06-26-09 Malena Lott, guest host
The transcript below covers the complete #litchat conversation on June 26, 2009. The order appears sequentially from the first post to the final post. Guest host was Malena Lott, author of DATING DA VINCI.
| LitChat Welcome to LitChat. Today we’re concluding our topic of the week, Genre Bending Books, with guest host @MalenaLott. Join us now for #litcha |
| carmenshirkey @LitChat #litchat -@MalenaLott is awesome! I’m sorry I have to miss the chat, but I’m sure she’ll do a great job! -1:01 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat Welcome, Malena! I read your book, DATING DA VINCI, and found it had deep understand of grief and loss. Bent the chick-lit genre. #litchat -1:03 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Hello, all! Thanks to @litchat for asking me to host today. I’m looking forward to the conversation. #litchat -1:03 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Hi Melena. You have an intriguing book title. #litchat -1:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Hi Malena. Looking forward to the chat. #litchat -1:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana Hi there! #litchat -1:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Thank you @Litchat I’m glad you enjoyed Dating da Vinci. Yes, a recent review described it as chick-lit plus which is great with me #litchat -1:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| Rororosie Hi Malena, @litchat I have a q..what inspired you to transcend genres in your book DATING DA VINCI? #litchat #litchat -1:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana Thanks. I actually named the book myself. (Sometimes the publishers change names, but they liked it, too.) #litchat -1:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @mdbenoit Hey! Maybe we should stop meeting like this. People might tweet. #litchat -1:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana Yeah, we could start a trend. #litchat -1:06 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana I’m no fan of Dan Brown’s book, but I think I’ll read yours. #litchat -1:06 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @Rororosie I naturally have a humorous writing voice so that’s where the “light” comes in, but it also has love and loss #litchat -1:06 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott What is the significance of the title? I presume it’s not the real Da Vinci #litchat -1:07 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott My da Vinci is younger and sexier than Dan Brown’s. 🙂 But I did base mine on the original da Vinci.) I’m a huge Leo fan. Genius #litchat -1:08 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots I get a chicklit vibe from your book. Is it a blend of genres? Or just break the rules? #litchat -1:08 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Hard to write about loss; even harder to find humor in it. Good coping strategy, tho. #litchat -1:08 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott My Leo da Vinci is a young italian immigrant who is going to school at UT in Austin. My protag Ramona teaches English #litchat -1:09 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| bibliofreakblog @melanalott did your publisher/editor ever want you to change things to make it more classically chick lit? #litchat -1:09 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Lolly Winston’s first novel (title???) does a good job of dealing w/loss in a ‘humorous’ bent. #litchat -1:09 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @pussreboots It is written in first person & has humor but I think the cover makes it look lighter than it really reads, though #litchat -1:09 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana <—- loves first person! I shall definitely read this one. #litchat -1:10 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @bibliofreakblog No, I don’t think any publisher/editor is asking for more chick lit-style. But they did want a strong romance #litchat -1:10 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Is this your first novel? #litchat -1:11 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott The age difference is also an interesting bending of the genre #litchat -1:11 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana DD is my second novel. My first is THE STORK REALITY about a young woman’s journey to motherhood. Also 1st person pov #litchat -1:12 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit Yes, da Vinci is ten years younger than Ramona. Plus, she has 2 kids, young boys #litchat -1:12 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum The stores don’t have your book in stock. I have to buy it on line. #LitChat -1:13 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana That’s going on my list as well! I love the age diff. too. #litchat -1:13 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Ramona is searching for la dolce vita, the sweet life. Da Vinci’s youth is a part of his zest for life & making a new life #litchat -1:13 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana For those who read ebooks, it’s available for the Sony eReader #litchat -1:14 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @PattyRum praise be the Internet, where inventory doesn’t have to switch over as often! 