Breathing

Today, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a friend of mine from the Class of 2k9, ya author, Cheryl Renee Herbsman. Cheryl has written this wonderful gem of a book, Breathing (Viking, 2009)--the paperback version of which has just been released. (Great news for those of you looking for a great summer read). Breathing is a charming love story which I could not put down.

Here's a bit about the book:

Savannah would be happy to spend the summer in her coastal Carolina town lying in a hammock reading her beloved romance novels and working at the library. But then she meets Jackson. Once they lock eyes, she’s convinced he’s the one — her true love, her soul mate, a boy different from all the rest. And at first it looks like Savannah is right. Jackson abides by her mama’s strict rules, and stays by her side during a hospitalization for severe asthma, which Savannah becomes convinced is only improving because Jackson is there. But when he’s called away to help his family—and seems uncertain about returning — Savannah has to learn to breathe on her own, both literally and figuratively.


DL: Cheryl, you did such a wonderful job with the pace of the romance in Breathing. Did it just unfold naturally or did you have to plot it out?

CRH: Thank you! It did unfold naturally. I’m what some call an “organic” writer, others call a “pantser”, as in fly by the seat of your pants. I never outline stories and usually don’t know what is going to happen until it does. When I sit down to write, I read over the last scene I wrote, and then just listen for what comes next.


DL: The setting in Breathing is almost like another character--it is so much a part of the book. How did you decide to set the book in this location?

CRH: Breathing started with a character sketch. I met Savannah and her family during a writing exercise. The setting was so much a part of who Savannah is that it came as part of the package. I never considered setting it anywhere else. Savannah had lived and breathed the coastal Carolina atmosphere her whole life. So it was a part of her, a part of her family, a part of her community. It’s a setting I know from my own childhood, one I love. I grew up in North Carolina and every summer my family would spend time at the beaches in North and South Carolina. Those are still some of my favorite beaches. It was fun to immerse myself in my memories of the place and to even take a family trip there for “research”


DL: I loved the ending of the book. So many times, when I get to the end of a book, I am disappointed. But your ending was so perfect. And I wondered if you had considered a sequel?

CRH: Thank you so much. Endings are always tricky. I find myself second-guessing a lot. “Is it too this or too that” type of concerns. But I try to let it unfold naturally. I’ve been so fortunate that many readers have written to me to ask about a sequel. My feeling about it is that right now the story Savannah had to tell has been told. But you never know, she might drop back by with another story to tell. And if she does, you can be sure she won’t give up until I write it!


DL: For those of us who are authors, can you tell us how a paperback release differs from the initial hardcover release?

CRH: For me the paperback release was different in the sense that I had very little to do with it. There were some minor changes made to the paperback cover from the hardcover. I wasn’t involved in those at all. And really the only contact I had with the paperback publisher was receiving my author copies. It feels like a quieter sort of event. But I’m very grateful for it nonetheless, because it means my story is accessible to more readers and has the opportunity to stay in print longer.


DL: What is your favorite sentence in Breathing and why?

CRH: Ahh! That’s a tough question. But I think I’ll stick with the one I had printed on my bookmarks. Savannah says: “I know it’s only dreaming, but I reckon if you go on and act like something is real, sometimes it just believes you.” I think that sort of sums up what I love about her, her dreamer nature, her courage, her boldness, her willingness to try.


DL: That is my favorite sentence, too. It really resonated with me. What tips can you share with other writers who are working on getting their first manuscripts published?

CRH: Don’t ever give up. I’d been trying to sell a fantasy manuscript for about two years. Friends encouraged me to work on something else while I was trying to sell the fantasy. So just as a distraction, I started something else, which ended up being Breathing. It sold very quickly. Keep at the craft, keep reading and writing and learning about the business of publishing and it will happen!


DL: What can we expect from you next?

CRH: I have a manuscript out on submission now. It’s a story I dearly love. And while I’m waiting to hear … I’m working on something else!


DL: Thank you Cheryl! And I can't wait to read your next book.

You can find out more about Cheryl Renee Herbsman and her books at her website.
www.cherylreneeherbsman.com

D.L.

