Susane Colasanti - Journal

Forty years ago today, the first episode of Sesame Street was born. It was sponsored by the letters W, S and E and the numbers 2 and 3. Since that day, the show has done a brilliant job of evolving with the times. It is still relevant. It is still teaching in a way that speaks to us. And it is still freaking awesome.

I've posted some clips of the Yip-Yip Aliens already, so here's one with Kermit, Cookie, and the Mystery Box. I love that Cookie has recently explained how cookies are "sometimes food" while fruit is for everyday. Not that he's thinking about fruit here.

Happy birthday, Sesame Street!

Last week kind of sucked. On Monday and Tuesday, I felt like I was coming down with a cold, but it didn't really materialize into anything serious. Then on Wednesday it was like, Wham! What I thought was a cold revealed itself to be a nasty stomach virus. Not cool. It was disgusting. Fortunately, it was not as disgusting as that crazy food poisoning thing a bunch of us had a while back. Which was caused by E. coli from tomato plants, by the way. Judy Blume had it. She posted a photo on her blog where she was sleeping on the bathroom floor with pillows and blankets and stuff. I remember being like, Dude! That's such a good idea!

This was not that bad. Mainly, it just made me exhausted all week. I'm not good about working when I'm sick. I probably could manage to write, but I'm sure that everything I write would sound all groggy. So I took several sick days. Luckily, my boss is flexible about such things. That's a joke because my boss is me. Hilarious. You know Michael's World's Best Boss mug on The Office? I just got a World's Best Boss mug keychain, since it works both ways.

So yeah. It's back to work time! Plus, there are lots of things to look forward to this week. I will hopefully be making progress on this second draft. I'm visiting Manhattan Village Academy's book club today as part of the Adopt-A-School program. Sesame Street is celebrating its 40th birthday tomorrow. I'm finally going to see Whip It this weekend, if it's still playing. And I just heard some exciting news from my agent. Something Like Fate is Penguin's lead book for the Summer 2010 season! That means fun times are ahead. I should have marketing details to share with you soon. In the meantime, back to making some second draft magic...

In a negative situation, I always try to find something positive. Something positive about not having dental insurance is that I can go to any dentist I want. True, I might have to take out a small loan to pay for my visits. But I have finally found an Awesome Dentist! I always hoped that the Awesome Dentist existed, despite worrying that he was merely a mythical entity, rather like unicorns or zero-calorie cupcakes that taste like real cupcakes and not some sugar-free, low-fat variety which, really, why even bother? So I am very happy to announce that for the first time in my life, I have an Awesome Dentist. I've had Dumbass Dentist, Ghetto Dentist, Evil Dentist, Evil Dentist Group Practice (who were clearly practicing how to extort ridiculous amounts of money from their patients by performing all sorts of unnecessary procedures), and Grumpy Dentist. How relieved am I that dental karma is now showering me with its powers?

About as relieved to discover that my bottom wisdom teeth will never be pulled. Awesome Dentist took a 3-D image of my mouth and determined that the only way to pull my wisdom teeth would be to first remove chunks of my jawbone. Um, I'm good with all my jawbone intact, thanks. He also said there's no reason why they should be pulled, despite all previous dentists yammering at me to get them out. Not only is Awesome Dentist awesome, he also specializes in sedation dentistry, dealing with sensitivity, and Invisalign. So I'm going back next week to do impressions for my braces. And then I'll have braces. Invisalign is crazy expensive, but it comes with perks (like going on the back of the teeth and taking them out to eat), so hopefully having braces 20 years too late will be minimally traumatic.

Remember that rad poster alert from Wednesday? The mystery has been solved. It was part of Penguin's booth at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where galleys of Something Like Fate were distributed. More photos from the fair were posted at The Letter Garden. Thanks to Ka-Yam for this incredible documentation! My editor also helped crack the case by discovering that it wasn't actually a poster. It was more like a wall panel, so there's no way to get one. Which is sad because it would have made a sweet door poster. But hey, maybe more Something Like Fate walls will pop up at book fairs here in the States! Let's be on the lookout.

Spotted: One rad poster.

I don't know where this is or where it came from. All I know is that it's freaking awesome:



Sources say it may be located in Germany. Jack Bauer is on a mission to identify its coordinates.

Over.

