Notes from Outer Zone 2

I spend a fair amount of time on industrial estates in London hunting down suppliers and manufacturers or just nagging them. It is an odd, but magical world. I took this picture for my sister, because I think she could work at 3, 4a, or 4b and be very happy.

Book Reviews on How to Write a Book Books

Dear Reader, to know me is to know I am hard at work -- in my ever decreasing free time-- on my novel. In addition to actually writing, I do a certain amount of research. Some of this research includes reading all of the books on writing/publishing/etc in the Stoke Newington Library. Some of this research is also me spending a certain amount of time figuring out which Lanvin look would be best for my book launch. But, as the mother of this blogger says,  "you can't count your eggs before they hatch." So, in the meantime, I will give you some reviews of these various how to write books. A brand new Food, Shelter, Clothing feature! The first one is Beginning Writer's Answer Book which was edited by Jane Friedman. In case you are wondering, those eyes belong to the cover of The Mistress's Daughter by A.M.Homes, a far better book than the book resting upon it or my own book.  But Beginning Writer's Answer Book is an vaguely useful read. It is basically a list of questions and answers.

Some are ridiculous:
Q. Are stationary and business cards necessary for a writer?
Q. Should I read the classics or contemporary writing?
Q. An editor rejected me by writing, "Read the magazine!" Isn't this rather insulting?

Some were questions I was wondering myself:
Q. I have a novel in the works, but it is months away from completion. When should I send query letters to publishers?
Q. I would like to adopt the pen name of George Orwell. Will I need permission from his heirs?
Q. How can a full-time freelancer provide for retirement?

Personally and selfishly, I wish this book was geared just to novelists, like moi, instead of including poets, nonfiction, short story, and magazine writers. Some of it seems like the reader may never have taken a literature course, but I'm sure some great writers never have (ie. Chaucer). Also, I'm very interested in UK and US publishing and how those work logistically as an American residing in the UK. Also, I was dismayed to read that this author suggests finishing your first book before getting an agent. Annoying, but probably wise. Oh well, xmas is coming and that is like 10 straight days of writing, aside from the slothing and working at work.

Whoa, an interesting new blog

So Dear Reader, I am trying to expand my horizons. And I'm not talking about eating poultry (for some reason pate doesn't freak me out the way all other poultry preparations do). This new fascinating blog called threadbared discovery on my part (thanks Jezebel!) has some very interesting articles that I plan on reading one day when I'm not swamped with my own worries of samples arriving on time.

Yahoo = Hoo Ha!

Years ago I lived in this idyllic house for 2 years. One of my rooms in this house was the very same room that the founder of Yahoo! used to live in (one of those guys or maybe just netscape). Anyway, I, like most people, have long since stopped using Yahoo about 10 years ago. But my dear Hackney Freecycle insists on using this dinosaur system. Kills me! Ugh!

Every once and awhile, I wish we lived in LA

 
Not only would it take this dear writer back to her native state, but there would be sunshine and we would have gone here.

It is so cold and dark and windy and bone chillingly damp in London. Luckily, I have a German mother in law and a German grandmother in law. These two wise women are knit extraordinare and have made me these exquisite striped wool socks. See how they fit my feet PERFECTLY. So, we are wearing our wool socks, and eating auflaufs to get through the cold, dark winter while dreaming of Deauville.

Here, when I say I'm from "Jersey," they sometimes think I mean the tax haven...

When I was 15 I thought I was pretty cool cause I already knew all of all of this. I was glad that they brought up Adams of suburban NJ, because I have been thinking of my old town's Adams Shopping Center recently. Not for Adams or it's equally sad WASPy sister store Madam's, but for the cupcakes available in the bakery in this shopping center. They were buttercreme concoctions of magicalness unseen in this cupcake boom. They were decorated like cookie monster, like this one.

Gluttony!

 

Usually, I am very smug at the checkout with my whole grains. But today's shopping was blessedly silly. 

Dear Reader, I married him

While googling myself today, I found my old blog. And this charming posting about when I first met The Mister. I think his height is more like 6 foot 3, or whatever 190cm is in inches. You, dear reader, can do the maths.

Haneke vs. Hackney Gazette?

Dear Reader,

Last night we watched Michael Haneke's White Ribbon. A bewildering tour de force, but we expected no less from Mr. Funny Games. Normally, films like that keep the mind reeling for days. But it is hard, when your thinking on the walk from the bus stop to work is interrupted with this headline. This mind is boggled!

Amish Pie Tote; I need this right now!

An aunty sent me a link to this blog. Yowzers, dear reader, yowzers.

Itchy and Scratchy

Lately, I've been suffering from nights where I can't sleep because my skin is on fire. It is awful.

Santa Hat, Deerstalker Hat, Thinking Hat

So, dear reader, I'm hard at work on my murder mystery. Alas, more of my time goes towards thinking what to wear to my book launch than to writing. But I do quite a lot of research. In addition to exploring my settings, I've read nearly all of the books on how to write a novel, murder mystery, get published, pick what to wear at your book launch at the Stoke Newington Library. But I have not yet read this one, yet.

Hey, if you want to buy the hat above. Some very lovely gents make it.

no poor people!

I think taxidermy is pretty passe these days along with all of that neo victoriana hoo haa. It is just so tedious and odious, and just one more thing you have to dust. But I do like the sign on this door of a taxidermy shop in the 'hood.

Return From the Homeland! (And what I forgot to buy in the homeland)

While you were doing other things in 7th grade, I was perfecting my caramel recipe. But I left my candy thermometer at home.


Cornmeal treated with lime. The paucity of mexican food in the this country has turned us into a family of tortilla makers. However, we forgot to bring the bag of masa we bought in nj. However, I may have found a latin american grocery store on route to one of my manufacturers.


Aveeno. Here in England, everything is nice and cold. So you need a heavy duty moisturizer. Alas duane reade in princeton was all sold out of this stuff, so I bought the regular strength.