The launch . . .

. . . was a success!! Huzzah! Thanks in no small part to my amazing parents, Cynthia and Flemming Kress. They had been working on this thing for weeks, sending out invites, printing flyers, getting the food all ready, buying the decorations . . . seriously, the event would not have been half so wonderful without all their help.

It also wouldn't have been half so wonderful if Wendy and Liana from Indigo Books at Yorkdale hadn't been quite so enthusiastic in their help. This was the second time Wendy has launched a book of mine in her department and she is just amazing. If there is anyone out there who loves kids books more . . . well I'm afraid I just can't picture such a person.

I got to the store with my Mom around 1pm, where my dad had been guarding the decorations since that morning. Yorkdale you see is a HUGE mall in Toronto, the weekend a very popular time to shop, and Indigo a very popular store - there was concern the decorations might not make it to the launch if someone wasn't protecting them. The decorations were fantastic. Behind the book signing table they had hung two rows of tiny Chinese lanterns, and framed the table with these awesome red and black pirate balloons. Actually the balloons served as a bit of a bread crumb trail as my parents had strategically placed them from the entrance downstairs along a route that led to the stairs, at the top, and then ta-da! The children's book section!

The entrance to the children's book section has this convenient arch. One could call it rather gate-like. And seeing as my book has a fair bit to do with gates, it seemed only appropriate that my parents hang a red Chinese dragon in the archway along with another lantern. They also made a big sign with a picture of yours truly on it, and placed it at the side.

The food was fantastic. There were these awesome cupcakes with red icing and a chocolate coin in the top of each, and a cake with the cover of my book somehow copied onto the top in icing. The cake making technology available these days is astounding. We also had juice for the kiddies . . .and me . . . and coffee for the grownups. My friend Heather (yes THE Heather from Alex) had also shown up early and she took it upon herself to be in charge of the food, embodying her character from Alex extremely well in making sure only people who were coming to the launch got a cupcake . . . or piece of cake.

At around 1:30pm my pirates showed up. Yup I had pirates again this year. Different pirates. Yup. I know enough people who are willing to dress up as pirates that I don't need to repeat the same ones. My social circle is just that awesome. They were so fantastic, they mingled, and got everyone's attention when it was time to do the reading. Also Kevin (the male pirate) was followed upstairs by a bunch of teenagers wanting a picture with him. Yup not only do I have pirates, I have hot, teenage girl approved, pirates.

The place was packed by 2pm, and I was so thrilled because to be honest I had no idea if anyone was going to come. But it turned out I was worried for nothing. Friends and family showed up, making me all emotional like usual. Sue Plant and Mark Fillator from Scholastic came in a show of support, and we even managed to engage the interest of some book shoppers passing by.

Wendy introduced me with a lovely speech, and then I came forward and spoke. I read a bit from the eleventh chapter, which is a pretty action filled moment, and aside from stumbling over a few words I think it went pretty well. I like to act out my readings, and by the end was really getting into it. Maybe a little too into it . . . ? Nah, no such thing.

And then it was time to sign books, which was awesome, and again overwhelming. We sold out. Made me a bit sad as some people didn't get a chance to get one. And then . . .

It was all over.

But it was an awesome time and . . . I have pictures!!

Poster for the launch.

Me and Wendy

Me and Wendy . . . and pirates!

Heather at her post at the food table. Note the cake and pretty cupcakes!

My awesome cake!

Me cutting my awesome cake . . . with pirates!

Charlie enjoying a cupcake, while his sister Ariel (right) and his mom wait patiently for yours truly to start reading.

Me reading. With a LOT of enthusiasm.


Emma and Stella not quite sure what to make of my enthusiasm.

A nice long shot of the event. With me still reading enthusiastically.

Crowd applauding appreciatively . . . for my enthusiasm. I hope.

Signing books!

Signing . . . books . . .


Yet more . . . signing books . . . for a very cute kid in pink!

Me and my friend Emily - who is featured in Timothy, and is also responsible for taking most of the pictures in this blog entry (the rest were taken by my dad).


Lesley Livingston - author of the amazing YA urban fantasy Wondrous Strange.
Smiling enthusiastically.


Me and Rob Weston standing under the dragon's gate. He's the author of the awesome middle grade rhyming novel Zorgamazoo.


Me and Heather. She isn't an author. But she is still totally awesome (also a great actress). And no, despite the fact that we are both brunettes with bangs, we are not sisters. Though many people thought so that day.

Book Launch this Sunday!

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate Book Launch

Sunday February 22
2 pm
Indigo Bookstore, Yorkdale Mall, Toronto
Reading and Signing

Yes it's that time again! As you all know, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate came out in January and now I am celebrating its existence officially with a launch party! This means a heck of a lot to me, and I really do hope people will come. It's mid-day this Sunday, only a couple hours, free snacks, a reading and signing by yours truly, what could be better?!

