Andrea Kayne's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing"

From 20SomethingReads.com: Andrea Kayne Kaufman, author of Oxford Messed Up, shares her daily routine, including the pleasure she gets from embarrassing her kids, the new book she is working on, Parent Over Shoulder, and why sometimes it's okay to make your bed without hospital corners.

What time did you wake up?
I intended to wake up around 7:00 to help get my kids ready for school, but instead hit the snooze button several times. As always, my messiah-like husband got them ready, but don’t I get some points for pulling myself out of bed just in time to embarrass them with an “I love you guys!” from our second floor balcony?

Did you make your bed?
We sleep with a bottom sheet and cozy duvet. Does it count if I only straighten out the duvet? Unlike living with my drill sergeant parents, there are no hospital corners in our house.

Where did you spend your day?
My writing days are highly ritualized. First, a morning walk along Lake Michigan --- always the same path --- nature boardwalk, North Avenue Bridge, North Avenue jetty and south towards Navy Pier. As I walk, I listen to one of several playlists for my current book, PARENT OVER SHOULDER. Each of the main characters has her or his own playlist and most days --- or at least on good writing days --- when I listen to their music, I hear their voices. I then come straight home and speak into my voice recorder, trying to capture what I heard by the lake. The afternoons are spent in my study transcribing, editing, and procrastinating.

Who did you see/call?
I am a professor, so I have what I call “university days” and “writing days.” On university days, I see, call, email, and meet with so many people. On writing days, I mostly commune with the fantasy crew in my head --- at least until my children come home.


How many times did you check Facebook or Twitter?
I’m actually filling this out watching the season finale of Downton Abbey and Facebooking and tweeting about Lady Mary and Cousin Matthew’s engagement (Yay!). I definitely check Facebook and Twitter more on university days than writing days --- have even been caught by the Dean tweeting during a faculty meeting. At least it wasn’t about him…

Did you respond to reader mail?
I love love love reader mail and always respond. Obviously, I enjoy hearing good things about OXFORD MESSED UP, but there have been so many times readers provide insight, context, and nuance that I never noticed or even intended. It’s amazing to learn more about the characters and the world I created; fiction writing is so much more collaborative than I thought. I have also learned more about the subject matter of my book --- whether Sylvia Plath, Van Morrison, OCD, Oxford, or the sex lives of 25 year olds. While I appreciate constructive feedback, I have to be careful not to be too defensive when I disagree or something is wrong. For example, one reader told me she loved the book but that I erred having Gloria’s family live on East Lake Shore Drive because it doesn’t exist --- only North Lake Shore Drive and South Lake Shore Drive. I may have gone overboard tweeting about the location of the Drake Hotel. I might have a bit of Gloria Zimmerman in me…

What did you do on a book project today?
My current book, PARENT OVER SHOULDER, has three sections with three different narrators. It is almost finished, but I am trying to make sure the voices of the narrators are unique, authentic, and consistent. I wrote it out of order in pieces and I’m worried that George’s section is not up to Lizzy’s or Anne’s. I ended up spending most of the afternoon reading George’s narration aloud into a voice recorder. My son came home from school and asked whether I was trying to channel the spirit of a drunken sailor. Not quite. George is a recovering alcoholic.

How did you procrastinate?
I walked around my living room listening to Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe” and Johnny Cash’s “It Ain’t Me Babe.” I told myself it was related to George’s voice, trying to decide if my character would like Johnny Cash’s more boisterous “no, no, no” better than Bob Dylan’s more somber version. Perhaps I was a bit stuck. Music always helps.

What did you accomplish?
I decided George’s recovery confessional narrative sounds a bit clichéd and needs to be more nuanced. Decided to attend another AA meeting for inspiration and authenticity.

What did you want to accomplish?
I wanted to be ready to send my characters into the wider world. My husband thinks I am ready again. But it’s scary to put your work and yourself out there!

What was the weather?
In the years since I moved to Chicago, this has been the mildest winter. My children say it’s the impact of global warming, which does distress me, but it is nice to see Canadian geese in early February.

What were you wearing?
Writing days are very casual. North Face parka, jeans, boots, and a cashmere sweater with a Grateful Dead t-shirt underneath. This is partly because I want to think of myself as a cool rocker and partly because at 46 I am starting to have hot flashes and need layers.

What did you read?
I have been consuming Jonathan Franzen’s novel FREEDOM. I especially love his twist in narration when one of his three main characters, Patty, narrates through an autobiography, entitled “Mistakes Were Made”, which she was encouraged to write for her therapy. Patty’s voice, as a biased unreliable narrator, is a brilliant device for not only pushing the story forward, but also revealing the blind spots and limitations of her perspective and understanding. For me, understanding who she is as a person is more important than understanding what happens to her.

Did you listen to music, if so what?
PARENT OVER SHOULDER playlist for George: “After the Gold Rush” by Neil Young; “Don’t Be Shy” by Cat Stevens; “It Ain’t Me Babe” by Johnny Cash; “It Ain’t Me Babe” by Bob Dylan; “More Than This” by Roxy Music; “Good Riddance” by Green Day; “You Are a Tourist” by Death Cab for Cutie; and “Hey You” by Pink Floyd.

What was the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you ate?
Over-priced “much-ado-about-mango” fruit snacks from Starbucks. Three venti lattes from Starbucks. I don’t want to know what the phrase for 60 ounces is in Italian.

Did you exercise?
On my writing days, I walk about 5 miles or so. I also do pilates and weight training every week. However, I have gone through some bouts of physical therapy with rotator cuff and back issues.

What was the best part of the day?
Hearing my character on the North Avenue jetty struggle with a difficult shameful secret.

What was the worst part of the day?
Hearing my character on the North Avenue jetty struggle with a difficult shameful secret and wondering how he could forgive himself. I had to find a bench and sit down with George’s pain. He desperately wanted a drink.

Any surprises today?
Writing days are always full of surprises if they are good writing days. I really feel like I capture more than I create and you never know what you’ll find.

What device did you use to answer these questions?
I am an Apple addict. I used a combo of Mac desktop and MacBook Air. I love my iPad but have a hard time doing heavy-duty writing on it. I feel guilty about reading so many books on my iPad but it’s just so damn convenient and I do have rotator cuff issues…

See the post here: 20SomethingReads.com