Greg Logsted

Hey I found this on YouTube. I think she did a great job (and I don’t even know her) Check it out. Share it with friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IRUAg9t2kg

Here’s a guest blog I did for Stephanie Kuehnert. She another great writer. Check her out.

“You work and work for years and years, you’re always on the go
You never take a minute off, too busy makin’ dough
Someday, you say, you’ll have your fun, when you’re a millionaire
Imagine all the fun you’ll have in your old rockin’ chair

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as a wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think”

Stephanie, thanks for letting me be part of the Ballads Of Suburbia celebration! This is fantastic. What a great idea. I LOVE music! Rock, jazz, blues, punk, metal, alt country, hip-hop – you name it, I’ll find something I like. So I thought this blog would be simple, a real piece of cake. but it’s not. The choices are way too abundant, so many fantastic songs, so many memories.
It took me a while before I realized what my problem was. I was just getting too bogged down in the past. There are so many periods of my life that are so intertwined with music that I just can’t separate them for the type of retrospective inspection they deserve. So what I decided to do was to set the way-back machine to a time way before mine. I placed the dial to 1950 and a fun little song titled “Enjoy Yourself” by Guy Lumbardo. It’s been a constant on my iPod for years, swimming behind Greenday, Grinderman and Greyboy, and it’s never failed to make me smile.
When I was in high school I was a member of the track team. My event was the 100-yard dash. Looking back there’s a couple things I realize now that I didn’t realize then. The true excitement of the event wasn’t so much crossing the finish line; it was everything that led up to that moment. Finding what track you were going to be on, the nervous energy pulsating through your body, setting your blocks, avoiding eye contact with the other runners, sizing them up, trying to keep calm and focused.
Soon you’d enter into the most exciting few seconds of the run. That’s when someone would stand and bellow the all-familiar shout: Runners, take your mark! I’d plant my toes firmly into the blocks, rising up on my fingers, gazing down at the track. All the outside distractions would begin to fade away. I’d take deep calming breaths.
Get set! Arching my back upward, head up, gazing towards the finish line, every muscle in my body tense in anticipation. Taking one deep final breath like I’m about to plunge into a bottomless pool of water. Waiting for it…waiting…waiting, each half-second stretching outwards to its own separate eternity.
BANG! Exploding forward with force and energy, moving with one goal and nothing more, to be the first one across the finish line. Everything else would disappear. I wouldn’t hear anyone cheering. There were no thoughts in my head except the running of the race, my arms and legs pumping, breathing hard, my eyes and will focused. I would be completely in the moment. The more complete I was able to push myself into the moment the faster I’d run. It wasn’t until I’d cross the finish line that the outside world would come crashing back into my head and I’d hear the cheers and the other runners.
That’s how it is with so many different things in life. Like skiing, if I’m coming down a difficult run. I’m there; I’m in that moment. I have to be. If I let my thoughts wander I’m tumbling instead of skiing. When I’m writing I’m hunting for that same moment when everything else disappears and I slip into my story completely and become one with it. Think of a really good movie that you’ve seen or a great book you’ve read – part of the enjoyment, the joy of the experience was that you gave yourself up to it and lived in its moment, you merged into it, becoming one.
Life when it’s at its best is when we’re entirely in the present tense, living in the moment; that’s when we’re most alive, that’s when we’re truly free. Yes, we have to plan and work for the future BUT don’t forget to ENJOY YOURSELF. The years go by as quickly as a wink and it’s later than you think.

The following is a guest blog I wrote for The great Author Erica Orloff…Please check out her work.

Boys Read, Too!
I am really pleased to have as a guest Greg Logsted. He has a day job (nothing like a BUSY author!), so he likely won’t be by until Saturday . . . but say hello . . . ask questions, and visit over the week. He has written a terrific book for middle grade boys (and girls!). This is a topic near and dear to my heart since as the mother of an adolescent boy, I know finding books for them, that really speak to them, is hard. I love the cover. Love what Greg has to say . . . so read on.

