Halfway there already!

Hey guys!

I glanced at the blog this morning and noticed that we are already at 10 followers within four days of having started this little project! Congratulations, you guys! We're all doing a pretty great job. Let's keep it up!

--Caleigh x

P.S. Today, the rewriting process for Until the End of the World begins...duh duh duh...nah, this'll be pretty exciting. It gives me something to do when I get tired of working on the hat I'm knitting.

Welcome aboard!

Hey!

So who wants to see me get published? (Me...I do!) Seriously though, anyone else? I know you guys are clamouring to be heard...I've sort of put the book down for a bit because I've been so busy, but I got an email from my guardian angel Beth Kanell telling me all about what could very possibly be my Next Big Break. It's called Tribute Books, looking to transition into ebook publishing for young adults, and they've apparently got a preference for "damn good writing". The only thing is, they will not even consider authors who do not have a well-followed social network.

Well, here I am. This is my social network. I am standing here, on my soapbox, preaching about the vices and virtues of the writer's life, to a grand audience of...7 people. Granted they are 7 people I cherish deeply and thank for sticking with me, but I'm going to need a lot more than that to have a shot at Tribute. Until the End of the World would make for great young-adult reading, especially for this publisher. They are specifically looking for a subtheme of paranormal romance. Come on: Jasper and January, anyone?

This could be It. I could be the Next Big Thing, you never know. But that's exactly the problem: nobody knows. Let's spread the word! Tell your friends, tell your coworkers, tell your grandma, tell those people you really don't like but talk to anyways out of politeness. (After all, it's something to fill those awkward silences, in true January James style. A step up from "So...leeches. That's gotta suck.")

We've got time. I'm rewriting the book, taking out parts I never felt sure of, and changing some stuff in a huge way. It's an exciting time. It's thrilling to reread this book and know I wrote it and to still feel that primal tightening in my gut that means I'm onto something important.

Let's do it. Let's make it our goal to have more than 20 followers by American Thanksgiving. (That's November 26, for all my dear fellow Canadians.) Post it on Facebook, or however that works. We're all friends here. Let's do it together. This is our book. This is our shot at literary fame, and I want to take you all with me.

For January!

--Caleigh x

P.S. Nietzsche says hi. This morning he let me pet him, which was nice, but now he's doing that weird thing where he freaks out and fights with his own reflection again, so I'm not convinced that all is entirely well in the fish department. I'm worried he's going to lose brain cells if he keeps hitting his head that way...

College Life

Dear Everyone,

Hi. How is everybody? It's been a really, really long time since I added anything here, and I'm sorry about that. I've been busy changing everything about my life.

I moved to Lennoxville, Quebec, to Bishop's University. I live alone - well, not entirely alone. I live with a fierce red betta named Nietzsche.

I'm an English major, concentrating in Cultural and Media Studies and minoring in Creative Writing and Journalism. I know, I know: English major, but I could take a degree like that to law school. There are no doors in this world that cannot be opened by knowing how to communicate properly, and the piece of paper I'm going to have in three years will tell everyone I know how to do just that.

My dorm is small. My bathroom is about the size of a postage stamp, and the sink decides to leak regularly: sometimes I have to hurry home from class to empty the mug I keep under here so as not to damage the "woodwork". It gets quite chilly here (insert Canadian joke here). I have learned how to throw the breaker downstairs after my space heater blows the circuit. I have it on now, so I probably have about 5-10 minutes left before that happens again. It's worth it to be this lovely and warm, though. The place may be small, wet, and sometimes filled with questionable dairy products, but I love it, because it's mine. (Until my lease expires, anyways.)

I turned 18 in September. It's very odd to be able to order a glass of wine in this country and not get laughed out of the place with a cop at my side, not that I do any drinking. Everyone else at school seems to, though. I don't take anything stronger than a cup of Earl Grey tea accidentally steeped for longer than 2 minutes.

I miss my cat. I came home for Canadian Thanksgiving and he was always with me, after he got over his initial temper tantrum that I had left him. I haven't broached the subject of Nietzsche yet with him, I'm not sure how well that will go over.

It's funny. Before I went to school, I thought my parents' rules were a little silly, but I think I understand a little better now. I'll probably never fully understand until I have children of my own, but I sort of like having rules. I have a good, decent, upstanding life here, complete with the antique bone china teacups, and I'm becoming a moral, honest, and respectable young woman who knows what she wants from life and how to get it.

