It’s already popped up on Amazon, IndieBound, Goodreads, and the usual bookish places, so let’s make it official.
Here it is – the cover of my next novel. It hits bookstores on September 8, 2015. I hope you’re as thrilled with the cover as I am.
Want to know what will stop a novelist from finishing the final tweaks of his manuscript?
His five year-old daughter teaching his two year-old son how to tell bad knock knock jokes.
It’s the worst.
I’m often asked where I get my ideas for books, which is an understandable but impossible question to answer.
There is no well of ideas. There is no secret formula. There is no one answer to that question, as much as fledgling writers seem to want there to be.
Simply put, I hear something. I read something. I see something. The flicker of an idea is born.
Something Missing was born from a conversation with a friend over dinner about a missing earring.
Unexpectedly, Milo began with a memory from my fourth grade classroom.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was born from a conversation with a friend and colleague while monitoring students at recess.
My upcoming novel, The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs, originated with a story that my wife told me about her childhood just before falling asleep.
My unpublished novel, Chicken Shack, began with a dare.
All of these are simplifications of the actual origins of these novels. There are more complex stories behind the origin of each book. In all cases, additional ideas were grafted onto the original idea to create a more complex story.
But in terms of the initial spark, that was how each story began.
Which leads me to this poster, which is displayed in the Yawgoog Heritage Museum at Yawgoog Scout Reservation, the camp where I spent many of my boyhood summers.
I suspect that someday in the future, this poster will be added to the list of initial sparks for one of my novels.
A nun’s day at a Scout camp? How could this not be the basis for a novel?
In an effort to hold myself accountable, I post the progress of my yearly goals at the end of each month on this blog. The following are the results through May. 1. Don’t die.
I remain perfect on my most important goal.
2. Lose ten pounds.
I gained a pound. Three pounds down. Seven pounds to go. This is a clear refection of my lack of focus on this goal. Seriously. Ten pounds should be simple.
3. Do at least 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups five days a day. Also complete at least two two-minute planks five days per week.
Done.
4. Launch at least one podcast.
The hardware is ready. We designated a location in the house and set up the mixer and the microphones. I am working on understanding the software now. Basically, I understand how to record a podcast and can use the recording software fairly well. I am unsure what to do after I have the recording. How do I get my podcast onto the Internet? Into iTunes? Anywhere else it needs to go? Also, I may need a website to host and promote the podcasts, though this blog may serve this function. Still, a page will need to be created. A logo created. Other details I’m not even aware of yet, I’m sure.
5. Practice the flute for at least an hour a week.
The broken flute remains in the back of my car.
6. Complete my fifth novel before the Ides of March.
Done!
7. Complete my sixth novel.
Work had begun on the sixth novel.
8. Sell one children’s book to a publisher.
Work has begun on all three manuscripts. I’ve decided to revise them all and then choose the one that I think is best to send to my agent.
9. Complete a book proposal for my memoir.
Work on the memoir proposal has begun.
10. Complete at least twelve blog posts on my brother and sister blog.
Seven blog posts published during the month of May. More than halfway to the goal. Two more written by my sister awaiting publication. Kelli finds herself in a position to write consistently for the first time in her life. I’m trying to convince her to write a memoir. The last twenty years of her life have been extraordinarily difficult and would make a great story.
11. Become certified to teach high school English by completing two required classes.
I am now just one class and an inexplicable $50 away from achieving certification. That class will be taken in the summer.
12. Publish at least one Op-Ed in a newspaper.
I’ve have now published three pieces in the Huffington Post and one in Beyond the Margins. I am waiting response on an Op-Ed proposal from a major newspaper as well.
13. Attend at least eight Moth events with the intention of telling a story.
I attended one Moth event in May, bringing my total to seven. For the first time ever, I attended a StorySLAM in Boston at the Oberon Theater. I told a story about the day I lost a bike race to my friend and his new 10-speed bike. I finished in first place. It was my fourth StorySLAM victory.
14. Locate a playhouse to serve as the next venue for The Clowns.
The script, the score and the soundtrack remain in the hands of the necessary people. Talks continue on a new musical as well.
15. Give yoga an honest try.
Though I’m ready to try this whenever possible, the summer might be the most feasible time to attempt this goal.
My daughter, by the day, is taking yoga at her school. She demonstrated several poses to me the other day. This yoga stuff seems strange.
16. Meditate for at least five minutes every day.
I missed three days in May because my son is a pain-in-the-ass and wakes up before 7:00 AM.
17. De-clutter the garage.
Work continues. Nearing completion.
18. De-clutter the basement.
Work has begun. I installed the air conditioners this week, which eliminated three large objects from the basement. I also installed a rolling coat rack for the winter coats and have begun throwing away and donating baby paraphernalia that we will no longer need.
19. De-clutter the shed
Work has begun thanks to the work of a student. I will explain in a subsequent blog post.
20. Reduce the amount of soda I am drinking by 50%.
I failed to record my soda intake in April. I will begin tomorrow.
21. Try at least one new dish per month, even if it contains ingredients that I wouldn’t normally consider palatable.
I tried a new food in May but honestly can’t remember what it was. Also, I liked it.
22. Conduct the ninth No-Longer-Annual A-Mattzing Race in 2013.
No progress.
23. Post my progress in terms of these resolutions on this blog on the first day of every month.
Done.
When my wife doesn’t like something I’ve written, she tilts her head, squints her eyes and rereads, as if doing so will make it look better.
I fear that look. I despise that look.
But it also forces me to do things like rewrite the last two chapters of my current manuscript, thus changing the ending completely.
For the better.
The book is done. The first draft, at least. And a good draft, too. It needs work, but it’s complete.
My fifth novel. The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs.
