Robin Brande, Author, Dog Lover, Coffee and Chocolate Addict. Living an Interesting Life.

Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

For writers, readers, and independent thinkers–book talk for readers and writers, life chats when we need them, writers’ motivational articles, secret behind-the-scenes stories from the publishing trenches, and more.

Archive for September, 2007

“I’m so going to blog about this.”

Wednesday, September 19th, 2007

Here’s an interesting little ethical dilemma:
When you’re on the outside looking in–one more fan among the many, noticing in your fannish way the interesting facts and quirks about people we’ve all heard of–you might feel free to talk about those in your blog. “I saw Susan Sarandon without makeup!” (I did [...]

Tuesday Book Club

Tuesday, September 18th, 2007

As you can see from the time stamp, I’m up kind of late. It’s New York where I am, but my body is still on Arizona time, but I’m still way tired, but I might as well just stay up and write this since I’m still buzzing from that cannoli I ate after the [...]

Now it can be told: the TV satellite tour

Sunday, September 16th, 2007

This is one of those things that if some writer friend of mine were doing it, I’d want to know every detail. So here goes:
Tomorrow I’m flying to New York. Tomorrow night I’ll be having drinks (for me, water–I know, yawn, but I need to keep my wits about me with that crowd) [...]

The Unicorn Museum

Saturday, September 15th, 2007

Seems fair.
Just so you know, the King James Version of the Bible really does refer to unicorns in Job 39:9-12. Modern translations have changed that to “wild ox.”
It’s a common complaint critics make about fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible: if you take some of it literally, you have to take it all.
Some of [...]

The Friday List (nice things you did for yourself this week)

Friday, September 14th, 2007

Two things, both List-worthy:
1. Instead of doing what I always do, which is buy the cheapest running shoes I can find on sale and which don’t hurt my feet too badly, I took my neighbor/friend’s advice and went to this athletic shoe store that actually films your stride as you run on a treadmill, [...]

Life in 10-minute increments

Thursday, September 13th, 2007

Last night I finished rereading Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons In Life by Richard Branson, the guy who started
Virgin Records and Virgin Airlines and Virgin Galactic (for future space travel). The title of the book refers to Branson’s attitude toward risk in business and adventure, and it’s a pretty entertaining read.
But in [...]

Important Kidlit Conference reminders

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

With the conference only (yikes!) three and a half weeks away, we have some deadlines looming.
First, if you haven’t already reserved your hotel room, the absolute drop-dead deadline is September 19 if you want any hope of getting the special rate. Be sure to tell them you’re with the Kidlit Conference.
Second, thanks to Herb, [...]

Totally remiss

Wednesday, September 12th, 2007

Just to show you how totally lame I am at staying on top of things these days, I completely forgot to mention a few weeks ago that I have been given the honor of being Author of the Month over at Embracing the Child. This matters a lot to me, because Pat Kinderman, [...]

Tuesday Book Club

Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

As I mentioned yesterday, last week I met and was mightily impressed by YA author Jordan Sonnenblick.
I was equally impressed by his novel Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, which was my book for the week.
It takes an artful touch to make you laugh all through a book about a family dealing with cancer. I’m [...]

The wisdom of Jordan and a cost/benefit analysis

Monday, September 10th, 2007

Last Friday I went to hear YA author Jordan Sonnenblick (Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie; Notes from the Midnight Driver; Zen and the Art of Faking It) speak at a junior high assembly in Phoenix. The kids were rowdy, but Jordan had no problem handling it since he used to be an 8th grade [...]