Also, FYI, the event is totally kid friendly, in fact the whole reason I'm doing it on the weekend in the afternoon is so that they can attend, so please do bring along any kids you might happen to know!

I do hope you all can come! Truly.

BTW, I should remind people arriving by car to give yourselves PLENTY OF TIME... or take the subway... as it is YORKDALE ON A SUNDAY!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Kress employs a deceptively casual tone, an ease that belies the complexity of her prose style. . . Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate
is an old-fashioned tale, being told by a gifted storyteller. . ."
- Quill and Quire, starred review

SYNOPSIS OF TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE

With a father who can’t control him and a mother who is always out of town, Timothy Freshwater has finally been expelled from the last school in the city. As if that were not enough, events conspire to ensnare him in an ancient quest.When he meets Mr. Shen, a mysterious Chinese gentleman who is a mailroom clerk at his father’s office, Timothy finds himself deeply entrenched in a rescue operation centuries in the making.

It turns out that the diminutive, elegant Mr. Shen is a dragon, banished and forced to take human shape for a thousand years until he can resume his true form by scaling the Dragon’s Gate during a festival for the 125th year of the dragon. Until that time, he is sentenced to enslavement by the holder of the golden key. It is, of course, Timothy who finds himself the latest keeper of Mr. Shen. The boy too smart for his own good is reluctant to assume the task, but tackles the challenge, after being stalked by a stealthy ninja and chased by a menacing trio of black taxicabs. When Mr. OR_8">Shen falls into the wrong hands, Timothy is flailing in treacherous waters, literally. And then a strange-looking black brig with red sails, called, for some reason, the Ironic Gentleman appears on the horizon.

Relying on his own ingenuity and an annoying new ally, a girl called Alex, Timothy must face up to his responsibilities and rescue the dragon from a fleet of Chinese pirate junks. Above all, he must have enough faith in himself to take on that fleet’s commander, the Man in the Beige Linen Suit.


" . . . the tale’s snarky dialogue, sudden twists, authorial asides and daffy characters will keep readers turning the pages." - Kirkus

"An exciting read that's action-packed from cover to cover." - KH, The Magazine

"Kress has the knack of writing child characters who could be my next-door neighbors . . . Like 'Alex and the Ironic Gentleman', 'Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate' charmed me into staying up way too late to finish it. No syrup here. Instead, there’s adventure, derring-do, attitude, and danger. All wrapped up in a clever and fascinating take on the reluctant hero, courage, loyalty, and—of course—dragons." - Alice Loweecey, Buddyhollywood.com

My Photoshoot - part deux!

While I know I like to go into every small detail of every new experience I experience here on this blog, sometimes nothing can truly replace pictures. In this case, moving pictures.

I mentioned in the previous photoshoot post that there was a film crew on set of the Toro photoshoot I did last month, and now the behind the scenes video is up on the site. I quite like it (though I think I look goofy as always), and the photographer Franco says some lovely things about me - then again, I'm not sure what else he could have said . . ."This was the worst photoshoot I've ever done, Adrienne is a total diva, unmanageable, and can't take a decent picture to save her life" ? I don't think so. But that would have made for a very unique video. . .

At any rate, check it out here!

Also I should point out that "the guy" who interviewed me for the article (which has been garnering just as much praise as the photos btw) did get a little grief from his staff after I referred to him as "the guy" in my blog entry. Considering "the guy" was William Morassutti, the co-founder and Executive Producer of Toro, it does seem a bit absurd to refer to him as such. Besides, he's friends with actor Enrico Colantoni who I just adore (you know how in the interview I mention my favourite quote from Galaxy Quest? Enrico plays the lead alien dude, Malthesar), so that makes him extra cool! So people at Toro, stop teasing the guy, I mean, William!

Timothy's Starred Review in Quill & Quire

Um . . . well the title basically says it all. I am sooooooo happy with this review, it's eminently quotable, and for a little ego boosting I have to confess the sentence "Kress employs a deceptively casual tone, an ease that belies the complexity of her prose style" is just so many different levels of awesome.

Here's an excerpt. To read the full thing please check it out at Quill & Quire here! Special thanks to reviewer Robert J. Wiersema (a fine author in his own right). Seriously. Thank you.

" . . . That’s the set-up for Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate, the enthralling and impressive new novel from Toronto writer, actor, and teacher Adrienne Kress. Set in the same whimsical (and often surprisingly violent) universe as her debut, Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Kress has crafted an engrossing tale laced subtly with its own set of valuable lessons – ones she is careful never to oversell. Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate might be about growth and selflessness and generosity, but kids don’t want to read that stuff: they want stories about pirates, ninjas, epic battles, sewer chases, and dragons, which Kress delivers in spades. . . "

Read full review.

My Photoshoot

So I mentioned in passing that I did a photoshoot last week and that I would tell all about it once the photos were up. Well they are so now I will!

