allyson condie

I am posting about a writing marathon today, so in honor of it, I thought I would bust out this very old photo of my husband and I as we are about to run our first marathon together. Elves. Skinny happy elves. Where has the time gone?

We got engaged one week later.

So maybe if you have a significant other and you decide to “race” the writing marathon together, you will also become betrothed. I’m just saying.

Anyway, the writing marathon is going on March 18-20 over at the very fantastic Throwing Up Words:Because Sometimes It’s The Only Option blog run by very fun YA authors Ann Dee Ellis and Carol Lynch Williams. Click here for more information. Just think. This might be the opportunity you need to get the jump-start on something you want to finish or something you want to begin or, maybe just get behind you. Like Mile 23 of the marathon. I don’t know what it is about Mile 23–it’s not the end–but it kicks my trash every single stinking time.

Down with Mile 23. Let’s all sign up and get it behind us so we can get to the finish line!

1. This picture of me that my six-year-old drew for his class at school. The assignment was to make a little book that had a picture of each member of his family and a description of why they were special. This kills me. Look at me. Look at my grim expression, my frantic posture, my wild eyes and hair. Oh my goodness. I’m laughing again.

2. The fact that Johnny Weir referred to Yevgeny Pleshenko’s costume as “the red vest situation.”

3. This e-mail that my college-age brother sent to my sister detailing his daily life. Maybe it’s only funny if you know my brother, who is 6′5″ of dry sarcastic understated wit:

“Not much is new with me. Three days ago one of the light bulbs in my living room went out. Then the next day the other one went out! Today I bought some new ones and replaced the burned out ones. You can read about all that on my twitter page, blog, and facebook though.”

And two quick links. The first is to a story published this past Sunday in the Deseret News. The reporter, Jessica Harrison, did a lovely job. I am so pleased. And the second is to an interview with author/blogger Samantha Stewart, who asked some very fun questions.

And, one last thing. I responded to the comments on the last post (which I usually do as I’m getting ready to put up a new post).

The End.

So I have some news about Matched.

We just finished another round of revision and my editor is fantastic.

And….we have a release date: November 30, 2010. Yes. That is this year. Yes. I am crazy excited about it.

More news: you can pre-order it on Amazon (thank you, Tasha, for letting me know)!

Still more news: I have seen an idea for the cover and it rocks.the.house.

And we have sold foreign rights in the UK and Australia as well, so for those of you who were asking, it looks like it will be coming your way. (Yay! I’m over the moon about this sale, and the other foreign sales too, of course.)

In other news, I am still unsuccessful at potty-training Boy 2. Sigh. You can’t win them all….

…Brittany (comment #32)!

Congratulations, Brittany! I will e-mail you to get your address and will send Being Sixteen your way ASAP.  Brittany has been a reader of this blog for a long time (right, Brittany?) and it’s so fun to see her win.

Thanks to everyone for entering!

Also, just because I feel like it, here are some things I like this week:

1. The Olympics. I can get sucked into any kind of human interest story. Plus, I am endlessly fascinated by the dedication the athletes show to their sport. Like when they said Apolo Ohno did four two hour workouts per day. Can you imagine? I mean, I know lots of people work eight hours a day, but work out eight hours a day? For years? My hat is off to you, Olympians.

2. The book I am reading right now. Do I dare say what it is? I’ve been accused of reading “filth” before so I’m a little gun-shy.

3. Stephens Hot Cocoa, the Belgian Dark Chocolate kind.

4. Finding the gum in the first-grader’s pocket before it goes through the wash.

5.  When my dad called to wish me a happy Valentine’s Day.  He used to give us a special treat every year on Valentine’s Day when we were kids/teenagers living at home (nothing crazy, but a sugar cookie from the bakery with our names on it, etc.).  This was especially nice during those teenage years.  Thanks, Dad.

What are some things you like this week?

Recently, my husband and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. So, in honor of that momentous occasion (which we celebrated with takeout from The Bombay House after the three kids were in bed–so romantic!),and also Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d re-post this post I wrote for him. It was originally published at the Segullah Blog.

