Anna DeStefano’s Blog

Focus and feelings… They have a lot to do with things, when your trade is creating imaginary people and places and lives. I’ve made a career out of both fiction and non-fiction, and the biggest difference I’ve discovered between the two has been how deeply the way that I’m feeling affects my focus on my work.

I’ve often discussed with my agent how much easier it is for me to “plug in” to a non-fiction project on the fly, especially during those times when my heart and soul can’t beat in time with whatever make believe fictional world I’m painting.  It’s been good for me the last five years to have a balance, between teaching and writing to teach and even some ghost writing gigs, and my fiction work. The last couple of years have been crazy. Both halves of my writing “business” have taken off like gang busters, sometimes too quickly at entirely the wrong times, but I was in no position to complain and never did (except sometimes to my friends, when I was sure no one else was listening). This is the third and, hopefully, last career change I’ll make in my life, and I’m a girl who embraces being thankful and grateful and working her butt off while opportunity’s striking.

So, now, here I am, writing for two fiction publishers, expanding two different series of my own creation, travelling when asked to speak to groups who think I have something to teach them about writing, even getting paid for the privilege more often than not now, and pitching my first non-fiction writing project to an interested publisher. A great start to this new chapter in my life, five years out from my first publishing “call.” Time to settle into a quick and productive routine that both the creative and analytical sides of my brain clearly thrive on, right?

Except… Isn’t it interesting, that it’s often when we expect to feel most settled and productive, that life decides to shake things up, just to make sure we’re paying attention. To show us that quick isn’t always the way, even when we’ve finally proven to ourselves that we’re more than capable of excelling at meeting even the toughest deadlines. And to remind us that productive means so much more than mastering whatever routine we’re so sure defines all that we can be. Sometimes, it just comes down t how you’re feeling… Read the rest of this entry »

“Eternal Now” is a phrase I’ve heard repeatedly lately. In a lot of different contexts. But mostly, I think the gist is supposed to be that we live in an “always” society “everything, all the time” (to quote the Eagles), so live it up!

There are always reruns of our favorite obscure TV series.There’s always TVo and On Demand and DVD collections with directors cuts and bonus features. You don’t have to buy the album, because every song, in every variation, is just an iTunes click away. You can order up your next book, or every book you want, in any format under the sun without ever stepping foot in a bookstore–all you need is an electronic reader and the 3G connection available at most fast food joints now.

There are quicker ways every day to lose weight, or work out easier and smarter.Drive faster, freed from the drag of having to figure out where you’re going before you get going, because there’s an app that will get you door to door with no effort at all. You can meet the mate of your dreams without having to look, just answer a few questions and wait for your dream come true to scroll onto your computer screen. You can be who you’ve always wanted to be, just follow ten simple steps. The world’s at our fingertips. All now. All the time. And we haven’t even touched on self help mantras and financial must-jump-on schemes, like melt down your old gold and buy your neighbor’s foreclosed dream home while the  markets tapped out.

But is that really now? Or more to the point, is it really what we want to be tomorrow? Read the rest of this entry »

Those who’ve followed my blog this year have shared part of the crazy ride. Those who’ve partaken in the personal have seen even more of the scramble. And really. let’s face it, craziness is cumulative, and 14 books in 5 years (The Unknown Daughter won it’s Gold Medal Review as my debut in October 2004) is insanity personified. It was a suspense, in the midst of the family story, but it took me years to get back to the high concept that would become what’s feeding my drive to write going into this new year–thrilling suspense + high-conflict relationships + unique twists to old themes = perfection. There have been so many changes, in the world, the publishing industry, my career and personal life, in five years, none more than this year.

• I’ve dabbled out here ever since my first blog  and website, to see what you like to hear about/respond to most. In 2010, I Write Those Books over at Pop Syndicate’s Book Blog will continue the publishing industry side of my ramblings, leaving this blog for more personal and story-related fare.

Read the rest of this entry »