Oh, Kaye ! "The More That You Learn, The More Places You'll Go"

Oh, Dr. Seuss, the things I am learning.





 One of my favorite books (one of EVERYONE'S favorite books) is "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by the brilliant and delightful Dr. Seuss, and this is one of my favorite bits -

“And when you're alone there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.”

No truer words were ever written. They're especially true now that I've published my first novel. Boy, the things I did not know . . . . .

My learning curve during the writing of "Whimsey" was the longest learning curve I had experienced.  Little did I know that there was (and is) still more to come. The promotion learning curve (which is not nearly as much fun as the writing learning curve!), for one. With the promotion stuff comes questions I was truly not prepared for, some of which have been fun and funny. Today I'm going to try to focus on the fun and funny, but you know how I tend to go off on these tangents, so bear with me.  And, you know, I ramble and meander - so just ramble and meander along with me, please, 'cause I can't seem to corral my thoughts today.

For starters, let me just say . . .

Whimsey is fiction – it’s fiction . . . really - - - (and not just the

magic parts).

I’ve been surprised at how many people have asked me which character in the novel is me. Even more surprised by the people who have said, “and, of course, I picked you out right away.” Or, “I just know the character so and so was really our friend so and so.”And then, they don’t believe me when I say, “well, no, actually, it’s fiction.”


And that’s true. It's fiction . . . really - - - (not just the magic parts . . . ).

There’s a little of me in every single character in the book – including Fred the Corgi and Pyewacket the Cat. Either the real me, or the me I might aspire to be. I have a mouth like a sailor like Sarah Kate, I love Willie Nelson and the colors red and pink like Emma, I tend to tell friends exactly how I feel like Olivia tends to do, I’m enthusiastic about things like Maggie and I’m a bit introspective like Alexandria.

What I am not is tall, thin, gorgeous, and artistically gifted. (sigh)  Nor am I as young as The Wicked Women.

I’m not wise and sophisticated like Zoe and I’m not a great cook like Zelda (nor do I even like to cook).

Earlene is a pixie, so I can't be her . . .

Madeline is a make-believe person, and I'm pretty sure I not make-believe . . .

None of the characters in the book are people I know in real life. I do, however, know these characters well in my mind, and they all now have a special place in my heart. I cannot get them to stop talking and telling me what they want to do next. Sometimes they make me laugh out loud when I'm all by myself. And sometimes even when I'm not all by myself.
 

It’s life we have all, at some time, dreamed.  Who wouldn't want to live on a magical island? But truth be told – our own lives do have magic, I think. It’s just up to us to discover it. And Whimsey seems to be helping some readers remember that. I am prouder of that than I can say.

But okay, yes (I told you I tend to wander off course . . . ) – there is a scene that is based on a true happening. It happened when I was a little girl in the apartment I grew up in. In the fictional version, while Emma is having lunch with her family in what they refer to as “the big house” she spies faded images on the walls. Images of some surprisingly familiar faces . . . . 

But wait! 

 

I've learned more. 

 

I've learned my name must be near impossible for some people. 

 

Really.

Kaye becomes Kay (actually, I'm used to that). When I asked my mom why she put that "e" on the end she said it was because she named me after her sister Kaye. If I wanted to know any more than that I should ask my grandmother. My grandmother was a woman who, IF she had a reason for doing many of the things she did, you were better off not questioning . . . . So, I never asked (and I promise you, Reds, if you had known my grandmother you wouldn't have asked either. Another story for another day . . . ).

Wilkinson becomes Wilkerson. sigh. I find this painful. Can't even talk about it.

Barley becomes Bailey. Or Barkley. Or Barney. Why??

Why, dear Reds, are names so hard for some people to get right? Especially when there's say, a book, with the name right there on the cover? Right there? Right in front of them?

And, Red writers, do you get asked the same questions about characters being based on yourself or people you know?

Red readers, does your mind tell you that the characters are based on real people? Either the author or people the author knows? 

I have found this to be very interesting because I don't think I have ever considered that the characters in the novels I read were ever anything other than imaginary people who lived in the writer's very own imagination. Now, I'm going to be really paying attention to some characters! Thinking how much I might really love hanging out with a particular character, or how much I would really hate having to spend time with another. I mean, I've always felt this way on a certain level anyway, but now it will have an extra little layer of interest.

I have one more bit of news to share because I won't "see" you here again until after this event has taken place, and well - I'm excited!

I'm getting ready to participate in my very first ever "writerly event" as a writer instead of as a fan. 

 

The High Country Festival of the Book" right here in Boone, North Carolina, on June 21 and 22, which you can read about here - http://www.highcountryfestivalofthebook.com/

 

I'll be one of "exhibiting authors," and I'll be sharing a table signing books with my good friend and mentor, Celia Miles.  Several other local writers will be exhibiting - including many members of The High Country Writers group.  The "presenting authors" include Sharyn McCrumb, Cathy Pickens, Patricia Sprinkle, Phillip DePoy (I love him!), Ann Hite, Erika Marks, and loads more

along with friends Kay Byer (former North Carolina Poet Laureate), Larissa Reinhart, Gayle Trent and lots of others terrific writers I read and enjoy and admire - the list is long and impressive.  If you're in the area, I hope you'll come by!  And if you can't make it this year, think about attending, and possibly participating, next year.  Contact person is Suzanne Thompson

 

“So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!”

 

Wish me luck, everyone!!!