ChicaWriter.com

Buckling down.

2010-08-12T02:50:00Z

I've been stuck...on the plot points for my new novel's outline.

I know the beginning. I know the end. All that stuff in the middle? That's where I'm lost. First I didn't have enough of a story, and then I had too much. It's like one huge pile of tangled yarn right now.

Every chapter, action, character, paragraph, sentence - every word - must push the plot forward. I imagine this as a row of arrows pointing to the right. However, my current arrows are doing all kinds of curly cues, staircases, loop-de-loops, etc.

Today I buckled down and had a mini-breakthrough. Here is how I did it.

I read through the outline I had so far. While it was a cute story, it didn't have any spiky peaks or plunging lows. In other words - it had the crafts, it had the glitter, but it didn't have the DRAMA.

I jotted down a list of ideas for my main character for this specific roadblock. I then scratched off the first one because its likely the most predictable. I fused my second and third ideas together. Sure, there are some logistics to iron out and I have to weave this new development into what I already have, but at least the bulk of it is there.

I wish I had taken this kind of action sooner, I'd be that much further ahead. Here is my tip: Take action as soon as you notice you need some! Dwelling, over thinking, whining, none of those will solve your problem!

On a happier note - I read a small passage from my upcoming novel, Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing, at my book signing last week and the crowd loved it! They laughed and clapped when I finished. It was such great motivation to get going on my current work-in-progress!

OK, getting back to work now, wish me luck!

Contest!

2010-05-26T23:38:29Z

TODAY'S QUESTION:

In my novel, Waking up in the Land of Glitter, the characters work hard to prove themselves worthy. They each have their underdog moments - Star, when she lets her parents down; Chloe, when she lies to her fans; and Ofie when she finds out the truth of what people think of her.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you made a mistake and all the odds were stacked against you? How did you overcome the obsticle and redeem yourself?

Or maybe there has been a time when people underestimated you - how did you prove your critics wrong?

TODAY'S PRIZE: A gift basket of Clorox® cleaning products AND three books of your choice from Latino Book Month from Hachette Books (from the titles in the picture above)!

Grand prize: On Friday at midnight, I'll collect ALL the comments and enter them for a GRAND PRIZE ($100 gift certificate) to the online bookseller of your choice. Winner will be announced on Monday. Not responsible for technical glitches. Please make sure your comment posted within an hour after you submit, if not, please repost.

Want to increase your chances?

Receive an extra entry for each of the following you complete (limit one each, total of five):

NOTE: If you have already completed any of the following and want to be entered, let me know and your entry will be included. Please email your completed links HERE.

- Post a video review about Waking Up in the Land of Glitter

- Leave an online review on at least one bookseller site of Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.- Blog about Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.

- Send in a photo of you holding a copy of Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.

- Send a tweet or leave a Facebook post about the Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. This contest closes Friday, May 28th, 2010, 11:59 p.m. This contest is open to U.S. residents only, entrants must be 18 years or older. Void where prohibited by law.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

Glittered Cactus Garden

2010-05-26T23:18:42Z

If you read Waking Up in the Land of Glitter - then you know all about making a glittered cactus garden centerpiece! The characters in the book went through a LOT of drama to make 200 of these babies!

The directions are in the back of the book, but in case you need a little visual inspiration, here is a photo!

Supplies:
Assorted plastic cactuses (found in the floral department at the craft store)
Assorted loose green and white Crafty Chica and Tulip Glitters
Collage Pauge® Instant Decoupage or Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®, brush
Crafty Chica® Little Chica Paint Pack™
1 medium flowerpot
Floral foam
Faux moss or straw
Large piece of construction paper to catch overflow of glitter

Directions: Insert the floral foam in the pot. Take the largest cactus, remove the thorns and set them aside. Dip the brush in the glue and paint over the surface; pour on the glitter while the glue is still wet and shiny. Continue until the entire cactus is covered. Let dry and return thorns to holes. Repeat the process for the next cactus, but use a different shade of green glitter. Continue for remaining cacti. When they are dry, insert them in desired arrangement into the floral foam. Add the moss or straw to cover the foam.

