Wednesday, March 3

Relativity? Three Years Ago . . .

I love Albert Einstein. But more on him later. First . . . the last three years.

Three years ago, we started the Teen Fiction Cafe. I don't know about you, but I think I age in dog years. It feels like Forever Ago. But then again, I tend to measure life by my kids (I have four). So three years ago, my Demon Baby looked like . . . well . . . a baby.



Three years and a LOT of gray hair later, along with balls thrown in the house, worms put in my wine glass (and on my pillow) and one diamond ring fed to the dogs . . . he looks like a little boy. THREE years.





Now, I didn't ONLY sit around and eat bon-bons, age exponentially, and act as mom to four kids. I also wrote books. I've always written books. Or maybe it just seems that way!



But I had an idea for a middle grade book, and about four years ago, I got a three-book contract and the Magickeepers were born. Except I still had to write it. But that was OK. And the first one came out last year in hardcover. Next month (!) it comes out in trade paperback.


Followed, in May, by the hardcover release of the next book in the series.



When I write it like that, it really does sound like it was a "snap." But trust me . . . I aged exponentially. 'Cause I just can't figure out where the time went. Do you suppose this is what Albert Einstein mean by "relativity." What's something that "seems like yesterday"? Is time relative? Does it drag sometimes? And go by in a snap at others?

Leave a comment between now and the end of our blog party and one random winner will get a hardcover copy of the first Magickeepers book! And another will win a copy of ROCK MY WORLD, one of my YA titles from . . . gosh . . . five years ago. Don't even get me started on how long ago THAT seems.

50 comments:

MAGolla said...

Hopped over from your blog, Erica! Thanks for pointing me this direction. . . and giving me another blog to read. . . yeah, thanks a lot! :-) I've been waiting for Magickeepers to come out in paperback, but I'd LOVE to be entered in your drawing!

Erica Orloff said...

Hi Magolla!

Thanks for dropping by! And keep logging on for all the authors. Lots of giveaways the next two weeks.

E

Heather Kelly said...

Erica--I love that second cover. I can't wait. I might just send you our copy of Magickeepers to sign one of these days (if you wouldn't mind, of course!)

How did I miss this blog?

Here now.

And love your relativity connection. Certain things that make time expand: Birthday parties with 20 crazy 5 year-old boys, Rowing on an urg, revising my manuscripts. :)

Things that make the time fly by: blogging, reading a fantastic book.

As much as I would love another copy of the book, Erica, I'll let someone who doesn't have one win. I'll put my name in the hat for the next contest!

Erica Orloff said...

Hi Heather:
You can mail me your book any time, though I am finally going to get off my rear and get bookplates made. When I do, I'll post and you can send me your address and I'll mail you one.

And yeah . . . definitely some time drags! Like the last Star Wars movie. 2.5 hours of my life I CANNOT GET BACK! Curses to Lucas! ;-)

Spiced Apple Eye said...

Einstein explained time relativity this way: An hour sitting with a pretty girl passes like a minute but a minute on a hot stove passes like an hour.

I'm not sure how exact that quote is but it's fairly close. So if it seems like forever ago were you on a hot stove?

Mark Terry said...

Time flies like an arrow.
Fruit flies like a banana.

GirlforChrist said...

Please enter me for the giveaway!

Erica Orloff said...

Hi Richmond:
I heard that . . . always wondered if it was apocryphal. LOL!

Erica Orloff said...

Mark:
LOL!

Erica Orloff said...

Girl:
You're registered. :-)

Wendy Toliver said...

Holy cow! That photo of you with all your books is awesome!Just a little while longer and the pile of books will be so high, we won't get to see you. And I remember when Demon Baby was just a baby. He's so cute! I keep track of time best with my kids too. Oldest was 2 when the Winter Olympics were in town. Middle boy was 2 weeks old when we moved into our current house. And my 3rd was only a few months old when this blog came to be. Thanks for sharing!

Wendy Toliver said...

Oops, forgot to say congrat's on Magickeepers!

Unknown said...

Somedays aren;t yours at all - they go on and on like someone else's days - they come and leave behind someone else's face...

Regina Spektor song, everytime I hear it I think of how sometimes you're sitting there and uyou realize "hey, it's time to tear a page off the calander. But didn't I do that yesterday?" It almost seems like we go to sleep only to wake up and find that someone else has been living our lives in our place.

Melissa Walker said...

