Did anyone else like this show as much as HH and me?
We fell in love with the doctors and residents and interns who lived and breathed their medicine.
We cried when children and babies died.
We cheered the successful transplants and complex surgeries.
We cringed at some of the bloody footage.
This was a great short series. If anyone is interested they should hope Netflix will carry it so they can see all the episodes and become inspired.
A side note: I attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for one year of college and thought I'd become a doctor (LOL!). Wowsa, how far from that am I now?
Here is the link to the show's webpage on ABC.com.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Random Thoughts on a Friday
Things I Wish I Knew Long Before I Knew Them (Writing-related)
1. You really don't need an agent until you really do need one and then you'll get one. I spent years - as do many people - thinking all I needed was an agent and then I'd be on my way to writing success. When I finally did get an agent, it was because I actually had material that other people might be interested in. Until then, though, I wasn't ready for one; all I had was junk.
Lesson: spend no time worrying about an agent until you actually have a finished product (or several) and have had that product vetted by friends and trusted readers. Just write the best thing you can. Seriously.
2. More important than a big advance is the marketing plan a publisher has for your book and you. So much thinking time is wasted on how much of an advance a writer is getting for her book. A large number would indicate a writer is more valued and to a certain extent this is true, if she is a humongous name like a Barbara Walters or a Jackie Collins. But aside from a terrific editor (who has a huge influence on your book), a visible marketing push is what you want from your publisher. That has far more of an effect on sales than anything else.
Lesson: ask questions of a publisher regarding their plans for marketing your book and be willing to take less if a competitor can offer more advertising, etc.
3. A publicist can be a good investment if you are not getting the marketing from your publisher. And sometimes even then, it's not bad if you can afford it. I had heard from other sources that you should spend whatever advance money you get on publicity and promotion yourself and I never realized just how true that was. I did a little of this with my first book but not enough with the second. Again, it's super important to have the lines of communication open with your publisher so you know what and when things are planned for you. And if things change, you need to know that too so you can jump on the promotion yourself. I could have started on this for my second book a LOT sooner than I did.
Lesson: stay in touch with your publisher and know exactly what is planned and then seriously consider a publicist of your own to promote the book, preferably 3 months in advance of the book's release. This is an investment in you, remember.
4. The Internet and blog reviewers are extremely important, especially if you are writing for the YA market. Jump on this right away. I didn't understand Myspace and Facebook and how to find bloggers who review books so when my first book was coming out, I hadn't been in touch with any so I could have my publisher send galley copies to them for review. And I spent very little time on their sites, thinking that my own website and blog would generate traffic to Amazon and the bookstores. Ha! No, not at all. I wish I had spent more time getting to know online reviewers so I could have sent them both books for review. That would have generated more buzz about me and my books than my own blog and site.
Lesson: before the book is published - or even purchased - establish a web presence and get to know your potential readers. Their input is immeasureable. Plus you can learn an awful lot from other authors.
More to come...
1. You really don't need an agent until you really do need one and then you'll get one. I spent years - as do many people - thinking all I needed was an agent and then I'd be on my way to writing success. When I finally did get an agent, it was because I actually had material that other people might be interested in. Until then, though, I wasn't ready for one; all I had was junk.
Lesson: spend no time worrying about an agent until you actually have a finished product (or several) and have had that product vetted by friends and trusted readers. Just write the best thing you can. Seriously.
2. More important than a big advance is the marketing plan a publisher has for your book and you. So much thinking time is wasted on how much of an advance a writer is getting for her book. A large number would indicate a writer is more valued and to a certain extent this is true, if she is a humongous name like a Barbara Walters or a Jackie Collins. But aside from a terrific editor (who has a huge influence on your book), a visible marketing push is what you want from your publisher. That has far more of an effect on sales than anything else.
Lesson: ask questions of a publisher regarding their plans for marketing your book and be willing to take less if a competitor can offer more advertising, etc.
3. A publicist can be a good investment if you are not getting the marketing from your publisher. And sometimes even then, it's not bad if you can afford it. I had heard from other sources that you should spend whatever advance money you get on publicity and promotion yourself and I never realized just how true that was. I did a little of this with my first book but not enough with the second. Again, it's super important to have the lines of communication open with your publisher so you know what and when things are planned for you. And if things change, you need to know that too so you can jump on the promotion yourself. I could have started on this for my second book a LOT sooner than I did.