Body Image and Self-Perception Month

This month, I am proud to be participating in Once Upon a Bookcase's Body Image & Self-Perception Month with a guest blog at A Dazzling Distraction. Our body image and self-perception is a direct connection to our self-esteem, which is the foundation for everything we do. So I think it is really important for women to reach out to other women and girls to support one another. I'd appreciate it if you would check out my guest blog. And leave a comment, if you have time!

Here's the link. http://adazzlingdistraction.blogspot.com/2010/07/guest-post-blooming-by-deborah-lytton.html

D.L.

Comfort Foods

Yesterday I was cooking in my kitchen, and I realized that cooking is much like writing. You need to stay within a certain structure in both writing and cooking, but then there is room for inspiration--and it is in that inspiration that you discover magic.

Comfort foods for me are like my favorite books--I know exactly how they turn out, but therein lies the comfort. I know just what I'm going to get.

I reach for comfort foods whenever I have a bad day--or when I want to surround my family in love. In my novel, Jane in Bloom, Ethel makes comfort foods for Jane--and preparing and eating those foods helps Jane to heal.

Yesterday, it was cold and raining outside, so I prepared beef stew for my daughters. One of them loves eating meat, and the other (like me) would prefer a salad. So I have to alternate meals around here--in the same way that I find as a writer I must alternate genres in order to reach more readers. The manuscript I recently completed is a paranormal YA adventure, which is completely different from the middle grade family drama Jane in Bloom. And I am presently working on two ideas at once (not the best plan, by the way!). One is an alternate history novel and the other is a YA drama. Sort of like making lasagna one night and cobb salad the next.

I am not a well-trained cook. I have learned to cook out of necessity. My abilities have evolved as my daughters have grown. I started out making my own pureed baby foods for them, then a couple of years later, added to my talents, the world's best quesadillas and carrot muffins. And now, I have finally graduated to real family dinners. I find that I love cooking because it makes my daughters so happy to eat the food I have prepared for them. As a single working mother, my cooking is not elaborate--I wish I had time to make the Martha Stewart meals in my cookbooks, but I only have a short time to cook and I have to juggle the chopping with math and spelling homework. So I take shortcuts wherever possible--it may not be gourmet, but it is healthy and comforting at the same time.

If anyone is in the mood for Rainy Day Beef Stew, here you go:

1 1/2 lbs of beef stew meat (I prefer grass-fed organic)
1 bag of peeled baby carrots
Six medium sized russet potatoes
Two onions
Three pints of Beef Broth
1 Cup of Flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 Tablespoons of oil

1. Salt and pepper the beef, then dredge the beef in flour.

2. Put the oil in a pan and warm on medium heat. Brown the beef in the pan.

3. Put stock in large pot. Add beef to stock. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat to simmer.

5. After one hour, add peeled and quartered potatoes.

6. After another hour, add quartered onions and carrots.

7. Cook for one more hour. When meat is fork-tender, it is ready.

8. Serve in bowls with a pat of butter. Eat with someone you love in a comfy warm room with the rain pelting the windows.

D.L.

Reader Questions

Thank you to my readers for all your comments about Jane in Bloom. I love hearing from you!

Here are two of my favorite questions from the last month--and my answers...

Question: What inspired you to write Jane in Bloom?

Answer: I first had the idea for a story about a girl who felt invisible when I saw a piece on television about siblings who felt lost in a family that was focused on one child. The families were consumed with the need to help the problem child, so the children who were problem-free were left on their own. I wanted to tell their story--and this became the story of the forgotten sister. I decided to give Lizzie anorexia because that disease is so prevalent in our society, and the goal of being perfect is something girls and women struggle with every day. I wanted to empower girls through Jane, to show them how strong they can become if they believe in themselves.

Question: Who is your favorite singer/artist?

Answer: I have so many favorites, it's so difficult to choose just one! As a singer, I studied Whitney Houston, CeCe Winans, Stephanie Mills and Judy Garland for phrasing and using emotion to color a song. My favorite singers to listen to are Kelly Clarkson, Sarah McLachlan, Duffy and Sheryl Crow. For Jane, I found inspiration in Michelle Branch's music, because her voice sounded like Jane to me. If I had to choose one of these amazing and talented artists as my absoluate favorite, it would have to be Whitney Houston, because she influenced my own singing more than any other artist.

Thanks for your great questions!

This month, I'm running a contest for an autographed copy of Jane in Bloom. Send me your most original question by May 1. I'll post the winning question with my answer--and send you the book. (The winner will be chosen randomly from all questions submitted).

