sensory overload

The Amelia Earhart Festival

Sep 1, 2018 | adventures, Aladdin, eventful, gratitude, gushing, heaven aka bookstores, historical fiction, IRL, lets take this show on the road, party time, please excuse the jet lag, research, sensory overload, setting, Simon & Schuster, summertime, The Last Grand Adventure, watch out I'm getting all verklempt, wrap ups

On July 21, I was thrilled to be a part of the Amelia Earhart Festival–the annual celebration of her birthday in her birthplace of Atchison, Kansas. Readers of The Last Grand Adventure will know what a significant place Atchison was in Amelia’s (and her sister, Muriel’s) life. For me, it was a place I came to know, and love, through research. This passage from Muriel Earhart Morrissey’s biography of Amelia, Courage Is the Price, shows why:

“Midsummer evenings have always been a time of mystic spellbinding for the young. The long August twilights wrought their peculiar magic upon Amelia and me when we were little girls in Atchison. I remember the symphony of summer sounds; the chirping of crickets and of the invisible tree-toads . . . As the last carnation and saffron clouds faded, bats began to dart across the darkening sky, and, as if in defiance of these harbingers of the nightfall, fireflies twinkled in the garden and across the way among the peach and pear trees in the orchard.”

Such a lovely description! How can you read that and not want to write about Atchison in the summertime?

While writing When Audrey Met Alice and Summer of Lost and Found, I was able to visit my settings in person. For The Last Grand Adventure, the closest I’d gotten was Google Earth. So it was incredibly meaningful to see the town for myself, and to meet the warm and welcoming people who live there. And what a weekend to visit–the festival draws in thousands of Earhart experts and enthusiasts and leaders in STEM and aviation fields to celebrate not just Amelia’s birthday but her incredible life and accomplishments. I had a great time sharing my book and also learning so much more about her life and legacy.

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Recent Adventuring

Jul 18, 2017 | heaven aka bookstores, historical fiction, i heart the beach, IRL, middle grade, pairs well with a hammock, relax, sensory overload, Summer of Lost and Found, summertime, treat this post as evidence of procrastination

It’s no secret that I love history and I love the beach (I mean, it’s right there in my bio, along with doughnuts and laughing). Last week my husband and I explored Bermuda, and I got to combine the two in one fun, relaxing, and inspiring vacation. Here’s a little of what we saw:

The town of St. George, which is the oldest continually inhabited English settlement in the Americas. (It’s also a UNESCO world heritage site.) It was founded after ships on their way to rescue the starving colonists at Jamestown (the colony that followed Roanoke) wrecked offshore. The statue of George Somers reminded me of Prospero in The Tempest–turns out Shakespeare may have been inspired by those “current events” while writing the play! The ship is the Deliverance, called the ship that “saved America” by sucessfully resupplying the colonists at Jamestown. Learning about the colonial history and relationship with American colonists reminded me a lot of Roanoke, and made me think about Summer of Lost and Found. If the Roanoke colony had survived, would it have eventually looked like this?

We also checked out the Crystal Cave, which two twelve-year-old boys discovered in 1907. They were playing cricket when their ball disappeared down an unfamiliar hole in the yard. After getting a rope and a lantern, the boys descended to find a beautiful cave with a 55-foot-deep underground lake. While they explored, the lantern went out–and they were lost in the darkness for hours. They found the rope and made it out–the rest is history. (Let this be a lesson in the bravery of middle-graders!) The stalactites and stalagmites were so cool.

And at the Royal Naval Dockyard, we checked out the Victualling Yard, where crews prepared all the food and drink needed to keep sailors well fed on their long voyages. It was kept guarded, to prevent any pilfering. It was a hot day (no surprise), so we stopped in a pub with lots of books.

And, of course, here’s the beach. I spent a lot of hours reading on it, under a peppermint-candy-looking umbrella and with lots of SPF.

What have your adventures been this summer?