1. I’ve seen some reviews of ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH saying it is perfect for “reluctant readers.” You’re a guy . . . were you a reluctant reader way back when? And why do you think there is such a woeful shortage of books for boys once they reach a certain age?

Erica, first of all, thanks for letting me be a part of your site!
Was I a reluctant reader? No, not really, BUT I was a very picky reader. If a book didn’t grab my attention in about ten pages I’d put it down. I liked strong lead characters that I could relate to. Actually something I really tried to do with ALIBI was to write it for my old thirteen-year-old self. I just kept thinking, ‘What thrilled me back then?’
I kept the pedal to the floor and only slowed down around the corners.

2. What was the inspiration for ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH?

One day when I was driving to work, I had the windows rolled down and the music cranked up, and the title ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH just popped into my head. I loved it! I thought, what a great name for a book…now what’s it going to be about?
So, things worked out a little backwards here.

[Erica's aside: That is exactly how my novel Spanish Disco came about!!!]

3. You’re married to a writer. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

GOOD THING! Did you notice the capital letters? Lauren (my wife is the novelist Lauren Baratz-Logsted) is a HUGE help. She pushes and pulls the best out of me. I don’t know what I would do without her.
She writes in her basement office and I write in our third-story bedroom and we IM back and forth during the day.

[Erica's aside: Lauren published with both RDI and MIRA at the same time I was pubbing some of my books. She also publishes across genres . . . also something I do. She also blogs with me at the Teen Fiction Cafe.]

4. You’ve written other YA and MG books. What appeals to you about writing for kids?

I loved that time in my life. When I write about being thirteen or sixteen or whatever, I’m there; I’m back. It’s like my personal time machine.

5. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten or have for aspiring writers?

The best piece of advice is so incredibly simple and yet difficult. It’s…write EVERY DAY. It’s that simple. Write every day…it’s that difficult.

6. As a middle-grade writer myself, I hear from young fans/readers, and I go to schools to speak. I am very conscious of having a responsibility to them. Do you find yourself thinking of your audience, too, when you write?

Yes, but I’m not trying to preach or guide anyone. I’ll leave that to their parents and teachers. What I’m trying to do as a writer is to say, hey let’s have some fun! Let’s cut loose, here’s a cool story, come along for the ride.
I feel the most important thing I can do is to get kids reading. That’s my goal. That being said, I should add that I RESPECT my lead characters and think that they make good role models.

7. What’s next on the horizon?

I just finished a YA called THE STUTTERING TATTOO that my agent’s shopping. It’s your basic guy meets girl, guy takes girl home and finds her family dog chewing on a severed arm. Needless to say, it’s a bit gritty but I hope incredibly fun.

[Erica's aside: Can I tell you I find the title phenomenal?]

All right . . . visit Greg’s very cool site. And ask some questions, say hi . . . and all that jazz!http://www.greglogsted.com/

I can’t believe it. I finally finished the first draft of my third novel. It’s going to be titled “The Stuttering Tattoo” I’m very excited. I think it’s going to be my best one yet. Now the hard work starts. Wish me luck.

Greg Logsted on what I’m afraid to try
Monday, March 24th, 2008
Chelsea asks “What is the one thing such as, sky diving or any other daring thing, that you would love to do but you are too afraid?”

I used to really want to go skydiving. I’m not as into the idea as I used to be. I think the main reason is the tandem jumping that new skydivers have to consent to. The idea of having a more experienced jumper strapped to my back just doesn’t hold any appeal to me. I mean, think about it: you’re about to do something special, exciting and new, and you’ve got some guy tied to your back babbling away about who knows what.

I’m old school. Let me jump out of the plane by myself. If I don’t have enough common sense or courage to pull the cord before I slam into a field maybe I don’t deserve to have someone pull it for me.

I remember a few years ago a friend and I were skiing in British Columbia. We came upon this sick double diamond trail that was nothing more than a cliff. The two of us just stood at the lip of it with our skis hanging over the side and wondered who in the world would ever try to ski down this. It really was just a long drop: if you slipped or caught an edge, you’d be taking a helicopter ride to the hospital.

