I'm Incredibly Hopeful...And A Little Worried

Okay, so now I'm a bit more rested, if not more settled. Coming back from a long trip is always a little weird but in this case the peculiarities of my return have been particularly pronounced. Since stepping off the plane I've discovered a major maintenance problem with my place that I needed to address ASAP, my car needs some minor (but moderately pricey) repairs and the financial news coming from the publishing industry just gets worse and worse. On the flip side there seem to be more well-connected Hollywood types who are interested in doing something with my books and my son is doing extremely well with his studies and continues to make progress in...well, all the areas he needs to make progress in.

With the welcoming in of our new president coupled with an economic crisis it feels like the country is in the grips of both fervent hope and intense fear. And I can count myself among those hopeful/fearful people. Not just because of the new political/economic climate but because of my own personal circumstances. I am very hopeful about the success of Lust, Loathing And A Little Lip Gloss. It's good. I know it's good. Usually after I've finished a book I can only think of what I should have done to make it better and the fact that I'm not thinking that way now assures me that I'm not deluding myself in regards to the quality of my work. But I'm scared that Barnes & Noble and Borders' desperate need to shrink their inventories could affect my ability to get good placement in the bookstores. That could theoretically sink my sales. In addition to that it would appear that I have finally found the courage to be part of a real committed relationship and I have so much hope that the two of us will have a happy life together. But I'm scared because I've been here before and as most of you know it didn't turn out too well. Also, my son is doing better than he has in a very long time but I'm worried that the medication he's taking may have some heretofore unknown side effects that will negatively impact his long term health.

There are a lot of people who would tell me to just think positively. Believe everything's going to turn out wonderfully and it will. Again, been there, done that and guess what? Bad things sometimes happen to good people even if they write/say daily positive affirmations and read The Secret. But on the flip side I can't say that my prospects are in any way gloomy. I'm thrilled with the number of possibilities and opportunities that have been opening up to me lately and I'm going to do whatever I can to take advantage of every one of them.

So I'm hopeful...and scared...and excited and oh so nervous.

Who knows? Maybe that just makes me normal.

Kyra Davis
Bestselling Author of:
The Sophie Katz Murder Mystery Seris,
and
SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING
Pre-order LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS today!

In Brief:

I MUST go to bed now. I have not had a chance to stop since my plane landed in LAX on Saturday night and while my time in DC was fabulous it was not what anyone would consider a kick-back vacation. I am dead on my feet and with a little luck will be dead to the world for the next 7 to 8 hours. But just in case you plan on keeping your eyes open a little longer you can go to my Facebook Page and check out the pics I posted from my trip. And yes, I will blog more tomorrow.

Bonne Nuit, buonanotte, לילה טוב, buenas noches

In other words, Good night!

Kyra Davis
Bestselling author of
The Sophie Katz Mystery Series
And So Much For My Happy Ending
Pre-order LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS on Amazon today!

One Of The Most Amazing Days Of My Life!

It started around 9:30 in the morning. My mother, my son, my boyfriend and of course me all filed out of my uncle's house in DC. He lives a couple of blocks from the Capital building so it shouldn't have been a long walk to The Mall but the crowds added to the distance. Notice I said distance, not just time. The detours presumably set up to keep everyone safe and moving didn't just take us a little out of the way, it was like a maze! We walked under bridges and across freeways, around buses that seemed to occasionally want to move...it was crazy! You couldn't see more than a few paces in front of you so we frequently came up against small obstacles before we were able to maneuver around them and were forced to literally climb over them instead. And it was cold. For a California girl like me it was chill-to-your-bone freezing!

But no one seemed upset. Bundled up in our heavy coats, scarves wrapped tightly around our necks and skull caps pulled over our heads we, the crowd, smiled and laughed and exchanged happy conversation with one another. Everyone helped each other, and exchanged bits of advice or funny jokes. It didn't matter who was from what state or what color they were or whether they wore their religion or Atheism on their sleeve. It just felt like a really big community.