Back when I was an incurable daydreaming romantic, I wanted a lot of things out of love. Companionship, a soulmate, all of that. I also wanted a song.

You know: the song that you and your significant other choose and refer to forever after as “our song.” My grandmother and grandfather had selected the very lovely “Till the End of Time” as their song, and she once gave him a beautiful inlaid music box that played the melody as a gift. I stood there watching them listen to the music and vowed that someday that would be me.

I wanted something else, too: a book dedication. I swooned over Wallace Stegner’s to his wife Mary in the book Mormon Country: “For Mary, as all of them are.” To inspire that kind of love, to contribute that kind of support, to serve as that kind of muse: heavenly. (I don’t think it hurt that the picture of Wallace on the back of the book was very handsome and brooding.)

When my husband and I started dating, the 90s bubblegum pop era was in full swing. Every time you turned on the radio or went to a dance, that was all you heard. Neither of us were fans. My husband grew up in Seattle during the grunge era, and therefore was a fan of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. I grew up in Southern Utah in the we-don’t-have-a-major-radio-station-that-doesn’t-play-country-music so-you-like-what-your-parents-like era, and therefore was a fan of Bruce Springsteen.

Whenever I would request my husband’s opinion about what should be our song, he would tease me by telling me that he thought it was “I Want it That Way” by the Backstreet Boys. That song was everywhere. And he knew it drove me crazy, because it makes absolutely no sense at all (“You are my fire/my one desire/Believe when I say/I want it that way”). What?

I tried in vain to get him to go with “It’s A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, but he didn’t think that had enough to do with love. I tried to tell him that “The Promise” by Tracy Chapman would be a good one, since I’d played that song and thought of him while he was living for two years in Brazil. “But I didn’t know that until I came home and you told me so,” he pointed out. Somehow, we ended up without a song.

At least, I thought, he might still dedicate a book to me. My beloved was an English major. He was very good at writing sonnets. Perhaps a book of poetry would bear an inscription to me. But then, before the ink was dry on our marriage license, he changed his major to economics.

I was 0 for 2 in the romantic dreams realization category. Of course, you know and I know that this doesn’t actually matter. Because the romance isn’t just about “our song” but about the songs you sing to your children and to each other in the dark of the night. It’s not about a dedication on the page of a book but about the dedication you show to one another as people, spouses, human beings who have committed to lift one another up.

One of my clearest memories of time spent with my husband is the time we ran 72 laps around the BYU track. We had been married for about two years and we were training for a marathon together. We needed to run 18 miles that day in order to be prepared for the race. We both had work, he had school, I had coaching, one thing led to another, and soon it was 9:00 p.m. and dark, and we still had not gone on our long run.

The only safe place to go was the track. We took our Gatorade and our watches and we jogged around the first lap. “One,” we said in unison as we crossed the line, and we started to laugh. “This is going to be a long night,” we agreed. Seventy-one laps to go.

We ran as the sky got darker and the stars all came out. We ran while they locked the gates. We ran as couples sneaked into the track and kissed in the bleachers. A couple brought a radio to the darkened infield and started to dance, and when we ran past, they screamed in surprise.

We were still running when they finished dancing.

Things may not always turn out as you picture them in those halcyon days of infatuation and courtship. They may turn out differently. Less perfect. Better.

I don’t have a book dedicated to me, but the dedication of a book I wrote reads like this:

For my husband
who has been my running mate in everything
from marathons to parenting,
and who has taught me that winning isn’t everything–
but that having a good companion is.

And every time we hear a snippet of “I Want It That Way” in the grocery store or on the radio, I start to laugh, because I know what is coming. “That’s our song,” he says, and I have to admit that it is.

I like to do giveaways of my new books. Usually about ten people enter and they are people I know and then I send the book off happily, because I know it will go to a good home.