This girl skied up next to us and stood looking down the trail. I turned to her and said, “Can you believe this trail? Who’d be crazy enough to try this?”

She just grinned at me and launched herself off the side. It freaked me out; it was like watching someone jump off a building. Then she danced down the side of the mountain. It was terrifying to watch and yet beautiful. I’d love to be able to do that and I know I never will.

Greg Logsted is the author of the forthcoming novel SOMETHING HAPPENED. Visit his author page for more information.

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Greg Logsted on parting with a character
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
Maggie asks “Many writers say parting with a character is hard. Do you ever look back on a character and wish you had changed something about him or her?”

In my novel, SOMETHING HAPPENED, there’s a point where I have one of the main characters walk out of the school and out of the story. I was really surprised how much it affected me; actually the paragraph that has her walking away might be my favorite of the book. I seriously doubt that the average reader would pick that paragraph as being one of their favorites.

I remember after I wrote that section I got up and walked around my room, then stared out the window for a while. It really was a strange feeling, to create something and then to let it go. Like blowing up a balloon and then just letting it sail away.

I’m tempted to one day just have a character say, “I’m leaving now and you’ll never see me again!” I guess just for the fun of it I should do it, although a quote like that can really be only used once. Maybe I should save it for my tombstone, parting words for all who come to visit me. After all what’s important about dialogue is also what’s important about real estate: it all comes down to location, location, location.

Greg Logsted is the author of the forthcoming novel SOMETHING HAPPENED. Visit his author page for more information.

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Greg Logsted on surviving being a teen
Monday, March 17th, 2008
Jasmine asks “How did you survive being a teen?”

There’s no doubt about it, surviving the teenage years can be tough. Fortunately I had some close friends to lean on. I wasn’t the most popular kid in school (face it, how many of us are?) but I got along with everyone and nobody gave me a hard time. Invisibility is the second cousin to popularity.

I had a younger friend at work, fresh out of high school, who asked me what high school was like when I went. Without thinking about it I said, “Exactly like it is today, except completely different.” I guess I’d have to stand behind that.

There are parts of the teen experience that will always be the same. You’re stepping out on your own; you’re desperately trying to fit in, to find your place, to be liked, to find love, to explore attractions, and to push the boundaries of everything as far as you possibly can. It’s always been that way and that’s the way it should be.

The parts that change are mostly the technological parts and the pop culture parts. There’s different clothes, different hairstyles, different electronic toys but basically underneath it all, it’s the same kids going through the same stuff.

Greg Logsted is the author of the forthcoming novel SOMETHING HAPPENED. Visit his author page for more information.

Here’s a interview I did for Teens Read Too. It was a lot of fun.

First off, thanks so much for joining us for an up-close and personal interview for TeensReadToo.com! My name is Jen, and I’ll be your server toda…oh, wait, wrong job! Anyway, thanks so much for taking time out of your writing schedule—which I’m sure is busy!—and answering a few questions for your readers and fans.

No. Thank you, Jen. It’s a pleasure.

Let’s get some of the typical interview questions out of the way first. When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I guess it was in third grade. I wrote a story about a mouse. That’s all I remember about it – a mouse doing mouse-type things, fighting for cheese, running from cats. My teacher really liked it and made a big deal about it and I thought, ‘Hey, I like this attention.’

Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publishing?

It’s taken me a while; I definitely have a day job and don’t plan on dropping that anytime in the future (but wouldn’t that be nice…just give me a moment here to dream about it…yes, that would be nice).
My wife is also a published writer (Lauren Baratz-Logsted). She’s been a huge help. I mean HUGE. One of the hardest parts of getting published is just knowing which doors to knock on.

Tell us a little bit about either your latest or upcoming release. If you could only tell your readers one thing about the story that had to convince us to buy the book, what would it be?