And then we got to the Washington Monument. Despite its grandeur the throngs of people around it gave the appearance that they were the ones holding it up, pointing it toward the gray sky for all to see.

We managed to get close to one of the screens and then it all started. When he was sworn in the cheers came. People weren't chanting O-BAM-A like they did during so many rallies during the election. They were crying and laughing and just overcome. Because no matter what you think of his politics there is no denying the significance of his presidency. We, as a country, have come so far and I am so very proud.

And when it was time to leave we all managed to keep it together despite the fact that the crowds had gotten even more extreme. As we all struggled to find our way (that is a way that wasn't fenced off for security reasons) we often found our path blocked by rows and row of...brace for it...porta-potties! Eventually some people in a fit of mild desperation climbed over the potties pulling their friends to the roof before they hopped off toward the exit of their choice.

We actually had tickets to a party right along the parade route. So we were going to be able to wait INSIDE with FOOD and REAL TOILETS before running out to the grounds out front to see our new president pass. But unfortunately we were blocked by overwhelmed security checkpoints. All those empty bleacher seats and stuff you may have seen on TV were actually sold out. It's just that the people who had those tickets literally weren't able to get in before the event.

But we didn't let that spoil our fun. Instead we found a sports bar and along with crowds of incredibly happy people watched the President and First Lady get out of their limo and wave to the bystanders. And despite the fact that he obviously couldn't see into the restaurant where we sat a lot of people there waved back.

And then it was time to go back to the house, change and go to the ball. That would be the official Southern Inaugural Ball that would be attended by both Biden and Obama. I put on a fantastic dress (bought for me by my man) and some Cinderella like slippers...and then chickened out, put the slippers in a bag and slipped on some tights and a pair of boots. It was twenty degrees and I was content with the idea of changing when I actually got to my destination. When I did get to the ball I discovered that a few women from the Virgin Islands had the same idea. If your from a warm climate you take the whole below-freezing-temperature thing seriously.

Anyway it was fantastic. We happened to find one of the few other non-Southern couples in attendance and hung out with them. This way we felt a little less intimidated when it came time to dance to the country music. None of us knew how to do it but at least we made fools of ourselves in a group of four rather than two.

We took lots of pictures, including pictures of the President and First Lady (which I'll post on Facebook early next week) and then we took off our shoes and partied until the wee hours of the morning.

It was a perfect day. And I'll never forget it.

Kyra Davis
Bestselling author of
The Sophie Katz Mystery Series
And So Much For My Happy Ending
Pre-order LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS on Amazon today!

I'm So Excited...And More Than A Little Apprehensive

Later this week my son and I will be going to Maryland where we will visit with his father's side of the family and then....it's off to DC to see the inauguration, baby! Very excited about that. Yes, I know it's going to be crazy and while I do have tickets to a few events (mostly parties) I doubt I'll be able to see the big O. But I'm staying with some family members who live right on Capital Hill so I won't have to walk too far to the parade. And did I mention I'm on the list for several parties ; D

So I'm all set...except for one thing. I've been told by various sources that the weather in DC is considerably different than it is here in LA. I don't really know how to handle freezing weather. It scares me. Today in LA it was a lovely 81 degrees. I wore my favorite sun dress along with a cute pair of heeled Mary Janes . In a week I'll be bundled up in my only wool coat wishing I had sprung for the long underwear. I'm trying to be brave but when my son's aunt tells me that she can drive around for hours with ice cream in her trunk without it melting...well I get a little panicky. And when I think about going from one black-tie event to another wearing nothing under my wool coat but a slinky evening gown...well then I just totally freak out.

Of course I'll grin and bare it...for the big O (and for the red carpet). But don't be surprised if my next blog post is titled something like "Girlfriend's Guide To Battling Frostbite."

Kyra Davis
Bestselling Author of:
The Sophie Katz Mysteries
and
SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING
Pre-order LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS on Amazon today!

My Knight In Shining (Metaphorical) Armor

New York Times critic, Kerry Fried once wrote, "Terry Pratchett is difficult to review because you want to offer up your favorite scenes and allusions."

