The Bouncy Castle in Space

Aaagh! So many exciting happenings, I just had to come in and bounce. My son just got home from classes & said the roads were not clear AT ALL, and he had to go 10 - 15 MPH the whole way home... but he brought in a cardboard envelope he found on the doorstep, and it was my author copies of the March issue of SPIDER MAGAZINE! My science article, "Invisible", & sidebar "Freaky Force Field" are in there, all cutely illustrated and everything! I sure am glad Will found it before it became buried in snow.

Sissy, that is crazy about the thunder & lightning snow. Don't know why MODOT isn't out clearing the roads, but Will reports they are not. He also says a state of emergency has been declared. Apparently the school districts were forewarned. I will not be going to my monthly write-in at the library tonight.

Dave, how did I miss that painful post? Feel better soon!

And Joy! OMG... fingers crossed for you! Sounds really promising!

Congrats, Ruth!

Ruth - yay that your son found your envelope in time!

The weatherman says the thunder snow only happens in like one in 170 snowstorms, and it usually means a huge dump of snow.

We're over 14 inches now, and close to an all time state record. But the plows are not clearing streets until it's over they say.

Big congratulations, Ruth!!!

Joy, I'm crossing my fingers for you!!!

Thanks again everyone... I've had my painkillers amped up (2x 400Mg ibuprofen instead of 200, & 2x 1G paracetamol), and feeling much better.

Congrats on the articles, Ruth! I don't know if I can get Spider over here, but it sounds like your articles are eerily in tune with the subject matter of EF 1! I'd love to read them - I could even do a swap, by emailing you the 'casefiles' in EF that relate to the subject!

Dave

Thanks, Dave! This one was actually all science--metamaterials and microwaves, and whatnot, with no paranormality involved. The research was grueling, because every few weeks they'd make a new breakthrough in the technology, and we'd have to decide whether the article needed yet another update. So glad it has finally gone to press, and the tinkering is over!

Glad you're feeling better. Take care of yourself, now... don't rush it.

Ah, science... The closest thing I got to the scientific side of invisibility was the Philadelphia Experiment - and that's more of a conspiracy theory. But it does remind me of the real-life invisibility cloak that's been made. If anyone's seen the 007 film 'Die Another Day' then you'll have a rough idea how it works: the cloak's material is made of light-reflective material and dozens of micro-cameras that then transmit what they're recording to the other side of the cloak, in essence 'bending light' and obscuring the person under the cloak. But it only works if the person is standing completely still, and even then you can still see a vague human figure where the invisibility didn't quite mesh.


Speaking of not meshing, looks like the possibility of Sheila, Judy and I being agency-buddies isn't going to happen anytime soon. Molly loved the book but didn't quite connect with the voice and the character development

I've just heard back from Brooks, though and - after a brief explanation of my USB mistake - is willing to look st the new 30 first pages. And there's still three more agents to hear back from. So there's still hope!

Dave

Dave. I'm so sorry that didn't work out.

Aw Dave. That sucks. But when I see everyone at the Bouncy Castle and Kidlit Support, I can't help but feel happy for them just the same. Many of you guys are achieving that coveted "half/full request" that many (if you compare it to the query slushpile) writers can't get to. That means that not only are you doing something right, but there's something special about your stories.

Sorry, Dave. But yes, hope remains! Keep submitting. Keep writing.

swachski said:

Hi Smish!
Hi Sheila!
Hi Sissy!
Hi Ruth!
Hi MsJudy!
Hi MJWare!
Hi DavidBrett!
Hi Kitty!
Hi Jed!

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Hi Swachski, and Happy Birthday.

DavidBrett said:

On a lesser note, guess who ended up back in hospital via an ambulance because his chest was in searing pain and his ribs were popping?

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Hmm, I'm normally good with these guessing games. Lemme think. Who could it be? Err, erm, um. I got nuthin.

Yep, this time I had a full run of tests and x-rays. No ribs are cracked, fractured or broken, which means this terrible agony really is just muscle damage, and could take SIX WEEKS to fully heal. I've been prescribed a week's worth of powerful painkillers, with repeats easily accessible from my doctor.

Fun, fun, fun!!

Dave

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Oh, It was you, Dave. I should've gotten that.

Feel better soon, dude.

JoyMC said:

You guys, I woke up to an email from a super amazing agent wanting to set up a phone call. Not until late next week, so I'm going to be in massive suspense, but I am feeling extremely bouncy today!!!!

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I knew you could do it. I so believed in you. I did, you know. Such great news and congratulations. And good luck next week. Nervous?

RuthD said:

...cardboard envelope he found on the doorstep, and it was my author copies of the March issue of SPIDER MAGAZINE! My science article, "Invisible", & sidebar "Freaky Force Field" are in there, all cutely illustrated and everything! I sure am glad Will found it before it became buried in snow.

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Hey congratulations, Ruth, you are brilliant.

My goodness, much congrats and commiseration is in order.

Ruth, Brit, Joy: How exciting! Joy, I hope the waiting isn't too unbearable.

Dave: Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Do be careful, okay? And I agree with Daniela: If you're getting requests and personal feedback, you're on the right track, don't get discouraged.

I have never, ever heard of thundersnow. According to teh spellcheck, it isn't even a thing! But then, neither is spellcheck... Out here in CA, we're having scratch-your-head weather. Oct-Dec, above-average rainfall. Jan-now, driest months on record. So nobody knows if we can put the two parts together and end up with a normal year, or if we're in big-drought trouble.

Should be getting the revision notes from the agent any day now, trying hard not to be impatient and/or very nervous about figuring out how to solve all the problems in a timely fashion.