🙂 #litchat -1:14 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana I’m all over technology except when it comes to reading. Prefer the old fashioned method. #litchat -1:14 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott Any culture clashes? #litchat -1:14 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Yes, it is now available as an e-book, Kindle format as well as tradepaperback. (whether in book store or online) #litchat -1:15 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Is it set in Texas, or Italy, too? #litchat -1:15 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit Since Ramona speaks many languages, she feels comfortable with da Vinci, but she’s not fluent in Italian #litchat -1:16 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana It’s set in Austin, Texas #litchat -1:16 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum I haven’t read the book – can you tell us abt it? #LitChat -1:17 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @PattyRum Ramona is a widow of 2 years & is the book explores her journey to find joy again, including a new love #litchat -1:18 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott The cover says “a tale of love, longing and la dolce vita” which means the sweet life. #litchat -1:19 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots @malenalott #litchat How does Austin play against the imagery associated w/ da Vinci and Italy? -1:19 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| SighWTF It would be fun to make up genre-bending types…say, economics and sci fi. #litchat -1:19 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @pussreboots Austin and Italy. That’s a bit of genre bending right there. #litchat -1:20 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @pussreboots All the characters in the story are feeling out of their element, transplants, trying to fit in again #litchat -1:21 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Where did Ramona learn her several languages? Is she frm immigrant parents herself? #litchat -1:21 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Out of physical and emotional elements? #litchat -1:21 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @SighWTF They already did. It’s called VooDoo Economics. #litchat -1:22 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit She is not an immigrant, but she is a student & is doing her dissertation, which provide some non-fic elements, too #litchat -1:23 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum Is there a new book in the works? #LitChat -1:24 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Ramona is a self-professed “word nerd,” loves all language, & it was fun playing with the language of love in the book #litchat -1:24 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| Rororosie @malenalott Sometimes location kind of plays a character role in a story: is that true of Austin in your book? #litchat -1:24 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott She sounds like me. I’m also a “word nerd.” I like her already. #litchat -1:25 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @Rororosie Yes, Austin is very much a character: the university setting and learning and growing and bettering yourself #litchat -1:25 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots Why is da Vinci in Austin? #litchat -1:26 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @KatieFforde We’re having fun in #litchat. Do you have time to jump in? -1:26 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @PattyRum Yes! Making revisions on my next novel, about three sisters, right now. Should be to my agent in the next week or so #litchat -1:26 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit Scrabble makes more than one appearance in the story. #litchat -1:27 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum @malenalott wonderful! Look forward to it. #LitChat -1:27 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @carleenbrice Hello, darling! So nice of you to swing in. #litchat -1:27 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott I enjoy books when a location (town, a house, the beach) is also a strong character. #litchat -1:28 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @pussreboots Da Vinci is a college student at UT. He lives in Ramona’s studio apartment behind her home. #litchat -1:28 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| carleenbrice @malenalott Hope all goes well with your next book! #litchat -1:29 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @carleenbrice Thank you. Me, too. I’m very excited about it. Wrote in the POV of each of the sisters so a great way to explore #litchat -1:30 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Was it hard, getting two distinct voices to work? #litchat -1:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| carleenbrice @malenalott How many POV? My new book is 2 sisters & each has a POV. #litchat -1:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum @malenalott Where does the story take place? #LitChat -1:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott I did play a lot with culture and tradition in DATING DA VINCI. Her neighbor is a Russian bride; she attends a Hindu wedding, etc. #litchat -1:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots @malenalott lots of opportunity for tension then w/ them always so close. #litchat -1:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| George9Writer @malenalott How much freedom to genre-bend did you feel, when you wrote this? #litchat -1:32 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @carleenbrice THREE! They are 22, 24 and 25 in the story. I need to go out and get your new book! #litchat -1:32 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit How do the 2 kids come into play in the story? Detractors? Facilitators? Is a 26 yr old interested in kids? #litchat -1:33 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| carleenbrice @malenalott I admire you for taking on the challenge! Hard to pull off 3 women who r related so need to sound similar but also not #litchat -1:33 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @George9Writer I had extreme freedom, because it’s single-title – wasn’t fitting into anyone’s “line” and wasn’t sold beforehand #litchat -1:33 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots @mdbenoit Good question. How old are the kids? #litchat -1:34 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit