A Gag Reflex

Reserve your copy...

2008-08-13T07:31:00.001-07:00

The title for the book release of "A Gag Reflex" will be.....

due out September of '08 w/Seal Press.

You can Pre-order your copy at Amazon

Come by and say hello here:
CoriCrooks.com
MySpace

Reserve your copy...

2008-03-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

The title for the book release of "A Gag Reflex" will be.....

due out September of '08 w/Seal Press.

You can Pre-order your copy at Amazon

Come by and say hello here:
CoriCrooks.com
MySpace

Name change, name change, been working on that name change...

2007-12-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

The time has come to really think about that title.

And I've thunk and thunk.

And I'm changing the name. Quite happily I say!

I'll tell you 'bout it here in a bit.

I think you'll like it a lot.

It's Official!

2007-07-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

Negotiations are done!

I signed the contract with a big happy smile!

Wow! Kapow!

I've heard of a possible release date.... Fall 2008... Seal Press!

Wonderful! Wonderful!

Salad days

2007-07-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Sigh. It's a funny feeling not being able to afford a subscription to the site that announces the sale of your first book.

Publisher's Marketplace

Someday I tell ya! Someday!

(...and they even spelled my name wrong! Isn't that kinda cool in a weird sort of way?)

2007-06-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Oh... and did I mention that it takes forever?

A Book! A Book!

2007-05-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

Great news!

My book has found a home!

Lots of hard work and lots of believing in the project... and ta-da!!...

Contract negotations with Seal Press!

I couldn't be more pleased!

Here's an big public thank you to my agent Michelle Brower!

And a huge thank you to everyone who's said "Chin-up Cori"....
when I was looking down at my shoes.

A Book! A Book!

happy birthday mom-

2007-03-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

During the Summer of 2004-

Finally, after 13 years of searching...

I found the man who was rumored to be my father- and asked him to take a DNA Test.

While...
I Blogged about it.

Sometimes...
learning the truth about your parent's past ain't easy.

A Gag Reflex.

What happens when a hip Gen X Chick finds out that her dead Mommy was a wild child in the 60's? A Gag Reflex. A dark and wacky DNA adventure written by artist, Cori Crooks, that leaves the reader asking... "Who's your Daddy?"
-Smart Grrl Zine

In A Gag Reflex, Cori Crooks retells her mother's fantastical stories, weaving them together with her own memories of her mother's outrageous behavior. The resulting narrative is an account of one complex woman's life, seen through the eyes of her daughter.
-Sacramento News & Review

"This is not mere prose it is prose that dances to a poet's song."
-Michele Agnew

"The complex relationship of a woman's relationship to her own life...her complicated past, her complicated now, and, most especially, the willful, amazing, awful, undeniable force of human nature that was her mother..."
-Michael K. Willis, Bread & Roses

"I can’t read any of Cori’s posts without imagining her story being translated to the silver screen and aired at Sundance to rapturous applause."
-petite anglaise

"I am riveted and I'd like you to be too."
-Jim, Jim in Tonic

"You inspired me to finish my story on my blog. Thank you. You took away my fears. Thanks to you I'm up and writing it again."
-Alli, 63 Days

"I started reading. It was light and bright outside. My children were playing about me and I had no idea what I was in for. I've finished all 80 pages plus links...and its dark foreboding now. The kids nap. It's quite. I am alone. The feeling of tender sadness mixed with hope fills me up."
-Laurenbove, Mindful Things

"Cori is amazing, Cori has nothin’ to worry about, Cori writes like siouxsie screams. So what’s not to like?"
-Patrick O'Neil, Full Blue Moon Dementia

Finished!

2007-03-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

All links updated!

Why Ain't It Working?

2007-02-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

Hey all- currently revamping some old links.... those lovely birds who have me on Bloglines may want to drop me- temporarily please! Should be finished tightening things up in a few days!

As for the book- have decided not to rewrite. This week we'll start looking at smaller publishers.

Also- I've followed some pals over to the dark side. Is there a literary movement afoot?

2007-01-29T08:13:00.000-08:00

2007-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Come by for a visit!

Hmmm...

2007-01-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

Now that a little time has past and the burn of pursuing publication has lightened, little birds chip at my ears and I think... maybe it wouldn't be so bad to rewrite again.

I could do a book without pictures.

Not a big deal at all.

Infact- maybe the act of writing again itself would lead me to that feeling of being 100% complete with all the work I've done. I've been wanting to close the doors on this part of my life and have cringed at the thought of opening it all back up. So- there is my signal. There is obviously more to say. There are words to pull from this cringe.

A brilliant poet I admire, one who immediately opens my fan mail and responds thoughtfully, responded awhile back saying in so many words, that maybe I needed to write two versions. Here we are a year later and I realize more than ever that she's right.