I was very lucky to get the opportunity to be featured in a Canadian magazine called "Toro" in their "Toro Woman" feature. It was pretty flattering since they don't usually feature authors. My publicist was the one who organised the whole thing, and I have to admit I was a little nervous. Excited, but you know, nervous. I'm not exactly used to being photographed. Well at least, not for glamorous photoshoots.

Fortunately everyone else involved was very used to the process.

So I arrived at the studio with my publicist first thing in the morning. I had already met the photographer, Franco Deleo, the week before, and we had got along well. This helped to relieve some of my nervousness. He's a total sweetie, and a fantastic artist, totally check out his site. Anyway, he was already setting up with his assistant, and after the makeup artist (the granddaughter of Bernice Thurman Hunter, the one I talked of in the post below) and stylist showed up, I was promptly put into the makeup chair.

I think I was in the chair for over an hour, but it was understandable. The makeup didn't take too long, but curling my hair definitely did. You see, my hair is straight. Very very straight. So straight that it takes a heck of a lot of work to get it to take a curl, and to keep a curl. I also have a fair bit of hair. It's not uber thick, but because there is a lot of it looks like it. The makeup artist used a curling iron and so going piece by piece took a good while. But that was okay. It looked awesome in the end, and was nice and warm during the process (the studio was a bit cold).

My amazing makeup artist working very patiently with me.

Then it was the stylist's turn. We'd already chatted over the phone so she knew my sizes. We tried on a few dresses until we agreed to start with a black one. Now this is the neat part. I've always known that the clothes on models gets pinned to fit them perfectly (think that scene in Lost in Translation when Bill Murray's jacket is all clipped at the back and he goes to the hotel bar like that), but still . . . translating that concept to reality hadn't really clicked until that moment. It's so cool. Because the dress fits you perfectly and all those bulges and bits you think can never be hidden, miraculously vanish. And the stylist was so good at it too, it took her like three seconds to do it.

In my perfectly pinned black dress on set. Note the fabulous shoes that are one size too small for me!

So then it was time to take the pictures. Let me tell you, modeling ain't easy. Okay it isn't like a day down in the mines or anything, but it is physically surprisingly exhausting. You have to hold your body in contorted poses, while trying to make the whole thing look effortless and relaxed. Whenever there is a moment's pause the makeup artist comes over to do touch ups while the stylist is asking you to lift your body so she can straighten the skirt. I did one set of pictures where I was standing with one knee up on a trunk, and had to hold that position for forever. When I stood upright finally my left leg was shaking. My last outfit (the one I had been dying to try because it had a cool hat) required I stand in four inch heels, and I barely wear any heels ever so I was a bit teetery. I honestly have no idea how women can wear shoes like that in real life. It's one thing to stand still on place, but walking? Dude.

It was also just really neat to get to play dress up. I loved my sort of 50's pin-up look, especially the brooches that the makeup artist fastened into my hair. The film noir dress had pockets so I totally went all Katherine Hepburn in my mind. But the backless sweater dress was by far the most comfy.

What I also found so amazing was the difference between what the set up really looked like, and what appeared in the final photo. In the black and white shoot with the hat, Franco was standing only a few feet away from me, but in the pictures it looks like there is quite some distance between us. The pictures of me with the trunk, and the ones with the sweater dress are taken in the exact same spot, but look like two totally different locations. And the whole studio was, while not tiny, not exactly vast. But you don't get that sense at all, of all the people standing just off camera. Of the behind the scenes film crew who was there as well (when the video is posted I will of course post about it).

All illusion.

All awesomeness.

I'm not sure if I will get an opportunity like that again, but I do hope so because I learned so much even in that one experience. Well, even if I never do, at least I have the pictures. They will be with me forever.

If anyone is interested in reading the article that went along with the photoshoot you can read it here. It was really great fun chatting with the guy, and he audio recorded the whole thing. Which is why at times it may appear in the interview that I was rambling . . . because I was!

Staring into a trunk. I like to think it's a treasure chest, goes with the theme of my writing. The lighting in this picture is awesome. Franco actually had a lamp in the trunk, it wasn't photoshopped or anything later.


In the comfy sweater dress. You can't tell in this photo, but my knee is killing me, pressing into that same trunk!


1950's pinup look. The brooches in my hair were rather heavy. But awesome sparkly!



Maybe my fav picture. Love the hat, love the dress, even love my pose. And love love love me some pockets! Check out some of the other shots though to see them heels!

More pics here!

Booky

The world is a weird and wonderful place.

There is a children's book series called "Booky" (three books entitled: That Scatterbrain Booky, With Love From Booky, and As Ever, Booky). Written by the late great by Bernice Thurman Hunter, the books are about a girl growing up in depression-era Toronto and all the crazy adventures she has. It's written with such wonderful humour and also paints a very detailed portrait of the city in that time (important to note though, this is a good story first and foremost, history lesson second). I loved these books.