Yesterday I went to Stitches West with Mom and Sister. It's a huge knitting conference with vendors from all over the place. Cashmere, silk, mohair, baby camel, possum... lots of lovely yarn to squish. I found exactly what I'd hoped to get--some one-of-a-kind yarn from Japan at half price--plus my sister bought me some Quiviuk. That's yarn made from the hair of the muskox, incredibly soft. Softer than cashmere, if you can imagine such a thing. So now I have lots of inspiration and stuff to keep me busy while waiting for agent notes. Plus my sister is so much more fun to be around since her divorce. It took two decades, but it's awfully nice to have her back with us.

I told my principal I was looking for other jobs, and she took the news very well. Even offered to write me a letter of rec, so with that one I'm all set to mail everything out. Fingers crossed! But boy, oh, boy, do I ever have short-timers syndrome. Can't get motivated to do anything much but get this year finished out. So I'm going to work 4-day weeks as much as possible. I'm so much more cheerful when I've played hooky!

I'm finishing off a massive essay that may well be my demise.

Today in Redlands I saw an excellent trio of children looking like they'd escaped from the cover of a MG novel. In the lead was a massive poodle dragging a skinny girl down the sidewalk. Behind them was a boy, sprinting after her while simultaneously dribbling a basketball and pulling a third child in a wagon. I don't know who they are but it seems like their life is much more interesting than mine.

Well, Judy, I taught you something new (thundersnow) but I think you beat me. Are you telling me they actually make yarn out of possum hair? I knew they used camel hair, because my cousin's wife is learning how to actually make the camel yarn from their own camels. But never possum.

In other news - it is snowing so hard that I can barely see the tree right outside my window. Blizzard conditions, expecting 10-12 inches. This is on top of the 14 inches we got the other day.

Toto - I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

Stay safe, sissybaby. It's funny, I just finished the novel Trapped, which is about some teenagers who get stranded at their high school during a huge snowstorm. I do not recommend that you read it. I hope the storm passes quickly.

Kitty - that is such an adorable picture you painted with words there. A book in the making.

The circle of life - My daughter is taking Psychology, and today they learned about a study done many years ago concerning delayed gratification. The study I was in as a four-year old! They told us we could eat a marshmallow, or wait, and they'd give us two. She told me they watched a video, and it was hilarious.

I remember discussing that study in college! You were one of the kids?! I bet you didn't wait, did you?

You were in that, Sheila? And you remember it? That's so cool! So, spill--did you eat the marshmallow?

They won't tell me!!!

I don't remember the experiment, but I've had to fill out lots of follow-up questionnaires throughout the years. They even came to my house and interviewed my son. And they still wouldn't tell me if I ate the marshmallow or not!

(And yes, Smish, I'm sure I ate it.) Here's a funny TED talk about the study:

http://www.ted.com/talks/joachim_de_posada_says_don_t_eat_the_marshmallow_yet.html

I'm sure I would have tried to cheat. Nibble around the edges and hope no one noticed. And if someone did notice, I'd try to bargain for only half an additional marshallow.

ETA: I just got to the part of the video where the girl ate only the inside of the marshmallow. Great minds think alike.

Have you seen the movie The Five Year Engagement? It's a cute romantic comedy, and the girl is a psychology grad student tasked with coming up with an adult-version of the marshmallow experiment.

Personally, I would totally have eaten the marshmallow. My daughter, on the other hand? She still has four pieces of Halloween candy left.

Ha ha, Smish - "we're going to have to keep an eye on that girl!"

I don't remember this, but I think there were different options, because some kids don't like marshmallows, so it would be easier for them to resist. They let the child pick their treat - marshmallow, oreo cookie, or a pretzel. Your daughter might have gone for the pretzel, Joy. Sounds like she has good sweet-resistors (lucky thing!)

Ahoy! How's bouncing? I've been crazy busy this week, with no signs of slowing down. Whew! I had a funny run in with a kid at the library. I needed to use the card catalog computer, but this little first grader with curly hair and glasses was playing a game on it. His mom (who, ok, was checking out a book called "Fifty Shames of Earl Grey") told him to shut it down. So clickety click click click click, and he says 'There!' And gives up his seat. I sit down and realize...he's actually shut the whole computer down. He proudly announces "I shut it down!" So I said in a friendly voice, "I think you did too much, buddy." His mom and brother look over and get these huge looks of embarrassment as I wait ages for it to shut off then turn it back on.

I was not that put out because, hey, it's the library. And I can't change the fact that first graders are bonkers. Then the mom said to me, which I just barely managed to not fall under the table cackling at, "I'm soooooo sorry. We're still working on socializing him." I don't know if he had special needs or not, it was just the most hysterical thing to hear, especially given the amount of time I spend trying to socialize other people's children. I know this is a big area of struggle for some families, I just thought it was a wonderful turn of phrase. I want to get that printed on a t-shirt.

Bouncing high today! My four picture books are out! And I just noticed I have my first five star review on amazon.co.uk!

It all suddenly seems so real. I keep catching my breath, thinking of kids now actually reading them. I got a box of copies from Bloomsbury today, they are so shiny and new and lovely! Sigh............

Congrats, Britwriter!

Britwriter said:

Bouncing high today! My four picture books are out! And I just noticed I have my first five star review on amazon.co.uk!

It all suddenly seems so real. I keep catching my breath, thinking of kids now actually reading them. I got a box of copies from Bloomsbury today, they are so shiny and new and lovely! Sigh............

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Congratulations! That must feel sooooo great.