Fully Booked

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Books are back!

This might seem like a funny statement, but for years we’ve been predicting the end of physical books, the demise of the reader, the ascendence of  TV series and other forms of virtual entertainment on our smartphones…  However, 2018 was one of the best periods for the publishing industry, much to the relief of booksellers, authors, and their agents!  According to NPD Bookscan, hardcover sales increased, driven mostly by growth in adult nonfiction titles.  Bestsellers and critically-acclaimed books were in such demand this past holiday season, inventory was low and printers had difficulty keeping up.

Michelle Obama’s Becoming has sold over 3 million copies to date and her book tour continues to pack concert venues.  Bob Woodward’s Fear and Bill Clinton/James Patterson’s The President is Missing have also passed the million-copy mark.  Delia Owens’s debut novel, Where the Crawdads Sing has topped the New York Times Hardcover Fiction List and sold well over 290,000 copies in all formats.

Of course, Owens owes this phenomenal success to her talent as a writer and the unique story she wanted to tell, but she was also bolstered by being the September 2018 pick of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine Book Club.  Witherspoon’s broad influence has made her the worthy successor to Oprah Winfrey’s groundbreaking Book Club.  Created in 1996, Winfrey’s monthly literary endorsements made her the fairy godmother of the book world.  With her seal of approval, lesser-known authors became household names, sales skyrocketed, and book groups grew into an intrinsic part of popular culture.  Winfrey’s daytime talk show ended in 2011, but through her O Magazine, she continues to recommend books that often deal with race and class.  Witherspoon gravitates towards female-centered narratives and her choices have boosted the careers of Jill Santopolo, Chanel Cleeton, and the February 2019 pick, Jasmine Guillory, to another level.  There’s also the matter of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies which Witherspoon’s production company adapted into an HBO miniseries.  It went on to win four Golden Globe Awards and Season 2 will air in June.

Other celebrities have entered the book recommendation arena, including actress Sarah Jessica Parker with her own publishing imprint; actress and activist Emma Watson; NFL quarterback Andrew Luck; and late-night TV host, Jimmy Fallon.  Trevor Noah of “The Daily Show” along with Seth Myers of “Late Night with Seth Myers” have also gotten in on the literature trend.  Both programs have featured diverse writers such as memoirist Darnell Moore and award-winning authors Rebecca Makkai and Jesmyn Ward.

I have always been a certified book groupie.  I go to as many author events I can in Stockholm and look for ones to attend in other cities when I’m traveling.  There is a palpable sense of awe listening to a writer you admire, not only hearing about what inspires them but also the struggles they encountered before reaching a position of commercial or critical success.  I love meeting other book groupies and discussing a particular author’s work.  As an indie author, these connections not only fuel me, they also provide better insight into the reading public.  What moves readers?  Which book events are the most successful?  Without these points of contact, I would feel very lonely in the literary world.

But what does this sunny outlook say about writing as a career?  Sadly, the statistics aren’t as rosy.  A recent survey of 5,000 published authors (both traditional and self-published) by the Authors Guild, a professional organization for book writers, reports that in 2017, the median-pay for full-time writers was $20,300; $6,080 for part-time writers.  Many factors have contributed to this: the consolidation of publishing houses which have led to fewer deals, smaller advances, and lower royalties; the disappearance of magazines and newspapers which were an additional source of income; and Amazon’s grip on the self-publishing, e-book, and resale market.  For the majority of writers, writing cannot be the sole source of income.  It’s either a side hustle or you have to have a side hustle to pay the bills!

Writing sounds like a luxury–or agony depending on how you look at it.  Nevertheless, I still believe that the pursuit of the writing life is a noble one, even if you don’t get published.  You do it because you love it.  Because you have to.  Because you wouldn’t feel complete if you couldn’t put your thoughts on paper…  So, good luck and keep writing!

