Getting ready for the Ruby party...

view from the French castle-prison Le Chateau d'If  -- a setting in The Ruby Notebook

Hey guys,

So, I've been re-(re-re-re-re)-reading The Ruby Notebook in preparation for the party on Saturday (which you are all invited to-- Old Firehouse Books, 232 Walnut St, Old Town Fort Collins, 7 pm, Oct 2).  Another reason I'm reading it is to make sure my Jade Notebook draft-in-progress is on track with voice and plot and relationships.


At school visits, I'm often asked how it feels to read a finished, bound book that I wrote myself... and I have to say that although it's exciting, it's also a little excruciating.  When an innocent reader reads one of my books, she can (hopefully) just get swept away by the story, but when I read it, I'm simultaneously remembering the angst, sweat, tears (and probably blood at some point) that went into every chapter, every scene, every paragraph, and in some torturous cases, into a sentence or even word.  I remember the many revisions that each section went through-- all the changes in character and plot and dialogue that I agonized over... And although part of me can kick back and enjoy the ride, part of me is re-living some of the more painful moments of the writing/revising process all over again.  So.... it's a mixed bag!

That said, when I reached the end of reading The Ruby Notebook yesterday, I felt happy and satisfied overall, and I hope that for you, dear reader, the story simply sweeps you away to southern France for a few delicious hours...

The next step in preparing for the release party (now that the 100 pastries are ordered from Jean-Claude and Thomas the accordionist is getting his playlist ready) is figuring out what I'm going to talk about between the sweets and music.  I usually read a few short scenes and give background as to what inspired them.  Here's a little sneak preview of a few things I'm thinking I might mention:

The quirky fountains that are central to one of the subplotos...

Entremont, the Celto-Liguric ruins that I love visiting, just outside of Aix, where a scene is set...

The islands near the old port of Marseille, where Zeeta and Wendell visit...

Le Chateau d'If -- The Castle of If-- the setting for part of  The Count of Monte Cristo and for part of my book...

The funny faces over doorways and windows....

This man who often plays guitar in the Place de la Mairie, who inspired a scary character who was cut during a later revision... (desolee, monsieur!)

the ancient, narrow roads through which my friend and I secretly followed the movie star Timothy Dalton one night (he'd most recently starred in a James Bond flick and was shooting a new movie in the area)...

the old, odd dried-up fountains hidden in courtyards....

the gypsy-esque street performers on the Place de la Mairie...

the pigeons, oh, the pigeons...

On a different note, let's not forget little Star in the Forest in the midst of The Ruby Notebook excitement...  here's a blurb from a lovely blog review posted by Peaceful Reader, a librarian at an elementary school:

This book is a perfect gem for elementary students.... I can't wait to introduce this to students at Highland as we have a large Hispanic population and many of our students live in a one of two close trailer parks.  I think reading Star in the Forest will give students an instant connection to Zitlally and her family, no matter their background or where they live, because she is a very real and loveable character.

Thank you, Peaceful Reader! I'm so excited that teachers and librarians want to share this book with their students... I'm in the process of setting up a few author visits to elementary schools whose fourth and fifth graders are reading the book. It'll be fun to branch out from the middle and high school levels that I've visited for my YA books...

Thanks for reading, and hope to see you at the Ruby Soiree this Saturday!

xo
Laura

Ruby Notebook Review Roundup...

Hi everyone,

Just got back from a quick trip to Anaheim, California for a fun visit to Connelly School to talk about RED GLASS, which was their All School Reads book!  My hotel was on Disneyland Drive, but alas, no time to go to Disneyland or the ocean (so close yet so far...)  My Lil Dude was awaiting my return, and I was still missing him from the previous week's NYC trip.  I did go out the one night I was there... to a Greek restaurant where I ate feta cheese that had been set on fire (very dramatic!) with the lovely Lori Polydoros, an author from the area.

I've been noticing some nice blogger reviews of THE RUBY NOTEBOOK coming in, now that the book is officially released.  I thought I'd share some with you...


From Biblioholic :

"A romantic, optimistic story that reassures the reader that there is more to life than observing and spending time worrying about the “what-ifs” only serve to limit your potential.  It is an affirming novel aimed at pre-teen girls but offers reminders for us all."  (Read the entire review here.)

From Book Pleasures:


"Every page is filled with wonder and excitement in this fantastic tale of romance, mystery, and happiness.  I have to say I was completely immersed in this YA novel, and a line that this author put forth will stay with me a long, long time, ”…no matter what pain or agony, if we reach deep enough inside our souls, we can survive anything.”  A fantastic sentiment to concentrate on; I commend this author for her beautiful stories about life, and I recommend them highly to all readers." (Entire review here.)


