Bob uses a spreadsheet to block his scenes. (probably excel but I might be maligning him) – Shane kills. That’s what the spreadsheet approach does for you.

Jenny uses a collage – Agnes cooks. And probably collects something (recipes – well, duh! But maybe: salt & pepper shakers. Banal but consider the possibilities from Grandma’s Betty Boop shakers to modern stainless steel with Peugot mechanism’s).

Seems like the universe is unfolding like it should.

Someday when I get published, my girlfriends say I should sell the napkin notes… lol. I think they’re nutty.

…therefore, this story will probably wind up titled “Welcome to Christmas”.

Whatever the name, we will love it!

Thanks for sharing the 12 days of Trudy with us.

P.

I just wanted to say that in your collage for Don’t Look Down, the lyrics on the moon are the lyrics to one of the songs my chorus sings! Ever heard of the Sweet Adelines? I sing in the Kitsap Pines Chorus of the Sweet Adelines International. (http://www.sweetadelineintl.org) It’s a small chorus, in comparison with a lot of them – it only has about thirty members, and they’re all crazy zany older ladies (several Red Hats), and then the three or four people that are under thirty. It’s like having thirty-two mothers. (I do not know why I’m telling you all this, but I’m giving myself ideas for writing, so maybe you will, too..) My older sister usually brings her husband along – they’re schmoopy newlyweds, but he’s going out to sea soon, so he won’t be coming to chorus anymore until the end of January sometime. (I seem to be compelled to tell you about my chorus..) I’m 18, my sister is 20, her husband is almost 22, the only other person that I know is under 30 is Christina, who is around 20. Everyone else is, at the youngest, 35. And we have one narcoleptic lady that’s like.. 80 or so. (One of the ladies that is at the upper end of the mid-range of ages (around 75) once came up to me and showed me her Secret Pal present, which was a ladies’ magazine and a Hershey bar with almonds. “Look! A male candy bar!! That’s what we called them in Texas!” I told my boyfriend that and he informed me that he is now traumatized for life. He’s also 17.)

We have a Christmas benefit performance in Seattle every December, called Figgy Pudding. I’m not sure of the gist of it (my sister has been in the chorus about four years longer than I have, because we’re not really sisters and only say we are because we might as well be – mm, complication in the morning. Tastes so good.), but it’s to raise money for something for Christmas, and it’s a lot of fun, too.

Sorry, didn’t mean to get all weird. I frequently babble and lose track of myself.

If you’ve read this whole thing, I’m very proud of you. I’ve been told I’m sometimes tedious.

I had to laugh when I read the comment here from 1blueshi1 who said: “MY GOD WHAT THAT WOULD BRING ON EBAY??!!??” That was my first thought, too. Just imagine how much a one-of-a-kind book-related collage designed by Jennifer Crusie might bring? Not only would it be a great source of additional income, it would be a nice break from writing when you get burned out.

If you’re like me, the original artwork is difficult to part with because of all the time, care and effort invested. But there’s a solution. Photograph your works and then have the images emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. Sell them from your websites, from CafePress, or from eBay! Voila! Jenny Crusie: Bestselling Author, Collage Artist and Gazillionaire!

And is that a b&w pic of Michael Vartan??? Is Vaughn your visual of your hero???

I’m joining the “would go crazy” club on the sensory overload part, but it’s great it works for you.

I generally just do a photoshop wallpaper with pics and brushes for my desktop with who I see as my h/H and where they exist.

But glad it works for you! I’m still trying to figure out my own process.

anna

you should warn people! i thought ‘sure, it sounds like a help. i need all the help i can get.’ suddenly i’m forgetting to do anything, because im stuck on the floor with my glue stick and scraps of paper all around me. i forgot to make dinner one night. which was excellent.

however i have found one hard part; how to find anything, images etc, that represents my hero. ive been using both new and old magazines, etc, and can only find males that a) have terrible hair/clothes/moustaches because it was the 70′s/80′s and its too embarassing, or b) are wearing salmon pink and pouting, with a crooked and expensive tie on.

any tips, anyone?

also; is the collage representing the story? or am i going to write the story now based on the collage?

help here ppl.

ta
anna

I do collect images, but I have to put them next to the part of the story where they apply. They’re visual cues for me when I’m writing. If I put them all together like that, I’d be sooo confused that I wouldn’t be able to come up with a complete sentence.

Maybe that’s why I was never any good at collage in the first place.

Have fun at Surrey. I’ve heard nothing but good stuff about it.