~~~Lara Zielin~~~

STATUS: Warming up for post-holiday sales.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: The list of people on Larry King Live. Priscilla Presley, Celene Dion, and Michael Bolton. Slow much, Larry?

Turns out politics are like Project Runway – one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out. I was ignorant of this. I thought, one day you’re in (when you turn 18 and, as a legal resident of the United States, are granted voting rights) and then … you’re in. But it turns out I’m as woefully ignorant of politics as I am the ways in which a woman is/is not supposed to wear leggings. I needed a German supermodel/actress/fragrance designer to set me straight, and I quickly found Wilhelmina Zedler (What? Like you expected Heidi Klum? Please. This blog has six readers.) and, as only a German supermodel/actress/fragrance designer can, Wilhelmina set me straight on Michigan politics.

Vell. Let me tell you how it is. Michigan is in a bad place, yes? Das auto makers cannot compete vith the superior German autos, like Audi and BMW, and maybe some Japanese cars here and zare, and the whole state goes – voolhomon! – down das toilet. It is, how do you say this, a localized recession. But, nubenscnieder, no one cares! None of das phonies in Vashington are helping Michigan, and das political candidates sink dat Michigan is the brand of coffee maker dat Oprah gives avay on her show.

So. Vot can das state do? Das answer was simple: Move its primary up! Evervone cares about Iova and New Hampshire, vhich is ridiculous because these states also sink that L.L. Bean is high fashion. But vhy should dese farmers get more attention than Michigan? Michigan vonted to get the presidential candidates talking about how bad sinks vere here.

Vell. The Democratic National Committee vas none too pleased about das change, vich could mean the old system (vhere they pull the strings, not Michigan) might not vork so vell anymore. Iova, after all, put das John Kerry up against das George W. Bush and dat vas a rousing success – much like how pleats in the 1980s made every voman look skinnier. They made such an achvoltrous fuss that the Democratic candidates pulled deir names off the primary ballots in Michigan. They von’t be campaigning in das mitten-shaped state.

Now. Let me tell you vot dis means. Vhen a Michigan resident like Eminem goes to cast his primary ballot, he von’t see Obama’s name, or Hillary Clinton’s name on dat piece of paper. Nein. He vill only see some Republican names. You might think, no sveat. Write in das names. But nein again. Das rules for primaries say write-ins vill be discarded. The best option for Eminem is to check “undecided.” Vot crapenshizen! Dey essentially told Michigan voters like Eminem to go flingoffer themselves.

Vot Obama and Hillary and Edvards don’t realize is zat Michigan is barely a blue state. Vot if it goes red in the next election because they didn’t campaign there? Vot den? There are more details here zan I can go into – I hov to be at a photo shoot in a half hour and Bruno is vaiting to do my makeup – but there are lawsuits against Michigan by the Democratic National Committee, and Michigan is counter-suing, and Florida is trying to do the same sing as Michigan, I sink because they are still mad about the hanging Chads. (I went to an undervear party for Calvin Klein and saw hanging Chads but das vas different).

Anyvay, ze Iova primaries are happening in just a few weeks because, when Michigan moved deir primary up, so did Iova – just so zey could still be first. It’s terrible. I sought dat vhen an American vos guaranteed the right to vote, it meant they could vote for the candidate they sought vos best. But that’s not the case. And da vorst part about it, is it’s Democrats giving das finger to ozer Democrats.

Maybe this is vhy in America, more people vote for American Idol than for presidential candidates. At least in American Idol, your vote counts.

STATUS: Looking at a winter wonderland. There are many inches of snow on the ground and more to come. The fear-mongering Weather Channel had everyone in a panic about it night (OMG! SNOW! In MICHIGAN! STOCK UP ON BOLOGNA AND CIGARETTES! CROSS YOURSELVES AND PRAY!) but I love the effects of a big storm. It gets so quiet, and the whole world turns white. I think it’s lovely. So what if we can’t drive? Let’s just pretend it’s New York for a day. Only without … um, everything.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: Kid Sister’s “Pro Nails” video.

So, 2007? Was awesome. It was 365 days of Can it get any better? Woah, wait. It just did! As 2007 comes to a close, I thought I’d blog about wha hoppened, and what I’m thankful for:

January 2007: My whole office pitched in to help me make a Deal or No Deal video. No questions asked! I love my office! I love the video! (You can see it at the bottom of the FAQ on the larawrites.com page) Screw it if Howie and the gang didn’t. It got 2007 off to a great start.

February 2007: The email that launched 1,000 ships arrived. Susanna Einstein liked DONUT DAYS and offered me representation with LJK Literary Agency. I was at work when I got it and I trotted a few steps down the hall, then burst into tears. Everyone thought something was wrong. Or that I was pregnant. I was such a basket case for the rest of the day. But in the best way possible.

March 2007: Larry Kirshbaum, founder of LJK Literary, meets me for drinks in Ann Arbor during a visit. So, I promise this whole list won’t be about LJK, but this was a big deal for me. I mean, it’s Larry Kirshbaum! He’s a legend. And he thought to have drinks with me in Ann Arbor. I was tickled. And I loved spending time with him. He likes sitting at the bar, and I like sitting at the bar. He likes my writing and I like my writing. You see? It was win-win right away. We were the proverbial peas and carrots.

April 2007: My nephew, Erik, is born. I now have, count ‘em, eleven nieces and nephews. If that doesn’t stretch the old holiday budget, I don’t know what does. It’s a blessing to have small people in my life for maybe the first time ever (apart from when I was one, of course). Rob’s sister, Deb, has five kids alone and she’s such a great role model for cherishing each one of your kids for who they are and making them feel special on a daily basis.