From Sarah Laurence:

"My teenaged daughter and I agree: Laura Resau might very well be our favorite young adult author. Her lyrical prose, multi-aged characters and exotic settings would appeal to many adults as well as to teens. This globe-trotting author trained as an anthropologist, adding cultural depth to her stories."

From Sarah's teenaged daughter:


"The Ruby Notebook, the sequel, was spectacular as well! I thought it would be hard to live up to the first one, which I loved, but this one was amazing too! It had unexpected twists and turns, friendship, lovely characters, romance, and a very interesting plot." Entire mother and daughter reviews (of both THE INDIGO NOTEBOOK and THE RUBY NOTEBOOK) plus an interview here.


Thank you, wonderful and dedicated bloggers!


Okay, that's all for now!  While Lil  Dude's still napping, I'm going to read and critique some manuscripts-in-progress by my writer friends Dana and Gloria (the latter novel is in Spanish... I can only do a critique like this this when my brain is working at its best, which is a pretty narrow window of time these days.)  It's exciting-- a big perk of being a writer-- getting to see your friend's story gems while they're still in the process of being polished... 

Have a fabulous week!  


xoxo
Laura

NYC with Maria Virginia of THE QUEEN OF WATER!

On Broadway with Maria with our book!

Hello everyone!

Maria Virginia (my collaborator for the upcoming book THE QUEEN OF WATER) and I just got back from NYC!  It was her first time there-- she's always wanted to go, and I'm always looking for any excuse to go there, so we planned a three-day trip together.

We decided you could probably fit the entire town of Fort Collins into one of these buildings...

The Random House building is silver and shiny and utterly dazzling.  Last time I was in NYC two years ago, it was rainy, and the top of the building was shrouded in mist.  This time our visit was blue-skied and sunny, so I could see all the way to the top....

We toured Random House Children's Books, met with wonderful people who played parts in creating and promoting our book, had lunch with my editor, Stephanie, some other amazing Random House women, and some fantastic librarians.  We were thrilled to discover that they'd gotten review copies of THE QUEEN OF WATER ahead of time, so they'd all read the book!

 

Maria in Times Square

It was fascinating for us to hear everyone's favorite parts and what they were curious to know more about.  The lunch was at a scrumptious Mexican restaurant that used creative ingredients like jicama and figs.  Mmm.  Maria and I hadn't gotten our own review copies yet, but we sneaked one from the table. ;-)

in front of Random House

Maria's brother-in-law, Jaime, has been in NYC for a few months now, so he invited us to the Ecuadorian section of town (around Roosevelt and 82nd St-- Jackson Heights area). 

One thing I love about NYC is how the neighborhoods are so different... you get on the subway in sky-scraper land of Broadway and emerge, a half hour later, on a street that you might encounter in a South American town, where everyone speaks Spanish, and there are vendors selling helado (ice cream) from coolers and choclos (corn on the cob) on the sidewalks...

Jaime, like Maria's husband, is a talented Andean musician who plays wind instruments like reed pan pipes and wooden flutes. In the mornings, he plays in the subway (if you live in the area, say hola to him for us!)  He also sells jewelry on the street in his neighborhood.  It was interesting for me to meet him in this context, away from his home in the village of San Roque, on the outskirts of Otavalo, in the Andes.  I've spent time with his brothers and sisters and mother in their homes in Ecuador, hung out with their chickens and pigs, wandered around their cornfields, eaten fresh blackberries from their bushes and capulis from their trees, watched the sun set over the mountains with them... That setting couldn't be more different than NYC!

We spent lots of time riding on the subway...  always interesting, but a little exhausting (if, like us, you're fairly clueless and have to have one eye glued to a subway map the whole time).  That fluorescent lighting makes for pretty horrendous photos...

Tired and hot in sickly lights of a subway train

We stayed in Brooklyn, since I have a good friend who lives there.  I've known Amanda since we were about thirteen or fourteen.  Here we are on the steps of her gorgeous brownstone apartment...

I had to be sure to get photos of her neighborhood, since it's where Lil Dude's new favorite books are set (Knufflebunny and Knufflebunny Two by Mo Willems).  Later, when I showed him the pics, he immediately recognized the building as "Trixie's house!"

Thanks for reading!  (And, if you're curious, THE QUEEN OF WATER comes out on March 8, 2011.)

xo,
Laura

Stone faces that crack me up (and appear in Ruby)...