They were first read to me in middle school. I studied French immersion, and for one period a day (or every other day, I can't quite remember) we would have English class. Taught by Ellen (I never knew her last name), this class was the highlight of my day because she adored creative writing and we got to spend the time making up our own stories, binding our own books etc. You can probably see why I was rather fond of it (not to dismiss my French class where we also got the chance to write creatively, I am still immensely thrilled of my French novel entitled "Le Violin qui joue au Tennis").

The Booky books sparked my imagination, and even though I haven't read them in years, the images are still as fresh in my mind as they were back when I was 10.

. . .
The world is a weird and wonderful place.
. . .

On Monday I did a photo shoot for a magazine. It was my first "real" photoshoot with a wardrobe girl, props assistant, even a film crew filming behind the scenes footage . . . and a makeup artist. I shall go into more detail about the whole crazy process when the article is posted, but for now we've established the scene.

I can kind of understand why celebrities become good friends with their hair and makeup person. You spend hours in that chair, and they do everything to make you feel at ease. There is something very nurturing about a makeup artist. So imagine if you had your hair and makeup done every day. You'd probably get pretty close.

Anyway, my makeup artist was just lovely, and she was genuinely curious about my whole writing for children thing (the people who are normally photographed for this particular article tend to be actresses and musicians, not so much authors). And the reason she was particularly interested . . . and here's the connection people . . . is that it turns out that she is the granddaughter of Bernice Thurman Hunter. So she was very familiar with the world of children's books, having watched her grandmother give readings etc.

BUT.

Even cooler.

SHE is the girl they photographed for the cover of the Booky books.

Yes.

I was getting my makeup done. . . by BOOKY!

And yes it was so totally thrilling to have all these people taking care of me, getting to wear designer clothes and heels five inches high. Yes I felt rather glamorous having my photograph taken (and the photographer is just amazing, again when I write at length about the experience I'll post a link to his website and you'll see) and being interviewed etc.

But seriously . . .

My makeup artist was that girl I'd stared at on the cover for hours on end. The one who I pictured in my head when reading the books. And honestly, that probably was the coolest part of the whole thing.

Yup the world is a weird and wonderful place.

Timothy and the Dragon's Gate - out today!

Yes ladies and gents, I am just utterly thrilled to announce that my book, Timothy and the Dragon's Gate, the sequel to Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, is out today!!!!!! I am just so excited and well . . . just really really excited . . . and I do hope you all enjoy it. And if you do enjoy it (I have mentioned this in my sidebar already), I would be so grateful if you wouldn't mind popping over to Amazon, or Barnes and Noble, or Chapters etc, and writing a little review. My books would be nothing without their readers, and your reviews truly are helpful.

At any rate. . . may I present to you . . . .

TIMOTHY AND THE DRAGON'S GATE

" . . . the tale’s snarky dialogue, sudden twists, authorial asides and daffy characters will keep readers turning the pages." - Kirkus

"An exciting read that's action-packed from cover to cover." - KH, The Magazine

"Kress has the knack of writing child characters who could be my next-door neighbors . . . Like Alex and the Ironic Gentleman, Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate charmed me into staying up way too late to finish it. No syrup here. Instead, there’s adventure, derring-do, attitude, and danger. All wrapped up in a clever and fascinating take on the reluctant hero, courage, loyalty, and—of course—dragons." - Alice Loweecey, Buddyhollywood.com

SYNOPSIS

With a father who can’t control him and a mother who is always out of town, Timothy Freshwater has finally been expelled from the last school in the city. As if that were not enough, events conspire to ensnare him in an ancient quest.When he meets Mr. Shen, a mysterious Chinese gentleman who is a mailroom clerk at his father’s office, Timothy finds himself deeply entrenched in a rescue operation centuries in the making.

It turns out that the diminutive, elegant Mr. Shen is a dragon, banished and forced to take human shape for a thousand years until he can resume his true form by scaling the Dragon’s Gate during a festival for the 125th year of the dragon. Until that time, he is sentenced to enslavement by the holder of the golden key. It is, of course, Timothy who finds himself the latest keeper of Mr. Shen. The boy too smart for his own good is reluctant to assume the task, but tackles the challenge, after being stalked by a stealthy ninja and chased by a menacing trio of black taxicabs. When Mr. Shen falls into the wrong hands, Timothy is flailing in treacherous waters, literally. And then a strange-looking black brig with red sails, called, for some reason, the Ironic Gentleman appears on the horizon.

Relying on his own ingenuity and an annoying new ally, a girl called Alex, Timothy must face up to his responsibilities and rescue the dragon from a fleet of Chinese pirate junks. Above all, he must have enough faith in himself to take on that fleet’s commander, the Man in the Beige Linen Suit.


And now a sneak peak excerpt never before read online! oooooooh . . . . .

We find Timothy and Mr. Shen hitching a ride in a sixteen wheeler truck (named "Daisy") driven by who Timothy has dubbed "the crazy man". Suddenly three black taxi cabs that Timothy and Mr. Shen have already encountered once before - and who seem pretty intent on bringing about their demise - appear, and a chase ensues . . .