SOMETHING HAPPENED is the story of thirteen-year-old Billy Romero five months after his dad’s unexpected death. Billy struggles to make sense of the loss of his father. His friends expect him to move on but he just can’t. His mother is struggling with work and the loss of her husband leaving Billy basically on his own. No one seems to understand how alone he feels…except his new English teacher, the young and beautiful Miss Gate. She offers him the support and friendship he craves. It’s a little weird but it’s also kind of exciting that someone like Miss Gate wants to hang out with him. But the closer they get, the more Billy wonders what kind of friendship this really is.

The one thing is…don’t you want to know what happens between Billy and his teacher?

What, or who, has been the greatest inspiration for your stories?

My teenage years are very vivid to me. I enjoy writing from that viewpoint.

Let’s hear about your family, who I’m sure are thrilled to have a published author among them!
I live with my wife Lauren Baratz-Logsted and our nine-year-old daughter Jackie. Believe it or not we’re all published writers. Jackie and I worked with my wife on a series of books called The Sisters Eight. Check it out… www.sisterseight.com – oh yeah, that’s right: you reviewed the first two books! My parents live in Florida and my brother lives down there too.

Now for some fun facts. What’s your greatest comfort food?

I’d have to say, scrambled eggs on toast with ketchup. (Is that gross?)

What are the first three things you do when you wake up in the morning?

I’ve got a large cannon in the front yard that I fire off every morning. The neighbors hate it. Just kidding. Let’s see…three things. Turn on my computer. Make a cup of tea. Start hunting for the newspaper.

If I came to your house and looked in your closet/attic/basement, what’s the one thing that would surprise me the most?

Most people notice the portal to a different dimension.

Everyone asks the question about “if you could be a tree, which tree would you be?” so I want to know: If you could be a color, which color would it be, and why?

I guess blue. Blue just has a way of making me feel good, relaxed and contented. Besides, I know Blue…the guy’s rich. All the other colors envy him.

Who is your favorite cartoon character?

Sponge Bob can always cheer me up.

Which cartoon character is most like you?

Sometimes I feel like Yosemite Sam when he was shipwrecked on that desert Island living on coconuts. Coconuts for breakfast, Coconuts for lunch, Coconuts for dinner until he breaks down and screams, “I HATE COCONUTS!”

If you could beam yourself to anywhere in the world (“Beam me up, Scotty!”), during any time in history, where and when would it be—and why?

That’s a tough one but I’d have to pick the Great Empire of Greenland around 2096. Imagine being there when they first discovered time travel!

So what’s your favorite type of music to listen to? Favorite musical artists? Do you listen to music while you’re writing?

It’s always changing. Always. If you looked at my iPod artist list you’d see it’s all over the place. But right now it’s been Radiohead, Coldplay and the latest B.B. King. They’ve been on my CD loop for the past few weeks. If I listen to music while I’m writing it’s something without lyrics, because lyrics bounce around in my head making it impossible for me to write.

Do you have any favorite T.V. shows? Movies you watch over and over again? What was the last movie you saw at the theater?

House, Rescue Me, Dexter, Entourage, Weeds.

I can watch Vanilla Sky over and over again.

My last movie in the theater was Slumdog Millionaire.

You have the chance to give one piece of advice to your teen readers. What would it be?

The biggest piece of advice is to write every day, which means…every day. Got it?

One last question. What stories can we look forward to from you in the future?

ALIBI JUNIOR HIGH, my first hardcover! June 23 2009. It’s more action-packed than my first. It’s about a thirteen-year-old boy, Cody Saron, accustomed to living a globetrotting James Bond lifestyle with his mysterious dad. Cody must suddenly learn to cope with regular school life for the first time after he’s forced into hiding when a secret mission turns bad. He thinks after everything he’s done that going to a small Connecticut junior high school will be easy, a piece of cake…boy, is he ever wrong.
This book is a whole lot of fun. I love the cover! They did a great job. It’s so cool – check it out at www.greglogsted.com

Again, thanks so much for joining us at TeensReadToo.com!

NO. Thank you! It’s been a whole lot of fun!

Here we go. I’m just testing the water, seeing if this goes through. In the future please check back I plan on having a weekend blog. Thanks Greg Logsted