Summer scenes

Jul 6, 2017 | IRL, pairs well with a hammock, relax, sensory overload, setting, summertime, talking about writing, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, Uncategorized, wrap ups

I was reading a craft book recently in which Hemingway lamented how he struggled to write in summer–the hot, sleepy weather just didn’t work for him. For me, it’s the cold, dark days of winter when I feel blocked. Summer inspires me, and so far this one has been no exception. Here’s some of what I’ve been soaking up (when I haven’t been busy copyediting The Last Grand Adventure, or working away on a shiny new project):

Moonlight in Manhattan

A beautiful Madison sunset

Farmer’s market berries, part 1

Farmer’s market berries, part 2 (homemade ice cream is the best!)

Skyline views in the park

Secret gardens in the country

What does your summer look like so far?

*Want more photos of cityscapes, berries, and books? I’m now on Instagram, and I’m loving the glimpses into other readers’ and writers’ lives.

A Week in Wisconsin

Oct 22, 2016 | eventful, IRL, lets take this show on the road, libraries, nErDcampLI, PIE, pretty pretty, rare Saturday post alert, school visits, sensory overload, short stories, Summer of Lost and Found, wrap ups

Last week I traveled back to Wisconsin for a couple of book events, and it was perfect timing for fall color:

The view from Ski Hi, my favorite orchard. The pies are amazing!

Hiking at Devil’s Lake

Madison has great coffee 🙂

The famous farmer’s market is at its very best in fall.

Green and gold

The view from my Sunday morning coffeeshop

What’s missing? Photos from my talk at the Reedsburg Public Library and my school visit at EAGLE School. I was so excited to meet with readers and writers that I never quite got around to taking pictures . . . oops! But I had a great time talking about reading, researching, and writing.

Now I’m back in NY, working on short fiction and researching a project, and getting ready for nErDcampLI!

How does fall look where you are?

My Summer Island

Jul 24, 2016 | i heart the beach, IRL, pairs well with a hammock, sensory overload, Summer of Lost and Found, summertime, this is how we read it, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, WIPspiration

The earliest drafts of Summer of Lost and Found had the book start with Nell anticipating summer fun on a New York barrier island–but those Fire Island sections were cut because “killing your darlings” is a task us authors really have to do. Can you blame me for wanting to sneak a few darlings about my favorite summer place into the book, though? Fire Island is just an hour and change from Manhattan, but a world away. No cars, no chain stores, no tall buildings: just a necklace of friendly communities strung along miles of white sand. I was lucky enough to spend some time on the island earlier this month.

Fire Island architecture

Welcome to the Atlantic

The iconic lighthouse

Stunning sunset

All winter I dream about being back on the beach, where I can dig my toes in the sand while digging into a good book.

What’s your favorite place to read when the days are long and hot?

The Big Snow

Jan 24, 2016 | IRL, sensory overload, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, warm fuzzy

You may have heard that the East Coast was walloped with a snowstorm this weekend. As a Wisconsinite, the sound of snowplows scraping the pavement and snowblowers bustling down the blocks made me feel happily at home. I had a great time watching the snow from indoors, while writing and reading and making cookies. But I did venture outside–I had to see the record-breaking snow for myself! Here are some scenes from the city during and after the snow:

Half-buried car on an empty avenue

Sledders heading to the park, during the storm

More sledders in the street

Manhattan without cars was kind of magical

Silent night

The snowy streets were magical

Another quiet street

The next morning: Do you want to build a snowman?

Frozen Citibikes

Sledding!

A Visit to Alice’s House

Sep 23, 2015 | audrey and alice, characters, historical fiction, IRL, lifestyles of the rich and bookish, reader in chief, research, sensory overload, setting, summertime

On a warm, nearly cloudless day last week, I took a trip out to Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, NY. It wasn’t my first time there–I visited in September 2012, shortly after I found out that When Audrey Met Alice was going to become a book. But during that visit, only the grounds of the Roosevelt family’s sprawling estate were open to the public. The inside–the 23 rooms in which the Roosevelts (and their “zoo” of pets) dined, read, learned, and played–was shuttered and empty. Now, after a three-and-a-half-year and multimillion-dollar renovation, people can walk through the house again. I had to go see it!