Hello dear friends,

Two more weeks until the release of The Ruby Notebook!  In celebration, I thought I'd post some pics of endearing stone faces that appear above doors and windows in Aix-en-Provence.  As you'll notice when you read Ruby, these faces inspired some of the faces in the book...

bushy-eyebrowed jester guy...

lewd-yet-stern guy who ate something less than appetizing...

pleasant, mild-mannered guy (or gal?)...

scaredy-cat lion...

clueless lady (huh? wha-?)...

devilish-yet-desperate-to-please guy...

pin-headed bald guy (pigeon-poop-deterrent)...

jailed-yet-jovial guy...

Mr. Grumpers...

mischievous laughing guy...

catchin' flies guy...

That's all for now!  Stay tuned for more photo posts about Ruby inspiration...

xoxo,

Laura

Starred review for THE RUBY NOTEBOOK!

 Ruby got its first professional review... and it's a starred one from Kirkus!

* "Thoughtful, intense Zeeta and her free-spirited mother return in this follow-up to The Indigo Notebook  (2009). Perennial travelers, the two have now settled in the atmospheric city of Aix-en-Provence. Zeeta eagerly anticipates the arrival of her boyfriend Wendell from Colorado, but when he changes the terms of his visit, Zeeta is hurt and confused. Their relationship is further strained by her involuntary attraction to Jean-Claude, a member of a street dance troupe. At the same time, Zeeta begins to discover strange notes and items left in her bag. Weaving bits of magic, city lore and bittersweet romance into each of the many plot lines, Resau has again crafted a complex and satisfying novel that is both a mystery and a tender, wise meditation on love and self-identity. Characters are rich and vibrant, each of them bringing their own past to bear on the story at hand. Readers will want to read the first before starting this one and will likely be clamoring for the third, the groundwork for which is nicely set up here." (Fiction. 12 & up)

Thank you,  Kirkus!  I have to give you background, though, to my state of mind when I read this review for the first time. I'd been attempting to exist more in the moment, to find joy in simple, immediate sensory pleasures (Lil Dude's laugh, light through leaves, the river, sun-warmed fresh-picked cherries)... instead of fretting about the future or past or things out of my control. 

And as far as reviews specifically,  I'd been telling myself not to pay too much attention to them, because ultimately, they're out of my control.  All I can do is write the best book I can at the time, and then launch it into the world and wish it well.  I shouldn't let any review-- good or bad-- affect my mood too much. If you put too much stock in good reviews, then, when a bad (or even mediocre) one comes along, it can be crushing. 

Anyway, back to the point.  So, that was my philosophical state at the time.  I wasn't expecting Ruby reviews yet (this happened at the end of July, and Ruby comes out in mid-September).  I remember opening my email account and telling myself, okay, Laura.  You won't let any of this affect your mood.  I was thinking my inbox would be full of responsibilities I'd need to attend to... and then I open it and see an email from my editor with the subject heading STARRED REVIEW! 

And I just started laughing.  I didn't let myself open it right away.  I reminded myself that good news comes and goes, just as bad news does, and the things that give me true joy are my family and friends and nature and traveling and creative writing.  Then I opened the email and read the review... and despite myself, I smiled.  I felt happy.  Jubilant! I might have even danced a little jig. 

Ah well, I tried....

A few other newsworthy items:

I broke down and got professional author photos taken for the first time ever!  Well worth it, I think-- Tina Wood (whose studio is just a few blocks away) did a great job disguising my wrinkles and zits.  The photos have special meaning to me because they're taken at one of my favorite places-- Lee Martinez Park, which I walk through daily. I got to scramble around on some river rocks for this one...

Another bit o news: I got the hardcovers of The Ruby Notebook in the mail the other day.  They're beautiful and shiny, and THICK! It's the longest book of mine out there so far at 373 pages (The Queen of Water is a bit longer).  As you'll glean from the acknowledgments, Ruby was a doozy to write!  During one angst-filled revision, my mom came to the rescue and helped me see the big picture and showed me what to prune and expand to make the 373-page story come together. (Her advice for The Jade Notebook?  "Keep it short, Laura!"  Hehehe... I'm trying, but all these intriguing little subplots keep creeping in...)

So, Ian just updated my website with this full summary of Ruby.  I realized I'd only put the short blurb up before.  Here's the whole thing, in case you're curious:

Sixteen-year-old Zeeta and her flighty English-teaching mom, Layla, have traveled the world together, settling in a different country every year, making a whole new set of friends and adopting new customs. This year, they've chosen to live in Aix-en-Provence, France, an enchanting city full of fountains, creamy yellow light, and a fascinating group of scarlet-clad street performers.