Writing more doesn't mean I have to let anything go. Writing more doesn't mean that I am changing my voice or throwing my book away. It's just like the lesson I learned with the blog. The blog is the blog. Just as the "art book" is the "art book". This will be what this is. I'm just molding the story to fit different frameworks- finding a place where my voice can be heard by a larger audience. Not literally- but figuratevly. My job is a job of finding the right words that pull my voice from obsurity.

Maybe.

Hello 2007.

2006-12-18T08:27:00.000-08:00

As it stands...

2006-12-11T09:10:00.000-08:00

Being rejected by 10 major publishers feels like:

1. Not getting asked to the prom.
2. Going out clubbing at the "Black Angus" and not hooking up.
3. Getting a 5.5 rating on "Am I hot or not?"

You see... it just doesn't matter. Sure it might have been weird fun... but I'm not loosing any sleep over it.

The neat thing is... when I asked my agent if anyone gave out any constructive criticism she said,

"More writing." And she said, "Less writing."

The general consensus with the memoir folks was that it was pretty darn good, but there wasn't enough of it. Too many pictures.

And the general consensus with the picture book peeps was that it was pretty darn good but... it needed less story.

So I guess I can walk away with the "pretty darn good" part. In so many words. :-)

What will I do? Will I stick to my guns and find the right publisher who loves experimental writing mixed with artwork? Or recycle it and rewrite a traditional style memoir?

I think right now I'll do nothing.

I think I'll let it sit.

Just for a little bit.

Meanwhile, I’ll be fooling around over at "The Swaying Hips", working out some ideas for a new book and posting my artsy projects and thoughts about the world. You are welcome to join me there anytime! I will most likely be posting more often in the new year.

Otherwise- "A Gag Reflex" has some waiting to do. Twiddling thumbs and all.

Great!

2006-12-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

I know! I know! I should be updating on current events... but I just had to share this...

There is no better feeling than knowing people are reading your writing. Ahhh... a connection!

(found it on my stats page)

Here we go again with the "Who am I" thing...

2006-11-30T05:30:00.001-08:00

Stiff drink(s) in order.

2006-11-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

"Hi Cori, I'm sorry to report back with unpleasant news, but we still have no takers on your book. Editors who like to do memoir are wary of the pictorial element, and editors who like image-heavy books are concerned that a memoir would not attract a broad enough audience. Several editors have expressed that they would like to read the book as a traditional, text only memoir, a la The Glass Castle. I have a few more people I could send it out to, but I'd like to take the time here to regroup and see how you'd like to move forward."

2006-11-21T07:38:00.000-08:00

Still here. Still sitting on lots of eggs.

sigh.

My feathers are itchy.

2006-10-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

Thumbelina

2006-10-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

It is the beginning of October and the manuscripts w/artwork are all printed and ready to submit to publishers, under the title "Gag Reflex: A Paternity Memoir". The agent suggested going with a cut down working title so prospective editors have room to "envision the book as their own". We will worry about the title later! *doing a happy dance*

"I will keep you updated on submissions- Frankfurt book fair is next week, and I want to make sure the first round of editors are all present and accounted for when I send the book out. So I basically have to take attendance first :)"

*nervously twiddling my thumbs*

My idears......

2006-09-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ya'all have inspired me.

I came up with a few myself that I'm posting for your golden feedback!

Gag Reflex
The story of a time when all the answers to all my
questions were found on the end of a Q-Tip.
A Paternity Memoir

or

Gag Reflex
A memoir of how I found out the truth about my paternity
from a mail order DNA test.

or

Gag Reflex
The story of how I chased after my Dad's friend with a Q-Tip.
A Paternity Memoir

Fancy Pants

2006-09-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Like I said- Michelle loves the revisions. Yesterday she sent me the contract and I am now the newest literary talent for "Wendy Sherman, Inc.".

Honk! Honk! (That's me tooting my own horn!)

Now my book will become part of a package. It, along with the bio, a pic, press, and blog stats will be sent out to 4 specific major publishers. (The first wave begins!) Oh how I want to say who they are- because I can't believe it myself I tell ya!

So.... "A Gag Reflex" is now "Gag Reflex"... hope no one minds! I personally wasn't terribly attached to the letter "A", though it is a nice letter and all. The bigger change is the subtitle... and that is where you come in...

Any ideas?

It needs to have more to do with the paternity/DNA aspect of the book...

Anyone?

(My heart is racing. This is all so incredibly amazing.)

Very Close...

2006-08-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

Little nervous/numb today.

Got word back about the revisions and Michelle is happy- whew. Looks like I'll get some sleep tonight. So why nervous you ask? Well, I'm nearing the end- and we all know... ends are just well disguised beginnings. (Some bright person said something like that once, yes?)

So what does it feel like at the end?

I keep thinking that there is something really special that I've forgotten to say or forgotten to show.

But I'm ready. The big publishing world will either like me or hate me.

So... Ms. New York City Lit Agent has given me some homework assignments- one of which is to do a "Back of the Book" bio/photo combo.

(Is this really happening?)

She says, "Have fun with it".

Time to make a pot of Peets.

2006-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Revisions are finished!

Wooohoooo!