So, let’s do it again! You can enter to win a copy of Being Sixteen by leaving a comment here on this post, or by becoming a follower of this blog. Do both, and you have two chances! I know. Awesome. (If you are already a follower, you have my undying gratitude, and I will enter you automatically once.) I’m confused. Are you confused? Follow. Comment. That should cover it. I’ll announce the winner on February 16th, so make sure you enter by the 15th. One more thing: this title is LDS fiction. Which means the characters are Mormon and they act like it–they talk about God, their faith, etc.–and the book is sold by a publisher that specializes in LDS fiction and non-fiction. I just want people to know before they enter–I don’t want anyone feeling like they are being preached to, etc., or surprised by the content.

And, I am presenting at the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers workshop this June. It is awesome. I went last summer and had a lot of fun, especially when I wasn’t nursing my baby in the parking lot. (Was that too much information?)

One last thing. I try to respond to comments on posts after they’ve been up for about a week–so I promise I’m not ignoring if I don’t respond right away.

That is all. Hope you are having a lovely Groundhog Day!

…of this author. Be prepared to be dazzled by the glamor and astonished at my competence:

7:00 a.m.–Boy 3 wakes up. Has awakened twice during the night, which is about par for the course. I’ve slept through the night about five times in the last 18 months, but I have hope it will end someday.

7:00-9:00 a.m.–get everyone ready for the day. Cereal, showers, clothes, finishing homework, finding mittens, etc.

9:05 a.m.–drop off Boy 1 and Cute Neighbor Kids at school.

9:10 a.m.–arrive at Target, feeling fantastically on top of things for getting everyone ready in time and for running errands so early. Items needed, in order of urgency: present for birthday party Boy 1 will be attending that afternoon, brown mailing paper to wrap copies of Being Sixteen up for mailing, soap, baby wipes, cereal, I-won’t-bore-you-any-further-you-get-the-gist-of-this. Neither Boy 2 nor Boy 3 break down while shopping. Sail out of the store flushed with triumph.

10:00 a.m.- Return home. Boy 3 down for nap. Pop in Blue’s Clues for Boy 2 and frantically write catalog copy for publisher.

10:30 a.m.- Time’s up. Blue’s Clues is over. Send e-mail to publisher with catalog copy and hang out with Boy 2, making lunch and talking.

11:00 a.m.-Boy 3 wakes up. Boys 2 and 3 eat a gourmet lunch of dinosaur chicken nuggets and pears. I eat too, and make cinnamon streusel muffins on the sly, because what is the point of not having a treat in winter during the afternoon? While making the muffins, however, and going through the grocery bags, I come to a disturbing revelation. I forgot to buy the birthday gift and the mailing paper. I did, however, manage to end up with another customer’s bag of bras. I am not even tempted to steal them, since I could never wear them (they are DD!) and if I am going to you-know-where for stealing, it is going to be for something better than bras.

12:25 p.m.– Muffins done, Boy 2 to preschool, return to Target. Give back bras. Buy the birthday gift but forget the mailing paper (I wish I were kidding).

1:30-2:30 p.m.–Back from Target, play with Boy 3 (who is so, so funny and cute but who was so, so naughty at Target the second time–hence the forgetting of the mailing paper) and put him down for bed.

2:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m.–Precious Writing Time. Stare at screen for several minutes trying to have coherent thought. Pull things together enough to rewrite a scene that I will later rewrite over again.

3:15-3:45 p.m.–Pick up kids from preschool and elementary school.

3:45-5:30 p.m.–After school snack (aforementioned muffins, Clementines, juice). Boy 1 off to birthday party. Play Legos with Boys 2 and 3. Prevent Boy 3 from ingesting Legos and break up many, many fights over Legos. But, also, have a pretty good time making a rocking spaceship for Indiana Jones Clonetrooper (we may have mixed a few sets here).

5:30-6:00p.m.–Husband home. (Yay!) Roads not clear enough to run outside, so run three miles on the treadmill and wish for spring.

6:00-8:00 p.m.–Dinner. Baths. Bedtime and story time for Boys 1,2,3.

8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.–Clean up dinner, bathtime mess, run laundry.