Fried is absolutely right. I can't tell you how many times I've made a friend or family member sit quietly while I read them a passage from one of Pratchett's young adult books. I normally don't even like young adult fiction. So much of the YA stuff has a kind of edited-for-television feel to it. But Pratchett is different. Even his children's books have a sophistication that you don't usually see in books aimed at us grown-up. He clearly feels that children and teens are not only more sophisticated than we give them credit for but are also fully capable of picking up on what is often complex and thoroughly thought provoking symbolism. His disdain for the way many adults treat children is captured perfectly in his first Tiffany Aching book, Wee Free Men. Take the time Tiffany, a nine year old country girl, goes to visit the traveling teachers to get some information (Yes, I'm going to start quoting now, but I don't work for the NY Times so I can do that):

"I would like a question answered today," said Tiffany...."It's about zoology."

"Zoology, eh? That's a big word, isn't it?"

"No, actually it isn't," said Tiffany. "Patronizing is a big word. Zoology is really quite short."

Even the references to male/female relationships is discussed in a way that will appeal to adults as evidenced in The Wintersmith during a scene where Anoia, the Goddess of Things That Get Stuck In Drawers starts to list off her resume:

"I used to be a volcano goddess...It was good work, apart from the screaming," said Anoia, and then added in a bitter tone of voice: "Ha! And the god of storms was always raining on my lava. That's men for you, dear. They rain on your lava."

That's become one of my favorite catch phrases. And then there's the little bit of philosophy that he throws in that is so brilliantly simple and oddly alluring. In The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents, a book featuring rats who have eaten a magical chemical that makes them intelligent, the most philosophical of the rats notes that:

"Being afraid of shadows is all part of us becoming more intelligent, I think. Your mind is working out that there's a you, and there's also everything outside you. So now you're not just frightened of things that you can see and hear and smell, but also of things that you can...sort of...see inside your head. Learning to face the shadows outside helps us to fight the shadows inside. And you can control all the darkness."

If anyone would have told me that I was going to fall in love with a book about talking rats or any children's fantasy book I would have told them they were insane. I'm not even a big fan of Harry Potter! And yet I've read The Amazing Maurice twice, once to my son and then another time just for me. I have no doubt that there will be a third and fourth time as well.

But a discussion about Pratchett wouldn't be complete without mentioning his wonderful and poetic observations of our world. My favorite passage from Wyrd Sisters (one of Pratchett's adult novels) is when Death goes to the theater. He observes:

Humans had built a world inside the world...and yet...Inside this little world they had taken pains to put all the things you might think they would want to escape from--hatred, fear, tyranny, and so forth. Death was intrigued. They thought they wanted to be taken out of themselves, and every art humans dreamt up took them further in.

Each year I eagerly await the newest books of this prolific author who honestly seems to be getting better with age. I have yet to be disappointed.

And so you can imagine how distraught I was when I found out that this brilliant man, who has made an entire career out of writing fantasy books that make us think, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer. It's so bitterly unfair and just...well wrong! It's like an opera singer losing his voice or an astronomer going blind. It made me want to cry. It also made me want to tell the world what they had in Terry Pratchett. I want to let everyone know how spectacular his books are. I want as many people as possible to appreciate his gifts now because time is so very precious and the future is unpredictable. I want to raise his profile and sing his praises.

However the Queen of England beat me to the punch. On December 31st Queen Elizabeth II granted Terry Pratchett a knighthood for his services to literature. I have never been big on the knights in the classic fairytales but this is one knight that I can believe in.

So here's to you Sir Pratchett. Thank you for building a world inside our world...one that has drawn millions of us...not out of ourselves, but further in.