The kids added tension because she’s a mom & they are her top priority. Da Vinci comes from a big family in Italy so he #litchat -1:34 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| redRavine @melanalott about the writing process — What is your writing schedule/best time to write? What works when you get stuck? #litchat -1:35 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @pussreboots I believe they are 6 and 8, both boys. Not sure if I said their ages, but elementary school. Fact-checker, anyone? #litchat -1:36 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @carleenbrice Yes, was tough, but all 3 sisters are very different so that helped a ton. #litchat -1:36 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @redRavine Well, TinyHulk is whining behind me as I type this! I try to write when he’s still asleep (early morning). #litchat -1:37 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott For editing, i can work anytime, anywhere, but for “fresh” work, I do like to have quiet. (If that’s possible) #litchat -1:38 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum Have you always written – published or not #LitChat -1:38 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @PattyRum Yes, I started writing in earnest in sixth grade. Motivated by Bridge to Terabithia and also Sweet Valley High. #litchat -1:39 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| ZiggyTek RT @mdbenoit @maggiedana For those who read ebooks, it’s available for the Sony eReader #litchat http://bit.ly/NY1gd -1:40 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Interesting those books represent grief (BRIDGE) and fun and relationships (Sweet Valley High) #litchat -1:40 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Was there one thing or a bunch of things that inspired this novel? #litchat -1:41 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @ZiggyTek Thanks for that link. #litchat -1:41 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum @ZiggyTek I so love a real book with a binding & pages I can turn #LitChat -1:41 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana I definitely wanted to write about grief and I studied da Vinci for about 5 years as a creative (ad agency) so I… #litchat -1:42 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @PattyRum I still prefer hardcover. Prop self in bed with numerous pillows to help hold book. #litchat -1:42 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| zumayabooks @PattyRum I love to take twenty books with me and they weigh less than a pound. 😉 #litchat -1:42 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott …combined both of those things. #litchat -1:43 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @PattyRum I currently have 82 books in my eReader, which I lug everywhere, esp. on weekend trips on our sailboat. #litchat -1:43 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @zumayabooks The design (of book) on e-readers isn’t there yet. But I imagine it will be. #litchat -1:44 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana you can do that with the eReader. I read in bed w it all the time. #litchat -1:44 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum @mdbenoit I do see the benefit of eReader, I just love the actual hardcover. I love having them as much as reading them #LitChat -1:44 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana I’m a book designer. Can’t bear look of e-reader text. #litchat -1:45 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana LOL I love that formula. (Agree, too) #litchat -1:45 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| Rororosie must…. buy… Kindle… LOL #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @PattyRum one doesn’t prevent the other. #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana I like to see the full cover book covers, so I’d love for that to be a part of the next gen of e-readers (&sleek/cool) #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| PattyRum Tell us about the 3 sisters #LitChat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Back to studying daVinci. You said with ‘ad agency.’ Sounds intriguing. #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| zumayabooks @maggiedana Designers, I suspect, will never be happy with ereader layout. Readers of ebooks, OTOH, really don’t care. #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @zumayabooks Sad, but true. #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| redRavine @malenalott if you could pass on 1 thing you learned about grief from writing this book (in 140 or less) what would it be? #litchat -1:46 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana I was the creative director/co-owner of an ad agency so I used da Vinci’s mind mapping in brainstorm sessions #litchat -1:47 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat We have 15 more minutes with Malena. Let’s bring back the topic to her and genre bending books, ok? #litchat -1:48 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Fascinating. What do you former colleagues think of the novel? #litchat -1:48 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @redRavine That grief changes who you are, but you can learn to live a new kind of normal. Must give yourself permission… #litchat -1:48 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Did anyone ask which 2 genres Malena has bent? If so, I missed her answer. #litchat -1:49 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana Is there a need for 2 genres in genre-bending? or is it taking a genre and “twisting” it? #litchat -1:49 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| George9Writer @malenalott What are a couple of genre-bending books that influenced you? #litchat -1:49 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| rebeccawoodhead Clan issues have made me so late for #litchat -1:50 