"Here we go!"

The crazy man spun the wheel and drove directly into oncoming traffic, passing two sports cars and a minivan before pulling back into his own land out in front of a Rolls Royce, the startled driver of which honked his horn as a means of pointing out the fact that Daisy had pulled out into oncoming traffic and then had almost run right into him, in case the crazy man hadn't realised what had happened.

"This isn't working!" shouted Timothy over the roar of the wind and traffic. The cabs were much smaller than Daisy and could weave through the cars with much greater ease. One was racing parallel to the crazy man, and another was inching its way up next to Timothy's exposed side.

"You're right!" The crazy man slammed on the brakes. There was a loud screech and the smell of burning rubber as the truck spun sideways to a stop. Two air bags popped open helpfully, as Timothy, Mr. Shen, and the crazy man were flung forward and then back as their seat belts braked. The sound of rushing wind stopped instantly, as did the roar of traffic, and was replaced by a symphony of honking horns, each expressing a different emotional state, from slightly put out to angry to the point of white-hot rage.

The black cabs, who had not anticipated this sudden change in the chase, had flown past, and were now regrouping a mile down the road and starting to head back their way once more.

Timothy turned to Mr. Shen and the crazy man with a look of utter shock on his face. He was completely speechless. Though he attempted to say something, all he could make was a small, ip sound.

The crazy man fiercely nodded his wholehearted agreement with this sentiment and then added, as he popped off his seat belt and rose in his seat, "Quick, everyone! Into the helicopter!"

From the Archive

I have been feeling a little under the weather lately, not up to really coming up with a new blog entry, and so I was reading through some of my old old old posts on this blog. Back when this blog had nothing to do with writing at all, back before I had an agent or a contract or anything. When, let's be honest, no one read it, and I wrote it merely for my own amusement. It's really quite fun to go back over it, remember where I was (physically and emotionally). And it's kind of nice to have, as a kind of journal detailing a very strange and amazing journey.

Anyway, I found this old post, and I quite enjoyed it. I used to write poems for this blog once and a while. I should start doing that again. Anyway, it has nothing to do with writing or acting or temping. But it does have to to with toilet paper. So I think you'll still enjoy it:

Sunday, April 09, 2006

I have seen it.

I have seen it my friends. I have seen it.

Yesterday I was in well known coffee chain. This well known coffee chain tends to have washrooms at the back of their establishment. A little door. A little room. And, well, you get the picture. Well yesterday I needed to visit said room and I went to the sign and lo and behold there were stairs. This unnerved me.

But I went down the stairs. They turned and twisted deeper deeper down into the bowels of the coffee establishment. Deeper past unknown rooms, past unknown sounds and smells. Deeper still, the yellow walls fading to a murky brown. To a door. A door marked with a sinister silhouette of a woman. Tentatively I pushed on it. I entered.

Sitting there on the toilet bowl, looking at me plaintively, was a roll of toilet paper.

With no hole.

No hole in the middle.

"Uh hi."

What madness is this?

We spent a short time together, and then as quickly as I could, I left and ran as fast as was possible back up the stairs. Back past the strange sounds and smells. Back into the light. Never to return again.


I have seen it my friends,
where the long stairway ends,
and yellow hall wends,
it awaits on the bowl.

It awaits on the bowl
like the stories you've heard
and they're true, every word
what you've learned of the roll.

What you've learned of the roll?
Yes it does have no hole.

And it's here for your soul.
And you'll know that it's true,
when it calls out to you,
to come visit the loo.

For I've seen it my friends,
where the long stairway ends,
and yellow hall wends,
it awaits on the bowl.

Confidence

Ah the new year is upon us. Time to make some more resolutions, time to wipe the slate clean, time to thank our lucky stars that 2008 is behind us (well at least I will, 2008 was a . . . difficult year for me).

Time for Adrienne to wax philosophical . . . ehem . . .:

I take singing lessons. I really enjoy my singing lessons, and my teacher is one of the best singing teachers I've ever had (and yes I have had plenty). My voice is, well, pretty darn awesome now thanks to him. But the reason I enjoy the singing lessons the most is that every time I am there I feel good about myself. What's more, if I am feeling less than stellar, my singing teacher likes to tell me to feel more confident, to trust my abilities, to be a diva (but a good diva, a fabulous diva, not a "I want only red M & Ms in my dressing room" diva).

And this is something I don't quite do as much as I should.

It isn't just my singing teacher who has pointed this out to me. I have also been told that I can come across as a little tentative at times in other parts of my life. Heck I have one friend who enjoys telling me, "Get confident, stupid!" (the joke being that telling someone they are stupid at the same time as they need to get confident is a bit not helpful . . . yeah, anyway, it's a silly joke . . .)

You might not be able to tell from my online persona that I have a slight lack of confidence now and then. I work very hard at being professional, and keeping my personal life out of my blog as much as possible (a personal choice), but the fact is, we're all human, we all have our own issues.