Also in April, Susanna sold DONUT DAYS to Putnam. I was walking the dog when she called (from the UK, god bless her, she’s a deal-maker even while at conferences abroad) to tell me about the offer. I didn’t cry this time, but the information did put me into a bit of a daze. If anything, I felt like I was on too much Vicatin or something – not that I’ve ever been on too much Vicatin, but when I watch Paula Abdul I sure can guess what it’s like.

May 2007: Ellen and I attend, like, our 900th writers’ retreat together in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Okay, maybe it was our fourth. Ellen was hard at work on her new book now that KEEPING THE HOUSE was in pre-production, and I was trying to stay busy with a new book as well until I started editing DONUT DAYS. It was our first retreat where we both had book deals under our belts. I recall a lot of champagne was consumed during those four days.

June 2007: ROB AND I GOT MARRIED! I GOT TO MARRY THE GREATEST GUY ON THE WHOLE FREAKING PLANET! IT WAS SO AWESOME! It was at his parents’ house in Michigan, down by the lake. The weather was perfect. Our fabulous friend Colleen married us and, even though there was an objection to the union (by my 11-year-old nephew Alec who said *he* wanted to marry me), it was the greatest day of all time. I keep telling Rob, I want to have another day just like that one. I want to have a party every year where we celebrate being together. Seriously, you guys: Best. Day. Ever.

July 2007: Ellen’s book, KEEPING THE HOUSE, hit bookshelves! Woo hoo! She went on a huge publicity tour, and Ann Arbor was one of the cities she visited. Yay!

Also in July, Rob and I snuck into an Elvis Fest with friends whose names I shall not put on this blog, but you know who you are. There was a little-person Elvis and a young Elvis and some old Elvises (I call them Elvi), and it was SO worth sneaking into. I fully plan on doing it again next year.

August 2007: Rob and I got rid of our storage unit and figured out how to purge from our lives what we really didn’t need. It saved us $130/month and helped us realize how much stuff we had that wasn’t doing us any good. Um, yeah. Metaphor time.

September 2007: Our friends Katie and Martin got married, and our friend Steve got a fabulous new job. It was definitely a month for more celebrating. September was also the month friends helped us discover Haab’s, an old-school bar/restaurant with $2 happy hours, even on Friday, and they make the greatest drinks ever. O Haab’s, I do love thee.

October 2007: I got involved in efforts to save a local wetland, and editing for DONUT DAYS commenced. I also went to my first Halloween party where my costume didn’t totally blow. I was Little Red Riding Hood – much more recognizable than Harriet Miers.

November 2007: Rob and I took our pilgrimage to Lambeau. OMG. It was like I’d clicked my heels together three times and finally found home. It rocked. Plus my parents were there AND the Pack won. Three cheers for Green Bay! Ellen and I also had another writers’ retreat in Myrtle Beach, where it was sunny and warm. Edits on DONUT DAYS continued, and I turned 32.

December 2007: This month, Rob has made advent calendars, and the holiday in general, tons of fun again. Edits on DONUT DAYS continue still, but that’s a good thing. My editor is a machine. Rob is hard at work for a script for a new movie, which he’ll film in 2008, and I’m already thinking about ways to make my next book better so that when Susanna shows it to Stacey, it’s a deal-maker right away. Lots of plans are in the hopper, but life is really good, just as it is. I’m so thankful for 2007. In some ways, I don’t want it to end. How can this year be topped? It can’t. ’simpossible.

I love this life. Love it, love it. Thanks for reading, and happy holidays!

STATUS: Addicted to QVC. I’m not even kidding. So far I haven’t bought anything, but there’s something about that show that’s like watching a beauty pageant that’s just seconds away from devolving into chaos and tears. It’s crack.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: My friend Sarah sent this out with the tag “Lo that I so love the Internet!” The girl made herself into an elf, peeps. And I gotta say, she’s freaking adorable!

Our presents are wrapped, our advent calendar is halfway completed, and we leave in one week for Wisconsin.  Pretty much every day between now and then is filled with plans of some sort. It’s a busy time of year for sure, but so far this has been the most enjoyable holiday season of all. Maybe it’s the fact that getting gifts wasn’t stressful, that our house has been a cozy Christmas cottage for weeks now, and that Rob’s infectious Christmas spirit is … well, infectious.

The other thing that rules is that Stacey asked me yesterday for ideas for the cover of DONUT DAYS. What a fun assignment! How do you visually combine donuts and religion? I *loved* thinking about this and it was the perfect gift – the reminder that my book is a real thing that is going to come out in just over a year. Woo hoo!

STATUS: Up too early.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: This one’s from Jess, the queen of fab links. It’s David Hasselhoff (er, The Hoff) singing “Hooked on a Feeling.”

So, um, two posts for the entire month of November pretty much blows. But I had good reasons. I traveled oodles (New York, Green Bay, Myrtle Beach) and then it was pretty much Thanksgiving. Plus, my second round of edits are due December 10 and I’m sprinting to the finish line to try and get them done. Arg. I suppose maybe it’s a blessing we had a crazy winter storm last night. Now I’m stuck indoors, so I should make good use of being stranded and get my laptop and red pen out.

Anyway, I did manage to read two really great YA books this month. PANTS ON FIRE by Meg Cabot made me laugh out loud and it was a great story, and THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER by Sarah Dessen was gorgeous. I can’t recommend it highly enough. And mucho thanks to my sistah Ellen for being the one to get them in front of me. So, if you’re looking for gifts to put under the tree for that special YA someone in your life, there are two good ones.