewrites.  See?  Rewrites are evil.  They'll give you the zit from Jupiter.

Anyone know how to zap a zit?  And quick?