And it's time for me to start being confident.

Now I'm not talking about overconfidence. That isn't the same thing, it isn't even the same word. Nor am I talking about false confidence, or hubris, or any of that. I am talking about a confidence in the things I do well. A confidence in my abilities. Heck even a confidence in others.

I think often we are trained at an early age that to have pride in oneself is showing hubris. That we must, especially as women, be modest in our endeavors, not shine a light on ourselves. Now I should add onto this that that was in no way my upbringing, I had (and have) the most supportive parents in the world who loved to see me flourish. But I also lost all my friends in grade 8, with the leader of the pack claiming the reason for the ostricisation was because I bragged too much.

It was a hard lesson to learn, and has stuck with me since. How do you demonstrate confidence in your abilities without offending others? And you know what I've realised? As long as you aren't overestimating your talents, you can't worry too much what other people think in that regard. I have spent so much time concerned that others will think I am "bragging" that I have hurt myself on the other end of the spectrum by having people get frustrated at my lack of self confidence. I can't please everyone, and at the same time I am doing a great disservice to myself in not believing in all the work I do. I work hard. I do. I have grown so much as an actor and a writer, as a singer, as a person, and I should be proud of all that I have accomplished, and all that I can do.

And so should you.

Of course in our pride of ourselves we must also be proud of others. We must still support our friends, and give them their moment to shine. It isn't about us all the time after all. Having pride in yourself does not mean you negate the achievements of others. Have confidence and compassion. I think that is a marvelous combination.

So this year, I am going to be confident. I have no doubt I will have to fake it at first, but after a while it will become habit (I hope). I think too this is a good year for any of you guys who might be doubting yourselves, who might have had a lot of rejection lately from agents/publishers/casting directors, anyone, to just sit back and see how far you have come from whence you started. I have no doubt that you all have grown in some amazing way this past year, have done some amazing things. No matter how small they may appear at first.

Let 2009 be the year of being proud of ourselves!

Yup it's time for us all to get confident, stupid!

Happy Holidays!

I have been working very hard at finishing up my current WIP (work in progress), so have not been blogging of late. And now the holidays are upon us, and that is a distraction as well. Therefore I think I will wish everyone a very happy holiday and an awesome new year, and sign off officially for a week.

So . . . Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you all have a lovely time, and get the chance to play in the snow (or if you are somewhere where there is no snow . . . play in whatever flora you choose)!

And for any Jane Austen fans, a little gift: a friend of mine posted this on Facebook and I think it is just brilliant. Read it all the way through, even though at first you might think to yourself, "I get the idea already." It's a very satisfying read.

Guess what I got today?!!

The American version of Timothy and the Dragon's Gate, in all it's glorious hardcover wonderfulness!!! Yes fab readers, I officially am the author of TWO books. And they look so pretty together!

It is really hard to describe how amazing this feels. I got the book last night and sort of cuddled with it all evening, took it with me from room to room. Even broke my own rule and read some of it (which I am now regretting, I've already seen several things I wish I could now change). It's very overwhelming, and amazing, and I really can't quite believe it. When I think back to all the hard work, all the grief and problem solving . . . it's so hard to imagine that it's all done and sitting here, in book form. It's still also hard to believe that I am a real life author. But that's something I have to deal with on a daily basis . . .

Anyway, it looks a lot like Alex. The same size (though Timothy is a bit bigger), the pages are rough along the edges. The cover is a combination of matte and shiny and the title is embossed. What is even cooler is that when you remove the cover you'll notice that Alex is blue and Timothy is red, which makes a lot of sense as those colours are most prevalent in the cover art of each. In all, Weinstein Books did a fantastic job, and I am so grateful to them! Thank you guys so much!

And now, as any proud parent would, PICTURES!

The cover!


The spine!


The Back!


Timothy and Alex hardcovers - together at last!


Side by side . . .


And now I ask that all small children be removed from the room as I present, for the first time for both of them - Alex and Timothy . . .

Naked!!

One Further Note: I was interviewed by the lovely Emily Mathieu of The Toronto Star this week, and the article is out today. It was a really fun one, where we walked around my neighbourhood and I showed her the places I like to go to etc. Anyway, if you are interested, check it out here.

On Editing

Yes yes, I promise before the holidays to write another "So You Want To Get Published" about what happens once you have that book deal. But as I've said before, it is a very time consuming kind of post to write, and I want to give it due diligence.

But right now I am going to do a shorter post on the art of editing, which sort of fits into the larger post of once you have a book deal. This one however is slightly more philosophical in nature, not quite as technical.

Editing.

Every author has to do it. Whether it be self editing and going through one's own draft and making things better, or working with beta readers, or working with your agent or editor. Your writing will always be edited.

Often I see questions about editing, "How do I know if I should do what is suggested? What if I disagree?" And this is what I would like to address. How does an author contend with outside suggestions, especially from someone of some status within the industry? How do we edit while still retaining our integrity?