But enough about me, this blog is supposed to be about the book. I heard back from Sterling Lord Literistic: they decided Until the End of the World had too many "serious flaws" for them to consider publishing. Oh well. Life throws things at us and hopefully we learn our little lessons. I've written my sad poem in my journal and I've moved on. Maybe I'll rewrite this book, when I have a bit of time. In the meantime, I've come up with another idea for a different novel altogether, a romance this time. I'll keep you guys posted (again, pardon the pun, some things change but that will always be funny) and if anyone wants to be a reader when the time comes, of course you are welcome to let me know with a comment.

The contest for this blog post is, who can come up with the best Canadian joke? Come on, my American friends, do your worst. I know I'm tempting fate here, but a blizzard of jokes will soon be coming my way...ha ha ha. Let no one say I don't know how to laugh at myself. The prize will be revealed to the winner and the winner only, but it's totally awesome and everyone should want it...

--Caleigh x

P.S. In honour of Nietzsche: what fish do you go to if you get sick?

Amazon listing

So I found it...if you search for the book on Amazon.com, you'll get a result, but the powers that be seem to have spelt my name wrong. Cayleigh. I'm sorry, I'm sure some of you actually are called that, but I'm really glad my parents spelt mine the way they did (in my mind, it's preferable to Cayleigh, and definitely the common, Americanised Kaylee.)
Of course, spelt the proper Gaelic way, it would be Ceilidh, and nobody would have any idea what to do with that, so all in all, Caleigh is preferable. Apparently it's some kind of really big dance party thing where everybody drinks a lot. Cool birthright, I guess.
Anyways, enough about my name. Hopefully it'll be fixed.

I'm on page 11 (almost 12!) of the sequel. Anybody want to volunteer to be a reader for me? Besides you, Beth: I wouldn't have asked anybody but you first.

--Caleigh x

P.S. Why was a rubber band gun confiscated from algebra class?

It was a weapon of math disruption.

Barnes and Noble, news articles, etc. etc.

So after taking a little (read: a month) holiday from writing and blogging, I Googled myself (always a risky venture) and found that apparently I'm kind of a big deal.

You can read a news article about me here: http://www.news7newslinc.net/st-johnsbury/high-schooler-publishes-novel-052011. I do sound kind of blonde in this article, but imagine none of that is said in a Valley Girl tone, and that's me.

I was kind of surprised to find that I'm also on Barnes and Noble, and I have no idea how I got to be there: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Until-the-End-of-the-World/Caleigh-Cross/e/9781936711079

I was also reviewed by one kind person on Goodreads.com: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11375437-until-the-end-of-the-world. Cat-sidhe, you are too kind :) And you also made my day.

I'm still waiting to be on Amazon.com, though...I'll keep you posted.

--Caleigh x

P.S. How do you make instant elephant?

Open the package, add water, and RUN!!!

P.P.S. In case anyone is curious, yes, that picture is me. Turns out I do exist. If you don't know me, though, you still don't know what I look like...

Graduation and everything after

Hi! Yes, it's true: I don't think we're in Kansas...er, high school...anymore. I got my first email from the Alumni Office last week. How weird is that...? I'm now one of St. Johnsbury Academy's alumni. It's not a bad thing exactly, it's just going to take some getting used to. I don't go there anymore.
I go to Bishop's University in Canada now. I'm in university. I am officially a college student. In a few months, I'm going to be living on my own, looking after myself and making my own decisions.
Cool.

Right now I'm in Prince Edward Island, at our family's summer cottage in Cape Egmont. It's gorgeous here if a bit chilly. Our place is like 10 metres from the ocean and I'm telling you, there's nothing better than the smell of the sea, especially if there's a brisk coast wind blowing. (I'm secretly an ocean person. Shh: don't tell anyone. I also love sailing.)

Still working on the sequel to Until the End of the World (it has yet to give me a title). I spent some time today looking for a Greek name for a fairly significant cat. I assume someone out there besides me has a cat with a name other than Fluffy: what is it? In fact, that's my question for this week: what did you name your cat, and why? (Dog names will also be considered if they're not too species-specific.) Winner, you'll get your name in the acknowledgments page, as well as the obvious satisfaction of knowing you named the cat in my next book.

Speaking of cats, mine (called Pauwels; long story, ask me later) has just vacated my lap and trotted off to his food dish, staring expectantly at his faithful servant (i.e. me) for his dinner, so I guess duty calls. Catch you all later.

--Caleigh x

P.S. What time is it when ten elephants are chasing you?

Ten after one!