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @mdbenoit I think I confused bending with blending. Sorry. #litchat -1:50 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @maggiedana You can also have genre mixing, like taking mystery and mixing it with romance: romantic mystery #litchat -1:51 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott I’d say I bending chicklit, or else bending women’s fiction – lightening a heavy topic. #litchat -1:51 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots #litchat Did you set out to write a genre-bender or did it just evolve that way? -1:51 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @rebeccawoodhead Welcome! #litchat -1:51 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @George9Writer Someone mentioned GOOD GRIEF earlier. It has heavy issue with humor. #litchat -1:52 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @pussreboots My goal is always to try to be different and unique and if there are any boundaries, push them. Make story stand out #litchat -1:53 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott That’s what a real writer should do: push the boundaries #litchat -1:54 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Yes, GOOD GRIEF … it was I who mentioned Lolly Winston. #litchat -1:55 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| pussreboots @malenalott An Ornithologist’s Guide to Life & Other Stories also mixes grief w/ humor #litchat -1:55 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Pushing boundaries always good unless they fall off the editor’s table. #litchat -1:55 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit John Gardner’s Sunlight Dialogues are amazing and are almost undefinable in genre bending #litchat -1:56 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott I really enjoyed @krisriggle REAL LIFE & LIARS, deals with cancer & her protag is v. funny #litchat -1:56 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @mdbenoit I will check that out – sunlight dialogues #litchat -1:57 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @malenalott Kris’s book is excellent. It certainly pushed boundaries and bent genres. #litchat -1:58 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| rebeccawoodhead @malenalott ‘live a new kind of normal’ I feel that way about grief. I say to people ‘Time doesn’t heal it. It blunts the edges.’ #litchat -1:58 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana @krisriggle RT @malenalott I really enjoyed @krisriggle REAL LIFE & LIARS, deals with cancer & her protag is v. funny #litchat -1:59 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @rebeccawoodhead yes, blunts the edges. When I feel grief, it’s as sharp as the day it happened, erasing all time. #litchat -2:00 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit @malenalott lots of used copies available I think. It’s not a new book. The illustrations are great, too. #litchat -2:00 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| susanmpls bit late to the party here: Malena, when you wrote the book, given it’s genre-bendiness, was it hard to find a publisher? #litchat -2:01 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Thanks for chatting with me today! Great ??s. I’m on Twitter daily, so hope we can stay in touch. #litchat -2:02 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| mdbenoit Well, chat people, gotta go. Thanks Malena for the great chat. Have a glorious w/e all. #litchat -2:02 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| rebeccawoodhead @malenalott me too – when I’m writing – it’s agony isn’t it but doesn’t it have to be? #litchat -2:02 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @susanmpls Hi, Susan. I think it helped it more than harmed. 🙂 #litchat -2:03 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| maggiedana Thank you, Malena. Both your books are on my next book-buying list. #litchat -2:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @rebeccawoodhead Agreed. Writing is agony and ecstasy. #litchat -2:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat We’re run to the end of our official 1-hr chat. @MalenaLott is welcome to stick around if she’s able. #litchat -2:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott @maggiedana Thank you! I appreciate that. #litchat -2:04 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat In the meantime, let’s all give @MalenaLott a big LitChat thank you for joining us today. #litchat -2:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| malenalott Thanks @litchat. I must go because I promised TinyHulk we could go feed the horses. Even though it’s 100 degrees! #litchat -2:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| susanmpls @malenalott Interesting. Maybe because it was different, they figured it would break through the “noise”? Or it’s just that good 🙂 #litchat -2:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| redRavine @melanalott thank you so much for your time. Enjoyed it very much. #litchat -2:05 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| rebeccawoodhead @malenalott great #litchat. Thanks very much. -2:06 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat A note from housekeeping: LitChat now has a Fan Page on facebook. Just search LitChat and you’ll find us. #litchat -2:06 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat A note from the boss: We’re taking off next Friday to celebrate America’s Independence Day (sorry, brits). No LitChat next Friday. #litchat -2:08 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| Rororosie Thank you @malenalott GREAT CHAT! #litchat -2:08 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
| LitChat But the week after that our topic is How Real Life Informs Fiction and guest host on July 10 is @lynne_griffin. #litchat -2:10 PM Jun 26th, 2009 |
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