Oh yeah, I’m a writer?

It’s been three years since I finished my first Young Adult novel.  

The idea for Colors of the Sea came to during my pregnancy with Reef, my 4^th son.  Because of veracious veins and other ailments of pregnancy, I had to take it easy, so 15 weeks into my pregnancy, I sat at the computer and started writing.  I am a lover of the sea and marine biologist Rachel Carson.  I took the key elements from Rachel’s life and research and wrote a postmodern YA romance with just enough fantasy to keep us mermaid lovers happy. I wrote every day, hours at a time, for six months.  I was living vicariously through my 17 year-old character, Winona and the counselor strangely took on the role of her love interest, Darren.    What fun that was!

I worked day and night to finish the manuscript before Reef was born, but the birth of a baby doesn’t wait.  I remember reading through the manuscript with my mom and the counselor while breathing through contractions at the hospital.  I think they had to pry my book out of my hands before giving me the baby.  Reef Carson, named after the sea and Rachel Carson, was born healthy and happy.  Thank heavens he was a good sleeper from the start, because I stayed up nights to finish the book.  Everybody thought I was exhausted because I had a new baby, but little did they know I couldn’t sleep until Colors of the Sea was finished.  I had to know the ending.

I remember when I wrote the last couple paragraphs:

He looks at my lips then back at my eyes; wanting to do something he should have done long ago.  His hands reach for my face and all I can do is stare into his sea green eyes.  His touch captivates me and I can barely breathe.  I’m not sure when I’ve ever stood so still.  Gently, he kisses my lips and it’s as if fleshy rose-petals run across my mouth.  Soft at first, a quiet surprise that starts my heart racing in a million different directions, and when his warm breath pulls me in even more, I’m certain we’re floating.  He could take me in the waves again, drown me with kisses and hold me while the water pulls us out to sea.  He could show me his world, pick me a bouquet of sea grass and coral buds and adorn me with fresh-water pearls.  I want him as much as he wants me; we both want this world together so why do I suddenly pull away?

I stand cold and feel the wind run through my hair.  It must be past midnight.  My face is flushed, my lips still moist and the desire to be back in his arms is more than I can bear.  My eyes widen and I want to say something, but it’s too late to collect thoughts. 

I take a step away from him while my eyes fill with tears.  Doesn’t he realize I can’t love him when he’s already in love with someone else?  Our kiss, magical as it was, has only made matters more complicated.  I reach for the door to my apartment and turn to open it.  I pause before looking back at him, but he has already slipped away in the darkness.  I know where he’s going; he’s looking for answers, he’s looking to be saved so he’s run to the sea.

Exhausted and exhilarated at the same time, I realized I was done.  I jumped up and down, ran and picked up each of my kids, twirling them in the air and smothering them with kisses.  I shouted and did what I’ll call the “touchdown dance,” perhaps you’ve seen your favorite NFL player do it when he makes a touchdown.

DONE!  With a 326-page manuscript.  Dance, dance, dance!

And I started submitting agents.  I just knew someone would snatch it up.  Sure, I’d heard it was a difficult time to publish, you know, with the whole economy thing, but my story was so great.

Yeah, right!

I had a few bites from agents, but no takers.

I’ve spent the last three years doing something I never thought I could love and hate so much – EDITING!

URGH!

I’ve been to New York, met with various authors, worked with a publicist and professional editors and have had so many miracles along the way.  I’ve been to conferences, networked and read all the YA I could get my hands on.  I’ve learned so much about writing, querying, submitting, publishing and marketing.  After two-years of working on it, loving it, hating it, cursing it, celebrating it, I’ve committed to start querying Colors of the Sea again on Earth Day. 

You know I love Earth Day, oh how I love it, so along with the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive, along with the two $25.00 give-aways from Changing Hands Book Store and Bookmans, along with the linky party here at My Dear Trash on Earth Day where Kelly and I and you will feature our great finds (can’t wait to see your trash), I’m going to also start querying agents.

Here’s my challenge. 

I’ve finished editing 267 pages out of 326 pages.  From now to Earth Day on April 22, I’m going to work my “#@*^*” off to get the last 59 pages done (I apologize for my keyboard cursing, it just has a mind of its own).

Prepare for messy house, prepare for take-out dinners, prepare for little exercise, prepare for no sleep, prepare for housekeeper!

Prepare for takeoff!

Wish me luck; I’m going to need it.

How Losing A Camera Was The Best Thing For Earth Day

Last week I misplaced my camera.  I was completely lost.  I felt like a spinning top wobbling to and fro, ready to fall at any moment.  

I turned my house upside down, looking in the places I usually leave it, then to look in the same spot again a few minutes later.  By midmorning, I felt a headache coming on.  My camera is my livelihood and without, I realized I was out of business.  Ironically, I’d just taken pictures of my trash and was ready to download the pictures and start posting.

I went for three days without a camera. 

I try to look for the good in situations like this, so instead of mopping around (which trust me, I did do that for a while), I took it as a sign that I wasn’t supposed to be soliciting trash to the international on-line community.

God had a different idea for me, so I went to work on other things.

With Earth Day coming up, I wanted to coordinate another My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive with Changing Hands and Bookmans.  I love both of these book stores and appreciate all they do in the Phoenix area.  They offer workshops, bring in authors and promote all sorts of literacy events.  Together, we hope to collect books for the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library.  Last year, our community donated over 800 books to the Earth Day Book Drive.  You can read about that here and here.

Earth Day is dear to my heart.  

I love the idea of celebrating nature and its beauty.  I look at this time of year as an opportunity to re-commit myself to doing my part to help the world in the best way I know and that is by purchasing things used.  I do my part to buy second-hand, use things out instead of throwing things out and give back by donating things I no longer need to people who do.