Variations: Instead of a green cactus garden, you can create a frosty look by using white and silver glitters. The plastic cacti also come in miniature versions, so you can insert them in minipots and use as small gifts or place card holders. Add white or green minilights for even more sparkle.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

Reader interaction & teleconference TONIGHT!

2010-05-24T07:42:34Z

Last was a busy week for reading! Not only did the New York Las Comadres group meet up, but so did the San Antonio group. They sent me a picture, which I LOVE!

The first picture is from my book signing from last Friday at Noche de Loteria. I sold a chunk of copies and these two lovely chicas stopped to pose with their new books!

TONIGHT is the Las Comadres teleconference - sign up HERE to join in!

Monday, May 24, 2010

at 8:00 pm Eastern and Puerto Rico
7:00 pm Central
6:00 pm Mountain
5:00 pm Pacific
2:00 pm Hawaii

Giveaway week begins!

2010-05-24T07:12:21Z

TODAY'S QUESTION:

In Waking Up in the Land of Glitter, when Star, Ofie and Chloe come together for their first craft group meeting, they have a discussion about art vs. craft. Star feels art consists of one-of-a-kind pieces that cannot be replicated and that have a message to relay. After noticing Ofie's kitschy crafts that are all about love and happiness, Chloe informs Star that according to her theory, Ofie's work qualifies as "art."

What is your personal take on art vs. craft? What separates the two?

TODAY'S PRIZE: A package of Crafty Chica® Mojito Papers™ , one Crafty Chica® Iron-On Applique™ , and a new copy of the DVD, Valentine's Day (donated by Warner Bros pictures).

*
RULES:

There are a total of SIX giveaway opportunities this week: five dailies, and one grand prize.

Daily: Leave your answer to today's question in the comment section to be entered. One entry per person. I'll post the day's winner in the next day's post.

Grand prize: On Friday at midnight, I'll collect ALL the comments and enter them for a GRAND PRIZE ($100 gift certificate) to the online bookseller of your choice. Winner will be announced on Monday.

Want to increase your chances?

Receive an extra entry for each of the following you complete (limit one each, total of five):
NOTE: If you have already completed any of the following and want to be entered, let me know and your entry will be included. Please email your completed links HERE.

- Post a video review about Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.
- Leave an online review on at least one bookseller site of Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.
- Blog about Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.
- Send in a photo of you holding a copy of Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.
- Send a tweet or leave a Facebook post about the Waking Up in the Land of Glitter.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. This contest closes Friday, May 28th, 2010, 11:59 p.m. This contest is open to U.S. residents only, entrants must be 18 years or older. Void where prohibited by law.

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

Crafty Book Night!

2010-05-21T18:49:36Z

The NYC chapter of Las Comadres book club met last night and they not only discussed my novel, they also had a crafty session too! They made these adorable bookmarks!

What's next.

2010-05-18T07:08:17Z

Well, Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing is on its way to production. That was fast, don't you think?

Now it's time for me to think up novel #3 and start the process all over again.

I have the basic plot, main characters and the theme. Now I have to add the filler and string it all together into a comprehensive outline so my agent and editor can see my vision. I don't want to divulge all the details just yet, but I can say this book will be super-duper SWEET.

People have asked if the process is easier after writing two books. It is in that I know what not to do, it really saves a lot of time skipping the weedy detours. What is more difficult is creating new characters that stand apart from the previous ones. At first I struggled, but then I found a formula to make it easier. It's known as a character arc worksheet and it is very helpful! I plan to post about it soon - as soon as I figure it out myself. I kind of winged it with my first two books, but now that i have more time with this next book, I'm going to devote more creative brain power!

Teleconference TODAY!

2010-05-18T07:06:56Z

May 18th is a special group interview and live chat to celebrate Latino Book Month!

When: Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ET.

The number to call: (646) 378-0047 or click here to participate: www.blogtalkradio.com/hachettebookgroupfeatures.