Over the weekend, I finished the first draft of book five. My goal was to finish this draft by the end of October. For a while there, I wasn't sure I'd make it. But when failure is not an option, magic happens. There's still a ton of work to do. My first drafts are never pretty. I have to do a second draft and then a third before I can submit the manuscript to my editors. Hopefully, I'm in for a fun ride.

Then there was the big Village Halloween Parade. Even though it passes by right around the corner, I hadn't seen it in years. We had a friend visiting who wanted to see it. So we stood out in the warm night (which was awesome because having to wear a coat over your costume sucks) and watched the fabulous parade. The best costumes were some Wild Things. Every year there's this group of weird skeletons. They are huge! I might have a short video of them to show you soon.

Our friend was visiting from Toronto. He works on the set of Degrassi! He brought me swag! They just wrapped season 9 and wait until you see what happens. There's a major plot point that, sadly, I cannot share. However, I am allowed to tell you the following:

1. The main actors get paid a flat rate of $1,000 per day, regardless of what they do. Whether someone works for a few minutes in a short scene or they have to pull a 14-hour day, they still get paid the same. Fascinating.

2. Joey sold his hat from Degrassi Junior High on eBay and the studio got mad at him. I'm siding with Joey on this one. If the studio is going to be all possessive about their stuff, then they shouldn't give it away. I wonder if Joey regrets selling his famous fedora.

Okay, the second draft is waiting to be written. I wonder if there's a way to work in a Degrassi beach towel...

1. Yay for Laurie Halse Anderson! She rocked the house yesterday on Penguin's Point of View website. Her reading/Q&A event streamed live for all to see. You could even submit questions online. I was stoked when my question was selected! I asked, "What's the one thing you hope that your books can do most for teens?" And guess what? Laurie and I have the same exact answer! Which is to help teens feel less alone. I was a bit verklempt to be connecting with one of my role models in this way, all united by a common purpose. Love her.

2. The Cybils nominations are out. This list of awesome YA novels that were released over the past year includes lots of my faves. It's a good resource if you're looking for new book recommendations.

3. When I signed some books recently, I noticed that When It Happens is in its 10th printing! It was really cool to see that "10" there all by itself. I was a bit verklempt again. Of course, a 10th printing would not be possible without everyone who has read or talked about or shared this book. Word of mouth is a very powerful force. So I have all of you to thank for your kindness. Thank you thank you thank you! You guys rule.

4. Princess Bookie recently had a contest where you could redesign certain book covers. Although the contest is closed, it's fun to see alternate cover designs. Redesigns of the Something Like Fate cover were included. Cindy's blog is super impressive, so go on over for a visit if you haven't seen it yet.

5. Apparently, Halloween is tomorrow. Do not get me started on how quickly October flew by. We have a friend visiting, so we'll watch the big Halloween parade here in the Village. If I dress up, I'm going as three-hole-punch Dave, a composite of two Jim Halpert costumes. My Yip-Yips costume idea will have to wait. Whether you'll be trick-or-treating, partying like the rock star you are or having a low-key night, be safe and have a fabulous time!

Guess who's getting braces?

That would be me.

I probably should have gotten braces, like, 20 years ago. As a neglected teen, I usually didn't have even the basic things I needed, much less some expensive braces. My Gram did intervene in her classic superhero ways and managed to set me up with a retainer. But the retainer hurt. It kept scraping my gums. It was anchored around my bottom wisdom teeth, which hurt all the time. And I kept throwing it out with my lunch. So now I need to fix the problem. Oh, and those bottom wisdom teeth? Need to come out.

If it wasn't for the issue of getting my wisdom teeth pulled, I wouldn't be so resistant about braces. They're not the old-school metal kind that Miranda had in Sex and the City where she asked that girl, "Are your braces blue?" and the girl was all, "No, they're sapphire." Mine will be the invisible kind that go on the back of your teeth, so no one can even tell you have them. Plus, my dentist says they'll only be on for less than a year. So it's time to move forward, despite the horrific expense. Did I mention that I don't have dental insurance anymore? I know, the fun times just keep coming!

My top wisdom teeth were pulled years ago. It was pretty bad. Mainly because I have a really sensitive system. I would love to be less sensitive, but that's not happening. My pain threshold is so low it's subterranean. I can't drink caffeine without feeling sick. Even cold medicine makes me feel weird. But I have to accept who I am and make the most of my lacking attributes, of which there are many. While sensitivity sucks in the face of teeth yanking, it's good for writing books. So I'll focus on writing. And psyching myself up to make that appointment. Which I'll be making any minute now...