Lesson: stay in touch with your publisher and know exactly what is planned and then seriously consider a publicist of your own to promote the book, preferably 3 months in advance of the book's release. This is an investment in you, remember.
4. The Internet and blog reviewers are extremely important, especially if you are writing for the YA market. Jump on this right away. I didn't understand Myspace and Facebook and how to find bloggers who review books so when my first book was coming out, I hadn't been in touch with any so I could have my publisher send galley copies to them for review. And I spent very little time on their sites, thinking that my own website and blog would generate traffic to Amazon and the bookstores. Ha! No, not at all. I wish I had spent more time getting to know online reviewers so I could have sent them both books for review. That would have generated more buzz about me and my books than my own blog and site.
Lesson: before the book is published - or even purchased - establish a web presence and get to know your potential readers. Their input is immeasureable. Plus you can learn an awful lot from other authors.
More to come...
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Cheers for the Underrated
Sometimes I feel like I am completely out of touch with the rest of the world, that I like things no one else seems to like, that I'm writing things no one else seems to want to read. And I don't know why that is. I grew up in a very conventional nuclear family in leafy suburbs and attended a decent public school and excellent colleges. It's not like I went to Hampshire or anything.
And yet, I'm not a fan of super-quirky things that get their own websites and booths at Comic-Con. Some of those totally off-the-wall books and movies and characters have really hardcore fans that post fanfic and dress in costume when they go out. And I can't say I have any interests in those kinds of things.
When I see a movie or read a book that everyone thinks is fantastic, I really want to like it too. I want to be a part of the general zeitgeist and expound on the virtues of Dan Brown and Tom Cruise. But much of the time, I don't get it. This is especially true of music, which I freely admit I know nothing about and probably won't ever. Why does Matchbox 20 get a bad rap? Why do people diss Alanis Morrissette? Is it wrong to like them? Why?
I guess my favorite sorts of things are not necessarily the under-liked but the underappreciated, those books and TV and movies that may eventually become popular but are easily dismissed among their contemporaries. I wonder if other people feel this way too.
And yet, I'm not a fan of super-quirky things that get their own websites and booths at Comic-Con. Some of those totally off-the-wall books and movies and characters have really hardcore fans that post fanfic and dress in costume when they go out. And I can't say I have any interests in those kinds of things.
When I see a movie or read a book that everyone thinks is fantastic, I really want to like it too. I want to be a part of the general zeitgeist and expound on the virtues of Dan Brown and Tom Cruise. But much of the time, I don't get it. This is especially true of music, which I freely admit I know nothing about and probably won't ever. Why does Matchbox 20 get a bad rap? Why do people diss Alanis Morrissette? Is it wrong to like them? Why?
I guess my favorite sorts of things are not necessarily the under-liked but the underappreciated, those books and TV and movies that may eventually become popular but are easily dismissed among their contemporaries. I wonder if other people feel this way too.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
New Vee Review! New Website Video!
Not one but 2 very cool announcements:
Numero Uno:
Jocelyn at Teen Book Review has posted a beautiful review of ALL ABOUT VEE. I love how she describes the book and the main characters. She really captures the spirit of Veronica May. Check it out on her blog here. And while you're at it, take a look through some of Jocelyn's other fantastic reviews and author interviews. She's got a lot of great stuff there (and I don't say that just because I did a guest blog and because she had nice things to say about my book..;)). Thanks, Jocelyn!
Numero Dos:
My Ninja Webmaster has posted the interview I did with Connie Martinson last month for her show "Connie Martinson Talks Books." Yes, it's right here. And if this isn't enough for you - you absolutely have to see it happen live on your television or computer! - the show will air again on August 18 at 3PM and 11:30PM on Channel 35 here in LA.
Cheers~
Numero Uno:
Jocelyn at Teen Book Review has posted a beautiful review of ALL ABOUT VEE. I love how she describes the book and the main characters. She really captures the spirit of Veronica May. Check it out on her blog here. And while you're at it, take a look through some of Jocelyn's other fantastic reviews and author interviews. She's got a lot of great stuff there (and I don't say that just because I did a guest blog and because she had nice things to say about my book..;)). Thanks, Jocelyn!
Numero Dos:
My Ninja Webmaster has posted the interview I did with Connie Martinson last month for her show "Connie Martinson Talks Books." Yes, it's right here. And if this isn't enough for you - you absolutely have to see it happen live on your television or computer! - the show will air again on August 18 at 3PM and 11:30PM on Channel 35 here in LA.