9:00 p.m.–Precious Writing Time. Also, headache time. Write for an hour, then give up and watch two episodes of 30 Rock with husband instead. Laugh until crying over “Werewolf Bar Mitzvah” sketch, and rewatch several times.

11:00 p.m.–Time to sleep.

The End.

(Just so you don’t think that I’m the laziest person in the world, I should add the caveat that I don’t usually give up so easily in the evenings with the writing–but this particular day was a Friday night, and I was tired. And I do usually spend most of Saturday writing)

I saw it with my very own eyes (as opposed to someone else’s eyes, I guess) at the Deseret Book store in my town.  And my sister confirmed a sighting of it in Cedar City.  So…I think we can officially say that Being Sixteen is out!

Yay!

I’m really proud of this book.  It’s my father’s favorite book out of anything I’ve written, published or unpublished, which means a lot to me, because he’s one of my toughest critics.  (And, this is an LDS-themed book, and he’s an agnostic, so I was especially surprised.)  It’s a book about turning sixteen. About sisters.  About family. About being strong and having faith.  And I really hope you like it, if you do decide to read it.

For a little blurb on Being Sixteen, click here.

It’s not up on Amazon yet (except for someone’s used copy), but I’m sure it will be soon. Meanwhile, if you feel so inclined, you can find it online at Barnes and Noble (where, for some reason, it is marked down quite a bit–yay!–but also the release date is given as May, which doesn’t make sense).  You can also find it at Deseret Book online or in their stores if you live near one.

Big thanks to everyone for such wonderful comments and congratulations.  I am a giant baby.  I cried when I read them.  And then I printed them out to save and look over when I am feeling scared or down about my writing.

I’m feeling awfully grateful this week.  For old friends.  For new ones.  

For people who are happy for other people and cheer them on.  

For clean air after a week of smog.  For running outside with mountains instead of inside with walls.  

For cute kids.  For good books.

And, on a much less important note, for the fact that I figured out how to make those peanut butter cookies with a Hershey’s kiss in the middle.  Maybe I should retitle this post culinary genius.

Nope.  Too grateful.  Thank you again.

I’m posting a day early this week, but I can’t help myself.  I have some very good news, and I just got the go-ahead to mention it here.

Here’s the official press release from Penguin:

PENGUIN YOUNG READERS GROUP ACQUIRES HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED DYSTOPIAN NOVEL MATCHED IN HEATED AUCTION

Newcomer Ally Condie’s Futuristic Novel Reminiscent of Brave New World and The Handmaid’s Tale

New York, NY – December 5, 2009 – It was announced today that Dutton Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, has acquired Ally Condie’s highly-anticipated dystopian novel MATCHED in a heated auction that included seven major publishers. One of this year’s most talked-about manuscripts, Condie’s futuristic novel tells the story of a teen-aged girl who has waited seventeen years to find out who “the Society” will select for her ideal mate, only to find herself falling in love with someone else. The novel is part of a three book deal brokered by Jodi Reamer of Writers House, LLC and Don Weisberg, President of Penguin Young Readers Group along with Lauri Hornik, President and Publisher of Dutton Children’s Books, and Julie Strauss-Gabel, Associate Publisher of Dutton Children’s Books, who will edit the novel.

Julie Strauss-Gabel commented, “With relatable humanity and formidable tension Ally shows us our future in Matched, a flawed utopia that will make readers crave the passion of uncertainty and cherish the power of the written word. I can’t wait for the world to discover the love story that has already consumed our hearts and minds at Penguin.”

Jodi Reamer remarked, “Reading Matched reminded me of the first time I read the Twilight manuscript.  Ally combines the eloquence and dystopian setting of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the passion of Twilight and the game theory of Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game to create one of the most provocative novels I have read in a long time.”

Lauri Hornik added, “I find myself talking about this fascinating novel constantly. Not only has Ally delivered a complex, dystopian suspense novel, she has also written an unforgettable tale of forbidden romance.”

Foreign rights for MATCHED have already been sold in Germany, Italy, Brazil.