People sometimes ask me why I pay so much rent to live in a tiny apartment (which is an average size for the West Village but microscopic anywhere else) when I could own a massive five-bedroom house in Kentucky for the same amount. The reasons for this are infinite. It's mostly about the energy. It's also about experiences like last Saturday night, aka The Ultimate New York City Night.

I'm a huge fan of a certain famous person who lives in my neighborhood. Out of respect for his privacy, I can't write his name here. However, I can give you the following hints about his identity:

1. I mentioned I was going to his house on my Twitter.
2. We get together now and then to have lunch.

He just bought a house a few blocks away from my place. You basically have to be him to own an entire brownstone around here. A friend of mine is his interior designer, so I got to visit his house. It's still being worked on, which means I'm allowed to show you a photo or two. This is part of his changing room:



The first floor has an amazing front room with a fireplace (I think there are eight fireplaces in total) and built-in bookshelves around the windows. Built-in bookshelves are a passionate desire of mine. These won't stay white like mine will be one day, but they are still gorgeous:



After the tour, we went to The Waverly Inn. I've always wanted to go there. It's this restaurant that doesn't even have a phone number -reservations are that exclusive. But another friend of mine (who is the boyfriend of my interior designer friend) is a fitness instructor at Equinox around the corner, so he'll saunter over during the day to make reservations. I know, my friends are outstanding! Shout-out to SP for hooking me up. Usually there's some movie star or other at The Waverly Inn. There wasn't anyone famous there Saturday night, though. Just some guy who looked like that guy from that show. But I do have one thing to show you:



See this plate of mac and cheese? It's not just any mac and cheese. This mac and cheese is $95.00. It has shaved white truffles on top. While I think it's outrageous that there can be $95.00 mac and cheese, I cannot deny its deliciousness.

That's the news from the nabe for now. When his house is finished and I get to see it again, I might be able to post a photo or two here. Stay tuned.

1. As Teen Read Week wraps up, I'd like to remind you to read something out of this world. To celebrate this most fabulous week, Readergirlz has been posting tributes to authors made of awesome. If you're looking for some good book recommendations, you should head over there.

2. Dissecting Perfection has compiled a Fall 2009 playlist entitled YA Celebs Playlist. Along with a bunch of other authors and bloggers, I answered the question, "What's your fall anthem of choice?" Regular readers will be less than shocked by my response.

3. Speaking of John Mayer, I'm a bit irritated. His new album, Battle Studies, drops on November 17. I could not be more excited. He's even having a small album release concert. When tickets went on sale, they were only available to existing members of his fan club. Which of course includes me. But I didn't get my tickets! Because right when they went on sale at 10:00, the website didn't refresh my page the way it was supposed to. Then it was 10:01. Then 10:02. The dread was unbearable. At 10:03, I was forwarded to the sales page. By then all the good seats were sold out. I could always go and sit way in the back, but I know me. I'll just be fuming the whole time that I'm not closer and I can't see and there's some dumbass who's not even a fan in the front row, checking his messages and not knowing any of the songs. Blerg.

4. When Thirtysomething was on, I was 13. I was not interested in watching the show. It was about grownups. Grownups were not interesting. Even so, I remember getting a sense that the show would be good. So I've been watching the first season, and it really is good! I love shows where people just sit around talking about everyday stuff that we can all relate to. If you can look past the goofy 80s fashion atrocities, you'll see a show that was ahead of its time.

5. The last few days were gorgeous! Today is cold and rainy, which is actually a good thing. It was so perfect out yesterday that I kept finding excuses to do errands. Now I have a lot of writing to do. Last night we went to the High Line to watch the sunset. That place is magical, especially at night. It was all city lights and big sky and waxing crescent moon:



Hoping you find some magic this weekend!

Dear Blog Readers,

Susane will not be writing a journal entry today. After a freakishly early attack of pre-winter, she is spending the day outside. It is 70 degrees. It is sunny. She will be wearing flip-flops and hugging trees in the park.

Peace out.

Love,
Sexy New iMac

When I graduated from high school, I ran out of that place swearing that I'd never go back, ever. I was finally free. Never ever would I ever go back to the scene of countless emotional traumas.

So of course I just went back.