Cheers~
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Conventional Wisdom Means Nothing in LA
I've lived in LA for almost 9 years, if you can believe that. I can't; I thought I'd be gone in five years, back to New England to live out my days in pale misery. But no, I'm still here!
When people think of LA, they think smog, earthquakes and traffic. It's true, we have all three of those but there's nothing you can do about the first two. The only one you can really have any control over is the third. So herewith are some driving tips from moi, based on my many years of experience here in this town.
First of all, throw out everything you learned about driving in every other city in this country. As I said above, conventional wisdom just doesn't hold here.
1. The right lane on the freeway is the fastest. I know it feels wrong! Everyone is merging in that lane, it must slow down. But no! People merge in and then immediately move to the next lane to (they think!) zip past everyone. Plus, people move into the right to exit so that frees up space. Trust me on this one.
2. Whenever possible, avoid making a left turn in this town. There are more left turn signals than when I moved here but there aren't enough to keep things moving. If you must make a left turn, know that 2 cars turn after the light turns red. That's just the way it is. In other cities, they jump the light and make the turn before the oncoming traffic moves but not in LA. Just make sure you're inside the intersection or else you could get snagged with a ticket from the cameras.
3. When computing the amount of time you think (or Google maps thinks) it will take you to get to your destination, multiply that by 3. Unless you like getting to movies and shows and dinner parties late, you want to give yourself a lot of time for some major catastrophe like someone getting a flat tire on Laurel Canyon. Which reminds me that...
4. Traffic on the LA roadways is a delicate balancing act. One small change to it (a signal being out, a fender bender, something fun to look at by the side of the road) will have a HUGE impact on your commute. And by the time it works its way out, people have forgotten how it began.
5. Wednesday is the worst day of the week to travel between any 2 points in LA. Again, throw out conventional wisdom which would tell you Friday but actually, Friday is the easiest day to drive. Perhaps people are staying home to make the weekend longer or maybe they're just traveling off-hours on that day but in order of worst to best, it goes like this: Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday, Monday, Friday. Again, you just have to trust me, not your gut.
6. LA drivers don't use their turn signals out of laziness. They're simply afraid that if they convey to you their desire to move into your lane, you'll speed up and box them out. Why? Because that's what they would do.
7. Traffic at some point will suck like you can't believe. It will take you an hour to drive a mile. Twenty minutes to get out of the Arclight parking garage. You will actually want to drive to the west side for some ungodly reason. Just make sure you keep sufficient tunes or an audio book in your glove compartment; it will save your sanity.
Enjoy driving in LA!
When people think of LA, they think smog, earthquakes and traffic. It's true, we have all three of those but there's nothing you can do about the first two. The only one you can really have any control over is the third. So herewith are some driving tips from moi, based on my many years of experience here in this town.
First of all, throw out everything you learned about driving in every other city in this country. As I said above, conventional wisdom just doesn't hold here.
1. The right lane on the freeway is the fastest. I know it feels wrong! Everyone is merging in that lane, it must slow down. But no! People merge in and then immediately move to the next lane to (they think!) zip past everyone. Plus, people move into the right to exit so that frees up space. Trust me on this one.
2. Whenever possible, avoid making a left turn in this town. There are more left turn signals than when I moved here but there aren't enough to keep things moving. If you must make a left turn, know that 2 cars turn after the light turns red. That's just the way it is. In other cities, they jump the light and make the turn before the oncoming traffic moves but not in LA. Just make sure you're inside the intersection or else you could get snagged with a ticket from the cameras.
3. When computing the amount of time you think (or Google maps thinks) it will take you to get to your destination, multiply that by 3. Unless you like getting to movies and shows and dinner parties late, you want to give yourself a lot of time for some major catastrophe like someone getting a flat tire on Laurel Canyon. Which reminds me that...
4. Traffic on the LA roadways is a delicate balancing act. One small change to it (a signal being out, a fender bender, something fun to look at by the side of the road) will have a HUGE impact on your commute. And by the time it works its way out, people have forgotten how it began.
5. Wednesday is the worst day of the week to travel between any 2 points in LA. Again, throw out conventional wisdom which would tell you Friday but actually, Friday is the easiest day to drive. Perhaps people are staying home to make the weekend longer or maybe they're just traveling off-hours on that day but in order of worst to best, it goes like this: Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday, Monday, Friday. Again, you just have to trust me, not your gut.
6. LA drivers don't use their turn signals out of laziness. They're simply afraid that if they convey to you their desire to move into your lane, you'll speed up and box them out. Why? Because that's what they would do.
