Zeno's Bar & Grill
Thursday, July 28, 2005
I Heart Technology
A lot of people have asked us how we manage to work together even though we live 2000 miles apart. The secret is the internet! Melanie has seriously considered getting the license plate ILUVWWW, but it’s probably already taken anyway.
We draft our manuscripts using Microsoft Word and track changes, and when things start converging we switch to co-editing line by line using a screen sharing program called VNC that allows Kelly to see Melanie’s computer and even to take control of the mouse. It’s a fabulous tool!
Then there’s all the accessory technology. Kelly likes Tivo for those days when the kids won’t take a nap, but she doesn’t want them getting the hard sell between segments of Dora. Melanie has been known to put Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad on her iPod to make “quiet time” work more smoothly at her house. Not to mention the instant messaging that lets us “talk” quietly in the morning while the kids are all asleep.
We draft our manuscripts using Microsoft Word and track changes, and when things start converging we switch to co-editing line by line using a screen sharing program called VNC that allows Kelly to see Melanie’s computer and even to take control of the mouse. It’s a fabulous tool!
Then there’s all the accessory technology. Kelly likes Tivo for those days when the kids won’t take a nap, but she doesn’t want them getting the hard sell between segments of Dora. Melanie has been known to put Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad on her iPod to make “quiet time” work more smoothly at her house. Not to mention the instant messaging that lets us “talk” quietly in the morning while the kids are all asleep.
Monday, July 25, 2005
My Own Private Writers’ Conference
This weekend I participated in the Northwestern Summer Writers’ Conference. It was the first time for both me and Northwestern University. Never having been to one before, I thought that it was very helpful. One highlight of the event was reading from Chapter One of our new book. We got a response to the book…people were very intrigued by the concept (which we aren’t going to reveal yet!) and thought that it was humorous (luckily, it is supposed to be). The other highlight was meeting the other writers. It was a really supportive environment.
On a more personal note, for me, it was the first time in five years where I wasn’t defined by relationship to another person (i.e. Barry’s wife, Zach and Piper’s mom). It was so nice just to be Kelly Streit, author.
-Kelly
On a more personal note, for me, it was the first time in five years where I wasn’t defined by relationship to another person (i.e. Barry’s wife, Zach and Piper’s mom). It was so nice just to be Kelly Streit, author.
-Kelly
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Life imitating art?
A true story from the Associated Press...
Respected Burbank Councilwoman arrested for ties to gang
Sunday, July 17, 2005
By RYAN PEARSON
Associated Press Writer
BURBANK -- She was "the quintessential soccer mom," ferrying three sons to games while succeeding at the small-town politics of this Los Angeles suburb so well that even City Hall gadflies liked her.I
Indeed, Stacey Murphy's people skills were put on full display two years ago when, as mayor, she organized a big thank-you luncheon for the police agencies that aided Burbank after a rookie officer was killed, allegedly by street gang members.
Then, this week, the 47-year-old city councilwoman was arrested as police linked her to the same violent gang. Also arrested was her boyfriend, who has allegedly confessed that he knowingly sold a gun to one gang member and that the couple bought cocaine from other gang members.
Police who raided Murphy's tidy one-story home found cocaine in a bedroom and, in the garage, three loaded guns and 900 bullets.
Respected Burbank Councilwoman arrested for ties to gang
Sunday, July 17, 2005
By RYAN PEARSON
Associated Press Writer
BURBANK -- She was "the quintessential soccer mom," ferrying three sons to games while succeeding at the small-town politics of this Los Angeles suburb so well that even City Hall gadflies liked her.I
Indeed, Stacey Murphy's people skills were put on full display two years ago when, as mayor, she organized a big thank-you luncheon for the police agencies that aided Burbank after a rookie officer was killed, allegedly by street gang members.
Then, this week, the 47-year-old city councilwoman was arrested as police linked her to the same violent gang. Also arrested was her boyfriend, who has allegedly confessed that he knowingly sold a gun to one gang member and that the couple bought cocaine from other gang members.
Police who raided Murphy's tidy one-story home found cocaine in a bedroom and, in the garage, three loaded guns and 900 bullets.
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Agent Provocateur
We have some very, very good news. We’ve been trying to control ourselves and not blog until it is “signed, sealed and delivered”…but it’s just too hard.
Yes, folks, it’s true…we have an AGENT!!!
She likes the book, she had tons of great suggestions for making it even better…and the contract is in the mail as we speak. Kelly should have it next week, then she’ll sign, send to Melanie and it will be, as they say, in the can.
We will reveal the mystery agent in a future blog—that ought to protect us from being jinxed, don’t you think? We are so excited we can hardly stand it.