Good luck!

D.L.

From the Page to the Screen

I've been really struggling with my new novel, which is giving me a very difficult time, sort of like when your new puppy seems to be understanding everything you are trying to teach her and then hits 6 months and turns into a rebellious teenager. My new novel is now in the teenage phase. And the beginning isn't working for me at all. This, of course, is making me rethink the whole novel, because I don't get what some people call "writer's block." When something is making me run from writing, it is simply because it isn't working for me. And if it doesn't interest me, how could I possibly expect anyone to want to read it? So I am heading back to page one with the novel to revisit the idea and the way I am telling the story. These are the moments when I remind myself that writing is a craft and even bad writing helps you become a better writer.


This reminds me of my first real piece of writing which was a screenplay called Heritage. This is without a doubt the worst screenplay ever written. The poor friends who had to read it can probably attest to this fact. But you have to get all the bad screenplays out there before you can make room for the good ones. This is the advice screenwriting guru Robert McKee gives to his students. It's been many years since I took his Story Seminar, but I recall him saying that the first 20 screenplays you write will be terrible--basically shredder-worthy. And that once you get through that, you will be a great writer. Screenplays are on my mind these days because a good friend of mine recently asked me to collaborate on a screenplay with him. I wrote screenplays for many years before I discovered that writing novels was more fulfilling for me, so I am comfortable with the format and have the right program on my computer. But as I am discovering, it is almost like going back to the beginning as a writer. Because the process is so different. I'm going to share my process with my readers as I work on this script--collaboration, three-act structure, and the struggle to write something really good.

Today, I am working on an outline for the script--which for me, is just a four or five page summary of the story with highlights of special moments that I can already see in my mind. So far, my vision and my partner's vision are kind of different. He's seeing one movie, and I am seeing another. So today, my goal is to try to blend the two--and in that blending, to come up with something really original and special.

More later...

D.L.

An Interview with Susan VanHecke

I recently had the pleasure of reading Susan VanHecke's wonderful new books--ROCK 'N' ROLL SOLDIER: A MEMOIR, written with Dean Ellis Kohler (HarperCollins) and picture book, AN APPLE PIE FOR DINNER (Marshall Cavendish).

Rock 'N' Roll Soldier is a memoir of Dean Ellis Kohler's experience in Vietnam, serving as a military policeman. Dean Ellis Kohler had to leave a record deal behind when he was drafted and sent to Qui Nhon. But music is in Dean's soul. And so even there, in the middle of a war, Dean finds a way back to rock 'n' roll. We follow along on his journey to create a band, perform and even record an album while serving his country. The power of music allows the soldiers to escape, if just for the length of a song, from the horrors of war.

An Apple Pie for Dinner is a sweet story based on an English folktale, "The Apple Dumpling." The language is rhythmic and lends itself to being read over and over again. The story is charming, but I must warn you--reading it will make you crave apple pie.

I was grateful for the opportunity to interview this talented and busy writer. Here is what she had to say about writing memoirs, picture books, and rock 'n' roll.

DL: Susan, you did such an excellent job of giving us the immediate story of Dean Ellis Kohler's tour in Vietnam juxtaposed with the backstory. It was so easy to get into the book, and I really felt like I was there. Was this an intentional decision on your part, to weave the story together like that, or did it just happen organically?

SVH: It's so gratifying to hear that, Debby! Managing the backstory was one of the greatest challenges of writing Rock 'N' Roll Soldier. In our earliest drafts, I began with Dean at home in Portsmouth, Virginia. One version started as he was putting together his very first band. Another version opened with his landing the recording contract. Both had a lot of flashbacks to pivotal moments in his musical life – first guitar lesson, first talent show gig, etc. – as we tried to establish how important music was to him. But they just weren't working. I couldn't figure out why.

Then I read somewhere this piece of advice for launching a story: Begin with the moment when everything becomes different. For Dean, that was the moment he first laid eyes on Vietnam. His life would never again be the same. With that as my new starting point, I had a fresh trajectory for the story. Then it was simply a matter of choosing the most vital bits of backstory and finding logical, natural ways to work them in.