Participating authors/editors include:

Grand Central Publishing editor, Selina McLemore

Luis Alberto Urrea, author of INTO THE BEAUTIFUL NORTH

Iris Gomez, author of TRY TO REMEMBER

Kathy Cano-Murillo, CraftyChica and author of WAKING UP IN THE LAND OF GLITTER

The event will be hosted by HBG Senior Web Publicist & Literanista Blogger, Valerie M. Russo

HEAD'S UP FOR NEXT WEEK:

Every day starting Monday, May 24 and ending May 28th, I'll have a different question pertaining to the novel, as well as Crafty Chica stuff. Prizes will be Crafty Chica products, items from the cruise, Sex and the City DVD and new movie soundtrack, Valentine's Day movie DVD, as well as a few $25 gift certificates to your favorite online book seller!

So start reading!

Contest week!

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

Two huge honors!

2010-05-03T05:07:26Z

1. My book was chosen as the MAY selection for the Las Comadres Book Club. There will be a teleconference on Monday night, May 24th where we'll all discuss the book and meaning of the characters' decisions, the plot, setting, all of that and more.

If you would like to join in, please sign up HERE (scroll down)

This is a big deal because this book club has hundreds and hundreds of members all across the country. I've been a member for years and always dreamed of the day that maybe, perhaps, my book would be one of the chosen few, lol...

Even if you don't read my book, still sign up for the book club because they have so many wonderful selections!

2. Every year the Association of American Publishers compiles a recommended reading list for Latino Book Month. Well, my chickadees -- Waking Up in the Land of Glitter was chosen for the list! CLICK HERE FOR LIST

I'm honored to have my name included with the likes of the following:

Dancing with Butterflies: A Novel
Reyna Grande, Washington Square Press (October 2009)

Dancing with Butterflies uses the alternating voices of four very different women whose lives interconnect through a common passion for their Mexican heritage and a dance company called Alegría. Yesenia, who founded Alegría with her husband, Eduardo, sabotages her own efforts to remain a vital, vibrant woman when she travels back and forth across the Mexican border for cheap plastic surgery. Elena, grief stricken by the death of her only child and the end of her marriage, finds herself falling dangerously in love with one of her underage students. Elena's sister, Adriana, wears the wounds of abandonment by a dysfunctional family and becomes unable to discern love from abuse. Soledad, the sweet-tempered illegal immigrant who designs costumes for Alegría, finds herself stuck back in Mexico, where she returns to see her dying grandmother. Award-winning novelist Reyna Grande has brought these fictional characters so convincingly to life that readers will imagine they know them.

The Madonnas of Echo Park: A Novel
Brando Skyhorse, Free Press (June 2010)

“We slipped into this country like thieves, onto the land that once was ours.” With these words, spoken by an illegal Mexican day laborer, The Madonnas of Echo Park takes us into the unseen world of Los Angeles, following the men and women who cook the meals, clean the homes, and struggle to lose their ethnic identity in the pursuit of the American dream. Like the Academy Award–winning film Crash, The Madonnas of Echo Park follows the intersections of its characters and cultures in Los Angeles. In the footsteps of Junot Díaz and Sherman Alexie, Brando Skyhorse in his debut novel gives voice to one neighborhood in Los Angeles with an astonishing— and unforgettable—lyrical power.

Try To Remember
Iris Gomez, Grand Central Publishing (May 5, 2010)
ISBN: 9780446556194
Languages Available: English (Bilingual reading group guide available)
Award-winning poet and expert in US immigration and asylum law Iris Gomez delivers a debut novel about a daughter's attempt to sustain her family as her father battles with mental illness.

There is also a non-fiction list that includes Daisy Martinez, and a children/young adult list that includes the wonderful Belinda Acosta of Damas, Drama and Ana Ruiz!

"Throughout the month of May, booksellers, librarians, and others in the book industry are encouraged to promote reading among Latinos in their communities, and to raise awareness of the rich variety of books authored by Latinos that are available, in both English and Spanish."

Peace, love, and glitter!
Kathy :-)

P.S. Check out my new novel and Crafty Chica product line!

Latino Book Month!

2010-04-29T19:09:03Z

Excited to learn that the Association of American Publishers chose my novel for the"Recommended Reading List" for Latino Book Month! What an honor! And a surprise!

LINK