I don’t have any pictures from the tour inside the house–to protect the priceless artifacts, no photography is allowed. So I’ll have to tell, not show, how exciting it was to see Alice’s bedroom view, the 8,000 books in the library she begged to be “let loose” in, and the dining table at which she had to ask each guest three prepared questions. I loved hearing details of family life at Sagamore Hill from the knowledgeable and friendly ranger leading the tour–like that Alice refused to share a bedroom with any of her siblings, but did let her privacy-seeking brother sublet her closet.

Vintage postcard of Alice’s bedroom at Sagamore Hill

At Sagamore there’s also a museum in the Old Orchard building (where Alice’s brother Ted lived). I took this photo of a “picture letter” that Roosevelt wrote his daughter Ethel while he was away. His sketches are so charming, and I love the thought of the president sitting down to create them when he couldn’t make his 4:00 appointment to play with his kids.

If you want to visit the house: visit the Sagamore Hill NHS site for more information!

SUMMER Cover Reveal!

Aug 25, 2015 | books, covers, gratitude, gushing, i heart the beach, pairs well with a hammock, pretty pretty, sensory overload, Simon & Schuster, Summer of Lost and Found

Last week, the fantastic Mr. Schu helped me share the cover of Summer of Lost and Found! Check out the post here:

http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2015/08/cover-reveal-for-summer-of-lost-and.html

And here’s the lovely cover!

When I first saw the sketch from the designer, Laura Lyn DiSiena, and the color sample from the illustrator, Robyn Ng, I freaked out. They perfectly captured my main character, Nell Dare, and the watercolor beauty of Roanoke Island. I love how richly layered the foliage is in the illustration–just like it is on the island.

Biondo Studio also helped me put together the Resources page for Summer, which you can now find here.

Summer of Lost and Found will release in hardcover from Aladdin/Simon & Schuster on May 24, 2016. I can’t wait!

SUMMER, Fun

Jul 31, 2015 | balancing act, i heart the beach, in defense of lazy, IRL, pairs well with a hammock, relax, revising, sensory overload, slightly incoherent due to revision brain, Summer of Lost and Found, summertime, treat this post as evidence of procrastination

In my mind, summer is full of lazy days and long nights, salt breeze and shooting stars, fireflies and fireworks. It’s a time for reading in the sunshine, ideally with an ice-cream cone or a Popsicle dripping down one’s hand but not onto the book. Basically, the season of fun and relaxation in a perfect balance.

In reality, it’s also full of busyness. Family visits! Weekend getaways! All while diving back into a story for a deep revision. Which makes it no less enjoyable–perhaps the rewards of summer are even sweeter if you’re working hard, too.

Last week I turned in Summer of Lost and Found, after an intense month of revision. I’m so excited for this story! Here’s how I’ve been rewarding myself for finishing my work:

Reservoir runs

Movies on the Hudson

Sunsets on the sound

Frozen in the park

2 quarts of cherries, pitted (yes, I consider this a reward!)

How have you been celebrating this season?

Fascinating People & Famous Places Workshop

Oct 28, 2014 | audrey and alice, characters, debutanting, eventful, historical fiction, IRL, libraries, reader in chief, sensory overload, setting, White House

Last Friday, I did a young writers’ workshop at the New York Society Library, a beautiful and historic library that also happens to be my revising home-away-from-home.

(Here’s a presidential-history tidbit about the NYSL: Our Founding Father George Washington was a patron, but he didn’t return one of the books he checked out. When his Mount Vernon estate replaced the copy 221 years later, the library waived his overdue fines.)

Back to my workshop: Twenty creative and talented young writers came to hear me talk about writing fascinating people (like Alice Roosevelt) and famous places (like the White House). I showed them some research pictures, we played some writing games like Historical Figure Hotseat to get in the zone, and then we wrote scenes set in historic places, events, or periods, using lots of sensory details and cool facts.

I am always really excited when I get to talk about Alice.