This is where I go back to my obsession with thoughtfulness. When someone offers you an editing suggestion, it isn't enough to just listen to the suggestion and then decide if you like it or not. The most important thing about an outside opinion on your work is to understand the spirit of the suggestion - what is the person trying to articulate to you.

We are human, we are imperfect. When it comes to something as subjective as writing advice, the person sharing it with you is doing a combination of things: she is going off a gut feeling, translating that feeling into practical action, and then attempting to share with you this advice in as clear a manner as possible. This is a tricky translation to make, and not always accurate. My point is that often a suggestion isn't something written in stone, but a something an editor is trying to convey with the best words they could choose at the time. Thus we can't always take each word they say as the letter of the law.

Often you'll get a suggestion that is bang on the money, "D'oh why didn't I think of that?" You might feel a bit stupid, you might be slightly defensive, but in the end, you realise that fulfilling the suggestion will totally make your book stronger. And so you do.

But what happens when you get a suggestion that just doesn't sit well with you? This happens too. Sometimes it is easy, sometimes the editor just made a mistake: "No I can't have her ask her father that question because I killed him off in chapter 2." But sometimes you just don't want to do what the editor suggested, because it just doesn't sit well with you. What do you do then?

This is when you examine the suggestion. This is when you try to understand why the editor wanted you to do something in particular, why they chose the words they did to articulate it, and see if there is a way to do something totally different, but achieve the same effect.

Let me use me as an example.

In Alex there is a sequence on a train. Now my book is episodic, not everyone likes this, but that is the kind of book it is, small mini-adventures within a larger story, a middle section that is an homage to Alice in Wonderland. And the first of these mini-adventures takes place on a train.

I was originally told by my editor to get rid of this sequence.

Needless to say, I didn't really want to do that. But it's tricky when writing something episodic. The point of the episodes are the episodes themselves, not the main thrust of the story. What is the purpose of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland, how does it serve the greater story? Um . . . it doesn't really. But that's not the point. The point is to have a good time in the moment of it. At any rate this means that in theory, yes, I could have easily highlighted the entire train sequence on my computer and deleted it with little affect to the greater plot.

But, as I said, I didn't really want to do that.

So I had to figure out why the train sequence? Why not one of the other episodic moments in the story? What was striking my editor as "off" about this particular bit? What wound up being the issue was the pacing of the sequence. It was simply to slow and too long. It took up far more chapters than seemed reasonable for just one episode in a greater adventure.

I began to cut. At first I just edited out words, but then I realised I had to restructure the events as well. I took out several characters. I took out several meal cycles. I even gave the meals themselves a fast manic pace, where the second a plate of food was put in front of someone it was whisked away again. I made the entire sequence a whirlwind where the reader really couldn't catch his breath until it was over.

And it worked. Suddenly the train sequence was no longer a dead weight on the book, but a breezy, frenetic episode that was over almost as soon as it had begun. I was happy, my editor was happy, and the book was better for it.

This is what we as authors have to keep in mind when working with other people. First of all it is very important to listen to everything that we are being told, but secondly it is important not to automatically dismiss the ideas that seem just so wrong to us. We need to take stock of them, really analyse them, and then if we really disagree, dismiss them. But more often than not there will be some small grain of truth worth taking away from a suggestion.

We also must attempt, though it is hard at times, not to panic. We need to take a calming breath and just see how we can achieve the exact same suggestion but in a way that suits us as well. I had a lovely correspondence with a fellow MG author who shared that his agent was telling him that he had too much philosophising in his book. He really didn't want to get rid of the philosophising and was feeling a bit frustrated. My response to him was that it is quite likely the agent didn't want him to remove all the philosophising, but rather it was possible he was just being a little too long winded about it (being a long winded individual myself, I could empathise). I suggested that he go through his work and see where he repeated the same points over and over, maybe wrote an idea in a slightly too convoluted fashion. Basically to see where he could go that would not remove any of the actual philosophies, but change the manner with which he delivered them.

Because it isn't an all or nothing situation. It's about working with someone at finding the best of all possible worlds.

And having a bit of fun with the act of problem solving.

Getting Headshots

So I'm finally back to a normal (ish) schedule, which means I am back to my good old fashioned blogging self. After a crazy week of intense rehearsals, a week of show, and a week of recovery, I am feeling pretty ready to share my wonderful self with you all again. Aren't you lucky!

Today I thought I'd be the Actress, and talk a bit about one of the necessary evils of the acting world, and that is the joy of getting headshots.

Whether you have an agent or not, a headshot is probably the single most important thing for an actor to have, probably even more so than even a resume (though a resume is still pretty darn important). The business of acting is one based hugely on looks, and not just good looks, but a kind of "look". Gritty cop, pretty secretary, world weary doctor, queen of a fantasy land . . .