Love the photo of you with all those books! Incredible. Congrats on a productive three years (in so many ways).

Sara Hantz said...

There's nothing like looking at your kids to see the passage of time.... it's scary!! Fab post, congrats on the Magickeepers!

Misa said...

Time is definitely a funny and inexplicable phenomenon sometimes. Why doe it seem to fly by the older we get?

The books look awesome!

http://booksonthehouse.com/kids

Lauren Baratz-Logsted said...

Love all the photos!

Spy Scribbler said...

So true. In my memory, my books are written much more quickly than they are in real life, that's for sure!

Spy Scribbler said...

PS: So cute how he looks SO much like you in the first picture, practically the spitting image, and then his own personality sorta takes over and alters his features just a little. :-)

Nadine said...

What a fun post! Time is an interesting thing - it just goes by so fast. As they say, time and tide wait for no man (or is it no one, I'm not sure)

Thanks for directing me over to this blog!

Cherie J said...

Great post! I can so relate since I also have a 3 year old and there are times I feel like the time has flown by and then times like I feel I have aged a great deal. Amazing how a three year old can change your perception of time constantly.

Krystalyn Drown said...

Hi =) I just discovered this blog and I must say I am loving it. Let's see, in answer to your question...time flies when Small Child is napping, but slows waaaaay (yes, 5 a's) down when he's cranky.

Sara said...

Great post! It was so fun to read about your last 3 years. Time really flies by, doesn't it?

Sara Z. said...

YES, it is all relative! In some ways I feel like I lived my whole life in the last 3 years and what came before was a minute.

Gerb said...

Ha. I remember reading your posts about Demon Baby. He's adorable. And I have dreams of one day having as many books under my belt as you do!

Aliya said...

Your son is adorable :)

Llehn said...

I love the cover for Magickeeper! Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Wendy, I WON your book at the book bloggers' party on Saturday night. I read it right away and thought it had a great teen voice. I am so glad I got it and now I am sharing it with the kids in my school library.
Many thanks and congratulations on 3 terrific years.
Becky Hall

Erica Orloff said...

Wendy:
I measure by kids . . . and pregnancies. LOL!

Erica Orloff said...

JT:
Brilliantly wise . . . as always.

Erica Orloff said...

Melissa:
With that many kids and f/t writing, I have to be productive with my time, LOL!

Erica Orloff said...

Thanks, Sara!

Erica Orloff said...

Misa:
Thanks! Like how did it get to be March already?!?!

Erica Orloff said...

Lauren:
My Youngest daughter is a budding photographer . . . the cat one was taken by her.

Erica Orloff said...

Natasha:
He looks like my baby pictures.

Erica Orloff said...

Cherie:
Kids change perceptions of everything, I think! :-)

Laurena said...

Such a funny post! Time does fly, especially when you're writing. :)

bookaholic said...

I love your interpretation of Einstein's theory of relativity!!
Please enter me in your drawing...

frndz.debas@gmail.com

Kay Cassidy said...

Look at all those books, Erica! How fun that must have been to spread them all out like little brothers and sisters. :-)

Lexie said...

I've been following Teen Fiction Cafe for almost two years now, and that nearly made me go 'whoa'. I followed it before I started blogging in fact XD

Ah kids they do grow up and cost you expensive jewelry so quickly...:)

Amanda Ashby said...

Erica - Demon Baby never ceases to make me giggle! And I'm pleased to know that I can know blame Einstein for my gray hair!!!!

Alyson Noel said...

I love reading your demon baby stories-they always make me smile! And huge congrats on the Magickeepers!!

:)

Bidisha said...

Yay for Magickeepers! It looks so cute :)
Not many people can boast about writing so many books. A tip of the hat to you, Erica!

Anonymous said...

I haven't heard of these books before..I should check them out..

Wrighty said...

Congrats Erica! So many amazing accomplishments! I love the photo of you with all of your books. It's so impressive! And your son is so adorable! Best wishes and thanks for your giveaway!

5wrights1[at]verizon[dot]net

Anonymous said...

Ooh cool!
Count me in. :)
-Caitlin G.

Anonymous said...

The Magickeepers sounds great for my classroom library. I teach 7th grade. I'll be looking for them.

Hazel said...

Congratulations Erica! Nice covers btw!

Ash said...

Congrats on the 3 yr. anniversary!

Anonymous said...

Your children are adorable!!
Anyways, thanks for this giveaway. Your books look amazing.
Love, Hannah S.