What's Your Way In?

On process, pragmatism, and Patricia Lockwood

I wrote a note to myself to remind you that the two books I published this year would make amazing holiday presents, and now I must execute that item on my to-do list. Octavia Books has lots of signed copies of my new novel A Reason to See You Again and also some signed copies of 1000 Words, and I bet if you get in touch with them they’ll make sure I come up there to personalize one for you. But of course, my books are available in many bookstores.

Another good gift is the pre-order of the paperback version of 1000 Words, which comes out January 7. Here is the new(ish) cover.

And hey, A Reason to See You Again got long-listed for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize along with a bunch of great authors. I’m so honored!

Also if you are in New Orleans, I will be selling first editions of all ten of my books at the annual holiday market at the Church at Hotel Peter and Paul. This Sunday, 12-4. It is always fun to do this. Come say hello.

And finally, the Mini 1000 starts in a month, on January 3. We will be writing together, 1000 words a day, for 5 days straight. I will send you short letters. Details here.

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Hi friends.

I’ve got a little bit too much occupying me during the daylight hours right now so I set the alarm for 5 AM to make sure I would have the time to write this and do my other work, too. It’s raining, it’s dark, and I’ve got that little early morning headache. But I’m here and I’m on the page. I thought it would make my day go better if I did this and already I know I was right.

This week I’ve been thinking about this conversation I had with Tricia Lockwood at my book launch in September in New Orleans. It was a really special time, a little too sunny at first, but then it cooled down, and people got a little boozy, and we had a great conversation, and lots of old friends came, and also new friends, too, and people were excited to meet Tricia, and she was funny and smart and sharp but also the perfect poet dreamboat and a total babe. I’ve been meaning to talk about it for a while but I got caught up in travel, and then my time with her got hazy and mixed up in my time with other people. But not forgotten. Tricia could never be forgotten.

Why do I not have any pictures of that night? I don’t know. I’m sorry. I was too busy talking.

Anyway, the thing I keep returning to was a part of the conversation where we talked about how we found our way into our projects. Someone had asked about our process, where we found our ideas.

And I talked about what I always talk about, which is that a character usually comes to me, speaks to me, kind of whispers in my ear, and starts telling me a story, and showing me a scene, other people they know, perhaps an ensuing conflict, some kind of stakes, and, through their gaze, I start to know their world.