Thursday, December 31, 2009

Exposing the Secret Identity and the Goals for the New Year

The New Year. That phrase spanks of promise. It's not that we just turn our calendar to month one yet again--we get a blank slate. A mulligan. A do-over. A fresh start. A whole New Year.

Fill it with whatever you please. Something good!

In honor of the fresh start, I am revealing something about myself. When I started this whole blogging thing, on the scary Internet, I chose a name that was close to my own. I wanted to occasionally post pictures of my kids, and didn't want to worry about the weirdos out there. I've counseled teenage sex-offenders, for Pete's sake! Also, I'm cautious and suspicious by nature. I always second guess a stranger's motives. I wear my heart on my sleeve. And I like wearing my heart there. What you see is what you get. So, I guard that sleeve a bit. But I also trust my instincts about people. And the thing is, I like all of you. You've been nothing but supportive and kind. I no longer want to hide behind a facade. So, as a New Year's present to you, I'm revealing my secret identity.

Wa-laa! My name is not Heather Lane, but Heather Elaine Kelly. (There's a maiden name thrown in there as well, but let me preserve some of my mystery--although if you've followed from the beginning, you know that as well.) Anyway, one of my nicknames when I was a small child was Heather 'Laine. Hence the blogging identity.

Now that I've revealed the Real Me, on to the Real Resolutions.

1. I will finish editing my MG fantasy to the point where I would be proud to show it to Katherine Hannigan, Ingrid Law, Linda Urban, Kate Messner, Wendy Mass, or Erica Orloff. (I will, however, resist stalking these authors.)

2. I will finish editing my absurd YA fantasy to the point where I would be proud to show it to Kristin Cashore, Suzanne Collins, Maggie Stiefvater, or James Kennedy. (Once again, I will not send my ms to said authors.)

3. I will start querying. (I will even resist stalking said authors' agents.)

4. I will not dissolve into a puddle of goo at all the rejection letters.

5. I will start writing a new novel.

6. I will continue blogging each week, and hopefully update some of the Journeys Toward Publication Interviews as those writers go off and get published. (Help me out with this goal, everyone--it's up to you!)

And, the overall goal: TO LIVE LIFE DELIBERATELY. To make my intentions show through my actions. To grow closer to my overall goals of getting published, raise healthy kids, and love my marriage. To treat the world as my own family. To pay attention to what the universe is telling me, and to be open to that message.

So, what about you--what author would inspire your best writing, if they were in your critique group? And since we're dreaming, who would you want to write your blurb on your bookflap?

15 comments:

  1. Your overall goal is delightful!! I think I am going to hang it on my inspiration board... Happy New Year!

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  2. Great choices of authors not to stalk! Love the post. Garth Stein would be my dream author blurb.

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  3. Heather Kelly! The REAL Heather Kelly. Hehe. This is a great post. Glad you came out about your name, I and love your goals. I'll try to work towards that whole published thing but it might have to wait a bit longer than we'd like. Happy New Year!

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  4. Valerie--I'm glad you liked it. I'm honored you would want to repeat it in some form! Happy New Year!

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  5. Thanks Terry Lynn--Happy New Year. I'll have to check out Garth Stein.

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  6. Casey--I am so happy coming out with my real name. I've been feeling like an imposter. I'm sure that things are unfolding as they should with your hunt to be published. It's a journey, not an event. Happy New Year!

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  7. Hello, Heather Kelly! Happy New Year to you!

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  8. They are both very good names. You have a lot to chose from Heather Kelly. What a great new year!

    Writers for me to emulate Suzanne Collins (I love her speed), Neil Gaimen (I love his cleverness and adeptness at other worlds), Kate DiCamillo (I love her diversity in writing), Sharon Creech (I love her longevity), Rick Riordan (I love his ability to follow boy fantasy and not think to hard about it) And there are many more but I can't think. Thanks for asking! Fun.

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  9. Happy New Year, Stephanie--I hope it's filled with wonder!

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  10. Tina--I haven't read an Sharon Creech--I'll have to pick some up. I enjoy all the other authors you mentioned as well. Good picks! Happy New Year!

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  11. Hi Heather:
    I think living deliberately is the best goal any of us can have.

    :-)

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  12. Hi Erica! Thanks for stopping by. I agree.

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  13. Hi again Heather! I like the title of your blog. I couldn't think of a cute one that didn't include the words write, ramble, or musings, so I went with my name. Exciting.

    And your question is an easy one. I'd want Ally Carter to write a blurb for my book.

    And I'm excited to find another blogger/writer that writes middle grade. They seem to be hard to find.

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  14. Welcome, Laura. I think that going with your name on a blog makes the blog easy to find, and easy to remember.

    I haven't read any of Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls books--I'll have to pick one up.

    I'm trying to remember who writes middle grade and who writes YA on my blog roll. (You can find these all under the heading of Writers Helping Writers over there on the right)

    Erica Orloff (published author) writes EVERYTHING, Kate's Book Blog (Kate Messner) (also published) does MG, Sarah Laurenson--MG, Anna (annastan.com)is agented and does MG. FUNNY POETRY GIRL (Elliah) writes MG and poetry, and Shelli from Market My Words also writes MG (I think). All great people, even if I messed up their genre.

    I'm sure that I'm leaving out some writing for MG bloggers that I follow. But, I find that the line can be so blurry (sometimes) between MG and YA, that even if you only write one or the other, a lot of the issues are the same. And YA writers are very nice too...

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  15. I agree the line is close. Especially if you write older middle grade, which I do. Thanks a lot!

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