Plus, if the tool (computer or software) gets too sophisticated (or I'm not comfortable with it), I get distracted. I don't have time to figure this out! I have a book to finish! And another one to start! And then finish! The reality is that I need to get lost in my story, not lost in the nested wonders of a new digital toy.
So yeah. I have my excuses.
But really, when I finish Sammy Keyes and the Kiss Goodbye, I have plans to give up my old PC and use the MacAir I got for my birthday in January.
Really, I do.
I also have visions of getting a smart phone. I know there are things I could be doing on it. And with it. Things I'm told I should be doing. Like tweeting.
I've avoided tweeting so far because, good grief, how can you get lost in a story when you're a twittering tweeter?
Besides, who cares what I'm doing? Processing words is boring. So is where I'm eating dinner. Or am I supposed to tweet when I'm stowing away in a bus for research? How self conscious and ridiculous would that be? Hiding in a bus! Hope I don't get caught! #research
Well, all that said, guess what?
I have a twitter account.
And the way it happened is...well about as cool as any twitter account making story I've ever heard. (Especially since it's the only one I know of.)
I was in Los Angeles, having a meeting with Bailee Madison and a producer. (She's adorable, by the way, and I really like her mom, too. You can tell a lot about "young talent" by their mom. You just can.)
Anyway, we'd had this really good meeting and at the end of it Bailee's like, I want to tweet a picture of us, and I'm like, Okay, so she's like, Let's take a selfie, and I'm like, Cheese! (We were, like, in LA, okay?) Then she goes to send it out into the tweet-osphere and asks me what my twitter name is and I'm, like, I don't have a twitter account and she's like, CLUNK (jaw on the ground). "Well!" she says, "We have to fix that! Right now!" And since I don't have a smart phone (CLUNK) she gets busy on hers, grabbing pictures of me off the internet, typing in info and building me an account.
@Wendelin was taken, so I'm @WendelinVanD
(Makes me sound like I'm covered in tattoos, but whatever.)
So if you're on twitter, friend me, or add me, or wait, follow me, right? I've got all of 25 people to tweet to now, and half of them are merchants I didn't ask to be stalked by. GAP who? (But Bailee's one of my "followers", so follow her, too.) Who knows? Maybe someday I'll start tweeting with some regularity. Maybe after I finish this book.
Thanks for checking in. See you next week...and in the comments!
22 comments:
To bad I don't have a twitter so I can follow you. I should maybe get one so I can follow you! My sister has one. I just never really bothered with it I mean I have a Facebook but I've been thinking about deleting that,but I haven't because I like the SK Facebook page,so that's pretty much the only reason I really want to keep it. But I definitely need to consider getting a twitter account......
I hope everyone has a fantastic week!!!!
Gabrielle
Unbelievable! Just unbelievable that someone would have taken Wendelin! *shaking head*
It could be worse, though. I once tried to buy the domain name "RyanCarpenter.com" but--SHOCKINGLY--it was already taken (as if there could ever be another one of me running around). So I wound up with RyansaTotalGoober.com.
So yes, it could have been worse. You could have wound up with WendelinsATotalGoober or something. =)
-- Ryan
Thats great that you made one :)
So that TV show is coming along im getting excited :) Bailee Madison is pretty amazing and i am a fan. Of both of you.
Keep us updated on that project :)
--Yusa
This post made me laugh. I know that reaction so well! I didn't even have a cell phone (besides an emergency-only-calls-911 one) until Christmas, when my mom gave me her old prepaid bare-bones one. People's jaws always drop: "How do you get in touch with people?" Umm, home phone (which, funnily enough, is actually internet phone)? Pay phone? Borrow a random person's cell phone (because who can find a pay phone anymore?)? Stand on something tall and look for the person? Have an arranged meeting place? Run around like an upside down chicken?
I really don't want to be that accessible! And when I'm out, I want to really experience the world around me, not be focused on a 2" x 4" virtual world.
I love the name WendelinVanD! It suits you -- it's like Triple T for Sammy; she may not like it, but it just fits. I don't see much use for Twitter, either, though, so I don't know if I'll follow you there. You're supposed to be on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and update all 3 regularly, but I'm just not that interesting, and I don't feel the need to bleat my own nonsense that won't even be heard among the cacophony of everyone else's bleating. Er, tweeting.
But I'd love to see your shenanigans (er, research) tweets. "Just got chased out of a funeral home by a vampire. #research" "Just rode down the laundry chute at a hotel. It was a lot narrower than I expected, but I still fit. #barely"
This seems like it could be fun! Fellow Sammiacs, let's give WendelinVanD some tweeting ideas! (P.S. Please tell me you actually got to try riding down a laundry chute.)
That's so awesome! I love Bailee Madison, she is so cute. I can't wait to see the project. I am on my way to twitter right now to follow you both. Hilarious post!
I want to get a twitter just so that I can follow you (along with some other authors). I've never really got into the whole tweeting thing, but I'm thinking about making an account so that I can follow authors and such. I'll just not tell anybody (in real life)I have an account so that they don't follow me and expect tweets about what I'm doing.
I don't have a smart phone or a Facebook either because I don't need anything on there (although I'm sad that I can't follow the SK Facebook page. But I check in on it weeky, so it doesn't really matter). Maybe my twitter will just be related to book things...hmmm. That actually doesn't sound too bad at all.
You have been followed. I have my real name with a fake last name to prevent creepers from finding me. The only reason I have a twitter is to follow my favorite author to keep up with the latest news as well as friends that live in other places. So I am glad that I will be able to keep up with any news that you post. And I am guessing that since you have been talking a lot about Bailee I am guessing she is going to be our Sammy? Well I love her as Sammy. I have seen some of her stuff lately and I can totally she her as Sammy. So excited to her more news about what you two are working on!