Zeeta soon begins to receive mysterious notes and gifts from someone she calls her fantôme, or ghost. But she is expecting her boyfriend, Wendell - the love of her life, as her friends call him - to arrive in Aix for a summer program very soon. Zeeta brushes off her curiosity about her fantôme, and her simmering attraction to one of the street performers, Jean-Claude, until Wendell arrives and she begins to fear that her feelings for him have truly changed. Perhaps - like Layla - she's simply not made for long-term romance.

As Zeeta tries to draw away from Wendell, however, circumstances seem to force them together. Zeeta's friendship with a local antiques dealer and his reclusive artist friend leads to a dangerous adventure. When Zeeta and Wendell join forces to find a secret underground spring whose water is rumored to bring immortality, they are forced to reconsider their own desires, and their beliefs about true love. Yet as soon as Zeeta decides that her mind has cleared, she's confronted with the biggest shock of her life: the incredible true identity of her fantôme.

Vibrant, warmhearted, and evocative, The Ruby Notebook is a remarkable novel about learning to accept love in all of its wondrous and imperfect forms.

Thanks for reading!  Fort Collins friends-- be sure to check the events section of my website for my upcoming release party on Oct 2 and a fun library presentation on Oct 9!

xoxo
Laura

Grown-ups who love young adult books

 Hello dear readers!

I had a fabulous evening with a "grown-up" book club last week.  They read The Indigo Notebook and invited me to talk about the book and join in their discussion.  So much fun!  I love hearing readers talk about what was most memorable for them, what made them think, which characters they connected with, what scenes gave them a lump in their throats... This feedback gives me fuel for writing the third book-- The Jade Notebook. Knowing that readers feel attached to Layla and Zeeta and Wendell-- that these characters live on beyond the end of the book in readers' minds-- that is HUGE inspiration for me to finish Jade.  (Um, of course, there's that little thing called a legally-binding contract, too, but the real push for me to write the book comes from the enthusiasm of readers.)  So thank you!!  And thank you to these ladies for the delectable appetizers (another perk of these book club meetings!)

Sally outdid herself with these yummy alfajores cookies-- a specialty in the Andes.... they melt in your mouth!  I've eaten these in bakeries in Otavalo... mmm... great memories.

I visit with several adult book clubs each year, usually in the Fort Collins area.  There was an essay by Pamela Paul in the NY Times Book Review last week about the popularity of young adult books among adults. Here's an interesting statistic: 47 % of 18 to 24-year-old women  and 24% of same-aged men buy mostly young adult books.  Nearly one in five 35 to 44-year-olds buy mostly YA books for themselves.  I've noticed that about half my reader mail is from adults... and I see I'm not alone!

The quotes from people in the book industry echo what I've heard from adult readers of my books and other YA books.  I'll give you a smattering of some of the quotes I appreciated:

"A lot of adult literature is all art and no heart... but good YA is like good television.  There's a freshness there; it's engaging.  YA authors aren't writing about middle-aged anomie or disappointed people." -- Amanda Foreman, historian

"A lot of contemporary adult literature is characterized by a real distrust of plot... I think young adult fiction is one of the few areas of literature right now where storytelling really thrives." -- Lev Grossman, book critic


"There's an immediacy in the prose [of YA books]... I like the way adolescent emotions are rawer, less canned... There's a timelessness to the period [of early teenagehood].  These books are far from you, yet are also the same as you." -- Darcy Steinke, novelist


"When you talk to people about the books that have meant a lot to them, it's usually books they read when they were younger because the books have this wonder in everyday things that isn't bogged down by excessively grown-up concerns or the need to be subtle or coy... when you read these books as an adult, it tends to bring back the sense of newness and discovery that I tend not to get from adult fiction." -- Jesse Sheidlower, editor

(Hi-- me again!)  I agree with all those quotes.  I am often asked why I've chosen to write YA instead of adult books.  My answer is usually that the books that had the biggest effect on how I understood myself and life and the possibilities of existence were books I read as a young teen (like A Wrinkle in Time and Tuck Everlasting, to name just two.)

So, apart from writing Jade and perusing the NY Times, I've been doing fun summertime things...

discovering weird insects on mountain-river hikes with Ian and Little Dude...

not to mention elegant flowers...

 and little butterflies..

and rainbows (since we live near the mountains, we often have magical multiple rainbows during sunny afternoon rainshowers)...

Hope you're having a whimsical summer... Thanks for reading!

xoxo
Laura

Check out Sally's cool hat she got in Peru years ago!