[From the Eye of the Storm] Jon Skovron's Newsletter #23
From the Eye of the Storm #23
Hello from the greater DC area, also known as the DMV (which, sadly, conjures up Department of Motor Vehicle flashbacks for many, including me). We've been given a few days of respite from the crushing heat and humidity. The windows are all open and I haven't broken into a sweat all morning. I think if summer was like this all the time, I'd like it a lot more.
Last week, my older son, Logan, turned thirteen, which is kind of hard to wrap my mind around, really. Only when I close my eyes and just listen to his changing voice do I really believe it. Anyway, he loves the beach so we took an impromptu trip up to Robert Moses in Long Island, NY. We stayed at my aunt and uncle's house in Northport one night and my friends Andrea and Ian's house in Brooklyn the second. A lot of driving, but totally worth it to enjoy those last days of summer...
Because now school has official started! My younger son, Zane, has begun middle school, so we've completely left the world of elementary school (primary school for UK folks!) behind. It feels like the end of an era, with all the accompanying bittersweet feelings you have when you realize that your kids really are growing up right before your eyes at what seems like an ever-increasing speed. If they weren't so much damn fun, I'd probably be getting misty-eyed.
Now that the boys are back in school, I have a lot more time to write, which is good becase I received my first pass pages for Bane and Shadow yesterday. I can't remember if I've explained what "first pass pages" yet, so bear with me. That's when the production team at the publisher has added most or all of the design elements to the manuscript so that it basically looks like it will when it's in book/ebook form. Then they print those pages out in a big, unbound stack and mail them to me. It looks like this:
This is my last chance to catch typos or make any last minute changes. Because the text has been formatted, I can't make any big changes, however. Mostly just a word here or there. It's also my last chance to, er...think of the title for book three, because that needs to go in the back of this one. It's due in ten days. So wish me luck!
Actually, first pass page time is one of my favorite parts of the publish process (outside the actual writing). It's my opportunity to begin to let go of the work. It's when I start the process of recognizing this piece as something outside myself. That mindset will come in handy in later months as the book makes its way into the world. And speaking of, to my knowledge, we're still on target for a February release for Bane and Shadow. Although I still don't officially have an editor, for the time being, I'm working directly with the vice publisher to keep things on track.
People have been asking me how Hope and Red is doing. Truthfully, I have no idea. It's a little early to tell, since any books sold to booksellers can be returned after the first three months. So we might have a better idea in September. I did want to share one thing, though, if you'll forgive just a moment of gloating. My friend David Levithan sent me a picture of Hope and Red in an airport in New Zealand. Airports book selections are pretty small, and therefore space is very competitive. As David put it, "If you're on display halfway around the world, things must be going at least somewhat right."
Currently Reading
I haven’t done one of these in a while. Mostly because that samurai legends book was long and dense and after reading it, I basically just drowned myself in comics, as I am want to do from time to time. Anyway, the book I’m currently reading and thought was worth mentioning is called Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha L. Womack. It’s a collection of essays that examine the specific developments, challenges, and successes of SF&F culture from the perspective of African Americans, or what Ms. Womack sometimes refers to as the African Diaspora. Not just in film, television, and books, but also music, technology, and scientific discovery. I have some quibbles with the way she downplays the excessive drug use by artists like John Coltrane and George Clinton. But overall, I find her writing very accessible and her exuberance and hope for the future a breath of fresh air.
Currently Listening
In keeping with the afrofuturism theme, I thought I’d offer up one of my current favorite R&B artists, Janelle Monae. Lately I’ve been listening to her 2010 album The ArchAndroid a lot because it works well with what I’m currently writing. It’s an incredibly dynamic album, veering from classical to smooth R&B to seething rap to something just this side of a show tune, all with a smart and progressive viewpoint. Give it a listen:
“Tightrope (feat. Big Boi)” by Janelle Monae
And that’s it for me! The first week of school is always a bit challenging until we all find our groove, but now that I’ve got a lot more time to work, so I have high hopes for catching up on ALL THE THINGS, including getting back to a weekly schedule on the newsletter.
Fair warning for those who follow me on social media (Twitter, FB, Instagram, etc). The boys and I are getting a kitten tonight, so my feeds will most likely be awash with adorable kitten pictures for the next few days. Or weeks. Of course, if that sort of thing appeals to you and you aren’t currently following me, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat @jonnyskov