WRITER RESOLUTIONS

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I am so grateful for the year that was.  Two-thousand-eighteen was the point at which I recommitted to my passion for writing and pursued a profession as a writer; it yielded growth and learning beyond my expectations.  As a result, I am so excited to tackle new projects and goals in 2019.  I write New Year’s Resolutions fully intending to follow them, but usually have mixed success.  That’s probably because I include things that I’m not fully committed to, like working out five days/week or packing less when I go on trips.  Finishing Lagging Indicators had been on my list since 2014 and I did it–albeit four years later.  It can take time to tick off a resolution and I believe that the effort, rather than a 365-day deadline, is much more important.  With that said, here are my Writer Resolutions for the coming year!

Set Up a Writing Goal.  I would like to finish the first draft of my new novel with a publication date of Summer/Early Fall 2020.  I hope to share some aspects of the writing process with you throughout the year.

Establish a Writing Schedule. It’s really about showing up in front of your computer and writing.  Self-discipline and a strong work ethic, just like any other job. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but the words, the genesis of a story will eventually come. I think best in the morning, so I’ll start early and dedicate four weekdays to fresh writing and one weekday to edits.  My output goal for both of my novels has always been a chapter a week, not word count, and this system has worked for me.  I want to keep my weekends free to recharge my mind and spend quality time with my family.  Of course this is subject to change as the novel nears completion and the publishing process gets underway.

Read Two Books a Month.  For the bookworms out there who can read 1-2 books a week, I envy you!  I used to be that way prior to having children.  My goal for 2018 was one book/month and I achieved it.  I bought many more interesting books than I had a chance to read, but they’re now included in the 2019 #toberead pile.  Since I’m more alert and productive during daylight hours, I’ll pencil in reading time during the day.  The writer Elizabeth Gilbert believes in a weekly breakfast date at a diner or cafe with a book.  I will heed this simple but beautiful piece of advice.  I may even add a matinee movie in there sometimes!

Do Character/Plot/Scene Outlines.  I did this to a lesser extent with Uptown & Down, but with Lagging Indicators, everything flowed from my head.  My first novel was told from three perspectives while my second one was told exclusively from Mia Lewis’s point of view.  I will be returning to multiple viewpoints in my new work and this will require organization and mapping things out.  I look forward to the challenge!

Be Fearless.  I will block out the noise, hesitation, and self-consciousness and follow where the story takes me.  I will not worry about what other people think or how a story will be perceived.  I am writing fiction, not my autobiography.  I find that when I too closely associate my characters with myself, I hold back.  Writers must dare to ask tough, uncomfortable questions in order to find a compelling, authentic narrative.  Otherwise, we are only scratching the surface and doing a disservice to ourselves and our readers.

Edit, Edit, and Re-edit.  I will be relentless and strive for a tight, flowing narrative.  That old saying “kill your darlings” actually works!  If you love a certain sentence or section of your book, ask yourself if it’s essential to the story or if you’re just admiring your skills as a wordsmith?  I will also enlist other readers for advice, eschewing the embarrassment of showing family, friends, or a professional editor a first draft.

Conquering Writer’s Block.  It’s inevitable.  Hopefully this brain freeze won’t occur in the first stages of a new book, but it’s bound to surface after a significant period of writing time when your mind feels absolutely fried.  To counter this, I will read new books or re-read old favorites.  Digging into other writers’ compositions always invigorates me.  Conducting more research, character analysis, or visiting a location described in the work can also spur ceativity.  I will also engage in more cultural grazing.  This involves experiencing other creative forms such as fine art, theater, film, music… Every cultural connection has the power to inspire and motivate, so don’t feel guilty about putting that manuscript away and getting lost in something else!

Write a Monthly Blog Piece.  This trains my writing muscles and I enjoy it!

Attend a Writer’s Retreat.  This has been one of my Resolutions for several years, but with two busy kids and family obligations, it has not been easy to get away.  However, I have resolved to JUST DO IT and everyone around me will have to adapt.  Now, the big question: Which retreat from this amazing list??