7. Traffic at some point will suck like you can't believe. It will take you an hour to drive a mile. Twenty minutes to get out of the Arclight parking garage. You will actually want to drive to the west side for some ungodly reason. Just make sure you keep sufficient tunes or an audio book in your glove compartment; it will save your sanity.
Enjoy driving in LA!
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Twilight Phenomenon
Anyone who has perused the internet chat boards for YA readers or wandered past a bookstore knows this was the weekend of "Breaking Dawn," Stephenie Meyer's fourth and final installment of the "Twilight" series. As with JK Rowling's final "Harry Potter" book, the readers of BD were waiting anxiously at midnight for the book's release and then devoured it (no pun intended!) in a day or less.Sadly, I have not read Meyer's books - yet. I am on the library's waiting list for them which will mean I will get them sometime around 2010. I wish I had unlimited book funds but lately I have been buying some fantastic novels and books by friends of mine, like Paula Yoo's "Good Enough," Michael Reisman's "Simon Bloom," Lisa Yee's "Millicent Min," CG Watson's "Quad," Joyce Lee Wong's "Seeing Emily," Liane Bonin's "Celebrity Skin," and so on. I do scour the used bookstores, just in case someone has parted with a copy!
In the meantime, I'm on a quest - a Meyer quest, to learn all I can about the books. What is the one thing that makes them "must-reads" for you? When I ask readers this, I get answers like, "It's so great!" Or "It's an amazing book!" Or "I love those books!"
Give me specifics, people! Is it the character development? The narrator's voice? The tone of the books? The relationships? The action? Do you like the supernatural element? The writing style? The dialogue?
Give me specifics, people! Is it the character development? The narrator's voice? The tone of the books? The relationships? The action? Do you like the supernatural element? The writing style? The dialogue?
Friday, August 1, 2008
Random Thoughts on a Friday
1. My episode of Connie Martinson Talks Books will be on television again here in LA on August 18, at 3P and 11:30P! And again, if you're not in the area or don't have cable (like me!) you can watch it stream live from LA City View Channel 35. I have all the info on my website.
2. Yesterday was my first earthquake! I was in ballet class, in the middle of plies, when the floor started shaking and the lights overhead began swaying. We all sort of looked around at each other like, "What the heck is this?" The guy at my barre waltzed on over to take cover under a doorway but the rest of us just stood there. It seemed to go on forever! But when it was over, our accompanist began playing and we went right back to plies. Dancers are pretty hardcore, I guess. It's impossible to get us to give up our class.
3. Check out this thread over at Reviewer X's blog. Not just because she claims I inspired the post with my question on an earlier thread but because I think there's a lot of great information i there. I am the sort of person who hates to bug people for reviews. Sure, I have gently cajoled my readers here about posting reviews at Amazon or on their own blogs but when I send books out, I kind of try to let them go and not worry. But I do! I am always anxious about people with my books. And I have a tendency to assume people don't like them if they're not responding right away.
4. This weekend is the big national convention for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Although I'm not attending for various reasons, I hear it's great and lots of authors, especially local ones here in Los Angeles, are going. So if you're trying to get in touch with your favorite SoCal writer, that's probably where they are.
5. I am still totally jazzed about the new book I'm working on. Still. That's a good sign.
2. Yesterday was my first earthquake! I was in ballet class, in the middle of plies, when the floor started shaking and the lights overhead began swaying. We all sort of looked around at each other like, "What the heck is this?" The guy at my barre waltzed on over to take cover under a doorway but the rest of us just stood there. It seemed to go on forever! But when it was over, our accompanist began playing and we went right back to plies. Dancers are pretty hardcore, I guess. It's impossible to get us to give up our class.
3. Check out this thread over at Reviewer X's blog. Not just because she claims I inspired the post with my question on an earlier thread but because I think there's a lot of great information i there. I am the sort of person who hates to bug people for reviews. Sure, I have gently cajoled my readers here about posting reviews at Amazon or on their own blogs but when I send books out, I kind of try to let them go and not worry. But I do! I am always anxious about people with my books. And I have a tendency to assume people don't like them if they're not responding right away.
4. This weekend is the big national convention for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Although I'm not attending for various reasons, I hear it's great and lots of authors, especially local ones here in Los Angeles, are going. So if you're trying to get in touch with your favorite SoCal writer, that's probably where they are.
5. I am still totally jazzed about the new book I'm working on. Still. That's a good sign.
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