DL: I was incredibly impressed with the way you were able to assault us with the roughness and jarring experience of Vietnam, but also draw us in with this innocent, sweet inner voice. It was so human, so familiar. How did you work on creating that for the reader when you were writing from the perspective of a real person?

SVH: Thanks so much. Without a doubt, crafting Dean's voice was THE biggest challenge of this project. Dean's a very even-keeled, almost stoic, kind of guy, he doesn't get too emotional, doesn't give you too much. He keeps a lot on the inside. So I often had to put myself in his shoes and try to imagine how I – as a suburban teen just out of high school – would react in this strange place, doing and seeing these strange and often horrific things. Of course, I would check it all with Dean to make sure I was on the right track. But it definitely took a lot of role-playing.

Author Joyce Sweeney also gave me a great piece of advice. She suggested that every time Dean was thinking of home while he was in the war zone, I should include some kind of concrete, sensory "home" memory, like the bustle of the family breakfast table, or the sweet donut kiss with his girlfriend, or his beloved hand-me-down car or prized Gretsch guitar. I think that really helped to draw the stark contrast between the warm familiarity of home and the harsh surreality of war.

DL: How much research did you do on the Vietnam War? When you are working with the person who was actually there (in your case, Dean Ellis Kohler), can you rely on him for some of it, or does it make you feel you have to research more?

SVH: Dean was a huge help, especially since he saved a ton of artifacts from his time in Vietnam – documents, letters, photos, 8 mm film footage, audio, even the pocket calendar he used to mark off the days. He remembered so many details, and was able to talk to many of his buddies who served with him to double-check on things. But I did read as much about Vietnam as I could, especially first-hand accounts by soldiers, to get a better sense of what it must have been like. And a lot of it was truly horrifying. Even though Dean wasn't on the front lines, what he and his company experienced was troubling, to put it mildly. It's really no wonder these guys came home so emotionally damaged. It was difficult and heartbreaking research.

DL: What is the process you go through when you are working with a person to tell their story? Do you interview them or is it like a co-writing collaboration?

SVH: Rock 'N' Roll Soldier is my third co-written memoir; the writing process has been different with each project. One co-author didn't feel comfortable doing any of the writing, so I would interview him extensively by phone, transcribe the interviews, and use them to assemble the story. He would read what I'd written as we went along, and offer ideas for changes.

Another collaborator was a fabulous writer himself with a truly unique voice, so I functioned more as an editor for that book, culling the best of his material from several decades, prompting and guiding him as he wrote more, then sort of weaving all those bits together without injecting too much "me."

The third co-author didn't think he wanted to be part of the writing at first, but by the end of our extensive e-mail interviewing, he became pretty good at getting his thoughts down. I was able to lift some material directly from those e-mails.

DL: Looking at other books you've written, it is clear that you're the rock 'n' roll writer. How did you begin writing with and about rock stars?

SVH: I guess that started right after high school. I was dating the drummer in a local rock band and, being the dutiful girlfriend, wrote an article about the group for one of those entertainment weeklies every town used to have. That publication asked me to write more about music. In college in NYC, I worked at Island Records, where I started writing artist bios. When I graduated from NYU, I landed a job at a big music industry PR firm, and wrote bios and press releases and did tour press for rock bands.

When I left NYC (too darned expensive!) and returned home to southeastern Virginia, I became an arts and entertainment writer for the big daily newspaper in the area. An article I wrote on local legend Gene "Be-Bop-A-Lula" Vincent, a '50s rock pioneer, eventually became my first book, Race With The Devil (St. Martin's Press, 2000). Vincent's best pal, Eddie "Summertime Blues" Cochran, deserved a book, too, so I asked Cochran's nephew Bobby Cochran if he'd like to collaborate. That became Three Steps To Heaven (Hal Leonard, 2003). My agent thought I'd be a good choice to help rock photographer Tom Wright, also one of her clients, write his memoir, which became Roadwork: Rock 'N' Roll From The Inside Out (Hal Leonard, 2007) in the U.S. and Raising Hell On The Rock 'N' Roll Highway (Omnibus, 2009) in the U.K. And it was another article for that Virginia newspaper that put me in touch with Dean Kohler about ten years ago. His incredible Vietnam story became Rock 'N' Roll Soldier (HarperTeen, 2009).

