Spilling Secrets over at Kelsey's Book Corner

As the butterflies start winging in my chest and the pub date of SOME ACT OF VISION nears, I'm sharing this little post that surprised even me this morning. Kelsey at Kelsey's Book Corner has posted an interview of me.

Surrounded by pink butterflies and some hot book trailers in the sidebars (wipes brow), I try to answer her questions honestly. Hop over there to find out what I failed to learn from my dear mother.

Thanks, Kelsey!

Evariste!

In January, I finished an opera libretto titled EVARISTE and sent it to the London-based Icelandic composer, Helgi Ingvarsson, to work his magic. This happened over the weekend: 

Evariste Galois was an 18th-century math genius whose ideas were rejected by the leading mathematicians of the period; he spent the last two years of his brief life falling in love, fighting for democracy, and submitting (without success) his mathematical theories. After a short imprisonment and a doomed love affair, he died in a duel at the age of 20, but not before revising, one last time, his brilliant journal that would identify and explain group theory (and revolutionize 20th-century mathematics).

Hooray, Evariste!

Helgi also created a "Mutter Music Suite" based on the first scene in the libretto.   The music was premiered in Salurinn, Iceland on August 7th by the Bartholdy Quartet and recorded live. I realized I was holding my breath as I listened to the music--it so perfectly captures the mood and lyrics. I'm looking forward to the next installment--music and lyrics together. And more more more. Bravo, Helgi! The chamber orchestra live recording is here.

10 Things a Hamster Can Teach You

A few years ago, I bought my son a hamster. His name is Artie. This is what he looks like:

(Not Artie, but very close)

Don't mock me. Artie wasn't a smoochy dog or a lap-cat, but he has found a way, somehow, to wriggle into my heart. Having a hamster, and a Djungarian hamster in particular, has taught me a few things:

1. Rodents are not evil or scary. Bubonic plague? Bah! They are cuddly in their own way, and
2. they make your heart soft when you hold them and can only pet them with one finger because you realize that
3. when you stroke them with your index finger, you can feel their tiny, bendy bones underneath, and you realize how big and potentially scary you must be to them, and so you feel powerful and scared at the same time. And thankful that they trust you enough to hold them.
4. You learn that a bite is not a deal-breaker. All bites are not equal. There are curiosity-nibbles and "I'm tired of your holding me" bites and "You got me too excited" bites. And your heart still goes soft when you pet them next time.
5. Hamsters are sneaky enough to escape even the best cage, and clever enough to survive in the back of your closet for a week.
6. And if you've shown respect for the creatures, they'll crawl right back into your open palm when you discover them in your closet.
7. They are fantastic entertainment when they're in a hamster ball, barreling down the hall at warp speed.
8. You worry about your hamster. Is his cage big enough? Is he bored? Should I give him an apple slice? What is he thinking?
9. You can get attached to such a fleeting little thing.
10. Your heart will go soft too, flubbing around in your chest, when you have to move his tiny body to the terrible trash bag, where all hamsters must go. Your son will cry, and you will hold him, curled up in your lap, and stroke his back and notice how big and sturdy he's becoming. And your son will be too sad to say a word, but you'll try to "celebrate Artie's life" and talk about the way this rodent made you laugh. And you'll feel silly. But you'll also miss that little guy.

Winner of my last ARC!

I was lucky enough to have SOME ACT OF VISION be the CONTEST GIVEAWAY hosted every Monday by International Bestseller Amy Plum.

The winner is Jordan Gaylord of Oregon.
Jordan?
Seriously?
This is delightful. Maybe a wink of fate, given that my main character is Jordan.
Congrats, Jordan Gaylord! I hope you enjoy the ARC I'm sending you today.

And many thanks to Amy Plum. Her fans are the best.