Kylie
So after reading Jessica's post about your research tweets and then Mrs. Leo Valdez about te Sammy Facebook page all I can think of is Sammy tweeting.
Going up a fire escape in normal clothes, easy. Going up a fire escape dressed as an old lady, no so easy. #Livinginaseniorbuildingprobz
Sharing my birthday with my worst enemy #talkaboutworstdayever
Or Marissas
Climbed a fence and got stuck, #again
Took down a drug lord today #ithappens
Tweets from these two would be hilarious.
Bailee Madison. Im actually a really big fan of hers so this is really exciting. I cant wait to see how this project develops further.
Even if i dont have a twitter i can still see your tweets and i think 'research' tweets would be amazing and perfect!
And Kylie someone should totally make a Sammy account and tweet like that :) it would be something i would look at.
--Yusa
P.S. i just got like 3 of my cousins all hooked on Sammy Keyes. Just brought the 8 books i had and they finished them in like a week and they want more but they arent available a lot around here so they are like NO :) so easy to get people into these amazing books.
Okay you guys, you make it sound like fun. Sammy tweeting WOULD be fun. I'm going to have to give this some creative thought :-)
No conclusion-jumping about The Film Project. You know I'll tell you first when/if things come together. It's a crazy industry. I'm glad I'm "in books".
Thanks for the comments :-) Tweet-a-leet-a-leet!
It would be fun! Like what if anyone just did it with the hashtag... hmmm... #tweetlikesammy or something haha :)
I need to convince my parents about twitter now....
Yes, forget about how you “should” tweet ... make it fun!
You will always have one more follower than the official count, because I don’t have a Twitter account but I will follow you manually. I like @WendelinVanD too, and the comparison to Triple-T. :-)
Tweeting ideas for Wendelin, let’s see ... you could always tweet tour dates/locations, book cover art, publication dates. Or Sammy Keyes facebook page survey questions with link, if you care to do that.
I would love to hear about your research shenanigans, and writing-related things like “Just Marissa and Mikey and me tonight. Missing Sammy!” -- before or after the fact, so you don’t have to be awkwardly self-conscious or dragged out of the Sammy zone.
Picked up two plot-accomplices at a funeral parlor today #research Thanks, [people who gave you the tour]!
What is the plural of Elvis? Elvises? Elvi? #research [link to photo of the three Elvi]
or
Hey, pretty mama, let me be your honey bear! [link to photo of Wendelin and mini-Elvis] #research
Ooh, Risky Whippet gig times/locations!
Kylie, I laughed aloud at “took down a drug lord #ithappens”
All of Marissa’s #ithappens tweets would be hilarious: caught a pro burglar/con artist on our way home from school #ithappens #resteasySantaMartina #toobadabouttheicecreamtho
also #SammyWhy: Can’t I go to a school dance without a disembodied hand showing up?? #SammyWhy?!
Billy would have a #CursesFoiledAgain tag. Maybe for all the awesome suggestions people don’t take seriously: costumed reenactments rock history class, y/y? #HisVincelinessSaysN #CursesFoiledAgain
I have trouble imagining Sammy tweeting anything from the currently published books, because the stories would be so different if she had a cell phone or regular Internet access, and she’d have to worry about giving away “our situation” (and Casey and Sassypants Station). Once she’s not living at the Senior Highrise, on the other hand -- yes, that would be very fun!
Or you could just rely on the willful suspension of reality. (Like, I doubt Marissa would be that blasé about taking down bad guys -- but it’s funny!) Or have a tag for unrealistic Sammy tweets or something.
Aren’t basements supposed to have tools?! How are we supposed to escape a gangster w/ ez-crete, spiders and a brick? #ifonlylifewaslikebooks
Sliding down a laundry chute is nowhere near as fun as it looks. In case you were wondering. #pitchforkwieldingmummyescape
And if Marissa had a twitter feed, it would have lots of squeeing over boy bands. #don’tlookatme #notit
Wendelin, you wrote the last line of Kiss Goodbye? Congratulations!
#emotionallyepic is right. More so for you, I’m sure -- but as a reader, it’s still: Yay! More Sammy! Oh no! No more Sammy after that! (sob!) And what if Sammy moves away so there is absolutely no more Sammy ever again? (...Then we go AU.)
I’ll admit I’m mostly on the Yay! end, though. :-)
omg. the last sentence. NO. Nope im not gonna cry. At least there are still 2 more books to come out for us....
So apparently I didnt click the subscribe by email button, I was wondering what I wasn't getting these comments sent to my email. Grrrr....
Karen I have been busting up about your Sammy tweets. They are hilarious! Especially the #SammyWhy, that one is my new favorite.
I still can't get over how funny their tweets would be.
Her Tweet about the condors:
Found a whole new meaning to "Cool your heels" #Anditaintpretty
I had others but my mind is going blank. Sorry. If I think of more I shall add them.
Ky
Haha! Kylie that was a good one! That would be awsome if Sammy had her own twitter! No doubt I would follow her! Her tweets would sure be fun to read!
Gabrielle
You're like the greatest person ever. Not only do you write the BEST SERIES IN THE WHOLE WORLD but you also are a Beatles fan. We could be friends. :D
You're like the greatest person ever. Not only do you write the BEST SERIES IN THE WHOLE WORLD but you also are a Beatles fan. We could be friends. :D
Is Bailey going to be Sammy in the movie? She actually fits the description of the Sammy I always had in my mind. I can't wait until the movie and the next books. I just know I'm going to cry while reading Sammy and the Kiss Goodbye... Can't wait
WAIT! I just read a comment... a TV show?!? Now I am SUPER excited!
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