DL: You have two books out at once, and they are so different! An Apple Pie for Dinner is an adorable picture book (which my five year old daughter has stolen and placed on her own bookshelf). How did you come up with the concept for this book?

SVH: It actually grew out of a writing exercise. When I first decided I'd like to write for children a few years ago, I knew I'd need to tone down my tendency to overwrite. So I took some of my favorite folktales from childhood and reinterpreted them, writing very simply and concisely. It's surprising how difficult that can be! I remembered the cumulative English folktale The Apple Dumpling, made a few changes, and gave it a go. Marshall Cavendish picked it up as an easy reader for autumn. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would actually become a picture book!

DL: What was it like to see the artwork for An Apple Pie? Did you like it? Waiting to see cover art is so nervewracking, I can't even imagine what it would be like the first time you see the artwork that represents your story.

SVH: When my editor told me that they'd chosen 3-D fabric artist Carol Baicker-McKee to illustrate the book, I thought it was a brilliant decision. Her work is stunning – so tactile and warm. Just perfect for this fun folktale. The hard part was the waiting – seems authors are always waiting! I did get to see Carol's preliminary sketches early on, which was very exciting. But creating that incredibly detailed artwork was so labor-intensive that Carol, understandably, needed extra time. Our Fall '08 book became a Fall '09 book. But, wow, it was definitely worth the wait. When I got the page proofs with the final artwork I was amazed and delighted! I showed everyone I could!

DL: I was wondering how you compare the publishing process between your picture book and your memoir? What about your own promotion for the books. Has it been easier to promote one than the other?

SVH: The process for An Apple Pie For Dinner went much faster. I'd already made all the revisions my editor had requested before I was even offered the contract. So once the manuscript was acquired, there really wasn't much more for me to do. Rock 'N' Roll Soldier, on the other hand, was sold from a proposal and sample chapters; I had no manuscript. And the initial manuscript I submitted was a total failure – a devastating first for me. But my editor kindly gave me a second chance. I hired a pair of well-credentialed book coaches to keep me on track, started from scratch, and, thankfully, that manuscript was accepted. There were several rounds of revisions after that, as well, so that Fall '08 title also became a Fall '09-er.

As for promotion, Rock 'N' Roll Soldier has so many more story angles to pitch to all sorts of media. Beyond the kidlit market, we're starting to get traction with media for grown-ups, i.e. music, war history, and veterans' publications. Dean's done some interviews on classic rock radio, even college newspapers have done feature stories. An Apple Pie For Dinner has been a harder sell to mainstream media, probably because as a picture book it has a fairly limited readership.

For both books, I've created dedicated websites. At www.AnApplePieForDinner.com, you can find downloadable pie-related children's activities, fun pie facts, a classroom guide, plus video (including a pie-baking how-to) and original music created especially for the book. If you visit www.RockNRollSoldierAMemoir.com, you can peruse an archive of Dean's photos, film footage, and audio from his Vietnam experience. It's pretty rare that you can actually see and hear the characters in a book that you're reading – we think it really helps lift the story from the page.

DL: With a memoir and picture book out this year, what's next for you?

SVH: I have a nonfiction for middle-graders pubbing in the fall from Boyds Mills Press, an imprint of Highlights for Children magazine. Strike Up The Band! Amazing American Instrument Makers From Ragtime To Rock traces the history and cultural impact of musical instrument makers like Steinway, Ludwig, Fender, Hammond, Moog, and more. I researched and collected more than 600 photos, many rare and vintage, to accompany the text, so it was quite an involved project. All of the companies profiled were just wonderful, opening up their archives to me. I can't wait for this one to come out – it's a lot of fun!

I'm also finishing up two more middle-grade nonfiction proposals, and hope to get back to work on an historical fiction I've started about the Underground Railroad that's tied to my family tree. There's other stuff, too – I like to keep many projects going simultaneously. I just wish there were more hours in a day!

Thank you, Susan, for taking the time to chat with me!

For more information about Susan VanHecke, visit her websites--

www.RockNRollSoldierAMemoir.com
www.AnApplePieForDinner.com
www.SusanVanHecke.com
www.SusanVanHecke.blogspot.com

To win a copy of Rock 'N' Roll Soldier, leave a comment below by February 12, 2010. The winner will be selected randomly from all comments posted.

Have a beautiful day!

D.L.