Casting directors go through hundreds of headshots and resumes a week trying to match up the look in their heads, with that of a real live actor, and they do so at a pace:

"No, no, no, maybe, no, no, absolutely, no, no . . ."

Your headshot then, in a brief second, must not only represent the best of you (and it had better look like you because if you then show up at the audition looking completely different, they ain't gonna be that happy about it . . . ), but be eye catching enough to stop the casting director to take that extra second to put you on the maybe pile.

It's kind of how authors only have their query letter to sell their writing, actors have their headshots. And in fact it is way worse, because a headshot can't tell you if the actor can act or not, whereas a query letter can tell you if an author can write.

So headshots are very important. They also cost a lot. In Canada they are on average (at least this year) around $500, with some photographers charging less, others more. I was told, however, that in places like New York, they can be upwards of $1200. Uh . . . wow.

A headshot needs to capture you. Thus they are incredibly annoying. Because "you" can be many different people, and to capture all aspects of who you are in one picture . . . well it's tricky. That's why most agents request three different shots that they can then choose from depending on the role they are sending you out for. Still . . . three ain't a lot. And let's not forget how tricky it is to just be yourself in a picture, not making a goofy smile, not rolling your eyes at the camera. . . or even how if you are yourself it might not actually be a best representation of you. I smile so broadly that in my pictures I can look pretty crazy . . .

Though . . . maybe that is me after all . . .

Considering how expensive headshots are, considering how important they are, and considering how difficult they are to get right . . . you can bet that then makes the actor's life even more tricky at the photoshoot itself, trying to relax and be as natural as possible. There is a lot at stake, and I know at least I personally feel the pressure.

So . . . how do headshots come about.

1. If you have an agent, chat with her. I had a nice conversation with mine who expressed that what she really wanted from me was two looks - youthful, and buisness smart. She also wanted, to be blunt, prettier pictures of me than the previous headshots (though she was quite sweet about it, saying that I looked better in person than in my headshots, and we needed to rectify that). She noted my huge smiley problem, and how, on the other end of the scale, I could look a bit standoffish. These were things I was to take note of.

2. I then met with several photographers. Some recommended by friends, others by my agent. I spoke with them and looked at their portfolios. It's tough to say what I was looking for. Definitely comfort, as I am not naturally at ease having my picture taken. I also wanted to see their work, to see their consistency. I expressed the issues my agent had raised and listened to how they planned on resolving them. After all that, I made my choice.

3. The photoshoot:

The day of the shoot you pack up a bunch of different outfits and head over to the photographer's studio. Ideally you want clothes that are solid colours, necklines that suit your build, and a variety of choices that get across different aspects of your personality. Upon arrival you try on outfits for the photographer, and come up with three different options (most photographers take three different sets, though if the cost is prohibitive, you can take only one, or two or whatever). Then you get your hair/makeup done. Most photographers have a hair/makeup artist they like to work with. This is, of course, extra in cost, but very much worth it. Makeup for photographs is not the same as in everyday life. You think you are wearing far too much, and then you look at the picture and can be hard pressed to see any at all. It's a skill in and of itself.

Once you are dressed and in makeup, the photographer takes you to where they plan on doing the photos. I have been photographed in the stairwell of the building, hallway, outdoors, and in the studio itself in front a variety of backdrops. You hold up a little sign with your name on it, so the photographer can keep track of who he is shooting (see pic at the top of this entry). And then . . . it starts.

I am always very stiff at the beginning. But if the photographer is any good, he'll lead you through some poses, often changing them in very small increments. After the first dozen snaps you start to feel more comfortable, and things finally start to go smoothly.

Then when you are done the first set, you change into the next outfit, get some touch up on makeup and hair, and do the next. Etc. And then you are done, exhausted, and you trudge home on the subway with your entire wardrobe in tow.

4. Maybe a week later the proofs are ready. These have changed greatly even in the short time I have been in the biz. It first used to be a page full on maybe two inch tall thumbnails of all the pictures the photographer took. Basically the negatives, but printed as pictures. Several years later, the proofs then became photograph size pictures, each one detached from each other, like you are looking at your pictures from a vacation. These were great because they were large enough that you could see the fine details. Nowadays a lot of them come on CD, which is nice because you have digital copies of them all, but tricky as you can't really spread them out on a table before you to compare them to each other. At any rate, it is now your job to choose, out of maybe 100 shots, 3 that you think are best. And some are so close to each other in appearance that it seems impossible to tell which is better. At this point often your agent will get involved and just tell you what she wants, which makes your life a bit easier.

5. Once you have selected the headshots you want, you tell the photographer and he does minor touchups on the images, before sending them to be printed as 8 x 10s (the standard size of a headshot).

6. Then you pick them up, deliver several to your agent, and voila! You have headshots!


And here are the final pics (after hours and hours of trying to choose . . . oy . . . ):

My "youthful" look.


Serious, but not "standoffish".


Smiley, but not . . . you know . . . crazy . . .