Meanwhile, we’ve already dug into the suggested revisions and have added 13,000 words (count ‘em, baby!) to the novel!
Yes, folks, it’s true…we have an AGENT!!!
She likes the book, she had tons of great suggestions for making it even better…and the contract is in the mail as we speak. Kelly should have it next week, then she’ll sign, send to Melanie and it will be, as they say, in the can.
We will reveal the mystery agent in a future blog—that ought to protect us from being jinxed, don’t you think? We are so excited we can hardly stand it.
Meanwhile, we’ve already dug into the suggested revisions and have added 13,000 words (count ‘em, baby!) to the novel!
Monday, July 11, 2005
The votes are in
Last week, Melanie’s sister’s book group finished the book and had their monthly meeting.
To everyone who participated: a Big Thank You!
We are still waiting for all of the responses to our e-mail surveys, but here are a couple of the comments we’ve gotten so far:
“I loved it! I think it could easily be turned into a movie.”
“…it was such a light, easy reading book and fun to relate to...i really enjoyed it!”
The rest of the feedback came via my sister’s notes on the Book Group meeting last week…
Book Group: Overall they enjoyed it, thought it was a good beach/summer type read, enjoyed humor and felt that it flowed very easily.
Mel and Kel: Yay!
Book Group: The most interesting negative feedback was on the Mexico chapter. Most everyone couldn't imagine her going there.
Mel and Kel: This is such a surprise—TJ, while it certainly has its bad parts, is a place where Melanie has even gone with her kids and mom on numerous occasions! The city of San Diego actually runs a light rail train down there for tourists. We obviously need to bring the lighter side of TJ out a little better in the book so that it makes more sense when Jane is convinced to go along.
The book group also confirmed our suspicions that the original title, Livin’ La Vida Mommy was not such a good choice—we have since changed it (TBA at a future date!!), which seems to elicit better feedback so far!
To everyone who participated: a Big Thank You!
We are still waiting for all of the responses to our e-mail surveys, but here are a couple of the comments we’ve gotten so far:
“I loved it! I think it could easily be turned into a movie.”
“…it was such a light, easy reading book and fun to relate to...i really enjoyed it!”
The rest of the feedback came via my sister’s notes on the Book Group meeting last week…
Book Group: Overall they enjoyed it, thought it was a good beach/summer type read, enjoyed humor and felt that it flowed very easily.
Mel and Kel: Yay!
Book Group: The most interesting negative feedback was on the Mexico chapter. Most everyone couldn't imagine her going there.
Mel and Kel: This is such a surprise—TJ, while it certainly has its bad parts, is a place where Melanie has even gone with her kids and mom on numerous occasions! The city of San Diego actually runs a light rail train down there for tourists. We obviously need to bring the lighter side of TJ out a little better in the book so that it makes more sense when Jane is convinced to go along.
The book group also confirmed our suspicions that the original title, Livin’ La Vida Mommy was not such a good choice—we have since changed it (TBA at a future date!!), which seems to elicit better feedback so far!
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Good news for all the moms out there
While I was doing a literature search for my other work—scientific consulting—this recent article by Gatewood et al. from the University of Richmond caught my eye.
Motherhood mitigates aging-related decrements in learning and memory and positively affects brain aging in the rat. Brain Res Bull. 2005 Jul 30;66(2):91-8.
They found that rats who’d had babies could learn spatial tasks (mazes) better than rats who were nulliparous (=no kids). And the rats who’d had more than one pregnancy had significantly reduced markers for neurodegeneration. So, if you are a rat, at least, you’d better move out of Manhattan, get married and start having as many little baby rats as you can!
Now, if all this is really true and has any significance for humans…why is it that I can’t ever remember anything since I’ve had kids?
Melanie
Motherhood mitigates aging-related decrements in learning and memory and positively affects brain aging in the rat. Brain Res Bull. 2005 Jul 30;66(2):91-8.
They found that rats who’d had babies could learn spatial tasks (mazes) better than rats who were nulliparous (=no kids). And the rats who’d had more than one pregnancy had significantly reduced markers for neurodegeneration. So, if you are a rat, at least, you’d better move out of Manhattan, get married and start having as many little baby rats as you can!
Now, if all this is really true and has any significance for humans…why is it that I can’t ever remember anything since I’ve had kids?
Melanie
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
And now for something completely exciting...
…it’s our first request for an exclusive look at our full-length manuscript! One of the agents that we sent our novel to has requested that she have exclusive rights to it while her agency considers representing our work. This will last until July 10th so we’ll be finding out one way or another very soon. We are very excited about this latest development and hope that it will lead to good things!
