I have been thinking about Ellen Levine this weekend, and the weekend we spent together a few years ago at Simmons College. It was the only time we met in person, but if you knew Ellen, you know it was memorable. Lively. Silly. Personal. Ellen brought a few of us strangers together that weekend, sharing drinks in a darkened dorm lounge, feeling like we were college students again. Gossiping. Learning about each other. Growing. I feel I hardly knew her. But I will miss her.

Elizabeth, Vicky, me, and Ellen (all aglow and how I will remember her always) that weekend at Simmons:

Where does it go?


Taken this morning in my back yard.

Walk across, or send your character across, what happens next?

I love my town. I love farms. I love animals (but not to eat). I love gardens. I love learning how to live more sustainably. I love supporting local farmers. I love good, locally grown organic food.

I love this event!

Recently I came across these amazing book trailers made by students. I love them.

For LESSONS FROM A DEAD GIRL:



And for JUMPING OFF SWINGS:



THANK YOU so much to the makers of these trailers! They are amazing! :-)

Today I talk with Lee Wind on the SCBWI Blog about the Crystal Kite Award and my love and gratitude for SCBWI. :-) With thanks to Anna Boll, New England SCBWI's Regional Advisor, for the kind words. ♥

Link: http://scbwi.blogspot.com/2012/05/crystal-kite-winner-profiles-new.html

I really can't stress enough how grateful I am to this amazing organization! Thanks for the interview, Lee!

This weekend I hosted a party for friends and family to celebrate the publication of my new book, SEE YOU AT HARRY'S

Here is my mom, holding my book and wearing a "Ran t-shirt" from the story:



I love that she really is glowing AND matches the book jacket!

Even my dad wore a themed shirt. <3 I'm so happy we chose the same word.



And here are my husband and sister, also good sports:



Dear, sweet friends came from near and far to make the day special.

Here I am with Ellen Wittlinger and Jeannine Atkins.



And long-time writing partner, Cindy Faughnan.



Another sweet (and very stylish) friend, Kara LaReau, dressed to match the book jacket!



Friends of all ages came with shirts saying "Be", "Behold", "Glow" and "Real".

Some knew what these words meant in relation to the book. But many just wore them because I asked if they'd like to. Because they are, indeed, good friends.

They are real.

They know how to be.

They glow.

Behold:



There were make-your-own sundaes, cheese plates and fruit plates and quacamole and chips and dips and oh my gosh a cookie baked inside a brownie(!) (thanks Jeannine!), and kids running barefoot across the lawn, and sunshine and flowers blooming and people laughing and finding connections. There was a beautiful handkerchief (Thank you Kathy!), and champagne and lemonade, and new friendships, and birds chirping and... well it was just a perfect day. A really perfect day.

And what better way to say good-bye to all that but to have a few friends stick around to play music in the setting sun. I think we had a total of 7 guitars (2 not in pic) and 2 ukeleles.



This book, like all of my books so far, was many years in the making. There were several times when I wondered if I would ever be able to finish. Would ever find my way through the hard and often painful scenes that demanded to be revised again and again.

Without friends, without family, without the encouragement of fellow writers, without the support of my agent and editor, I think I might still be lost in the dark thicket. I am forever grateful to the people in my life who continue to support and love me. I hope they feel all my love and support coming right back at them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Write a note to a friend in your life who you're feeling grateful for. :-)

A few weeks ago, I handed in a big revision of LIVING WITH JACKIE CHAN, my new novel (companion to JUMPING OFF SWINGS) to my editor. I had done A LOT of revising for her and that first day when I hit send, I thought, "There. Done."

But as the days went by, while driving in the car, soaping my hair in the shower, running along our dirt road, there were little pieces of the story nibbling away at me. I felt uneasy. I always have doubts when I hand in a project. But they are of the usual "Everyone is going to hate this" variety, not the "I wonder if I could have done a bit more" one.

It's different to think, "Well, I've done all I can do. People will love it or hate it, but I've done my part. I have done all I can possibly do to make this the best I am capable of."

This time, I wasn't quite sure about that last bit.

Writing is hard.

Sometimes, we get tired. We just want to be be DONE.

We want to believe that those whispers saying "good enough" are true.

I understand that wanting to rush. That impatience. And I am often guilty of it.

By the end of those few weeks though, I was really beginning to panic. I knew I hadn't done the job I needed to do. I knew the manuscript WASN'T good enough. And I was praying I would have time at the next pass to have another shot at getting it right.

So when I received a rather long e-mail from my editor this week with this note:

"[Here’s the part where I say “I think there’s a bit more work to be done…”]"

...instead of being frustrated, instead of feeling impatient, or defeated, I felt incredibly lucky to be given more time.

Writing is hard.

But sometimes I think we forget what else it is.

Writing is a process. A long, hard, yet rewarding process. And when we let ourselves slow down and embrace our work in the way it must be--without worrying about who's going to love or hate it, or when, if ever, we'll even sell it, and how much we'll make, and whether it will get reviewed, or if it will make it into bookstores, and all that other stuff we barely have any control over anyway but somehow makes us rush rush rush instead of taking the time to let our work evolve and grow in unexpected and surprising ways--it's also a lot of fun.

Yes. I do think we forget that sometimes.

So while this editorial letter is daunting, and I'm going to have to wait a lot longer before I reach the next stage, I'm grateful for a patient, demanding editor who asks for more, and trusts me to give it. I feel the same way about my critique partners.

Here's a silly song I've been learning on my guitar, just because. Just... because... I need to remember these words. I'm a fretter. I'm a worrier. I'm impatient. And I forget how important it is to "have some fun." Thanks Buster! :-)



"Let's not go crazy, let's take it easy
Let's have some fun" --Buster Poindexter

Today SEE YOU AT HARRY'S is out at last!



This book has been through quite a journey. I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who helped it along the way. And there were many.

Several generous bloggers are out and about today with interviews, reviews and giveaways! So if you'd like a chance to win a copy, here are a bunch of ways to do that:

Interviews and giveaways:

Truly, deeply honored to speak with Libba Bray in the longest and most revealing interview I have ever participated in. Your reward for reading it is the chance to win a signed copy of Harry's! :-) Go here to read and learn more: http://libba-bray.livejournal.com/64059.html

At Teach Mentor Texts I was interviewed by Kellee and Jen, two amazing teachers. You can read the interview and enter to win a copy of their galley here:
http://networkedblogs.com/xmXcJ

Review and giveaway:

Jama Kim Rattigan has gone wild with her write-up, full of photos that will make you crave a sundae in the biggest way. She also writes a beautiful reader response to this book, with lots of links and recommendations. Thank you Jama!
http://jamarattigan.com/2012/05/08/soup-of-the-day-see-you-at-harrys-by-jo-knowles-and-a-giveaway/

Reviews:

Jeni at The Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/review/see-you-at-harry-s-is-a-moving-portrait-of-a-family-turmoil

Cindy Faughnan on her new blog: http://www.cindyfaughnan.com/faughnan/index.php/4000-sentences/item/35-books-see-you-at-harryshomecoming

Word Spelunking: http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/

Kate Messner at kmessner: http://kmessner.livejournal.com/223845.html

Chapter by Chapter: http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/2012/05/review-of-see-you-at-harrys-by-jo-knowles.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-of-see-you-at-harrys-by-jo-knowles

THANK YOU everyone, for making this such a fun, celebratory day!

Love,
Jo