Facebook was involved. I reconnected over there with my friend from back in the day, Paula. I thought it would be really fun to see her after almost two decades. Around that time, I was considering going back to my old high school for reasons related to the new book I'm writing. Then my lIbrary event was scheduled (thanks for an awesome time, Kimberly!) and...it all came together.

When we graduated, a massive renovation of the school was just staring. Now the kids have an insanely schmancy new auditorium, new high-tech photo lab, new cafeteria, new freaking everything. I'm all jealous of their improved school experience, but I'm not jealous that they're there. I was drooling over the new science wing. The only remaining science teacher from the old days totally remembered me from Science League!

Which got me thinking about the things we remember about school and the things we block out. I seem to have blocked out a lot of the horror. That's one reason I wanted to go back - I was hoping the visit might unlock some things. Paula remembers so much, though. She was telling me about all this stuff that happened and I was like, Really? I did that? She brought her photo album to show me old pictures of us. Here's what's strange: Looking at pictures of yourself with no memory of being there, doing whatever you were doing in the picture. Apparently, I was a Corn Flake for Halloween one year.

Was I traumatized by my return? Not at all. In fact, it was a good example of how time heals. To all of my teen readers who are having the worst experience of your life right now, please know this. The badness comes to an end. Your real life starts. And everything just gets better from there. So keep the hope of a better life alive, and one day soon you will be living it.

Starting tomorrow, I'll be embarking on a secret adventure. The secret adventure will commence after my visit to the Elizabeth Public Library in New Jersey. If you're a teen who would like to stop by, here are the details.

Some things about the secret adventure are:

1. It involves doing something I said I'd never do.
2. It's both exciting and scary.
3. It involves a reunion.
4. It is not sky diving.

Of course I will document everything for you. Until then...

This Thursday, October 15 I'll be at the Elizabeth Public Library in New Jersey for a Q&A session in the Teen Department. The event will take place from 5:00 to 6:30. I'll also be signing books and enjoying some Coffee Talk with my people, only without the coffee. If you are a teen who wants to stop by, here's where you can find me:

Elizabeth Public Library
Teen Department, 3rd Floor
11 South Broad Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07202
908.354.6060 x7235

Until then, I'll be reading over the first pass of Something Like Fate. The first pass is printed from the galley pages, corrected by copyeditors, then passed on to the author for final corrections. This is my last chance to catch any remaining typos or make small changes if anything sounds off. I am scrutinizing!

I am also trying to remain calm in the midst of this strange pre-winter. I get the feeling that this winter is going to be an extremely cold one, complete with a blizzard or two. It really doesn't help that Pier 1 already has Christmas displays in their windows or that every night this week is getting down into the 40s. How bogus is that? It's the beginning of fall! But we must go with the flow. So I will think warm, tropical thoughts and try to focus on appreciating the Now. Even if the Now includes a busted radiator.

After several long days of getting my Dreamweaver and Photoshop on, I've managed to revamp my website with some updates. Before my website was designed, I knew I wanted it to have a scrapbook theme. I'm into archival scrapbooking and I think the layout reflects the tone of my books. So I didn't go in and overhaul the whole look or anything. I just redid the homepage with new colors and fonts, plus updated my Q&A page. I also created a Something Like Fate page. If you're wondering what the book is about, you can find a short synopsis there. Your feedback is welcome - is there anything not on my website that you'd like me to add?

Speaking of websites, the fact that Jim and Pam's wedding site is a real thing redefines spectacular. I think it's so cool when fictional characters make their way into the real world. Since I live in this world, I am aware that the big wedding was last night. I am also aware that, being a hardcore fan, I should have watched it at a friend's place. But I'm still savoring season four, so I didn't want to encounter any spoilers. It's taking Pam coal walking strength for me not to watch it online. Not having a TV can be frustrating sometimes (like, once or twice a year), but I do love the anticipation. Conflict! I did go ahead and sign Jim and Pam's guest book, though. Did you?

Exciting news: My paperback covers have a fresh new look! The main images are the same, but the covers have new fonts, tag lines, and embossing! I am so excited to see these on the shelves. They should look gorgeous because the spines all have a new look, too - these sweet watercolor stripes. Although the new editions won't be out for a few months, I just had to share them with you. If you see these When It Happens or Take Me There covers out in the world and are inspired to document them for me, that would rock.