More Virtual Book Tour: Writing About Real People

Today I am the guest blogger on Heim Binas Fiction, blog of the fabulous Carrie Kei Heim Binas (writer of intelligent women's fiction, insightful and entertaining blogger, former child actor, wonderful person), where I am discussing Writing About Real People.  Readers of this blog are usually pretty lively and have interesting things to say, so please come join the conversation and stick around.  Also, there's a giveaway -- a copy of Map to one lucky commenter between now and July 2nd (2010). 

I'm still wrestling with the challenges I talk about in my guest post... while I was on my writing retreat recently, I began a new book project that includes writing about some of my day-to-day activities over the next year, and discovered pretty quickly that this includes writing about some of the people who are actively a part of my life.  Relationships that I care about more than this new book.  I'd been trying not to write about them, but felt stifled, not just in communicating to others but in understanding for myself.  I often think aloud, to the point that someone in college called me a "walking thought process."  What to do?  Right now I'm seeking strangers for a writing group, and trying to follow my own advice to others about getting the story onto the page, but I'm curious what you might do (or have done) in this situation.

Interview on yaReads

The interview with me on yaReads has just been posted -- enjoy!  A couple of fun questions I was asked: If there was going to be a movie made about your story, who would you want to see play Audrey? and How does falling in love with someone you’ve never met in person differ to the more ‘conventional’ way?  Thanks again to Nikki and Ivy for featuring Map as yaReads' Book of the Month for June.  It's not too late to enter their giveaway to win a copy.

If there's a question I wasn't asked that you are wondering about, feel free to ask it in the comments. 

"refreshing, and a joy to read"

The virtual book tour continues with a review of Map on yaReads.com.  Reviewer Nikki describes Map as "refreshing, and a joy to read" and concludes: "This one has the yaReads stamp of approval."  Read the review and stay tuned next week for Nikki's interview with me.

Meanwhile, I continue to try to adjust to life back in Cambridge after a wonderful week-long writing retreat.  It is amazing how confining the subway feels, how unavoidable the frantic fractured energy of rush-hour travel, how painful the relentless demands of a job after days of free relaxed movement, nature's rhythms, meandering creativity.  I set out at the beginning of the week to find my next book project, and I come back with the precious seeds of two, as well as new friends. 

If I told you I spent the week in an igloo, would you believe me?  I keep the location secret for now, so it doesn't end up overcrowded and unavailable for my own future retreats, but encourage the concept: a vacation message on your email, a cooler packed with enough non-perishable food so that foraging won't be necessary, something to draw with, something to write on, something to generate music, something to inspire you or challenge your mind.  Eight nights turned out to be the perfect length of time, and although I imagined solitary focused writing throughout, I discovered that periodic excursions and friendly exchanges were an integral part of the process.  Roasting marshmallows outside the igloo was also rather necessary.

Next Stops On the Virtual Book Tour

While I was away this past week on a wonderful writing retreat (more on that later), yaReads.com posted my guest review of Nick Burd's excellent novel The Vast Fields of Ordinary.

And today, I am the guest blogger for GLBT Reading -- read my post on Memoir, Truth, and Activism and please join the conversation in the comments!

Book of the Month / Virtual Book Tour

Exactly two weeks ago, the inspirational Cecilia Tan suggested to me, "now would be a great time for you to do some virtual book touring," and I decided to take on the challenge and see if I could make a few more waves in cyberspace.

To start it off, hot on the heels of the Curve interview and in celebration of GLBT Pride month,

Map is the Book of the Month on yaReads.com!

This week yaReads.com is giving away one copy of Map, next week they will post a guest review by me of an LGBT young adult book, and then there will be a review of Map and an interview with yours truly.  I'll post links as they appear.

GoodReads is also hosting a Map giveaway for its members... the contest ends June 21st and so far there are 145 entries.  I've recently joined GoodReads and am still getting my feet wet, but if you're on and you've met me, go ahead and friend me.  (And if you've read and liked Map, I highly encourage you to add a review.)

Amazon isn't doing anything special (other than making it easy for folks to buy the book), but you can make it special by adding your glowing review of Map to the ones that are there.

Stay tuned for more tour activity to come at the GLBT Reading challenge (120 bloggers and counting challenging each other to read GLBT books this year), Heim Binas Fiction (writing blog of the fabulous Carrie Kei Heim Binas), An Accident of Hope (blog of the amazing Summer Pierre, author of the zine-turned-book The Artist in the Office), and a couple of other surprise stops I've got up my sleeve.

If you'd like to host me and Map for a stop on this spring-summer virtual book tour, send me an email.  And if you live within an hour of Cambridge MA and can gather at least ten friends together, we might even show up at your house for dinner and a short reading.

I'm in Curve!

There's a Q&A with me in the June issue of Curve Magazine.  If you don't subscribe, you may be able to use this handy preview to read the interview on page 57 and check out the adorable photo (although how are you going to keep up with your lesbian gossip if you don't also devour the rest of the issue?).  Much thanks to Sheela Lambert for asking the questions and skillfully condensing our conversation to a mere 300 words.