Kyra Davis
Bestselling Author of:
SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE,
PASSION, BETRAYAL AND KILLER HIGHLIGHTS,
OBSESSION, DECEIT AND REALLY DARK CHOCOLATE
and
SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING

New Year, New Resolution

Yes, I know, the dreaded New Year resolutions. Those are the things that everybody makes and nobody keeps. The question is why. Why do so many of us give up on the goals that we set for ourselves? Maybe it's because giving up on something isn't as scary as trying and then failing at it. For most of us, failure is terrifying. What's worse is that we frequently make our New Year resolutions when we're hyped up and...well, drunk. We shout them out at house parties and bars five minutes before the ball drops. "I'm gonna double my salary!" we slur after our friend has announced that they will be working out EVERY day (including those vacation days). When we sober up that challenge may be a bit daunting so we cast it aside and tell ourselves it's foolish to pursue such a lofty ambition.

But the thing is, people DO achieve these things. Maybe you can double your salary but first you're going to have to convince your boss to expand the responsibilities of your position. Maybe you can find the discipline to work out during your vacations but instead of finding a gym you'll have to pack a jump-rope. Maybe when you came up with these ideas you were only unusually-confident-drunk but not stupid-drunk. Of course it might take time, it might even take longer than the year in which you made the resolution but that doesn't mean you should give up on it. You just have to be smart about it. Think outside the box.

And that is exactly what I'm trying to do. My resolution is impossibly outlandish. I want to get on the New York Times bestsellers list. There are plenty of authors who would tell me that I should try for something a little more attainable. Many have correctly pointed out that The New York Times list only tells us what books sold quickly. For instance a book that sells two hundred thousand copies in a month and then peters out will make the list but a book that sells a million copies in three years will never make the grade. Furthermore no one really knows how The New York Times makes their decision about who makes the list and who doesn't. It's not a pure numbers game. They have booksellers fill out a questionnaire about what's selling and then those questionnaires are given different "weights" depending on whether the merchant who filled it out was an independent bookseller or part of a chain. Undoubtedly there are books that should have made the list that didn't. It's also certain that no book has EVER made the list without selling insanely well.

So my point is that while the system may be flawed it's still not bad. Plus that list is like the most elite fraternity/sorority in the literary world and I want in!

The question is, how do you pledge? I could spend a fortune on my own publicist (in addition to the publicist assigned to me by my publishing house). I've done that before and I can honestly say it helped. But I think that I'm at a point in my career where I need to start thinking outside the box. The key is to both embrace and strengthen my most valuable resource.

That resource is you. You, my wonderful and loyal readers. No critic will ever have the influence over your friends that you have. If you tell them that you like a book they'll listen. If you tell them that they might like it too they'll listen even more. So when Lust, Loathing And A Little Lip Gloss hits the shelves on May 26th I'm going to need you to read it and, if you like it, post your review on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com. I'm going to need you to recommend it to your book group and if your good with a video camera, post a book trailer on Youtube.

And if you don't like it, shhhh!

Of course I don't expect you to do something for nothing so I'll have a contest/drawing to help motivate you. I'll give you the details of that in March but for right now I can tell you that there are going to be several prizes. Things like gift cards in not-insignificant-dollar-amounts will be offered for places like Sephora and Starbucks. I can also tell you that the grand prize will be a weekend in San Francisco. That's airfare, hotel room, meals and a personal tour guide (me). I'll show you the places Sophie and her friends hang out, from the restaurant that Sophie and Anatoly went to for their first date to the now infamous Bitches Circle where Sophie discovered Barbie (those of you who read Sex, Murder And A Double Latte know what I'm talking about).

I don't know if I'll be able to achieve my goal with this next book but I do know that I want to try and I want to try with you. Throughout the ups and downs of the last few years the one constant that I've been able to rely on is you. Your comments and emails thanking me for the Sophie books and voicing your support for me during my various personal challenges and triumphs has given me both comfort and strength. I know that my success has always been and continues to be in your hands and I honestly can't thank you enough for what you've done for me. I hope your own resolutions were grand in scale and that you exceed every one. If I could I'd give you the world.

But since I can't I'll just give you San Francisco.

Kyra Davis
Bestselling Author of:
The Sophie Katz Mysteries
and
SO MUCH FOR MY HAPPY ENDING
Pre-order the 4th Sophie book: LUST, LOATHING AND A LITTLE LIP GLOSS on Amazon today!