So, in addition to the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive, Kelly and I are having a linky party on Earth Day, Friday April 22.  Thanks to those of you who participated in our April Fool’s Linky.  It’s so cool to see the trash you’re bringing home.  Once again, anything you’ve found out thrifting or garaging or just picked out of your neighbors garbage can (hee, hee, hee), if you’ve kept it, re-salvaged it or re-sold it, we want to see it. 

We are also having an Earth Day give-away.  Two $25.00 gift certificates, one from Changing Hands and the other from Bookmans will be awarded to two lucky earth lovers.  To enter, become a follower and leave a comment stating what you will be doing this year to honor Earth Day.  I know we can all learn from each others ideas.     

So, back to my camera.  

On the third day of its disappearance, my son Chandler walked in from the back yard with my camera.  “I found it in the in the grass,” he said. Of course, I tackled him with hugs and kisses, which he graciously accepted.  I downloaded the pictures on the computer and found the culprit. 

Who'd done it?

Look's like my Payson had taken the camera into the backyard to shoot off some photos, but never brought it back in.  

Those are some skilled photos, my boy.  I'm just glad we found the camera the day before irrigation.

Another irony?  I'd mentioned to my neighbor Jeff that I'd lost my camera.  Now Jeff is an electronics genius and has about every great gadget know to man.  He's the guy who always has the latest and greatest.  He told me he'd just upgraded his camera and would be happy to sell me his used camera.

I love it.  A used camera!  You say used and I'm in!

Never mind that his used camera is a Sony 12 Zoom 5.1 Mega pixel professional camera.  He brought it over and I fell in love, so today, I am now the proud owner of one point & shoot cheapy camera just found in the grass and a super cool, super trashy used amazing camera.

Jeff had me practicing picture-taking in the front yard.  

Look at my princess!  

I'm going to be using this camera all the time.

Even my dog, Sierra looks like a super star.

Thanks Jeff for the new "used" camera and for spending time with Eden.

I'm giving you my "used" point & shoot camera to my boys.  No more will I get on there case if they want to go outside and take pictures of the grass or the sky.

I plan on celebrating Earth Day all month long.  Hope you do too.

Drop-off locations for the book drive include:

*Changing Hands Bookstore*

6428 S McClintock Dr
Tempe, AZ 85283

*Bookman’s*

8034 N. 19^th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85021 

or 

1056 Country Club Dr.

Mesa, AZ 85210

*Any Phoenix Library Branch*

My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive

Writing a press release is a bit like trying to open a can of soup without a can opener; it takes creativity, hard work and an appetite.

But I did it. It took three days, countless rough drafts, proof reads from friends and a few prayers.

I finished the press release for the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive and will start marketing it a.s.a.p (marketing is my favorite).

The book drive starts April 1st and runs through Earth Day, April 22nd.

To read my personal story and motivation behind Earth Day and book drives/literacy events, click here.

I'm thrilled to be working with Changing Hands Bookstore and Bookman's as drop-off sites. I've worked with both bookstores in the past. The people who work in these independent book stores are amazing and so dedicated.

If you do not live in the Phoenix area, but would like to participate in the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive, contact your local library and let them know you'd like to donate your used books in honor of Earth Day. If they can't take them, they will let you know who can. Please share your stories with us by leaving a comment under any blog posting. This will be a fun month with author-signed book give-aways and author features. If you leave your story, you're and become a follower, you're qualified.

So here it is. The infamous press release. If I'm lucky, you'll see it in a newspaper near you.

__________________________________

PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release

Dear Trash on Earth Day Helping the Environment

Mesa, AZ, April 1, 2010 -- What does trash and Earth Day, April 22 have in common? Just ask Laura Lofgreen, writer and blogger at My Dear Trash (www.mydeartrash.blogspot.com).

“It’s all about helping the environment,” she says.

So what is it about trash that’s so dear? Lofgreen explains.

“I shops yard sales and thrift stores and purchases what others no longer want. Basically, I buy other people’s trash,” she says with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

She buys everything from clothing and toys to books and furniture. Buying used helps the environment and saves her money. The surprising thing is she makes money too.

“Depending on what I buy, I use it in my own home with my family or resale it for a profit on EBay or Craig’s List.”

Not only does she make a good income, but this past year My Dear Trash has sponsored a variety of events in the form of community yard sales. In total, they’ve raised $2,600.00 to help pay for a funeral of a friend and to help a spinal-cord survivor pay for physical therapy.

This month My Dear Trash is sponsoring an Earth Day book drive April 1 thru Earth Day, April 22 and is asking valley residences to donate their gently used books.

“The idea behind the book drive is the same philosophy I use at My Dear Trash: take something that someone no longer wants and put it in the hands of someone who needs it,” she adds. “Plus, we all want to do something on Earth Day to help the environment and people in our community.”

All books will be donated to the Friends of the Phoenix Public Library (www.phoenixlibraryfriends.org).

Lofgreen and her blogging partner, Kelly Biggs write daily about the trash they find and what they do with it. Their ideas have inspired others to find value where they normally may not see it.

Books for the My Dear Trash Earth Day Book Drive can be any genre, for the young or old. Earth Day is a day to inspire people of the world to help Mother Earth. Don’t let this day pass without doing something significant. Be sure to donate your trash today.

Drop-off locations include:

*Changing Hands Bookstore*

6428 S McClintock Dr
Tempe, AZ 85283

*Bookman’s*

8034 N. 19^th Ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85021

*Any Phoenix Library Branch*