>iPod/Mr. Monday

>I just finished listening to Garth Nix's Mr. Monday on my iPod shuffle. I was enthralled by the first book in the series, not just the storytelling, but also by the storytelling ability of the voice talent on the Audiobook. It really brought the story to life. I highly recommend the book. It's a good one for the middle years audience.

I do find my iPod to be a really usefull tool for helping my writing. I, of course, believe the more you read the better you will write. And now that I can listen to audiobooks when I'm out shopping for groceries or doing the dishes, I am getting through a lot more books. Plus I listen while I jog and I find that if it's a good book I'm much more likely to get up in the morning and go for a jog, than if I don't have a good audiobook in my iPod. And, apparently, there's a connection between a healthy body and a healthy mind. Though I'm not sure if that's been proven yet.

Anyone else have any favorite Audiobooks? I also loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

Art

P.S. Also finished STONES in book form by William Bell. A good horror novel for teens with well developed characters. Don't always get that in horror novels.

>New Schedule: Redux

>Just an update on my new fancy, dancy schedule of writing 3 things at once. It seems to be working. I finished my shorter "cheesy" book just today...well at least I finished the first draft. That's the book I'd work on for an hour first thing every morning. Sometimes I'd write 5 pages in that time, sometime one, so my output really seemed to vary. But I got something done on it every day. Now on Monday I can pick something else to slide into that slot. I do find that this schedule is easing some of the frustration I've felt at not getting my various projects finished (or even started). My main project, which takes up three hours every day, has slowed down slightly, but I still have more energy in those three hours than I did when I was working on it as my only project.

Now, what should I turn to on Monday? Hmmm. I'll have the weekend to figure that out.

Art

>World Domination continues: France

>Just a note to say that my campaign to take over the world one book at a time continues. My novel TRIBES will soon be released in France and Quebec. Here's the cover:

I like it! But hey, the title is different! And even though I took French in high school it has failed me. I know it says something like "Me, the small human and the desperate tribe"...uh, I think. Wow, a one word title somehow became 7 words!

According to babelfish.com it means:

Me, small hominide hairy seeks, tribe hopelessly

Anyone have an ideas what it really means?

Art

>Megiddo's Shadow Movie Trailer

>My Publisher has pulled out all the stops and put together a movie trailer about my soon-to-be-released book, Megiddo's Shadow. It's a WW1 novel set in Palestine. Think Lawrence of Arabia with a young narrator. Kind of odd to see a trailer about a book, but hey, it's cool, too!

See it here: Trailer

There are all sorts of other goodies on the website, and popcorn is 1/2 price!

Art

>New Schedule!!

>I just started a new schedule this week. I usually write from 7 am - 12 pm every day, except Sunday. But I find that I tend to lull quite a bit in the middle of that time. You know, check the e-mail a few more times. Read the news. Stir the tea bag around the teapot. Sometimes 5 hours straight is just too much. Especially on just one project.

So now I changed it up by working on three projects. I spend the first hour on my cheesy Canadian Chills book. It's short and fun and I try to write as much of it as possible in that time. I think I left my characters being attacked by flying killer robot bees. Then I spend an hour on my book for adults, The Phoenician. This book, which is set in 1905-1976 and about my great grandfather needs lots of research, but I find that I don't get bogged down because I only have an hour and do everything as quick as possible. Again no lolling around! It's a long term project so a page a day is my goal. And I spend the final three hours on my current middlegrade/YA book, all about a boy struck by lightning who loves truffles. It's my major project right now.

So far splitting the schedule up seems to be working. Of course, it is just the first day. But I seem to be working harder during my writing time. Maybe I'll finally get a few of these books off my "to do" list.

Art

>An odd TV moment

>Yep, I had one of those odd TV moments. I was watching a TV program about the need for a Children's Hospital in my fair city and they showed the story of one spunky girl with Cystic Fibrosis. She's really quite amazing and articulate. Anyway, they had a scene of her using her ventilator and reading my book. I almost had an out of body experience. Here was proof that someone read one of my books! I mean people tell me they've read one. But I've never actually seen filmed proof!

Wow. One of my books was on TV. Another went to Hungary. A third to China. My books lead such an exciting life compared to me.

Art