Question of the Week

I've been receiving the nicest emails from all of you who have been reading Jane in Bloom. Thank you so much! I love hearing from you.

Here is my favorite question of the week from someone who just read Jane in Bloom.

Question: What do you think are the 10 things that describe Jane?

Answer: I think the ten things that describe Jane are:

1. Courageous
2. Strong
3. Smart
4. Funny
5. Creative
6. Loving
7. Empathetic
8. Friendly
9. Honest
10. Loyal

What do you think? If any of you have other ideas to add, send them in so I can post them here.

Thanks again for your emails and comments. And thank you for reading Jane in Bloom!

D.L.

Cynsations

I am so proud and honored to have been featured on Cynthia Leitich Smith's blog, Cynsations this week. Here is the link, if you want to check it out. http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2010/02/new-voice-deborah-lytton-on-jane-in.html

If any of you are not familiar with Cynthia's writing, I highly recommend her Gothic YA novel, Eternal. I promise, you won't be able to put it down!

Have a beautiful day,
D.L.

Sisters

I want to say thank you, and send hugs to the Eva Perry Mock Newbery Book Club for making Jane in Bloom one of your 2010 Honor Books. I loved reading your comments about my book--it's the best part about being an author, to hear what your readers think. Here's a link for anyone who wants to check it out. My friend, Ellen Jensen Abbott also received a 2010 honor from the group for her debut novel Watersmeet. Congratulations, Ellen! http://evaperrymocknewbery.wordpress.com/
Jane in Bloom is about a lot things--it's about grief so deep that you can't breathe, it's about feeling invisible, it's about seeing yourself for who you really are, and it's about relationships. Relationships with parents, with friends, and mostly, with a sister. I have a sister. She's three years younger than I am--and we are very different in many ways, but we are also connected. In that way sisters are connected. I wrote about that connection in Jane in Bloom. Sisters understand you like no one else, they know your story intimately, because they have lived each moment with you. And they see the world in a similar way, even if they approach it differently. Readers who have written to me have told me that they, too, have sisters and that they related to Jane and Lizzie. Reading the book made them appreciate the relationship they have, it made the readers grateful for their own sisters. I am grateful for my sister, too. She has been there for me in the best of times to celebrate, and in the worst of times to dry my tears, and when I need help, she is the first person I call. I invite any readers who have sisters to send in a comment. Tell me what you love about your sister. What is your favorite thing to do together. What makes your relationship special. I'd love to know. And don't forget once in a while to tell her how much she means to you.

D.L.

Fuse #8

Elizabeth Bird at Fuse #8 ran an end of the year poll to determine the last 2009 book she would review. Jane in Bloom was one of the contenders. And thanks to all of you out there who voted, Jane in Bloom came in second! Thank you to Elizabeth for including me in the poll, and for mentioning me in her blog--and linking to a great review of Jane in Bloom (which just happens to be one of my favorites!). I really appreciate all the support from my friends who voted for Jane in Bloom. It means the world to me!

Here is the link to Fuse #8--and the blog about the poll results

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1790000379/post/620051662.html

Have a beautiful day!
D.L.

Inspiration

This weekend, I started a new novel. A book about a 15 year old's experience with true love. It is a story about the one person in the world who can reach this girl, and how he changes her life forever. When I write, I find I am far more creative if I reach for inspiration from other artists. Sometimes I find that inspiration in paintings, sometimes in photographs. Other times, it is in music or poetry. For this new novel, I have been reading the love letters 19th century poet John Keats wrote to the love of his life, Fanny Brawne. Jane Campion has just made a stunning film about their romance, called Bright Star, and she writes the forward in the book. I have found, as did Ms. Campion, that Keats' passion is palpable. His love is so ardent, so rich, that one feels almost intrusive reading the letters, almost like one is eavesdropping on them. We don't get to read Fanny's responses, because her letters were destroyed, but we can figure out what her responses must have been by his addresses to her. In our world of emails and texting and twitter, I think we are losing the beauty and power of the written word. When you have a limited number of characters you can use, you can't really say all that you want to say, and certainly not in eloquent terms. Instead, it is the expediency of language which rules our current society, rather than the beauty of it. It is the beauty of language which inspires me. And the sentiments behind it. Reading Keats' letters is truly an inspiration. I think I will read Romeo and Juliet next.