Unplug.  I partake in a lot of screen time.  Time that could be spent reading or writing.  However, most of what I consume is related to the writing and publishing world.  I’ve learned so much through blogs, Instagram, and articles and am afraid of missing out on useful information. But I will sincerely try to block off a fixed amount of time for these pursuits because the fact of the matter is, my listening and focusing skills have diminished from too much screen consumption.  That concerns me and the first step to nipping a problem is admitting you have one!

Be Kind to Myself.  I will try not to feel insecure or depressed if I don’t achieve the aforementioned resolutions.  As long as I’m trying my best, I can feel satisfied.  There’s always the option to reassess and regroup.

Practice Gratitude.  Especially during those moments of frustration.  I am so grateful for the chance to pursue my writing dreams.  I thank my family and friends everyday for believing in me.  I am indebted to the readers who have read my books, given positive feedback, sent text messages, or written reviews.  This wave of support propels me forward :). Happy New Year!

MERRY AND SWEET

I was thrilled when Gina at Willowday asked me to participate in The Creative Collective Sweden Julkalender/Annual Holiday Countdown!  As a fellow American and ex-pat living in Stockholm, I’ve long admired Gina’s myriad of talents (!) and her passion for creating beautiful objects and spaces.  She’s also a generous, inspiring artist who firmly believes in sharing her platform with other creatives.  When Gina requested a holiday post, I thought of the one treat that always brings me joy: Cupcakes.

Mia Lewis, the fictional, hard-charging Wall Street executive in my novel Lagging Indicators, has a soft spot for cupcakes.  They are her guilty pleasure and she loves to gorge on a box of dainty delicacies from Magnolia Bakery in New York.  She even finds a rustic cupcake café to eat her sorrows away after fleeing the city in professional disgrace. This little character detail–Mia’s love for these sweet, whimsical creations–was drawn from my own obsession with cupcakes.  I love that they’re a study in contradictions; miniature but over-the-top, decadent but designed for portion control.  Cupcakes were also the festive treat my mom baked by the dozens for my birthday.  I waited all year for the chance to bring them to school and hand out to my classmates at snack time.

I was disappointed to discover there was no such birthday cupcake tradition in Sweden when my own children were small.  However, I shouldn’t have been surprised; cupcakes evolved in the United States during the 19th Century.  They coincided with the shift from weighing out ingredients when baking to measuring out ingredients.  Cupcakes were originally cooked in small pottery cups and their “invention” saved significant baking time in the oven.  When muffin tins became popular in the 20thCentury, people began preparing cupcakes in these individual molds, adding to the convenience.

Cupcakes have become nothing short of a cult phenomenon and they invaded Sweden in the last decade.  Swedes call them muffins, which I find rather confusing, but I’m nevertheless thrilled that I’m able to find the baking paper, pans, and toppings needed to bring these small masterpieces to life.  

I adore making cupcakes for the holidays.  My specialty is pepparkaka, or gingerbread cupcakes, and I embellish them with a variety of Christmassy flavors and decorations.  My recipe is semi-homemade since I rely on the Kungsörnen Pepparkaka cake mix.  I’ve made gingerbread cake from scratch in the past and can honestly say that it didn’t taste any better, so I put all of my focus on the icing and garnish.  I use a base recipe for buttercream frosting from Domino’s Confectioner’s Sugar and convert the measurements, working with the Florsocker found in Sweden. 

My favorite holiday glazes are vanilla, cream cheese, and peppermint.  In addition to the standard red and green sprinkles, my toppings reflect a Yuletide motif: candy-cane shavings; pepparkaka cookie crumble; Hershey’s Kisses; Christmas M&Ms; mini-marshmallows; powdered cardamom; marzipan figures; metallic and winter-themed trimmings… Deep hues of red velvet, evergreen, and hot chocolate transform a humble cake into a sparkling gem.  Small in stature, but big on imagination, I think holiday cupcakes embody the magic and merriment of the season.  GOD JUL!

Marzipan figures from Thelins Konditori.