Looking at pictures of the Roosevelt kids and their pets

Looking at pictures of the Roosevelt kids and their White House pets

Busy writing about Jane Goodall and Achilles

Working on an Amelia Earhart story and another set in 1800s Sweden

Even more writing! We had Napoleon at this table.

Signing books and sharing “WWAD?” bracelets at the end

One of my favorite parts of being an author is getting to talk with kids about books and storytelling. I always go home inspired by the curiosity and creativity of young writers. And I learn new things, too–about what kids love to read, and even about history. (Thanks to the great story one attendee wrote, I’ve been inspired to learn more about Deborah Sampson.)

Thanks to Carrie Silberman, Randi Levy, Susan Vincent, and everyone at the NYSL for having me–and most of all to the kids who came to write with me!

Research Trip

May 13, 2014 | gushing, heaven aka bookstores, historical fiction, i heart the beach, I talk about food too much, IRL, olykoeks, sensory overload, setting, Uncategorized

Last week I hopped on a train and in a car to make my way to coastal North Carolina for a research trip. Here’s some of what I saw and did:

I went belowdecks in a 16th-century ship!

I hiked in historic woods!

I wandered a shoreline!

I stood inside an excavated fort–and got chills!

I checked out an ancient live oak!

I visited a charming town–including its awesome indie bookstore!

And I climbed the tallest lighthouse in the nation! Take THAT, fear of heights.

I didn’t think I could get more excited about working on this story, but I did. There’s nothing quite like writing about a fantastic, historic, mysterious, beautiful setting–and then getting a chance to see it in person.

Oh, and I can’t not mention the most incredible donuts I ate.

I had one every single day. Because DELICIOUS.

I can’t wait to go back.

Scents and Writeability

Sep 25, 2012 | book people, confessions, eau de print, in which I embarrass myself, sensory overload, setting, talking about writing, verisimilitude, weird science, WIPspiration

We talk a lot about how some senses contribute to the writing process. The music playlists we listen to as we power through revisions, the pinboards we gaze at to visually inspire our WIPs, the chocolate we savor to help us deal with bad news, even the way our fingers feel tapping the keys (and the way our backs feel after slouching in a desk chair for hours while drafting). But there’s one sense that I feel like gets neglected in discussions of the writing process, and that’s smell.

Smell can be an important and influential part of the writing process. I’ve started incorporating scents into mine, and I swear it’s not related to neglecting laundry so I have more time to write. (I’m a freak who likes doing laundry, actually.) When I sit down to work on the first draft of my WIP, I use the smells of specific candles to get me into the atmosphere of the story. My current favorite? A cedarwood and rosewood blend that I think smells like a barrier island in summer, hot pine needles and driftwood and the Atlantic. Whether the candle objectively does or not smell like that is besides the point; when I burn it while I write, it connects me emotionally to the place I’m traveling on the page.

My current favorite candle.

Not every story is told in a place that smells like flowers, though. I’m not suggesting you make your desk area smell like sulfur if you’re writing about hell. But I do suggest CB I Hate Perfume, which has some fantastically unique scents, like In the Library, a “warm blend of English novel, Russian & Moroccan leather bindings, worn cloth, and a hint of wood polish,” or Walking in Air, which was inspired by Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. (Uh, I think I need At the Beach 1966. I love the smell of Coppertone. Happiness in a bottle.)

Bath and Body Works also has a line of candles out now that includes French baguette and macaron blends, to which I say: I WANT. It’s enough to make me think that the next project I work on needs to involve French bakers, so I can make my writing space smell like bread and cookies all the time.

And then there’s good old Demeter Fragrance Library, which has the normal (almond; mulled cider), the cool (paperback; New Zealand), and the just plain weird (earthworm; dregs, as in the bottom of a wine barrel; and turpentine).

Obviously, you don’t need a delightful or weird potpourri to write. But sometimes a little ritual, like lighting a candle or spritzing a room spray, can help you get into the mood of your story. Or it can help you unwind and let the words flow.

So, have I convinced you to get into aromatherapy for writers?

Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction